Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/100

 From the midst of Constantinople is a very pleasant and delightful view over the sea, and of Mount Olympus in Asia, which is constantly white with snow. The sea contains a great abundance of fish, which at one time swim from the Lake Mæotis, or the Black Sea, through the straits of the Bosphorus into the Ægean and Mediterranean, and at another, turn back again, as is the nature of fish, in such immense numbers that abundance of them can be taken by the haul of a very small net. Thus it is that there is such an abundant fishery of divers fish, and that they sell them so cheap. The fishermen are usually Greeks, and are also well acquainted with the art of cooking fish. Neither do the Turks despise fish, when they are well cooked, especially those which they consider clean. Still, it is not every natural-born Turk who is fond of them, but rather the renegade, or Christian who has turned Turk. Moreover, frogs, snails, tortoises, oysters, and the like, a born Turk not only will not eat, but will not even touch. In fact, in the Alcoran unclean fish and wine-drinking are alike prohibited to the Turks, and no one in any official position whatsoever drinks wine, except in secret. This is usually done by renegades, who used to come to us in secret, drink for whole nights, return secretly home before dawn, and beg us earnestly to let no one know of it. But the unruly youth and the soldiers do not allow themselves to be kept in order; nay, they go into Christian taverns, eat as much as they please, and pay nothing; and if the host does not wish to be beaten he