Edmund Chishull

“ One thing was remarkable as well in these mosques, as in that which we afterwards saw at Ephesus, though we know not whether it has any mystical reference to the Turkish superstition; it is a nich in the front of the kiblé, on each side of which stands a fine slender pillar, hewn out of one entire stone, made without capital or pedestal, but so fixed within the work both above and below, that it remains moveable, and is turned about by the hand at pleasure.
This sight of Magnesia was our employment before diner, but in the afternoon we all attempted to ascend the castle hill on foot ”

“ The congregation now break up, and carry back their saints in a tumultuous manner, one still endeavouring to catch them from another; while he that carries them, runs with what speed he can, and often strikes his head with the board, on which they are painted, as a voluntary penance for his sins.
This ceremony ended, we turned aside to satisfy our curiosity with the sight of the famous river Hermus, which flows scarce two bow’s shot below the turpentine tree mentioned above. This large and noble river yeilds an entertaining sight, especially when it abates something of its usual fulness. ”

“ This heat being added to the laborious and tedious circuits, without which the descent was absolutely impossible, brought us at length by one of the clock almost half dead to Birghée. Nor were we capable of being refreshed, either with the remembrance of that pleasant mountain, we had passed; or with the view of the Caýstrian plain, which we had then before us.
The rich products of mount Tmolus ought not here to be forgot [34] , which nature has furnished with that store and variety of plants, that it may deservedly be termed the physic garden of the universe. ”

“ This sight had now highly satisfied our curiosity, when we turn to the right hand more into the body of the hill, and contrary to our expectation rarely encounter any difficult ascent, by reason of the artificial windings of the way.
Tmolus is in general so pleasant, that it was easy to conceive ourselves in a theatre, where the scene changes every half hour; for sometimes we were surprized with an impending rock, sometimes with a perpendicular precipice, and sometimes with the murmurs of a falling brook; the whole being curiously garnished with trees, shrubs, and herbs of an infinite variety. ”

“ There occurs nothing else, that is remarkable about Sardis, besides the broken walls of the castle on an adjoining hill; the ascent and prospect of which, however magnified by Sir Paul Rycaut, we yet thought so inferior, to what we lately had found at Magnesia, that it could not raise our curiosity to undertake the climbing of that precipice, especially since we could promise ourselves the same prospect to a greater advantage from the top of Tmolus ”

“ Within two leagues and a half of the city the Hermus enters the bay, and there forms a bed of sand; which being met by a point of land from the opposite shore stops up the haven by a very narrow chanel, thus rendring it κλειστὸς, as Strabo then expressed it. On the said point stands a new and strong fort, called Sangiac Castle; because the Grand Signior’s colours are there exposed, on occasions that require it. From hence we sail towards Smyrna, in a fair and long arm of the sea, which imitates the pleasures of a canal ”

“ We had here no other to rely upon, than the accommodations of a public kane, where, after we had fixed our lodgings, we found that we had arrived in six hours from Magnesia; tho an hour is to be deducted for the rests, which we were obliged to make for the security of our mules.
Durguthli is a town purely of Turkish fabric, and therefore has nothing to entertain the curiosity of any traveler, besides the management of cotton wool; which is here prepared in great abundance, and so transmitted to the market of Smyrna. ”

“ Before each of these mosques there is a square and regular area, containing a beautiful fountain in the middle, and enclosed on three sides with cells of religious Turks. The front of the mosque makes the fourth side of the square, and is itself likewise adorned with a spacious portico supported with stately pillars, of which some only are topt with modern capitals. ”

“ Designing from hence for Durguthli, we continue our journey under the foot of Sipylus, which about two hours from the city ends in a stupendous precipice, consisting of a naked massy stone, and rising perpendicularly almost a furlong high. It was not a little surprizing, as we rode along under the foot of this hill, to observe a certain cliff of the rock, representing an exact nich and statue, with the due shape and proportion of an human body. ”

“ However having at length conquered the ascent, our toil was well rewarded with the surprizing prospect of the city, and adjacent plain; in the latter of which we could distinguish the whole course of the Hermus for many miles together, as also the places where the Amnis Phrygius, or Hyllus, joins it [13] .
The fabric of the whole castle is very strong, and the advantage of a hill, which is on all sides a mile high, must have rendered it impregnable, in an age which knew not the use of gunpowder. ”

“ Not far from hence we begin to leave the mountain on our right hand, having the stream of the Hermus in view on the left; and at a large distance before us the snowy top of the mountain Tmolus. Our road now lay thro a verdant and delightful plain, inriched by many advantages of nature, and not negligently manured by the inhabitants. ”

“ This gave him occasion to express a just indignation against the haughty ignorance of the Turks; who, tho they want all advantages of art, and appearance of true magnificence, yet have the vanity to despise other nations, who enjoy both to a great perfection. ”

“ As we were riding thro the city, it was pleasant to recollect something of the ancient history of this place, whose present state we had seen the day before. It there occurred to us, that this was that Magnesia, which of all the Asian cities [19] made the first submission to the Roman arms, after the defeat of Antiochus by Scipio. [11] This likewise was that Magnesia, which entered into a league offensive and defensive with the city of Smyrna in the reign of Seleucus son of Antiochus Theus, whereby the inhabitants of the one were mutually made free of the other city ”

“ Rising early this morning all of us, God be thanked, in perfect health, we still resolve to enlarge our circuit; whence Mr. Coventry and Mr. Frye apprehending too long a journey, determined to return to Smyrna. The remaining part of our company proceed by break of day in the road for Sardis. Just before we arrive at the fountain on our right hand, about half an hour from our conáck, lies the village of Ishmaeljá. ”

“ Here we arrived about one a clock, and made it our first business to pitch our tent for the use of our servants, whilst we ourselves were received into a little house, which afforded us the convenience of one chamber, and a sophá, for lodging.
After diner we took a walk about the village, and visited the low humble church, which is here permitted to the Greek Christians. It has outwardly the marks of no inconsiderable antiquity, and within it is the exact model of the primitive Greek churches ”

“ The remains of an old Roman way, paved with broad and massy stones, but smooth, in the road over the castle hill toward Ephesus. The remains of the ancient wall encompassing the pomoerium, or a large space of ground about two thousand paces distant all round from the castle, or the city. The scarcity of antiquities now to be found in Smyrna arises from hence, that it furnished the greatest part of the Marmora Arundeliana. ”

“ There now scarce occur any reliques of antiquity in Magnesia, except that we observed several Ionic and Corinthian pillars in the court of an old mosque, held in great veneration by the Turks for the burial of Hasánogli, a person famous in the history of that nation. Over one of the entrances into the same court there is to be seen a broken inscription of an antient heathen temple, tho too high to be now legible ”

“ At the madhouse we could observe nothing besides the bare walls of that hospital, and a brass mortar lying in the yard, which seemed to be remarkable for an old Latin inscription, which it bore, signifying that it was made at Pisa. The religious college is a fair stone building, consisting of one quadrangle, and that encompassed with a regular cloister, which is supported with pillars of the modern Greek module. The two mosques, which we mentioned, are distinguished from the rest, in that they are of royal foundation, an honour which is signified by the two minarées belonging to them ”

“ We continue our journey thro a spatious and fertile plain, curiously beset on each side the road with variety of round hillocks, which from their number, figure, and situation, in so level a campain, appear plainly to be artificial. ”

“ At the foot of the hill we cross a rivulet, and quickly after repassing the same, ride from thence strait forward in a covert and narrow bottom, which in less than half an hour leads us into the plains of Magnesia. After a short repast in this place we mount our horses, turning to the left out of the road of Magnesia; and tho we were now not more than half an hour from our intended conáck, yet we ride on by mistake too much to the right hand; till, having advanced beyond the town and castle of Magnesia, we come to a Turkish village, where we were directed almost back again to St. ”

“ Tho as they are now left, nothing more appears, that can be of any service to the public, than what here follows.
The antiquities now extant in this place are these. The castle, which was Roman, and where Dolabella beheaded Trebonius. The large head of Smyrna the Amazon over the gate of the same. The inscription relating to Joannes Ducas over another gate of the same, with the modern oriental eagle on both sides. The small remains of the theatre, in which S. Polycarp was burnt, lately taken to pieces to build the Vizír kane of the place, and bezesten, or market. ”

“ Not far from hence the road divides into two paths for Sardis. The lower of these we chose, tho declining a little too much to the left hand, and so passing by a few cottages, which are called by the name of Zericle, we arrive in seven hours at Sardis, one of which is now likewise to be deducted for the stay, which our mules occasioned. ”

“ Chishull left England, he was fellow of Corpus Christi college in Oxford, and had a grant of the traveler’s place from the president and society. He set sail from the Downs September the 12, 1698, in the Neptune frigate, Capt. Thomas commander, and arrived at Smyrna November the 19 following. During the voyage, agreably to his usual diligence, he constantly kept a Journal of what then offered. ”

“ The inscriptions here said to be reported in Prideaux, are to be found in the Doctor’s edition of the Marmora Arundeliana. And as to those referred to at the end of our author’s book, such of them will be here subjoined, as are not in the large collection designed by him for a second part of his Antiquitates Asiaticae; of which a few sheets only, containing those which relate to Ephesus, were printed by him a little before his death, and the rest are now in my possession. ”

“ Our way lay from hence near the course of the Caýster, thro a fertile and well cultivated champain; a place inexpressibly delicious, and which can be equalled by nothing, but the sweetness of that immortal verse:
Ἀσίῳ ἐν λειμῶνι Καϋστρίου ἀμφὶ ῥέεθρα. Iliad. β′. ℣. 461. Or those of Virgil:
Pelagi volucres, et quae Asia circum
Dulcibus in stagnis rimantur prata Cäystri. Georg. i. 384. It is inhabited by frequent villages, and enclosed on both sides with two high and snowy mountains, namely Tmolus on the right hand, and on the left what Strabo calls Μεσογειότης [36] , or the Midland hills. ”

“ This was an instance, which seemed to us observable; for tho Christianity is tolerated in Turkey, yet they hold it inconsistent with their law to permit the erection of any new churches, and allow only the liberty of repairing old ones. ”

“ Maundrell, thro several parts of the same vast empire, which he has so accurately described; are repeatedly read, and always with new pleasure.
Therefore, when Mr. Edmund Chishull, only Son of the late Reverend Mr. Chishull, who was for some years chaplain to the Factory of our Worshipful Turkey Company at Smyrna, brought to me not many months since the present Journal of his Father’s Travels, desiring me to peruse it, and give him my opinion, whether it was a work worthy to be published ”