TERROR OF THE TURK^365
huge white expanse of the Grand Vizier's tent, and ordered him to ride straight
for that. At half-past five, with Zbierzchowski at his side, he was galloping
through the Sultan's camp amid scenes of panic, confusion, and slaughter. The
following night, from the Grand Vizier's tent which he now used as his head-
quarters, he wrote again to Marysienka:
In the Grand Vizir's Camp
13 IX (1683) at night
Only solace of my heart and soul, my fairest, most beloved Marysienka!
Our Lord and God, Blessed of all Ages, has brought unheard of victory and glory to
our nation. All the guns, the whole camp, untold spoils have fallen into our hands.
Having covered the trenches, the fields, and the camp with corpses, the enemy now flees
in confusion. The camels, mules, cattle and sheep, which he kept nearby are only today
being rounded up by our troops, who also drive herds of Turks before them. Others, par-
ticularly des renegats, flee to our camp of their own accord, mounted on fine horses and
in beautiful dress. Such is the unbelievable nature of events that there was alarm today
both among the townspeople and here in our camp, no-one being able to think or believe
that the enemy would not return. There is enough powder and ammunition alone for a
million men. This past night I saw also what I had always longed to see. Our marauding
bands put light to the powder in several places; it seemed as if Judgement Day was upon
us but no harm was caused. We watched the smoke forming clouds in the sky. Yet it is
most unfortunate that there should have been such wasteful destruction.
The Vizir took such hurried flight that he only had time to escape with one horse, and
in the clothes he wore. I have indeed succeeded him, for the greater part of his riches have
fallen to me. Chance would have it that being first in the camp and close on the Vizir's
heels, one of his servants betrayed his allegiance and pointed out his tents. They are as
extensive as the cities of Warsaw or of Lwow within their walls. I have all his personal
insignia which were borne before him, and the Mahometan banner which his Emperor
gave him for the war, and which even today I sent in the care of Talenti to the Holy
Father in Rome. I have all the tents, cars et mille d'autres galanteries fort jolies et fort
riches, mais fort riches and a vast array of other things still unseen, lln'y a point de com-
parison avec ceux de Chocim. Several quivers, studded with rubies and sapphires, are
alone worth several thousand gold zloties. You will not be able to say to me as the Tatar
women do to their husbands when they return empty-handed: 'You are no warrior to
return without booty', because he who captures booty must be at the front. I have the
Vizir's horse with all its caparison. He himself was hotly pursued but managed nonethe-
less to escape. His kihaj, that is, his second-in-command, was killed, and no small num-
ber of his pashas. Gold swords and other military equipment lie in abundance. The night
prevented a conclusion. Furthermore, in retreating they put up a fierce opposition et font
la plus belle retirade du monde. They abandoned their janissaries in the trenches, who
were put to the sword during the night because such was their arrogance and pride that
whilst some of them were fighting us in the fields, the others were storming the town, as
indeed they had the equipment to do.
I estimate their numbers, excluding the Tatars, at some three hundred thousand: oth-
ers put the numbers of their tents alone at three hundred thousand and take an average
of three to one tent, which would make an unheard of total. However, I reckon there to
be no more than one hundred thousand tents, distributed in several camps. For a day and