Part I. Travels into /i?^ L e v a n t. 7 j 
CHAP. 
Of the V/eah^efs of the Turh^ by Sea. 
IF the Turks fucceed very well in their Wars by Land, they are neither fo The Turks 
fortunate nor fo ftout at Sea, where they are always worfted, and never u^^^^iifuiat 
get the better, but when they are fix to one ; which chiefly is occafioned by 
their want of skilful Sea Officers, fit to Command. I fpeak not now of the 
Barbary men, who being always a Pirating, and for the moll; part Renegadoe 
Italians^ French^ Endilh and Dutch, Sea-men by profelfion, cannot but under- 
ftand Sea Affairs. The Turks are even unskilful in building of Ships, and The Turks 
though in that they employ Chriftian Slaves, yet they are fo ill built, that they ""mjoJ"'!;, 
are not fît to ferve above two years. They build Saiqms^ and other Merchants build ships, 
Veffels pretty well ; but for Men-of-War, they are meer Apprentices at it : 
They do what they can to imitate the Galleafles of ^f«/c<?, which do them fo 
much mifchief ; but they cannot compafs it, for their Galleafles Cwhich they 
call Maones") are no more but Galleys a little higher raifed : Nay, there Mxone. 
Baftarde^ or Admiral Galley , having ferved one year, becomes next year a Baflurde. 
Maone. When they are about to launch a new built Velfel, all the other Ships Ceremony in 
and Galleys come to the place, and the Ship that is to be launched, is covered launching a 
with Muficians, and Players on Inftruments, adorned with Flags and Colours "5"^ ^'^'•'^ 
on all hands, and the Port is covered over with Boats full of People : All 
things being ready, they kill a great many Sheep on board the new Ship, which * 
are given to the Poor, and then (he is launched off, with the found of all the 
Inftruments, and the Ihouts of the People, who feveral times cry yîllah ; when 
file is in th*e Sea, all the other Ships and Galleys falute her with their Guns. 
I faw the Admiral Galley launc hed in this manner ; but a little before I came to 
Conftamtnofle^ they had ill luck with that Ceremony, for a new VelTel, which 
was very big, and full of People, being launched, fhot off fo faft, that flie ran 
her head under water, fo that many were drowned, and the Ships and Galleys 
that came to falute her, were fain to return without firing a Gun. They man 
their Ships very well with Soldiers,and even Janiz^aries ^ but thefe Blades, who The 'fmi^n. 
know not what it is to give ground on fhorc, never go to Sea but againfl: their rks have an 
wills -, and if thef can get off for money, the>' are fure not to go. All that go ^verfion to 
for a feafon to Sea, are called Seferàisj that is to fay, who make a Voyage. 
Three days before the Fleet put out, they go along the (Ireets with a Hatchet The i'nfoience 
in their hand, demanding Afpres from all Chriftians and Jews whom they meet, of the Soldiers 
and fometimes of Turks too ; and if they have them not quickly beft;owcd,they when they 
freely lay on with their Hatchet, never minding what may come on't, for they ^ire going to 
are not fought after ; fo that it is not good for Chriftians or Jews to be abroad 
in the ftreets during thefe three days. Then are all Taverns fhut up by order 
of the^Vyîfr, whocaufes them ever to be fealed, left the Wine might inflame 
their Infolence. But I cannot forbear to fay fomewhat of the Battel that was 
fought before the Dardanelles., whilft I was at Confiantttiofle • wherein the 
Chriftians and Venetians gained fo much honour and advantage. 
L 
C H A P. 
