9 2 



A Relation of the . Chap. XIX. 



The Revenues 

 oj the Gardens, 

 kotv employed. 



I 



Cucumbers x 

 great ddicacy 

 among'}, the 

 Levantines. 



CHAP. XIX. 

 Of the Gardens of the Seraglio. 



The Principal Heads. 



Tin %pmws of the Gardens employ d for the Grand Seignor 9 s Table. 

 Cucumber s y a fruit of much delicacy amongft the Levantines, 

 and how they eat them. A noble Pyramid, refembling Trajan's 

 Pillar. Fountains. The numhr of the Gardiners. * 



T is an ancient Cuftome, or rather, a Law, eftabliuYd by the Ottoman Princes, 

 that the profits made out of their Gardens, ihould be contributory to the keep- 

 ing of their own Tables, and they have feveral of them, in the Neighbourhood 

 oiConftantinopk, as well on the European fide, as the Afian, all along the Sea- 

 more. But I (hall give an account, only of the Gardens of the Seraglio, that fo 

 I may not exceed the limits I have prefcrib'd to my fclf in this Relation. 



There are in the Seraglio feveral Gardens, wherein there are only Flowers, in di- 

 vers Appartments, and particularly in that of the Grand Seignor, and, no queftion.but 

 the fame thing may be faid of the Quarter of the Sultamfles. Yet is- there not any 

 thmg extraordinary, which might oblige me to give this defcription thereof. The 

 great Garden, whereof the Boftangi-bachi has the overfight, as he has alfo of all the 

 others belonging to the Grand Seignor, takes up the greateft part of the Seraglio, and 

 confifts of a great number of Walks, planted, of each fide, with Cyprefs. Thofe. 

 Walks are much negleded, fo that in feveral places, they are hot clear'd of Bryars and 

 Thorns. When it is known, that the Grand Seignor is to come and take his diver- 

 tifement there, a great number of Beftangjs are immediately commanded out, to make 

 clean the Walks, which he ufes to frequent, and the fpaces between thofe Walks are 

 fo many Kitchin-Gardens, or Orchards, which are very well fumifti'd with Fruit- 

 Trees, of feveral excellent kinds. Of Strawberries and Rafpices there is great ftore 

 and they have large beds of Melons, and Cucumbers j but moft of thefe laft, which are 

 accounted a great delicacy amongft the Levantines. 



As to the Cucumbers, they commonly eat them without taking off any thing of the 

 nnde, after which they go and drink a glafs of Water. In all Afa it is the ordinary 

 fuftenance of the meaner fort of people, for the fpace of three or four months, the 

 whole Family lives upon them, and when a Child asks for fomething to eat, whereas 

 in our European Countries, they would give him bread, in the Levant, they bring him 

 only a Cucumber, which he eats raw, as it comes out of the Garrifon. Laborious 

 perlons, and fuch as are in a manner tyr'd with working, fuch as Camel-drivers and 

 thofe who are entrufted with the care of the Horfcs, and Mules, in the Caravans, make 

 a kind of Sallad of their Cucumbers, not much unlike the Ma(h, which we would give 

 our Horfes. When they are come to the Lodging place, where the Caravan is to make 

 a Kay, they take a large Bafin, which they almolt fill with water, and having put fome 

 lowr milk into it, they cut a great number of Cucumbers, into great ilices and fo 

 make a kind of math of them. Tis a pleafant fight to fee them at the confounding of 

 it. Amongft ten or twelve, who all ftand round the faid Bafin, there is but one woo- 

 den Spoon, which every one takes in his turn, till they have made a Qiift to empty the 

 Balm. That done, they fail a drinking of water, and thofe who have wherewithall, 

 gpand take a diih ot Coffee, or fmoke a Pipe of Tobacco. 



But 



