PASHA OF LASCAR AD. 
775 
tections and privileges. We quitted this thriving town by ten 
o’clock; the surrounding country presenting charming pictures 
of fertility and village comfort. Four hours’ riding brought us 
to that of Arnaut-Kieuy, still bearing the dilapidated marks of 
the last warfare; and at five o’clock we reached the town of 
Lascarad (or Razarad,) once the seat of a celebrated pasha, whom 
Sultan Selim had previously sent into Europe to study its arts 
and manners; and the good effects of his observations are yet 
very apparent in the district he governed. When this nobleman 
heard of the dethronement of his sovereign by the rebellious 
Janissaries, he assembled an army, and marched to Constan¬ 
tinople. Having posted his troops to command every avenue to 
the town, he was on the eve of executing his purpose, the rescue 
of his benefactor, when some fatal circumstance induced him to 
enter the walls, accompanied by only a few armed men. He 
was surprised, and surrounded by the enraged Janissaries; but 
fighting his way through them, towards one of the imperial 
buildings which held part of the royal treasure, lie threw himself 
into it, and with his brave followers prepared to stand a siege. 
The incensed enemy attempted by every force and stratagem to 
storm his stronghold, and at last so far effected their purpose 
as to scale its sides, when some hundreds gaining the top, began 
to unroof it, hoping, by that means, to get possession of their 
victim, and drag him forth to public revenge. But he had al¬ 
ready found means of escaping their judgment for ever. A 
barrel of gunpowder had accidentally been left in the tower, and 
firing his pistols into it, the explosion at once blew up himself, 
and his brave followers, happy to share his fate; and 300 of the 
sanguinary wretches, just descending to put their threats in exe¬ 
cution. His body was afterwards found, and in pitiful malice 
