The Turks were greatly pleased whenever they saw me writing. Each time I entered a house, I would take out my paper notebook to write down what I had observed during my travels. As soon as they noticed this, they gathered around me with curiosity. They carefully examined the paper, the binding of the book, and especially the way I wrote.
They seemed very surprised that I could write so quickly and with such a pen. My pen was made from a goose quill, which amazed them greatly. They themselves usually write with a hard reed, cut in a shape similar to our pens. They admired the smooth movement of the quill and the neatness of the writing it produced Thoughts on the Size of Ancient Graves.
Ink, Paper, and Writing Tools
Many Turks carry with them a fine brass ink holder, which they hang at their side. These ink containers are both useful and decorative. Their ink is of good quality, and their paper is smooth and well polished. On this paper, they write very neatly and clearly.
I have proof of this skill in writing, for I brought home with me a written pass from the Sultan, which shows how carefully and beautifully they can write. Their handwriting is steady and elegant, and they take pride in their writing tools and materials.
Conversations About Maps
When I had the opportunity, I often looked at some maps that I carried with me on my travels. At this, Osman Chiam would smile and say that there is little trust to be placed in maps. According to him, maps usually show only the largest towns, and even those are often placed incorrectly.
He believed that the best mapmakers are the Chiauses, men who spend their lives traveling through many countries. These travelers observe every town, village, river, and road. They know the Turkish names of places and remember distances more accurately than mapmakers who never leave their desks Day Tour Ephesus.
In many ways, I found truth in his words.
Errors Found in European Maps
The maps of Hungary are not accurate, and those of Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Thessaly are even more imperfect. In Upper Hungary, many towns are completely missing, while others are placed incorrectly. The same problems exist in Lower Hungary.
The River Danube, for example, is shown as bending too far to the southwest before the River Tibiscus enters it. In Serbia, the town of Belgrade is placed too far from the Danube, even though the river runs directly by it.
There is no mention at all of important towns such as Procopia, Urchoop, or Lescova (also called Lefcovia), which lies on the winding River Luperizza. Likewise, towns such as Kaplanli, Tigres Town in Macedonia, Kupruli (also called Bridgetown), Urania, Pyrlipe, Comonava, Eccisso, Verbeni, Petrisk, Ostrova, Egribugia, Sariggiole, and Sarvizza are missing from many maps.
Even rivers like the Injecora are often left out entirely. In Thessaly, there is no proper mention of Jessen or Tornova, though Tornova is a handsome and important city.
The Limits of Maps and Travel
Anyone who travels through Macedonia will quickly discover that it is nearly impossible to match the positions of towns and rivers with their usual descriptions in maps. This is true even though large and detailed maps of Greece have been published in recent years.
From this experience, I learned that maps are useful guides, but they cannot replace the knowledge gained through travel. The land itself often tells a different story than what is drawn on paper, and the traveler must rely on observation, conversation, and experience to understand it fully.
