Page:Busbecq, Travels into Turkey (1744).pdf/58

 Glory, shall be forced to do it to save our Lives. But to return to Pontus.

Turks call the Euxine, Caradenis, (i. e.) The Black Sea. It falls down thro' narrow Streights into the Thracian Bosphorus, where its Waters are tossed up and down by many Vortices, Turnings, and Windings, occasioned by several Promontories jutting out into it; and thus, in one Day's Passage, it descends to Constantinople, and from thence, almost by the like strait Passage, it breaks out into the Propontis. In the Middle of the Bay, where it makes its Influx into the Bosphorus, there is a Rock with an erected Pillar, in the Basis whereof is writ the Name of a certain Roman, called Octavian, (if my Memory fail not) in Latin Letters.

the European Shore there is a Tower, called Pharos, where they hang out Lights in the Night, to guide Sailors by. Not far from this Place, a River falls into the Sea, in the Channel whereof there are found Stones, little inferior to Onyxes or Sardonyxes, and, if they be polished, are as shining as they. A few Miles from that Bay, which I late]y spoke of, we may see those Streights over which Darius wasted his Army against the European Scythians: And about the Middle, between the two Mouths of the Bosphorus, there are two Castles, one of which is in Europe, and the other on the opposite Shore, in Asia. This latter was possessed by the Turks long before Mahomet took Constantinople. The other was built by him some few Years after he became Master of that City. The Turks make use of it, at this Day, as a Prison for the nobler Sort of their Captives. Lazarus, a Commander, or Prince of the Epitots not long ago was taken Prisoner by the Turks, together with some Spaniards at Castlenovo,