Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/245

 with the renegades, or Christians, who had become Mahometans, and other Turks, he having about 15,000 people under him. Round the Emperor himself were solaks and kapigis, with bows and arrows, and also chamberlains, who corrected anything that was wrong, and took care that the march should be conducted in good order, and managed all manner of amusements for the Emperor on the road. They had wonderful jugglers amongst them, who wrestled, leapt, and swung before the Sultan; some of whom stood on the saddle with their feet even, when their horses were galloping, turned somersaults, leapt into the saddle and down again at full gallop, and exhibited many more amusing tricks.

When the Sultan had marched from Constantinople with the main army, the beglerbeg of the land of Greece pitched his tent with the rest of the army, about 80,000 strong, in the same place where the Emperor had previously been, and rested there two days. The English ambassador stayed with us two days at Galata, and on the third day we marched in good order with these 80,000, always pitching our tents where the Emperor had rested for the night. When we arrived at Greek Belgrade, the whole army was concentrated together, amounting, as they said, to 500,000 men, but there were not really so many. There might have been full 300,000 of all sorts, including the rabble and worthless mob, the muleteers, and drivers of asses and camels. By that city they pitched their camp, extending so far that it was impossible to see to the end of it. The Emperor would not lodge in the castle, but lay in the open country; and some thousand Tatars also joined him, who day and night were burning the villages of Christians living under the pro-