Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/202

 Truly, it was a great wonder that none of us died suddenly on the spot, for our hearts were broken with terror. Thus, getting into the boat, not with tears, but with great moaning, we looked sadly towards Constantinople, and seeing the column standing by our former house, gazed sorrowfully at it, reminding each other how we had previously had satisfaction and pleasure, but now were miserable prisoners in perpetual imprisonment. In truth, no man can sufficiently express our great misery and sorrow at that time; and now that I am writing this I cannot defend myself against anguish of heart, and therefore I will rather turn from the subject.

When we drew near the fortress where the Black Tower is, the Turks pointed it out to us, comforting us and bidding us have hope in God, saying that He was mighty and could release us from it, as indeed half-a-year before the prisoners had got out of it; but we could neither speak nor look for weeping and anguish, and it is wonderful where so many tears stow themselves away in the eyes. Had it not been for our souls we would rather have jumped into the sea and drowned ourselves, for excessive terror and panic had seized us, knowing that no hope remained of getting out of the tower. Nay, we knew that the new aga would wish to guard us more securely than the former prisoners had been guarded, as indeed turned out to be the case.

As soon as we ran ashore under the fortress itself a ladder was let down to us, up which, each carrying his wallet on his shoulders, we walked into the fortress after our reis, or captain. On approaching the great iron gates, which were opened to us, we saw a square with a gallery round it reaching to the tower itself, which was