Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/105

 grace with the Emperor, was living on his estates, and was the person who afterwards had us put into prison,) and Ferhat Pasha, an audience at whose house I have mentioned above, were both of an Albanian family, first cousins, and employed in feeding swine. On being taken captive they were placed, with many other kidnapped children, in the Emperor’s serail, or palace, and were entrusted to the chief cook to learn cookery; but in the ease of Synan Pasha something else displayed itself as regards his future destiny. Watching an op portunity, when the Emperor Selim was about to go out riding, and having taught himself the Turkish language, he fell on his knees before the Emperor, and humbly begged him to order him and his cousin to be taught to read and write, and not to leave them any longer in the kitchen. The Emperor, looking at his person, was pleased with his figure, and therefore immediately gave orders that so it should be. Being both taken out of the kitchen, in a short time they learned so successfully to read and write Turkish that Synan surpassed all the other boys in wit, strength, and beauty of language. The Emperor, learning this, had him instructed in riding, running, wrestling, and shooting with the bow; and herein he many times displayed such distinguished heroism before the Emperor himself, that the latter, and his courtiers, were struck with admiration, and Synan was made an itzokdan, or page. On arriving at a maturer age he begged that he might go to war with some pasha or other; and there he be haved so heroically that he obtained honour and praise above all men. He was first made an aga, or captain, and conducted himself so manfully that he was often