I asked my companion where I might relieve myself without giving offense. At first, he answered me in a rough and grumbling manner, as if the question displeased him. However, after a short while, he pointed out a suitable place. He then stood at a small distance, not to watch me, but to protect me from any insult or disturbance that might arise. From this, I understood how careful a traveler must be in foreign lands, especially where customs are strict and misunderstandings easily arise.
On another occasion, while traveling at night by moonlight in an open carriage, I relieved myself over one side of the vehicle. I did this only to avoid troubling the others, as stopping the carriage would have delayed our journey and disturbed the whole company. One man, who was lying near my feet, noticed what I had done and spoke to me afterward with great concern. He told me that although he respected me and would not reveal the matter to others, he was surprised that I would risk my good name in such an action. He warned me that reputation is easily lost in these countries and very hard to regain The Use of Tobacco among the Turks.
An Encounter with Turkish Justice
On our return journey, we experienced something of Turkish justice at Egribugia in Macedonia. We had traveled from Sariggiole over high and rocky ground, which was difficult for both men and horses. Before we arrived at Egribugia, a Turkish Aga had passed through the town with a large group of attendants. He had taken all the available horses for his own use.
When we reached the town, we found that no fresh horses could be provided for us. Since the next part of the road lay across a flat plain and our horses were still strong and capable, we decided to continue on the same animals for another stage.
However, before we had even left the town, we were stopped by the postmaster and brought before the Cadi, or judge. The postmaster accused us of wrongdoing. He claimed that we had injured him by passing through the town without taking horses from his station Guided Tours Ephesus.
The Postmaster’s Complaint
The postmaster explained that he was a servant of the Grand Signior and had been granted the exclusive right to supply horses in that place. For every horse he provided, he received a fixed payment. Since we had not taken any horses from him, he said he had suffered a loss and gained no profit from our passing through the town.
According to his argument, no traveler was allowed to provide horses for themselves or continue without his service. Even though there were no horses available at his station, he insisted that we were still at fault for not waiting or making arrangements through him.
Reflections on Authority and Order
This incident showed us that justice in those lands was closely tied to authority and privilege rather than fairness as we understood it. The law protected official rights above all else, even when those rights could not practically be exercised. Although we believed we had acted reasonably, the system did not favor travelers who acted on their own judgment.
From this experience, I learned that in the Ottoman lands, it was often safer to submit patiently to local rules, even when they seemed unreasonable. Order was maintained not by flexibility, but by strict obedience to established authority. A traveler who ignored this, even with good intentions, could quickly find himself in trouble.
