Respecting the difficulties we have had in this work, the fixing of the boundaries, and drawing the maps of places:
Be it known, that to those engaged in the affairs of state, no science is so necessary as that of geography. If they are not acquainted with the whole surface of the earth, they ought at least to know the figure of the Turkish empire and the neighbouring states; that, when it may be necessary to undertake a journey, or to send an army into any country, they may be properly directed; and by this knowledge it will be easy to enter the enemy’s territory, and defend their own frontiers. Persons ignorant of this science are not competent to be counsellors, even should they be natives; for there are many natives who are ignorant even of the figure of their own country and its boundaries.
Of the necessity of this science the following will be a sufficient proof; that the Infidels by application to it have discovered America, and become masters of India: and even the despicable Venetians, a nation the chief of which among the Christian kings is confined to the title of Duke, and is known by the epithet of the Fisherman, coming to the frontiers of the Ottoman empire, have opposed their power to that of our august Monarch, who rules from east to west.
In order therefore to illustrate this history of voyages, we shall in the first place give a map of the whole figure of the globe; then of the Mediterranean and Black Seas; and then of the countries of Venice and Germany. Thus, at first sight, a person may obtain a summary knowledge of the figure of the globe and the Turkish dominions; and being able to tell where the city of Venice, the castle of Zadra (Zara), or the island of Corfu, is situated, he will find it useful in commencing the perusal of travels and voyages. All the land and water of the globe are, according to the map, contained in two circles. The first circle represents half of the globe, and the ancient four quarters; and the other circle is the other half, or more recently-discovered part which they call the new world.
The different portions of land on the surface of the globe, which by attraction or repulsion are found projecting through the element of water, are, according to the rules of geography, marked by red and yellow. The yellow represents the continent, the little red spots are islands, and the white shows the water. The line drawn across the two circles is the equator, and the double red line on each side of it is the ecliptic, showing the sun’s extreme ascension and declension. Besides these are the zones, and the lines of latitude and longitude, by which the latitude and longitude of towns and the situation of places are ascertained. These I have explained at full length in my work called the Jehan Nemah,3 which is the translation of an atlas. Here it will be sufficient to know, that every line is divided into three hundred and sixty degrees, and each degree into three stages (munzil), so that the whole circumference of the globe is 1080 stages; and a person going west and moving forward will return by the east. This assertion has been corroborated by proof. To proceed: geographers divide the whole earth into four regions. They draw an imaginary line from the Mediterranean, the Strait of Constantinople, the Strait of Jenicale, and the south of the river Don as far as the Northern Ocean, and the region that remains on the west of this line they call Europe; that on the east, Asia; and the districts of Ethiopia and Egypt, which divide the Mediterranean and Red Seas, they call Africa. The new world they call America. The Ottoman power, then, has a share in each of the three regions. To exhibit these portions and their boundaries, I have drawn a map of the European portion and the Mediterranean and Black Seas, and described their boundaries. I have also marked the names of the Christian towns, and the Bosnia shores. When necessary it will be sufficient to show their situations.
The Mediterranean which is drawn on this map is, excepting the ocean, the largest of the six seas in the four quarters. It extends over ten degrees of latitude and thirty of longitude. From the Straits of Gibraltar in the east to the Syrian coast, it is computed to be seventy degrees. On its southern coast are, Fez, Tilimsan, Algiers, Tunis, Mahdiah, Jarba, Tripoli West, Alexandria of Egypt, and Damietta. Its western and Arabian coast terminates at Arish. On the east are, Gaza, Acca, Bairut, Tripoli Sham, and Pias. On the north, Selfeka, Anemur, Alanieh, Antakia, and proceeding by Cape Teker and Smyrna as far as the Strait (of the Dardanelles) are the coasts of Anatolia. It terminates at the island of Boosja. From within the Strait as far as the Strait of Constantinople is a small sea (Marmora) of about seven hundred miles in circumference. On the coasts of this sea are, Kaputagh, Mikhalij, Moudania, Bay of Gemlik, Constantinople, Chekmejeh, and Gallipoli. Within it are the islands of Marmara, Amar-Ali, and Kuzil. Beyond the Straits on the Rumelian shores are, the plain of Aja, Enos, Cavalla, Aianur, Zlonkur, Kesendreh, Gulf of Salonica, the Gulfs of Koolur and Azdin, the Negropont; and in the Morea, Capes Napoli and Menkesheh (or St. Angelo), which, as Cape Teker in Anatolia, form an angle and passage (with Candia). Projecting from the land into the sea, they extend nearly to the east and west points of Candia, and most of the islands of the Mediterranean being within this centre, they call it (Candia) the central island. All these islands have been taken from the Venetians and Genoese, except Istandil (Tino) in the middle, which remains in the hands of the Venetians. That also was formerly captured, but for the sake of policy it was given in exchange for the castle of Menkesheh (St. Angelo).
The names and situations of these islands are marked; but to avoid prolixity, I do not enter into a minute account of them, for my purpose is to explain the Bosnia and Arnaout (Albanian) coasts. Leaving Cape Menkesheh and going round the Morea, we pass Capes Manieh (Matapan), Modon, and Helomej. The coast terminates at Badra (Patras). The whole of it is computed to be two hundred miles.
The principal islands near this coast, subject to the Venetians, are these: Choka (Cerigo), fifteen miles south of Cape Menkesheh, and sixty miles in circumference; it has a strong castle. Zaklisa (Zante), fifteen miles west of Helomej, is a rocky island, and has a strong fortress.
In the Atlas this country is called Albania. Fifty-six miles from the mouth of the Gulf of Lepanto is Prevesa; eighty miles from thence is the posterior part of Delvino; sixty beyond that Avlona; a hundred farther Duraj (Durazzo); and a hundred miles beyond that is Nuovo. On these shores, turning round from Port Injeer, in the island of Aiamur (Lefcathia) to the mouth of the Gulf of Narda (Arta), we first meet the castle of Prevesa. Next Parga, which is a castle belonging to the Venetians, situated on an elevated spot near the sea. Behind it is Mount Mizarak: to the east the country is rocky, and is interspersed with villages and water-mills.4 Then, the port of Chinak, opposite the island of Corfu, is a celebrated harbour. It has lately been strengthened by having a fortress built in it. Next, passing a small arm of the sea, is Lake Dalianli, at the mouth of which is a castle belonging to the Venetians, rendered famous from its having been lately captured by one of the princes of that nation. To the north of Cape Durazzo are the castles of Lemesh, Eskanderieh, Oulkoun, Bar, Boudou, and Nuovo. The latter, which is situated in the Bay of Coutour (Cattaro), is called Castel Nuovo, which signifies a new castle. Eighteen miles farther, at the extreme end of the bay, is the castle of Cattaro, situated in the Ottoman dominions, but subject to Venice. It is built at the foot of a mountain, and a river passes it on both sides. Being a very strong castle, its capture has hitherto been found impracticable. The islands near these are, the two islands of Kefalonia (Cephalonia), situated opposite the mouth of the Gulf of Lepanto. Great Cephalonia is one hundred and fifty miles in circumference, and is a well-populated island. Its castle was once captured, but after the taking of Modon the Venetians again took possession of it. It is twenty miles east from Zante. Little Cephalonia (Theaki) is a small island to the north: it has no castle. Port Injeer in Aiamura (Lefcathia), is about six miles from Cephalonia. Then, opposite Parga is Bahshiler (Paxu), a pleasant little island of about thirty miles in circumference, and eighteen from the shore. We next come to the island of Corfu, which extends from Delvino along the Mizarak shores. It is about forty miles from Parga, and its castle is six miles from Port Chinak. It is one hundred and ninety miles in circumference, is a celebrated and well-populated island, and has a strong fortress built in the sea, but connected on one side with the land. In former times this island passed by right of inheritance from one of the Christian princes who governed Albania into the hands of a woman, but in A. H. 803 (A. D. 1400), the Venetians becoming victorious, succeeded by stratagem in wresting it from her, and having fortified the castle, they made it a guard island for the Gulf, and a general rendezvous for their army and navy. Near to it, in the mouth of the Gulf, is a watch-tower, and Kemal Reis observing that the Venetians had their eye upon it, repeatedly suggested to the late Sultan Soleiman Khan the necessity of capturing it; in consequence of which, in 943 of the Hejra (A. D. 1536), the illustrious emperor proceeded thither by sea and land, and completely besieged it. What followed shall be related in its proper place. The castle of Corfu, as described in the Bahria, is nearly three miles in circumference, is a very strong fort, and has within it and in the suburbs about eighteen thousand houses. Within the walls the Venetians have built, upon two hills, two towers of stone, with a subterraneous passage between them, so that when necessary they are able to render assistance to each other. Its walls are surrounded by the sea, and it has also a harbour, into which the smaller vessels enter, but the galleys lie outside. Between this island and the coast there is a small strait, by which when necessary an army may pass. The above-mentioned islands are the principal ones belonging to the Venetians, but there are besides them numerous little islands in the Gulf. Sixty miles below Corfu is Avlona, which is opposite Kara Beroun (in Anatolia) and Cape St. Maria (C. di Leuca) on the Polia shores, and from this place the sea is called the Gulf of Venice. It extends as far as the city of Venice in the north, is seven hundred miles in length, and about one hundred and fifty in breadth. On its eastern coast are the districts of Arnaout, Hersek (Herzegovinia), Bosnia, and Croatia. On the west, Lombardia, Ancona, and Poliapiana.
Having passed Castel Nuovo, situated as before described on the Bay of Cattaro, and proceeding eighteen miles to the north, we come to the castle of Dobra-Venedik (Ragusa), situated in a district the inhabitants of which are an independent people, and whose territory extends from Hersek to Ghabla and Mostar. From this castle, Sebeneco is distant two hundred miles, and between them on the river Mostar is Ghabla, a harbour which has its Capudan. On the opposite side are two long islands belonging to the Venetians which are called Braj (Brazza), and Lesina. Beyond Ghabla is Ispalat (Spalatra), which also belongs to the Venetians, and is a well-known port and harbour. Near that, on an elevated spot on the land, is Kelis, a strong citadel, which has lately been taken by the Venetians; but means must be used to recover it. Beyond this, on the coast, is Shebenic (Sebenico), a strong castle, with a spacious harbour, into which falls a great river that flows from the north. Near this castle is a rocky eminence where Tekeli Pasha was once routed. Zadra (Zara), twenty miles beyond Sebenico, is a strong fortress, almost entirely surrounded by the sea, being only on one side slightly connected with the land. Between these two castles, at the place where the river Darmah falls into the sea, is the fort of Iskaradin. The above river divides the districts of Kerka and Kelis, all the forts of which have been taken by the Venetians. Here the Bosnia shore terminates.
Along the coast beyond Zara are the forts of Nodi and Sein (Zeng), belonging to the Germans. Behind them, on the land, are Abrutisa, Bahka, Todornoi, Bamaluka, and Kostanitza. These are the frontiers of Croatia. Then, between Zara and Venice, which is a space of one hundred and fifty miles, lies the country of Istria. It is in the form of a square, and three sides of it are surrounded by the sea. It has in it, and on the shores, many towns and forts, some of which are governed by the Venetians, and some by the German princes. Farther on is the district of Friuli, called also Forum Julii, which signifies the market of Julius Cæsar. It is a very large district, and part of it borders on the city of Venice. The sources of the rivers Save and Drave are in it, and it contains numerous towns and forts, most of which are governed by the Venetians, though they are all tributary to the Emperor (of Germany). In travelling to Venice we go through this country. All its towns and forts are marked in my translation of the Atlas Minor.