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diff --git a/old/51878-0.txt b/old/51878-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 4558897..0000000 --- a/old/51878-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,12424 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, The City of the Sultan; and Domestic Manners -of the Turks, in 1836, Vol. 1 (of 2), by Miss (Julia) Pardoe - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: The City of the Sultan; and Domestic Manners of the Turks, in 1836, Vol. 1 (of 2) - - -Author: Miss (Julia) Pardoe - - - -Release Date: April 28, 2016 [eBook #51878] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CITY OF THE SULTAN; AND -DOMESTIC MANNERS OF THE TURKS, IN 1836, VOL. 1 (OF 2)*** - - -E-text prepared by Julia Miller, Turgut Dincer, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made -available by Internet Archive/American Libraries -(https://archive.org/details/americana) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 51878-h.htm or 51878-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/51878/51878-h/51878-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/51878/51878-h.zip) - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive/American Libraries. See - https://archive.org/details/cityofsultanandd01pardiala - - Project Gutenberg has the other volume of this work. - Volume II: see http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51879 - -Transcriber's note: - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - A carat character is used to denote superscription. A - single character following the carat is superscripted - (example: G^t). Multiple superscripted characters are - enclosed by curly brackets (example: Lith^{rs}). - - The part of List of Illustrations in Vol. I. related - to Vol. II. is moved to Vol. II. for completenes and - consistency. - - - - - -THE CITY OF THE SULTAN; AND DOMESTIC MANNERS OF THE TURKS, IN 1836. - - -[Illustration: Miss Pardoe del. - -Day & Haghe Lith^{rs}. to the King. - -THE CHAPEL OF THE TURNING DERVISHES.] - -_H. Colburn, 13 G^t. Marlborough S^t._] - - -THE CITY OF THE SULTAN; AND DOMESTIC MANNERS OF THE TURKS, IN 1836. - -by - -MISS PARDOE, - -Author of “Traits and Traditions of Portugal.” - - -[Illustration: THE MAIDEN’S TOWER.] - - -In Two Volumes. - -VOL. I. - - - - - - - -London: -Henry Colburn, Publisher, -Great Marlborough Street. -1837. - -London: -F. Shoberl, Jun., Leicester Street, Leicester Square. - - - TO HER - - TO WHOM PROFESSION AND PANEGYRIC - - WERE ALIKE SUPERFLUOUS; - - AND FROM WHOM, - - DURING MY SOJOURN IN THE EAST, - - I WAS FOR THE FIRST TIME SEPARATED— - - TO MY LOVED AND LOVING MOTHER, - - I DEDICATE THIS WORK. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -In publishing the present work I feel that I should be deficient in -self-justice, did I not state a few facts relatively to the numerous -difficulties with which I have had to contend during its compilation. - -The language of Turkey, in itself a serious impediment from its total -dissimilarity to every European tongue, naturally raises a barrier -between the native and the stranger, which is to the last only partially -removed by the intervention of a third person; who, acting as an -Interpreter, too frequently fritters away the soul of the conversation, -even where he does not wilfully pervert its sense. But this drawback to -a full and free intercourse with the natives, irritating and annoying as -it is, sinks into insignificance, when compared with the myriad snares -laid for the stranger, (and, above all, for the literary stranger) by -party-spirit and political prejudice. The liberal-minded and -high-hearted politician of Europe, even while he is straining every -nerve, and exerting every energy, to support and strengthen the -interests of his country, disdains to carry with him into private life -the hatreds, the jealousies, and the suspicions, which, like rust on -metal, mar the brightness of the spirit that harbours them. He does not -reject a friend because his political tenets may be at variance with his -own; nor overlook the amiable traits of his character, to dwell only -upon his opposing prejudices and interests. - -The height to which party-spirit is carried in Constantinople; or I -should rather say, in the Frank quarter of Constantinople, would be -laughable were it not mischievous. Even females are not free from the -_malaria_ which hovers like an atmosphere about the streets and -“palaces” of Pera; and a traveller has not been domesticated a week -among its inhabitants, ere he almost begins to believe that the -destinies of the whole Eastern Empire hang upon the breath of a dozen -individuals. With one party, Russia is the common sewer into which are -poured all the reproach and the vituperation of indignant -patriotism—with the other, England is the landmark towards which is -pointed the finger of suspicion and defiance. All this may be very -necessary, and very praiseworthy, as a matter of diplomacy; I suppose -that it is both the one and the other. I have no opinion to offer on the -subject. I merely venture to question the propriety of suffering such -anti-social feelings to intrude into the bosom of private life; and to -question the soundness of the judgment which would universally create a -bad man out of a rival politician; and make the opening of one door the -signal for the closing of another. It is said that the three plagues of -Constantinople are Fire, Pestilence, and Dragomen; judging from what I -saw and heard while there, I should be inclined to add a fourth, and to -designate it, Politics. Certain it is that the faubourg of Pera always -reminded me of an ant-hill; with its jostling, bustling, and racing for -straws and trifles; and its ceaseless, restless struggling and striving -to secure most inconsequent results. - -That the great question of Eastern policy is a weighty and an important -one, every thinking person must concede at once; but whether its final -settlement will be advantageously accelerated by individual jealousies -and individual hatreds is assuredly more problematical. “He who is not -for me is against me,” is the motto of every European resident in -Turkey; for each, however incompetent he may be to judge of so intricate -and comprehensive a subject, is nevertheless a loud and uncompromising -politician. And, if the temporary sojourner in the East be resolved to -belong to no _clique_, to pledge himself to no party, and to pursue a -straight and independent path, as he would do in Europe, without lending -himself to the views of either, he is certain to be suspected by both. - -These are the briars which beset the wayside of the stranger in Turkey. -He has not only to contend with the unaccustomed language and manners of -the natives—to fling from him his European prejudices—and to learn to -look candidly and dispassionately on a state of society, differing so -widely from that which he has left—but when the wearied spirit would -fain fall back, and repose itself for a while among more familiar and -congenial habits, it has previously to undergo an ordeal as unexpected -as it is irritating; and from which it requires no inconsiderable -portion of moral courage to escape unshackled. - -Such are the adventitious and unnecessary difficulties that have been -gratuitously prepared for the Eastern traveller, and superadded to the -natural impediments of the locality; and of these he has infinitely more -reason to complain, than of the unavoidable obstacles which meet him at -every step in his commerce with the natives. That the Turks as a people, -and particularly the Turkish females, are shy of making the acquaintance -of strangers, is most true; their habits and feelings do not lend -themselves readily to a familiar intercourse with Europeans; nor are -they induced to make any extraordinary effort to overcome the prejudice -with which they ever look upon a Frank, when they remember how absurdly -and even cruelly they have been misrepresented by many a passing -traveller, possessed neither of the time nor the opportunity to form a -more efficient judgment. - -When my father and myself left Europe, it was with the intention of -visiting, not only Turkey, but also Greece, and Egypt; and we -accordingly carried with us letters to influential individuals, resident -in each of those interesting countries, whose assistance and friendship -would have been most valuable to us. And, for the two or three first -months of our sojourn in Constantinople, while yet unwilling to draw -deductions, and to trust myself with inferences, which might, and -probably would, ultimately prove erroneous, I suffered myself to be -misled by the assertions and opinions of prejudiced and party-spirited -persons, and still maintained the same purpose. But, when awakened to a -suspicion of the spirit-thrall in which I had been kept, I resolved to -hazard no assertion or opinion which did not emanate from personal -conviction, and I found that I could not prove an honest chronicler if I -merely contented myself with a hurried and superficial survey of a -country constituted like Turkey. - -To this conviction must consequently be attributed the fact that the -whole period of my sojourn in the East was passed in Constantinople, and -a part of Asia Minor. But my personal disappointment will be over-paid, -should it be conceded that I have not failed in the attempt of affording -to my readers a more just and complete insight into Turkish domestic -life, than they have hitherto been enabled to obtain. - - Bradenham Lodge, Bucks, - May 1837. - - - - -CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. - - - CHAPTER I. - - The Golden Horn—Stamboul in Snow—The Seraï - Bournou—Scutari—Galata—First View of Constantinople—St. - Sophia and Solimaniè—Pera—Domestication of Aquatic - Birds—Sounds at Sea—Caïques—Oriental Grouping—Armenian - Costume—Reforms of Sultan Mahmoud—Dervishes—Eastern - Jews—Evening—Illuminated Minarets—Romance versus - Reason—Pain at Parting—Custom House of Galata—The East - versus the West—Reminiscences of the Marseillois - Functionaries—The British Consul at Marseilles—The - Light-house at Syra—The Frank Quarter—Diplomatic - Atmosphere—Straw Huts—Care of the Turks for Animals—Scene - from Shakspeare Page 1 - - - CHAPTER II. - - Difficulty of Ingress to Turkish Houses—Steep Streets—The - Harem—The Tandour—The Mangal—The Family—Female - Costume—Luxurious Habits—The Ramazan—The Dining-room—The - Widow—The Dinner—The Turks not Gastronomers—Oriental - Hospitality—Ceremony of Ablution—The Massaldjhe—Alarm in the - Harem—The Prayer—Evening Offering—Puerile - Questions—Opium—Primitive Painting—Splendid Beds—Avocations - of a Turkish Lady—Oriental Coquetry—Shopping—Commercial - Flirtations—The Sultana Heybétoullah—A Turkish Carriage—The - Charshees—Armenian Merchants—Greek Speculators—Perfumes and - Embroidery 16 - - - CHAPTER III. - - Turning Dervishes—Appearance of the Tekiè—The - Mausoleum—Duties of the Dervishes—Chapel of the Convent—The - Chief Priest—Dress of the Brotherhood—Melancholy - Music—Solemnity of the Service—Mistakes of a Modern - Traveller—Explanation of the Ceremony—The Prayer—The Kiss of - Peace—Appearance of the Chapel—Religious Tolerance of the - Turks—The French Renegade—Sketch of Halet Effendi, The - Founder of the Tekiè 40 - - - CHAPTER IV. - - Merchants of Galata—Palaces of Pera—Picturesque Style of - Building—The Perotes—Social Subjects—Greeks, European and - Schismatic—Ambassadorial Residences—Entrée of the - Embassies—The Carnival—Soirées Dansantes—The Austrian - Minister—Madame la Baronne—The Russian Minister—Madame de - Boutenieff—The Masked Ball—Russian Supremacy—The Prussian - Plenipotentiary—The Sardinian Chargé d’Affaires—Diplomacy - Unhoused—Society of Pera 56 - - - CHAPTER V. - - The Greek Carnival—Kassim Pasha—The Marine Barrack—The - Admiralty—Palace of the Capitan Pasha—Turkish Ships and - Turkish Sailors—More Mistakes—Aqueduct of Justinian—The - Seraï—The Arsenal—The “Sweet Waters”—The Fanar—Interior of - a Greek House—Courteous Reception—Patriarchal Customs—Greek - Ladies at Home—Confectionary and Coffee—A Greek - Dinner—Ancient and Modern Greeks—A Few Words on - Education—National Politeness—The Great Logotheti - Aristarchi—His Politics—Sketch of his Father—His Domestic - History—A Greek Breakfast—The Morning after a Ball—Greek - Progress towards Civilization—Parallel between the Turk and - the Greek 65 - - - CHAPTER VI. - - Difficulty of Obtaining an Insight into Turkish - Character—Inconvenience of Interpreters—Errors of - Travellers—Ignorance of Resident Europeans—Fables and - Fable-mongers—Turkey, Local and Moral—Absence of Capital - Crime—Police of Constantinople—Quiet Streets—Sedate - Mirth—Practical Philosophy of the Turks—National - Emulation—Impossibility of Revolution—Mahmoud and his - People—Unpopularity of the Sultan—Russian - Interference—Vanity of the Turks—Russian Gold—Tenderness of - the Turks to Animals—Penalty for Destroying a Dog—The English - Sportsman—Fondness of the Turks for Children—Anecdote of the - Reiss Effendi—Adopted Children—Love of the Musselmauns for - their Mothers—Turkish indifference to Death—Their - Burial-places—Fasts—The Turks in the Mosque—Contempt of the - Natives for Europeans—Freedom of the Turkish - Women—Inviolability of the Harem—Domestic Economy of the - Harem—Turkish Slaves—Anecdote of a Slave of Achmet - Pasha—Cleanliness of Turkish Houses—The Real Romance of the - East 86 - - - CHAPTER VII. - - The Harem of Mustafa Effendi—The Ladies of the - Harem—Etiquettical Observances of the Harem—Ceremonies of - the Salemliek—Jealousy of Precedence among the Turkish - Women—Apartment of the Effendi—Eastern Passion for - Diamonds—Personal Appearance of Mustafa Effendi—The little - Slave-girl—Slavery in Turkey—Gallant Present—The - Dinner—Turkish Cookery—Illuminated Mosques—The - _Bokshaliks_—The Toilet after the Bath—History of an - _Odalisque_—Stupid Husbands—Reciprocal Commiseration—Errors - of a Modern French Traveller—Privacy of the Women’s - Apartments—Anecdote of the Wife of the Kïara Bey—The Baïram - _Bokshalik_—My Sleeping-room—Forethought of Turkish - Hospitality—Farewell to Fatma Hanoum—Dense Crowd—Turkish - Mob—Turkish Officers—Military Difficulty—The “Lower - Orders”—Tolerance of the Orientals towards - Foreigners—Satisfactory Expedient 109 - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - Bath-room of Scodra Pasha—Fondness of the Eastern Women for - the Bath—The Outer Hall—The Proprietress—Female Groups—The - Cooling-room—The Great Hall—The Fountains—The Bathing - Women—The Dinner—Apology for the Turkish Ladies 129 - - - CHAPTER IX. - - Cheerful Cemeteries—Burial-ground of Pera—Superiority of the - Turkish Cemeteries—Cypresses—Singular Superstition—The - Grand Champs—Greek Grave-yard—Sultan Selim’s - Barrack—Village of St. Demetrius—European - Burial-ground—Grave-stones—The Kiosk—Noble View—Legend of - the Maiden’s Tower—Plague Hospital of the Turks—The - Plague-Caïque—Armenian Cemetery—Curious - Inscriptions—Turkish Burial-place—Distinctive - Head-stones—Graves of the Janissaries—Wild - Superstition—Cemetery of Scutari—Splendid Cypresses—Ancient - Prophecy—Extent of Burial-ground—The Headless - Dead—Exclusive Enclosures—Aspect of the Cemetery from the - Summer Palace of Heybètoullah Sultane—Local Superstition—The - Damnèd Souls 138 - - - CHAPTER X. - - Character of the Constantinopolitan Greeks—The Greek Colony - at the Fanar—Vogoride, Logotheti, and Angiolopolo—Political - Sentiment—Chateaubriand at the Duke de Rovigo’s—Biting - Criticism—Greek Chambers—“What’s in a Name?”—Custom of - Burning Perfumes—The Pastille of the Seraglio—Turkish - Cosmetics—Eastern Beauty 157 - - - CHAPTER XI. - - The Kourban-Baïram—Politeness of Mustafa Effendi—Depressing - Recollections—Unquiet Night—Midnight March—Turkish - Coffee—A Latticed Araba—The Mosque of Sultan - Achmet—Beautiful coup-d’œil—Dress of the Turkish - Children—Restlessness of the Franks—The Festival of - Sacrifice—Old Jewish Rite—The Turkish - Wife—Sun-rise—Appearance of the Troops—Turkish - Ladies—Group of Field Officers—The Sultan’s - Stud—Magnificent Trappings—The Seraskier Pasha—The Great - Officers of State—The Procession—The Sultan—Imperial - Curiosity—The Chèïk-Islam—Costume of the Sultan—Japanese - Superstition—Vanity of Sultan Mahmoud—The Hairdresser of - Halil Pasha—Rapid Promotion—Oriental Salutations—Halil - Pasha—Saïd Pasha—Unruly Horses—The Valley of the “Sweet - Waters”—Pera 171 - - - CHAPTER XII. - - The Military College—Achmet Pasha and Azmi Bey—Study of Azmi - Bey—His grateful Memories of England and the English—The - Establishment—The Lithographic Presses—Extemporaneous - Poetry—Halls of Study—Number of Students—Mathematical - Hall—The Sultan’s Gallery—The Mosque—The Mufti—The Turkish - Creed—The Imperial Closet—The Gallery of the Imperial - Suite—The Retiring-Room—The Printing-Office—The - Hospital—The Refectory—The Professor of Fortification—Negro - Officers—Moral Condition of the College—Courtesy of the - Officers—Deficiencies of the Professors—The Turks a Reading - People—Object of the Institution—Reasons of its - Failure—Smiling Enemies—Forlorn Hope—Russian - Influence—Saduk Agha—Achmet Pasha—Azmi Bey—Apology for my - Prolixity 194 - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - Invitation from Mustapha Pasha of Scodra—The Caïque, and the - Caïquejhes—How to Travel in a Caïque—Hasty - Glances—Self-Gratulation—Scutari—Imperial Superstition—The - Seraglio Point—Dolma Batchè—Beshiktash—The Turning - Dervishes—Beglièrbey—The Kiosks—A Dilemma—A Ruined - Palace—An Introduction—A Turkish Beauty—A Discovery—A New - Acquaintance—The Buyuk Hanoum—Fatiguing Walk—Palace of - Mustapha Pasha—The Harem—Turkish Dyes—Ceremonies of - Reception—Turkish Establishment—The Buyuk Hanoum—Turkish - Chaplets—The Imperial Firman—Pearls, Rubies, and - Emeralds—The Favourite Odalique—Heyminè Hanoum—A - Conversation on Politics—Scodra Pasha—Singular - Coincidence—Convenience of the Turkish Kitchen—Luxury of the - Table—Coquetry of the Chibouk—Turkish Mode of Lighting the - Apartments—Gentleness towards the Slaves—Interesting - Reminiscences—Domestic Details—Dilaram Hanoum—A Paragraph - on Pearls—A Turkish Mirror—A Summons—Scodra Pasha—Motives - for Revolt—The Imperial Envoy—Submission—Ready Wit of the - Pasha’s Son—The Reception Room—Personal Appearance of the - Scodra Pasha—Inconvenient Courtesy—Conversation on - England—Philosophy—Pleasant Dreams—The Plague-Smitten 216 - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - Procession of Betrothal—Preliminary Ceremonies—The Mantle of - Mahomet—The Palace of the Seraskier Pasha—The Palace - Square—Picturesque Groups—An Interior—Turkish - Children—Oriental Curiosity—Costume of the Turkish - Children—Military Music—The Procession—Hurried Departure of - the Crowd—The Seraskier’s Tower—The Fire Guard—Candidates - for the Imperial Bride—Imperial Expedient—Saïd Pasha—Policy - of the Seraskier—An Audience—The Biter Bitten—Ingenious - Ruse—Sublime Economy—Brilliant Traffic—The Danger of - Delay—The Marriage Gifts—An Interesting Interview 255 - - - CHAPTER XV. - - Fine Scenery—The Coast of Asia—Turkish Cemeteries—The - Imperial Seraï—The Golden Horn—Mount Olympus—The - Arabajhe—The Araba—The Persian Kiosk—The Barrack of - Scutari—The Mosque of Selim III.—The Slipper of the Sultana - Validè—The Imperial Guard—Military Material—The Macaroni - Manufactory—Sublime Targets—A Major of the Imperial - Guard—Triumph of Utilitarianism—The Rise of the Vines—The - Holy Tomb—Encampments of the Plague-smitten—The Setting - Sun—Return to Europe—The Square of Topphannè 276 - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - Turkish Superstitions—Auguries—The Court Astrologer—The - Evil Eye—Danger of Blue Eyes—Imperial Firman—The - Babaluk—The Ceremony—Sable Pythonesses—Witchcraft 289 - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - Imperial Invitation—Disagreeable Adventure—Executed - Criminal—Efficacy of Wayside Executions—Tardy - Conversions—Mistaken Humanity—Summary Mode of - Execution—The Palace of Asmè Sultane—Entrance of the - Harem—Costume of the Slaves—Nazip Hanoum—Ceremonious - Reception—The Adopted Daughter—Costume of the Ladies of the - Seraï—Beauty of the Slaves—Extraordinary - Arrangement—Rejected Addresses—The Imperial - Lover—Sacredness of Adoption in Turkey—Romantic - Correspondence—Ladies of the Household—The Mother of the - Slaves—Peroussè Hanoum—Crowded Audience—The Imperial - Odalique—Music of the Harem—The New Pet—The - Kislar-Agha—The “Light of the Harem”—The Poetical - Sultan—Indisposition of the Sultana—The Palace Gardens—The - Imperial Apartments—The Dancing Girl—Reluctant - Departure—Ballad by Peroussè Hanoum 298 - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - Kahaitchana—The Barbyses—The Valley of the Sweet - Waters—Imperial Procession—National Interdict—Picturesque - Scene—The Princess Salihè and her Infant—Forbearance of the - Sultan—The Toxopholites—Imperial Monopoly—Passion of the - Sultan for Archery—Record-Columns—The Odalique’s Grave—The - Lost One—Azmè Sultane—Imperial Courtesy—A Drive through the - Valley 321 - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - Easter with the Greeks—Greek Church at Pera—Women’s - Gallery—Interior of a Greek Church—The Sanctuary—The - Screen—Throne of the Patriarch—The Holy Sepulchre—Singular - Appearance of the Congregation—Sociability of the - Ladies—_L’Echelle des Morts_—Shipping—Boats and - Boatmen—Church of the Fanar—Ancient Screen—Treasure - Chests—The Sanctuary—Private Chapels—A Pious - Illumination—Priests’ House—Prison—Remedy against - Mahomedanism—Midnight Mass—Unexpected Greetings—The - Patriarch—Logotheti—Russian Secretaries—Russian Supremacy - in Turkey—Affinity of Religion between the Greeks and - Russians—The Homage—Pious Confusion—Patriarch’s - Palace—Lovely Night-Scene—Midnight Procession—Serious - Impressions—Suffocating Heat—Dawn 332 - - - CHAPTER XX. - - Feasting after Fasting—Visit to the Patriarch—Gorgeous - Procession—Inconvenient Enthusiasm—Indisposition of the - Patriarch—The Ceremony of Unrobing—The Impromptu Fair—The - Patriarch at Home—The Golden Eggs 353 - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - High Street of Pera—Dangers and Donkeys—Travelling in an - Araba—Fondness of the Orientals for their - Cemeteries—Singular Spectacle—Moral Supineness of the - Armenians—M. Nubar—The Fair—Armenian - Dance—Anti-Exclusives—Water Venders—Being à la - Franka—Wrestling Rings—The Battle of the Sects 360 - - - CHAPTER XXII. - - The Mosques at Midnight—Baron Rothschild—Firmans and - Orders—A Proposition—Masquerading—St. Sophia by - Lamplight—The Congregation—The Mosque of Sultan - Achmet—Colossal Pillars—Return to the Harem—The - Chèïk-Islam—Count Bathiany—The Party—St. Sophia by - Daylight—Erroneous Impression—Turkish Paradise—Piety of the - Turkish Women—The Vexed Traveller—Disappointment—Confusion - of Architecture—The Sweating Stone—Women’s Gallery—View - from the Gallery—Gog and Magog at Constantinople—The - Impenetrable Door—Ancient Tradition—Leads of the - Mosque—Gallery of the Dome—The Doves—The Atmeidan—The Tree - of Groans—The Mosque of Sultan Achmet—Antique - Vases—Historical Pulpit—The Inner Court—The Six - Minarets—The Mosque of Solimaniè—Painted - Windows—Ground-plan of the Principal Mosques—The Treasury of - Solimaniè—Mausoleum of Solyman the Magnificent—Model of the - Mosque at Mecca—Mausoleums in General—Indispensable - Accessories—The Medresch—Mosque of Sultan Mahmoud at - Topphannè 373 - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - Antiquities of Constantinople—Ismäel Effendi—The - Atmeidan—The Obelisk—The Delphic Tripod—The Column of - Constantine—The Tchernberlè Tasch—The Cistern of the - Thousand and One Columns—The Boudroum—The Roman - Dungeons—Yèrè-Batan-Seraï—The Lost Traveller—Extent of the - Cistern—Aqueduct of Justinian—Palace of Constantine—Tomb of - Heraclius—The Seven Towers—An Ambassador in Search of - Truth—Tortures of the Prison—A Legend of the Seven Towers 405 - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - - Balouclè—The New Church—Delightful Road—Eyoub—The - Cemetery—The Rebel’s Grave—The Mosque of Blood—The Hill of - Graves—The Seven Towers—The Palace of Belisarius—The City - Walls—Easter Festivities—The Turkish Araba—The Armenian - Carriage—Travellers—Turkish - Women—Seridjhes—Persians—Irregular Troops—The Plain of - Balouclè—Laughable Mistake—Extraordinary Discretion—The - Church of Balouclè—The Holy Well—Absurd Tradition—The - Chapel Vault—Enthusiasm of the Greeks—A Pleasant - Draught—Greek Substitute for a Bell—Violent Storm 434 - - - CHAPTER XXV. - - Figurative Gratitude of the Seraskier Pasha—Eastern - Hyperbole—Reminiscences of Past Years—A Vision - Realized—Strong Contrasts—The Marriage Fêtes—Popular - Excitement—Crowded Streets—The Auspicious Day—Extravagant - Expectations—The Great Cemetery—Dolma Batchè—The Grand - Armoury—Turkish Women—Tents of the Pashas—The - Bosphorus—Preparations—Invocation—The Illuminated - Bosphorus—A Stretch of Fancy—A Painful Recollection—Natural - Beauties of the Bosphorus—The Grave-Yard—Evening - Amusements—Well Conducted Population 446 - - - CHAPTER XXVI. - - Repetition—The Esplanade—The Kiosk and the Pavilion—A Short - Cut—Dense Crowd—A Friend at Court—Curious _Coup - d’Œil_—The Arena—The Orchestra—First Act of the - Comedy—Disgusting Exhibition—The Birth of the - Ballet—Dancing Boys—Second Act of the Drama—Insult to the - Turkish Women—The Provost Marshal—Yusuf Pasha, the - Traitor—Clemency of the Sultan—Forbearance of an Oriental - Mob—Renewal of the Ballet—Last Act of the Drama—Theatrical - Decorations—Watch-dogs and Chinese—Procession of the - Trades—Frank Merchants—Thieves and Judges—Bedouin - Tumblers—Fondness of the Pashas for Dancing—The Wise Men of - the East 460 - - - CHAPTER XXVII. - - Succession of Banquets—The Chèïk Islam and the - Clergy—Sectarian Prejudices—The Military Staff—The Naval - Chiefs—The Imperial Household—The Pashas—The Grand - Vizier—Magnificent Procession—Night Scene on the - Bosphorus—The Palace of the Seraskier Pasha—Palace of Azmè - Sultane—Midnight Serenade—Pretty Truants—The Shore of - Asia—Ambassadorial Banquet—War Dance—Beautiful Effects of - Light 478 - - - CHAPTER XXVIII. - - Monotonous Entertainments—Bridal Preparations—Common - Interest—Appearance of the Surrounding Country—Ride to - Arnautkeui—Sight-loving Ladies—Glances and - Greetings—Pictorial Grouping—The Procession—The - Trousseau—A Steeple-Chase 488 - - - CHAPTER XXXI. - - The Bridal Day—Ceremony of Acceptance—The Crowd—The Kislar - Agha and the Court Astrologer—Order of the Procession—The - Russian Coach—The Pasha and the Attachés—The - Seraskier—Wives of the Pashas—The Sultan and the Georgian - Slave 500 - - - CHAPTER XXX. - - A New Rejoicing—Scholastic Processions—Change in the - Valley—The Odalique’s Grave—The Palace of Eyoub—The State - Apartments—Return to Pera 509 - - -ILLUSTRATIONS. - - PAGE - - Chapel of the Turning Dervishes _Frontispiece._ - - The Maiden’s Tower _Vignette Title-page._ - - Military College 196 - - Palace of the Sweet Waters 324 - - A Street in Pera 361 - - Column of Constantine and Egyptian Tripod 407 - - The Seven Towers 421 - - -THE CITY OF THE SULTAN. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - - The Golden Horn—Stamboul in Snow—The Seraï - Bournou—Scutari—Galata—First View of Constantinople—St. - Sophia and Solimaniè—Pera—Domestication of Aquatic - Birds—Sounds at Sea—Caïques—Oriental Grouping—Armenian - Costume—Reforms of Sultan Mahmoud—Dervishes—Eastern - Jews—Evening—Illuminated Minarets—Romance _versus_ - Reason—Pain at Parting—Custom House of Galata—The East - _versus_ the West—Reminiscences of Marseillois - Functionaries—The British Consul at Marseilles—The - Light-house at Syra—The Frank Quarter—Diplomatic - Atmosphere—Straw Huts—Care of the Turks for Animals—A Scene - from Shakspeare. - -It was on the 30th of December, 1835, that we anchored in the Golden -Horn; my long-indulged hopes were at length realized, and the Queen of -Cities was before me, throned on her peopled hills, with the silver -Bosphorus, garlanded with palaces, flowing at her feet! - -It was with difficulty that I could drag myself upon deck after the -night of intense suffering which I had passed in the sea of Marmora, -and, when I did succeed in doing so, the vessel was already under the -walls of the Seraglio garden, and advancing rapidly towards her -anchorage. The atmosphere was laden with snow, and I beheld Stamboul for -the first time clad in the ermine mantle of the sternest of seasons. -Yet, even thus, the most powerful feeling that unravelled itself from -the chaos of sensations which thronged upon me was one of unalloyed -delight. How could it be otherwise? I seemed to look on fairy-land—to -behold the embodiment of my wildest visions—to be the denizen of a new -world. - -Queenly Stamboul! the myriad sounds of her streets came to us mellowed -by the distance; and, as we swept along, the whole glory of her princely -port burst upon our view! The gilded palace of Mahmoud, with its -glittering gate and overtopping cypresses, among which may be -distinguished the buildings of the Seraï, were soon passed; behind us, -in the distance, was Scutari, looking down in beauty on the channel, -whose waves reflected the graceful outline of its tapering minarets, and -shrouded themselves for an instant in the dark shadows of its funereal -grove. Galata was beside us, with its mouldering walls and warlike -memories; and the vessel trembled as the chain fell heavily into the -water, and we anchored in the midst of the crowd of shipping that -already thronged the harbour. On the opposite shore clustered the -painted dwellings of Constantinople, the party-coloured garment of the -“seven hills”—the tall cypresses that overshadowed her houses, and the -stately plane trees, which more than rivalled them in beauty, bent their -haughty heads beneath the weight of accumulated snows. Here and there, a -cluster of graceful minarets cut sharply against the sky; while the -ample dome of the mosque to which they belonged, and the roofs of the -dwellings that nestled at their base, lay steeped in the same chill -livery. Eagerly did I seek to distinguish those of St. Sophia, and the -smaller but far more elegant Solimaniè, the shrine of the Prophet’s -Beard, with its four minarets, and its cloistered courts; and it was not -without reluctance that I turned away, to mark where the thronging -houses of Pera climb with magnificent profusion the amphitheatre of -hills which dominate the treasure-laden port. - -As my gaze wandered along the shore, and, passing by the extensive grove -of cypresses that wave above the burying-ground, once more followed the -course of the Bosphorus, I watched the waves as they washed the very -foundation of the dwellings that skirt it, until I saw them chafing and -struggling at the base of the barrack of Topphannè, and at intervals -flinging themselves high into the air above its very roof. - -To an European eye, the scene, independently of its surpassing beauty -and utter novelty, possessed two features peculiarly striking; the -extreme vicinity of the houses to the sea, which in many instances they -positively overhang; and the vast number of aquatic fowl that throng the -harbour. Seagulls were flying past us in clouds, and sporting like -domestic birds about the vessel, while many of the adjoining roofs were -clustered with them; the wild-duck and the water-hen were diving under -our very stern in search of food; and shoals of porpoises were every -moment rolling by, turning up their white bellies to the light, and -revelling in safety amid the sounds and sights of a mighty city, as -though unconscious of the vicinity of danger. How long, I involuntarily -asked myself, would this extraordinary confidence in man be repaid by -impunity in an English port? and the answer was by no means pleasing to -my national pride. - -As I looked round upon the shipping, the language of many lands came on -the wind. Here the deep “Brig a-hoy!” of the British seaman boomed along -the ripple; there, the shrill cry of the Greek mariner rang through the -air: at intervals, the full rich strain of the dark-eyed Italian -relieved the wild monotonous chant of the Turk; while the cry of the -sea-boy from the rigging was answered by the stern brief tones of the -weather-beaten sailor on the deck. - -Every instant a graceful caïque, with its long sharp prow and gilded -ornaments, shot past the ship: now freighted with a bearded and -turbaned Turk, squatted upon his carpet at the bottom of the boat, pipe -in hand, and muffled closely in his furred pelisse, the very -personification of luxurious idleness; and attended by his red-capped -and blue-coated domestic, who was sometimes a thick-lipped negro, but -more frequently a keen-eyed and mustachioed musselmaun—now tenanted by -a group of women, huddled closely together, and wearing the _yashmac_, -or veil of white muslin, which covers all the face except the eyes and -nose, and gives to the wearer the appearance of an animated corpse; some -of them, as they passed, languidly breathing out their harmonious -Turkish, which in a female mouth is almost music. - -Then came a third, gliding along like a nautilus, with its small white -sail; and bearing a bevy of Greeks, whose large flashing eyes gleamed -out beneath the unbecoming _fèz_, or cap of red cloth, with its purple -silk tassel, and ornament of cut paper, bound round the head among the -lower classes, by a thick black shawl, tightly twisted. This was -followed by a fourth, impelled by two lusty rowers, wherein the round -hats and angular costume of a party of Franks forced your thoughts back -upon the country that you had left, only to be recalled the next instant -by a freight of Armenian merchants returning from the Charshees of -Constantinople to their dwellings at Galata and Pera. As I looked on -the fine countenances, the noble figures, and the animated expression of -the party, how did I deprecate their shaven heads, and the use of the -frightful _calpac_, which I cannot more appropriately describe than by -comparing it to the iron pots used in English kitchens, inverted! The -graceful pelisse, however, almost makes amends for the monstrous -head-gear, as its costly garniture of sable or marten-skin falls back, -and reveals the robe of rich silk, and the cachemire shawl folded about -the waist. Altogether, I was more struck with the Armenian than the -Turkish costume; and there is a refinement and _tenue_ about the wearers -singularly attractive. Their well-trimmed mustachioes, their stained and -carefully-shaped eyebrows, their exceeding cleanliness, in short, their -whole appearance, interests the eye at once; nor must I pass over -without remark their jewelled rings, and their pipes of almost countless -cost, grasped by fingers so white and slender that they would grace a -woman. - -While I am on the subject of costume, I cannot forbear to record my -regret as I beheld in every direction the hideous and unmeaning _fèz_, -which has almost superseded the gorgeous turban of muslin and cachemire: -indeed, I was nearly tempted in my woman wrath to consider all the -admirable reforms, wrought by Sultan Mahmoud in his capital, -overbalanced by the frightful changes that he has made in the national -costume, by introducing a mere caricature of that worst of all -originals—the stiff, starch, angular European dress. The costly turban, -that bound the brow like a diadem, and relieved by the richness of its -tints the dark hue of the other garments, has now almost entirely -disappeared from the streets; and a group of Turks look in the distance -like a bed of poppies; the flowing robe of silk or of woollen has been -flung aside for the ill-made and awkward surtout of blue cloth; and the -waist, which was once girdled with a shawl of cachemire, is now -compressed by two brass buttons! - -The Dervish, or domestic priest, for such he may truly be called, whose -holy profession, instead of rendering him a distinct individual, suffers -him to mingle like his fellow-men in all the avocations, and to -participate in all the socialities of life; which permits him to read -his offices behind the counter of his shop, and to bring up his family -to the cares and customs of every-day life; and who is bound only by his -own voluntary act to a steady continuance in the self-imposed duties -that he is at liberty to cast aside when they become irksome to him; the -holy Dervish frequently passed us in his turn, seated at the bottom of -the caïque, with an open volume on his knees, and distinguished from the -lay-Turk by his _geulaf_, or high hat of grey felt. Then came a group -of Jews, chattering and gesticulating; with their ample cloaks, and -small dingy-coloured caps, surrounded by a projecting band of brown and -white cotton, whose singular pattern has misled a modern traveller so -far as to induce him to state that it is “a white handkerchief, -inscribed with some Hebrew sentences from their law.” - -Thus far, I could compare the port of Constantinople to nothing less -delightful than poetry put into action. The novel character of the -scenery—the ever-shifting, picturesque, and graceful groups—the -constant flitting past of the fairy-like caïques—the strange -tongues—the dark, wild eyes—all conspired to rivet me to the deck, -despite the bitterness of the weather. - -Evening came—and the spell deepened. We had arrived during the Turkish -Ramazan, or Lent, and, as the twilight gathered about us, the minarets -of all the mosques were brilliantly illuminated. Nothing could exceed -the magical effect of the scene; the darkness of the hour concealed the -outline of the graceful shafts of these etherial columns, while the -circles of light which girdled them almost at their extreme height -formed a triple crown of living diamonds. Below these depended (filling -the intermediate space) shifting figures of fire, succeeding each other -with wonderful rapidity and precision: now it was a house, now a group -of cypresses, then a vessel, or an anchor, or a spray of flowers; and -these changes were effected, as I afterwards discovered, in the most -simple and inartificial manner. Cords are slung from minaret to minaret, -from whence depend others, to which the lamps are attached; and the -raising or lowering of these cords, according to a previous design, -produces the apparently magic transitions which render the illuminations -of Stamboul unlike those of any European capital. - -But I can scarcely forgive myself for thus accounting in so -matter-of-fact a manner for the beautiful illusions that wrought so -powerfully on my own fancy. I detest the spirit which reduces every -thing to plain reason, and pleases itself by tracing effects to causes, -where the only result of the research must be the utter annihilation of -all romance, and the extinction of all wonder. The flowers that blossom -by the wayside of life are less beautiful when we have torn them leaf by -leaf asunder, to analyze their properties, and to determine their -classes, than when we first inhale their perfume, and delight in their -lovely tints, heedless of all save the enjoyment which they impart. The -man of science may decry, and the philosopher may condemn, such a mode -of reasoning; but really, in these days of utilitarianism, when all -things are reduced to rule, and laid bare by wisdom, it is desirable to -reserve a niche or two unprofaned by “the schoolmaster,” where fancy -may plume herself unchidden, despite the never-ending analysis of a -theorising world! - -My continued indisposition compelled my father and myself to remain -another day on board; but I scarcely felt the necessity irksome. All was -so novel and so full of interest around me, and my protracted voyage had -so thoroughly inured me to privation and inconvenience, that I was -enabled to enjoy the scene without one regret for land. The same -shifting panorama, the same endless varieties of sight and sound, -occupied the day; and the same magic illusions lent a brilliancy and a -poetry to the night. - -Smile, ye whose exclusiveness has girdled you with a fictitious and -imaginary circle, beyond which ye have neither sympathies nor -sensibilities—smile if ye will, as I declare that when the moment came -in which I was to quit the good brig, that had borne us so bravely -through storm and peril—the last tangible link between ourselves and -the far land that we had loved and left—I almost regretted that I trod -her snow-heaped and luggage-cumbered deck for the last time; and that, -as the crew clustered round us, to secure a parting look and a parting -word, a tear sprang to my eye. How impossible does it appear to me to -forget, at such a time as this, those who have shared with you the -perils and the protection of a long and arduous voyage! From the sturdy -seaman who had stood at the helm, and contended with the drear and -drenching midnight sea, to the venturous boy who had climbed the bending -mast to secure the remnants of the shivered sail, every face had long -been familiar to me. I could call each by name; nor was there one among -them to whom I had not, on some occasion, been indebted for those rude -but ready courtesies which, however insignificant in themselves, are -valuable to the uninitiated and helpless at sea. - -On the 1st of January, 1836, we landed at the Custom House stairs at -Galata, amid a perfect storm of snow and wind; nor must I omit the fact -that we did so without “let or hindrance” from the officers of the -establishment. The only inquiry made was, whether we had brought out any -merchandize, and, our reply being in the negative, coupled with the -assurance that we were merely travellers, and that our packages -consisted simply of personal necessaries, we were civilly desired to -pass on. - -I could not avoid contrasting this mode of action in the “barbarous” -East, with that of “civilized” Europe, where even your very person is -not sacred from the investigation of low-bred and low-minded -individuals, from whose officious and frequently impertinent contact you -can secure yourself only by a bribe. Perhaps the contrast struck me the -more forcibly that we had embarked from Marseilles, where all which -concerns either the Douane or the Bureau de Santé is _à la -rigueur_—where you are obliged to pay a duty on what you take out of -the city as well as what you bring into it—pay for a certificate of -health to persons who do not know that you have half a dozen hours to -live—and—hear this, ye travel-stricken English, who leave your country -to breathe freely for a while in lands wherein ye may dwell without the -extortion of taxes—pay _your own_ Consul for permission to embark! - -This last demand rankles more than all with a British subject, who may -quit his birth-place unquestioned, and who hugs himself with the belief -that nothing pitiful or paltry can be connected with the idea of an -Englishman by the foreigners among whom he is about to sojourn. He has -to learn his error, and the opportunity is afforded to him at -Marseilles, where the natives of every other country under Heaven are -free to leave the port as they list, when they have satisfied the -demands of the local functionaries; while the English alone have a -special claimant in their own Consul, the individual appointed by the -British government to “assist” and “protect” his fellow-subjects—by -whom they are only let loose upon the world at the rate of six francs -and a half a head! And for this “consideration” they become the happy -possessors of a “Permission to Embark” from a man whom they have -probably never seen, and who has not furthered for them a single view, -nor removed a single difficulty. To this it may be answered that, had -they required his assistance, they might have demanded it, which must be -conceded at once, but, nevertheless, the success of their demand is more -than problematical—and the arrangement is perfectly on a par with that -of the Greeks in the island of Syra, who, when we cast anchor in their -port, claimed, among other dues, a dollar and a half for the -signal-light; and, on being reminded that there had been no light at the -station for several previous nights, with the additional information -that we had narrowly escaped wreck in consequence, coolly replied, that -all we said was very true, but that there would shortly be a fire -kindled there regularly—that they wanted money—and that, in short, the -dollar and a half must be paid; but herefrom we at least took our -departure without asking leave of our own Consul. - -From the Custom House of Galata, we proceeded up a steep ascent to Pera, -the quarter of the Franks—the focus of diplomacy—where every lip -murmurs “His Excellency,” and secretaries, interpreters, and _attachés_ -are - - “Thick as the leaves on Valombrosa.” - -But, alas! on the 1st day of January, Pera, Galata, and their environs, -were one huge snowball. As it was Friday, the Turkish Sabbath, and, -moreover, a Friday of the Ramazan, every shop was shut; and the few foot -passengers who passed us by hurried on as though impatient of exposure -to so inclement an atmosphere. As most of the streets are impassable for -carriages, and as the sedan-chairs which supply, however imperfectly, -the place of these convenient (and almost, as I had hitherto considered, -indispensable) articles, are all private property, we were e’en obliged -to “thread our weary way” as patiently as we could—now buried up to our -knees in snow, and anon immersed above our ancles in water, when we -chanced to plunge into one of those huge holes which give so interesting -an inequality to the surface of Turkish paving. - -Nevertheless, despite the difficulties that obstructed our progress, I -could not avoid remarking the little straw huts built at intervals along -the streets, for the accommodation and comfort of the otherwise homeless -dogs that throng every avenue of the town. There they lay, crouched down -snugly, too much chilled to welcome us with the chorus of barking that -they usually bestow on travellers: a species of loud and inconvenient -greeting with which we were by no means sorry to dispense. In addition -to this shelter, food is every day dispensed by the inhabitants to the -vagrant animals who, having no specific owners, are, to use the -approved phraseology of genteel alms-asking, “wholly dependent on the -charitable for support.” And it is a singular fact that these -self-constituted scavengers exercise a kind of internal economy which -almost appears to exceed the boundaries of mere instinct; they have -their defined “walks,” or haunts, and woe betide the strange cur who -intrudes on the privileges of his neighbours; he is hunted, upbraided -with growls and barks, beset on all sides, even bitten in cases of -obstinate contumacy, and universally obliged to retreat within his own -limits. Their numbers have, as I was informed, greatly decreased of late -years, but they are still very considerable. - -As we passed along, a door opened, and forth stepped the most -magnificent-looking individual whom I ever saw: he had a costly -cachemire twined about his waist, his flowing robes were richly furred, -and he turned the key in the lock with an air of such blended anxiety -and dignity, that I involuntarily thought of the Jew of Shakspeare; and -I expected at the moment to hear him exclaim, “Shut the door, Jessica, -shut the door, I say!” But, alas! he moved away, and no sweet Jessica -flung back the casement to reply. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - - Difficulty of Ingress to Turkish Houses—Steep Streets—The - Harem—The Tandour—The Mangal—The Family—Female - Costume—Luxurious Habits—The Ramazan—The Dining-room—The - Widow—The Dinner—The Turks not Gastronomers—Oriental - Hospitality—Ceremony of Ablution—The Massaldjhe—Alarm in the - Harem—The Prayer—Evening Offering—Puerile - Questions—Opium—Primitive Painting—Splendid Beds—Avocations - of a Turkish Lady—Oriental Coquetry—Shopping—Commercial - Flirtations—The Sultana Heybétoullah—A Turkish Carriage—The - Charshees—Armenian Merchants—Greek Speculators—Perfumes and - Embroidery. - -I have already mentioned that we arrived at Constantinople during the -Ramazan or Lent; and my first anxiety was to pass a day of Fast in the -interior of a Turkish family. - -This difficult, and in most cases impossible, achievement for an -European was rendered easy to me by the fact that, shortly after our -landing, I procured an introduction to a respectable Turkish merchant; -and I had no sooner written to propose a visit to his harem than I -received the most frank and cordial assurances of welcome. - -A Greek lady of my acquaintance having offered to accompany me, and to -act as my interpreter, we crossed over to Stamboul, and, after -threading several steep and narrow streets, perfectly impassable for -carriages, entered the spacious court of the house at which we were -expected, and ascended a wide flight of stairs leading to the harem, or -women’s apartments. The stairs terminated in a large landing-place, of -about thirty feet square, into which several rooms opened on each side, -screened with curtains of dark cloth embroidered with coloured worsted. -An immense mirror filled up a space between two of the doors, and a long -passage led from this point to the principal apartment of the harem, to -which we were conducted by a black slave. - -When I say “we,” I of course allude to Mrs. —— and myself, as no men, -save those of the family and the physician, are ever admitted within the -walls of a Turkish harem. - -The apartment into which we were ushered was large and warm, richly -carpeted, and surrounded on three sides by a sofa, raised about a foot -from the ground, and covered with crimson shag; while the cushions, that -rested against the wall or were scattered at intervals along the couch, -were gaily embroidered with gold thread and coloured silks. In one angle -of the sofa stood the _tandour_: a piece of furniture so unlike any -thing in Europe, that I cannot forbear giving a description of it. - -The tandour is a wooden frame, covered with a couple of wadded -coverlets, for such they literally are, that are in their turn overlaid -by a third and considerably smaller one of rich silk: within the frame, -which is of the height and dimensions of a moderately sized breakfast -table, stands a copper vessel, filled with the embers of charcoal; and, -on the two sides that do not touch against the sofa, piles of cushions -are heaped upon the floor to nearly the same height, for the convenience -of those whose rank in the family does not authorize them to take places -on the couch. - -The double windows, which were all at the upper end of the apartment, -were closely latticed; and, at the lower extremity of the room, in an -arched recess, stood a classically-shaped clay jar full of water, and a -covered goblet in a glass saucer. Along a silken cord, on either side of -this niche, were hung a number of napkins, richly worked and fringed -with gold; and a large copy of the Koran was deposited beneath a -handkerchief of gold gauze, on a carved rosewood bracket. - -In the middle of the floor was placed the _mangal_, a large copper -vessel of about a foot in height, resting upon a stand of the same -material raised on castors, and filled, like that within the tandour, -with charcoal. - -The family consisted of the father and mother, the son and the son’s -wife, the daughter and her husband, and a younger and adopted son. The -ladies were lying upon cushions, buried up to their necks under the -coverings of the tandour; and, as they flung them off to receive us, I -was struck with the beauty of the daughter, whose deep blue eyes, and -hair of a golden brown, were totally different from what I had expected -to find in a Turkish harem. Two glances sufficed to satisfy me that the -mother was a shrew, and I had no reason subsequently to revoke my -judgment. The son’s wife had fine, large, brilliant, black eyes, but her -other features were by no means pleasing, although she possessed, in -common with all her countrywomen, that soft, white, velvety skin, for -which they are indebted to the constant use of the bath. To this luxury, -in which many of them daily indulge, must be, however, attributed the -fact that their hair, in becoming bright and glossy, loses its strength, -and compels them to the adoption of artificial tresses; and these they -wear in profusion, wound amid the folds of the embroidered handkerchiefs -that they twine about their heads in a most unbecoming manner, and -secure by bodkins of diamonds or emeralds, of which ornaments they are -inordinately fond. - -They all wore chemisettes or under garments of silk gauze, trimmed with -fringes of narrow ribbon, and wide trowsers of printed cotton falling -to the ancle: their feet were bare, save that occasionally they thrust -them into little yellow slippers, that scarcely covered their toes, and -in which they moved over the floor with the greatest ease, dragging -after them their anterys, or sweeping robes; but more frequently they -dispensed with even these, and walked barefoot about the harem. Their -upper dresses were of printed cotton of the brightest colours—that of -the daughter had a blue ground, with a yellow pattern, and was trimmed -with a fringe of pink and green. These robes, which are made in one -piece, are divided at the hip on either side to their extreme length, -and are girt about the waist with a cachemire shawl. The costume is -completed in winter by a tight vest lined with fur, which is generally -of light green or pink. - -Their habits are, generally speaking, most luxurious and indolent, if I -except their custom of early rising, which, did they occupy themselves -in any useful manner, would be undoubtedly very commendable; but, as -they only add, by these means, two or three hours of _ennui_ to each -day, I am at a loss how to classify it. Their time is spent in dressing -themselves, and varying the position of their ornaments—in the -bath—and in sleep, which they appear to have as entirely at their back -as a draught of water; in winter, they have but to nestle under the -coverings of the tandour, or in summer to bury themselves among their -cushions, and in five minutes they are in the land of dreams. Indeed, so -extraordinarily are they gifted in this respect, that they not -unfrequently engage their guests to take a nap, with the same -_sang-froid_ with which a European lady would invite her friends to take -a walk. Habits of industry have, however, made their way, in many -instances, even into the harem; the changes without have influenced the -pursuits and feelings of the women; and utter idleness has already -ceased to be a necessary attribute to the high-bred Turkish female. - -As it was the time of the Ramazan, neither coffee nor sweetmeats were -handed to us, though the offer of refreshments was made, which we, -however, declined, being resolved to keep Lent with them according to -their own fashion. We fasted, therefore, until about half past six -o’clock, when the cry of the muezzin from the minarets proclaimed that -one of the outwatchers, of whom many are employed for the purpose, had -caught a glimpse of the moon. Instantly all were in motion; their -preliminary arrangements had been so zealously and carefully made that -not another second was lost; and, as a slave announced dinner, we all -followed her to a smaller apartment, where the table, if such I may call -it, was already laid. - -The room was a perfect square, totally unfurnished, save that in the -centre of the floor was spread a carpet, on which stood a wooden frame, -about two feet in height, supporting an immense round plated tray, with -the edge slightly raised. In the centre of the tray was placed a -capacious white basin, filled with a kind of cold bread soup; and around -it were ranged a circle of small porcelain saucers, filled with sliced -cheese, anchovies, caviare, and sweetmeats of every description: among -these were scattered spoons of box-wood, and goblets of pink and white -sherbet, whose rose-scented contents perfumed the apartment. The outer -range of the tray was covered with fragments of unleavened bread, torn -asunder; and portions of the Ramazan cake, a dry, close, sickly kind of -paste, glazed with the whites of eggs, and strewed over with aniseeds. - -Our party was a numerous one—the aged nurse, who had reared the -children of the family—the orphan boy of a dead son, who, with his -wife, had perished by plague during the previous twelve months—several -neighbours who had chosen the hour of dinner to make their visits—a -very pretty friend from Scutari—and a very plain acquaintance from the -house of death—the widow of a day—whose husband had expired the -previous morning, been buried the same evening, and, as it appeared, -forgotten on the morrow; for the “disconsolate widow” had come forth in -a pink vest, and sky blue trowsers, with rings on her fingers, and -jewels in her turban, to seek the advice and assistance of the master of -the house, in securing some valuable shawls, and sundry diamonds and -baubles which she had possessed before her marriage, from the grasp of -the deceased’s relatives. - -As soon as the serious business of the repast really commenced, that is, -when we had each possessed ourselves of a cushion, and squatted down -with our feet under us round the dinner tray, having on our laps linen -napkins of about two yards in length richly fringed; the room was -literally filled with slaves, “black, white, and gray,” from nine years -old to fifty. - -Fish, embedded in rice, followed the side or rather circle saucers that -I have already described; and of most of which I sparingly partook, as -the only answer that I was capable of giving to the unceasing “Eat, eat, -you are welcome,” of the lady of the house. With the fish, the spoons -came into play, and all were immersed in the same dish; but I must not -omit to add that this custom is rendered less revolting than it would -otherwise be, by the fact that each individual is careful, should the -_plat_ be partaken of a second time, (a rare occurrence, however, from -the rapidity with which they are changed), always to confine herself to -one spot. The meat and poultry were eaten with the fingers; each -individual fishing up, or breaking away, what pleased her eye; and -several of them tearing a portion asunder, and handing one of the pieces -to me as a courtesy, with which, be it remarked, _par parenthèse_, I -should joyfully have dispensed. Nineteen dishes, of fish, flesh, fowl, -pastry, and creams, succeeding each other in the most heterogeneous -manner—the salt following the sweet, and the stew preceding the -custard—were terminated by a pyramid of pillauf. I had the perseverance -to sit out this elaborate culinary exhibition; an exertion which is, -however, by no means required of any one, by the observance of Turkish -courtesy. - -Gastronomy is no science in the East, and _gourmands_ are unknown; the -Osmanlis only eat to live, they do not live to eat; and the variety of -their dishes originates in a tacit care to provide against individual -disgusts, while the extreme rapidity with which they are changed -sufficiently demonstrates their want of inclination to indulge -individual excess. The women drink only coffee, sherbet, or water; but -some few among the men are adopting the vices of civilized nations, and -becoming addicted to beverages of a more potent description. No person -is expected to remain an instant longer at a Turkish table than suffices -him to make his meal; the instant that an individual has satisfied his -appetite, he rises without comment or apology, washes his hands, and -resumes his pipe or his occupation. Nor must I pass over without comment -the simple and beautiful hospitality of the Turks, who welcome to their -board, be he rich or poor, every countryman who thinks proper to take a -seat at it; the emphatic “You are welcome,” is never coldly nor -grudgingly uttered; and the Mussulmauns extend this unostentatious -greeting to each new comer, without reservation or limit, upon the same -principle that they never permit them to find fault with any article of -food which may be served up. They consider themselves only as the -stewards of GOD, and consequently use the goods of life as a loan rather -than a possession; while they consider themselves bound to give from -their superfluity to those who have been less favoured. - -As we rose from table, a slave presented herself, holding a basin and -strainer of wrought metal, while a second poured tepid water over our -hands, from an elegantly-formed vase of the same materials; and a third -handed to us embroidered napkins of great beauty, of which I really -availed myself with reluctance. - -Having performed this agreeable ceremony, we returned to the principal -apartment, where our party received an addition in the person of a very -pretty old _massaljhe_, or tale-teller, who had been invited to relieve -the tedium of the evening with some of her narrations. This custom is -very general during the Ramazan, and is a great resource to the Turkish -ladies, who can thus recline in luxurious inaction, and have their minds -amused without any personal exertion. Coffee was prepared at the mangal, -and handed round: after which the elder lady seated herself on a pile of -cushions placed upon the floor, and smoked a couple of pipes in perfect -silence, and with extreme _gusto_, flinging out volumes of smoke, that -created a thick mist in the apartment. - -I had just begun to indulge in a violent fit of coughing, induced by the -density of this artificial atmosphere, when in walked a slave to -announce the intended presence of the gentlemen of the family, and in an -instant the whole scene was changed. The two Turkish ladies whom I have -already mentioned as being on a visit in the house rushed from the room -barefooted, in as little time as it would have required for me to -disengage myself from the tandour; the less agile _massaljhe_ covered -her face with a thick veil, and concealed herself behind the door—the -Juno-like daughter (one of the most majestic women I ever remember to -have seen, although very far from one of the tallest) flung a -handkerchief over her head, and fastened it beneath her chin: while the -son’s wife caught up a _feridjhe_, or cloak, and withdrew, muffled amid -its folds, to her own apartment. The elder lady was the only one of the -party undisturbed by the intelligence: she never raised her eyes from -the carpet, but continued inhaling the aroma of the “scented weed,” -gravely grasping her long pipe, her lips pressed against its amber -mouthpiece, and her brilliant rings and diamond-studded bracelet -flashing in the light. - -In a few minutes, the aged father of the family was squatted down -immediately opposite to my seat, smothered in furs, and crowned with the -most stately looking turban I had yet seen: on one side of him stood a -slave with his chibouk, which his wife had just filled and lighted, and -on the other his elder son, holding the little brass dish in which the -pipe-bowl is deposited to protect the carpet. Near him, on another -cushion, lay the tobacco-bag of gold-embroidered cachemire, from which -the said son was about to regale himself, after having supplied the -wants of his father: and a few paces nearer to the door reclined the -handsome Soliman Effendi, the adopted son to whom I have already -alluded. - -While the party were refreshing themselves with coffee, which was -shortly afterwards served to them, a cry from the minarets of a -neighbouring mosque announced the hour of prayer; when the old man -gravely laid aside his pipe, and, spreading a crimson rug above the -carpet near the spot where he had been sitting, turned his face to the -East, and began his devotions by stroking down his beard and falling -upon his knees, or rather squatting himself in a doubled-up position -which it were impossible to describe. For a while his lips moved -rapidly, though not a sound escaped them, and then suddenly he -prostrated himself three times, and pressed his forehead to the carpet, -rose, and folding his arms upon his breast, continued his -prayer—resumed after a brief space his original position, rocking his -body slowly to and fro—again bent down—and, repeated the whole of -these ceremonies three times, concluding his orison by extending his -open palms towards Heaven; after which, he once more slowly and -reverentially passed his hand down his beard, and, without uttering a -syllable, returned to his seat and his pipe, while a slave folded the -rug and laid it aside. I remarked that at intervals, during the prayer, -he threw out a long respiration, as though he had been collecting his -breath for several seconds ere he suffered it to escape, but throughout -the whole time not a single word was audible. The rest of the party -continued to laugh, chat, and smoke quite unconcernedly, however, during -the devotions of the master of the house, who appeared so thoroughly -absorbed as to be utterly unconscious of all that was going on around -him. - -I ought not to have omitted to mention that, on entering the harem, each -of the gentlemen of the family had deposited on a table at the -extremity of the apartment his evening offering; for no Turk, however -high his rank, returns home for the night, when the avocations of the -day are over, empty-handed: it signifies not how trifling may be the -value of his burthen—a cluster of grapes—a paper of sweetmeats—or, -among the lower orders, a few small fish, or a head of salad—every -individual is bound to make an offering to the _Dei Penates_; and to -fail in this duty is to imply that he is about to repudiate his wife. - -The father of the eldest son, Usuf Effendi, had brought home Ramazan -cakes, but Soliman Effendi deposited on the tandour a _boksha_, or -handkerchief of clear muslin wrought with gold threads, and containing -sweetmeats; among them were a quantity of Barcelona nuts, which, in -Turkey, are shelled, slightly dried in the oven, and eaten with raisins, -as almonds are in Europe. In the course of the evening, the elder lady -resumed her place at the tandour; and, in the intervals of the -conversation, she amused herself by burning one of the nuts at a candle, -and, having reduced it to a black and oily substance with great care and -patience, she took up a small round hand-mirror, set into a frame-work of -purple velvet, embroidered in silver that was buried among her cushions, -and began to stain her eyebrows, making them meet over the nose, and -shaping them with an art which nothing but long practice could have -enabled her to acquire. - -Their questions were of the most puerile description—my age—why I did -not marry—whether I liked Constantinople—if I could read and write, -&c., &c.; but no impertinent comment on fashions and habits so different -from their own escaped them: on the contrary, they were continually -remarking how much I must find every thing in Turkey inferior to what I -had been accustomed to in Europe: and they lost themselves in wonder at -the resolution that had decided me to visit a part of the world where I -must suffer so many privations. Of course, I replied as politely as I -could to these complimentary comments; and my companion and myself being -much fatigued with the exertions that we had made during the day, we -determined to retire to our apartment, without waiting to partake of the -second repast, which is served up between two and three o’clock in the -morning. - -From this period the Turks remain smoking, and sipping their coffee, -detailing news, and telling stories, an amusement to which they are -extremely partial, until there is sufficient light to enable them to -distinguish between a black thread and a white one, when the fast is -scrupulously resumed. But it may be curious to remark, that, as not even -a draught of water can be taken until the evening meal, and, (still -greater privation to the Osmanli,) not a pipe can be smoked, they have -adopted a singular expedient for appeasing the cravings of re-awakening -appetite. They cause opium pills to be prepared, enveloped in one, two, -and three coatings of gold leaf; and these they swallow at the last -moment when food is permitted to be taken; under the impression that -each will produce its intended effect at a given time, which is -determined by the number of envelopes that have to disengage themselves -from the drug before it can act. - -The apartment wherein we passed the night was spacious and lofty; and -the ceiling was lined with canvass, on which a large tree in full leaf -was painted in oils; and, as this was the great ornament of the room, -and, moreover, considered as a model of ingenious invention, one of the -slaves did not fail to point out to us that the canvass, instead of -being tightly stretched, was mounted loosely on a slight frame, which, -when the air entered from the open windows, permitted an undulation -intended to give to the tree the effect of reality. I do not think that -I was ever more amused—for the branches resembled huge boa constrictors -much more than any thing connected with the vegetable kingdom: and every -leaf was as large and as black as the crown of a man’s hat. - -Our beds were composed of mattresses laid one above the other upon the -floor, and these were of the most costly description; mine being yellow -satin brocaded with gold, and that of my companion violet-coloured -velvet, richly fringed. A Turkish bed is arranged in an instant—the -mattresses are covered with a sheet of silk gauze, or striped muslin, -(my own on this occasion was of the former material)—half a dozen -pillows of various forms and sizes are heaped up at the head, all in -richly embroidered muslin cases, through which the satin containing the -down is distinctly seen—and a couple of wadded coverlets are laid at -the feet, carefully folded: no second sheet is considered necessary, as -the coverlets are lined with fine white linen. Those which were provided -for us were of pale blue silk, worked with rose-coloured flowers. - -At the lower end of every Turkish room are large closets for the -reception of the bedding; and the slaves no sooner ascertain that you -have risen, than half a dozen of them enter the apartment, and in five -minutes every vestige of your couch has disappeared—you hurry from the -bed to the bath, whence you cannot possibly escape in less than two -hours—and the business of the day is then generally terminated for a -Turkish lady. All that remains to be done is to sit under the covering -of the tandour, passing the beads of a perfumed chaplet rapidly through -the fingers—arranging and re-arranging the head-dress and -ornaments—or to put on the _yashmac_ and _feridjhe_, and sally forth, -accompanied by two or three slaves, to pay visits to favourite friends; -either on foot, in yellow boots reaching up to the swell of the leg, -over which a slipper of the same colour is worn; or in an araba, or -carriage of the country, all paint, gilding, and crimson cloth, nestled -among cushions, and making more use of her eyes than any being on earth -save a Turkish woman would, with the best inclination in the world, be -able to accomplish; such finished coquetry I never before witnessed as -that of the Turkish ladies in the street. As the araba moves slowly -along, the _feridjhe_ is flung back to display its white silk lining and -bullion tassels; and, should a group of handsome men be clustered on the -pathway, that instant is accidentally chosen for arranging the -_yashmac_. The dark-eyed dames of Spain, accomplished as they are in the -art, never made more use of the graceful veil than do the orientals of -the jealous _yashmac_. - -The taste for “shopping”—what an excellent essay might the “_piquante_ -and _spirituelle_” Lady Morgan write on this universal feminine -mania!—is as great among the eastern ladies as with their fair European -sisters; but it is indulged in a totally different manner. -Constantinople boasts no commercial palace like those of Howell and -James, or Storr and Mortimer; and still less a Maradan Carson: no -carriage draws up at the door of an Ebers or a Sams for “the last new -novel;” nor does a well-warmed and well-floored bazar tempt the -satin-slippered dame to wander among avenues of glittering gewgaws and -elaborated trifles: the carriage of the veiled Osmanli stops at the door -of some merchant who has a handsome shopman; and the name of the latter, -having been previously ascertained, Sadak or Mustapha, as the case may -be, is ordered by the _arabajhe_, or coachman, to exhibit to his -mistress some article of merchandize, which he brings accordingly, and, -while the lady affects to examine its quality and to decide on its -value, she enters into conversation with the youth, playing upon him -meanwhile the whole artillery of her fine eyes. The questioning -generally runs nearly thus:—“What is your name?”—“How old are -you?”—“Are you married?”—“Were you ever in love?”—and similar -misplaced and childish questions. Should the replies of the interrogated -person amuse her, and his beauty appear as great on a nearer view as -when seen from a distance, the merchandize is objected to, and the visit -repeated frequently, ere the fastidious taste of the purchaser can be -satisfied. - -Nor are women of high rank exempt from this indelicate fancy, which can -only be accounted for by the belief that, like caged birds occasionally -set free, they do not know how to use their liberty: the Sultana -Haybétoullah, sister to his Sublime Highness, the Light of the Ottoman -Empire, is particularly attached to this extraordinary _passe-temps_. - -The following morning we started on an exploring expedition, accompanied -by the closely-veiled and heavily-draped “Juno,” and attended by her -nurse and child, and her quaintly-habited footman; and, as the carriage -could not approach the house by a considerable distance, owing to the -narrowness and steepness of the streets in that quarter of the city, -(which, built upon the crest and down the slope of one of the “seven -hills,” overlooks the glittering and craft-clustered port), we were -obliged to walk to it through the frozen snow, upon the same principle -that, as the mountain would not go to Mahomet, Mahomet was compelled to -go to the mountain. - -Directly I cast my eyes on the carriage, I had an excellent idea of that -which the fairy godmother of Cinderella created for her favourite out of -a pumpkin. Its form was that of a small covered waggon; its exterior was -all crimson cloth, blue silk fringe, and tassels; and its inside -precisely resembled a cake of gilt gingerbread. Four round -looking-glasses, just sufficiently large to reflect the features, were -impannelled on either side of the doors; and in the place of windows we -had gilt lattices, so closely made that our position was the very -reverse of cheerful; and, as I found it, moreover, quite impossible to -breathe freely, these lattices were flung back despite the cold, and -this arrangement being made, I established myself very comfortably on -the satin cushions, with my feet doubled under me _à la Turque_, amid -the piled-up luxuries of _duvet_ and embroidery. - -Our first visit was to the charshees, or, as Europeans for some -inexplicable reason have the habit of calling them, the “bazars”—the -word bazar literally signifying market—and, as the carriage rattled -under the heavy portal, my first feeling was that of extreme -disappointment. The great attraction of these establishments is -undeniably their vast extent, for in _tenue_ and richness they are as -inferior to our own miniature bazars in London as possible. Rudely -paved—disagreeably dirty—plentifully furnished with _égouts_, of which -both the sight and the scent are unpleasing—badly lighted—clumsily -built—and so constructed as to afford no idea of the space they cover, -until you have wandered through the whole of their mazes, your -involuntary impression is one of wonder at the hyperboles which have -been lavished on them by travellers, and the uncalled-for extacies of -tour-writers. - -The charshees are like a little commercial town, roofed in; each street -being appropriated to one particular trade or calling; and presenting -relative degrees of attraction and luxury, from the diamond-merchant’s -counter to the cushions of the shawl and fur-menders. - -The Beizensteen is wonderfully rich in jewels, but in order to witness -the display of these you must be, or be likely to become, a purchaser, -as only a few, and those of comparatively small value, are exposed in -the glass cases which ornament the counters. Nearly the whole of the -jewellers are Armenians; as well as the money-changers, who transact -business in their immediate vicinity. Indeed, all the steady commerce on -a great scale in the capital may be said to be, with very slight -exceptions, in the hands of the Armenians, who have the true, patient, -plodding, calculating spirit of trade; while the wilder speculations of -hazardous and ambitious enterprise are grasped with avidity by the more -daring and adventurous Greeks; and hence arises the fact, for which it -is at first sight difficult to account, that the most wealthy and the -most needy of the merchants of Stamboul are alike of that nation: while -you rarely see an Armenian either limited in his means, or obtrusive in -his style. - -In the street of the embroiderers, whose stalls make a very gay -appearance, being hung all over with tobacco-bags, purses, and -_coiffures_, wrought in gold and silver, we purchased a couple of -richly-worked handkerchiefs, used by the ladies of the country for -binding up the hair after the bath, and which are embroidered with a -taste and skill truly admirable. - -Thence we drove to the shoe bazar, where slippers worked with -seed-pearls, and silver and gold thread, upon velvets of every shade and -colour, make a very handsome and tempting appearance; and among these -are ranged circular looking-glasses, of which the frames, backs, and -handles are similarly ornamented. The scent-dealers next claimed our -attention, and their quarter is indeed a miniature embodiment of “Araby -the Blest,” for the atmosphere is one cloud of perfume. Here we were -fully enabled to understand _l’embarras des richesses_, for all the -sweets of the East and West tempted us at once, from the long and -slender _flacon_ of Eau de Cologne, to the small, gilded, -closely-enveloped bottle of attar-gul. Nor less luxurious was the -atmosphere of the spice bazar, with its pyramids of cloves, its piles of -cinnamon, and its bags of mace—and, while the porcelain dealers allured -us into their neighbourhood by a dazzling display, comprising every -variety of ancient and modern china; silks, velvets, Broussa satins, and -gold gauze in their turn invited us in another direction—and, in short, -I left the charshees with aching eyes, and a very confused impression of -this great mart of luxury and expence. - -It was a most fatiguing day; and I was scarcely sorry when, having bade -farewell to the hospitable family, who had so kindly and courteously -received us as guests, we hastened to embark on board our caïque, and in -ten minutes found ourselves at Topphannè, whence we slowly mounted the -steep ascent which terminates in the high-street of Pera, within a -hundred yards of our temporary residence. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - - Turning Dervishes—Appearance of the Tekiè—The - Mausoleum—Duties of the Dervishes—Chapel of the Convent—The - Chief Priest—Dress of the Brotherhood—Melancholy - Music—Solemnity of the Service—Mistakes of a Modern - Traveller—Explanation of the Ceremony—The Prayer—The Kiss of - Peace—Appearance of the Chapel—Religious Tolerance of the - Turks—The French Renegade—Sketch of Halet Effendi, the - Founder of the Tekiè. - -I paid two visits to the convent (if such, indeed, it may be termed) of -Turning, or, as they are commonly called in Europe, Dancing Dervishes, -which is situated opposite the Petit Champs des Morts, descending -towards Galata. The court of the Tekiè is entered by a handsomely -ornamented gate, and, having passed it, you have the cemetery of the -brethren on your left hand, and the gable of the main building on your -right. As you arrive in front of the convent, the court widens, and in -the midst stands a magnificent plane tree of great antiquity, carefully -railed in; while you have on one side the elegant mausoleum in which -repose the superiors of the order; and on the other the fountain of -white marble, roofed in like an oratory, and enclosed on all its six -sides from the weather, where the Dervishes perform their ablutions ere -they enter the chapel. The mausoleum is of the octagon form, the floor -being raised two steps in the centre, leaving a space all round, just -sufficiently wide for one person to pass along. The sarcophagi are -covered with plain clay-coloured cloth, and at the head of each tomb is -placed the _geulaf_, or Dervishes’ hat, encircled by a clear muslin -handkerchief, embroidered with tinted silks and gold thread. A large -gilt frame, enclosing the representation of a hat wrought in needlework, -and standing on a slab, on which is inscribed a sentence from the Koran, -rests against one of the sarcophagi, and huge wax-candles in plain -clay-coloured candlesticks are scattered among the tombs. - -The Tekiè is a handsome building with projecting wings, in which the -community live very comfortably with their wives and children; and -whence, having performed their religious duties, they sally forth to -their several avocations in the city, and mingle with their fellow-men -upon equal terms. Unlike the monks of the church of Rome, the Dervishes -are forbidden to accumulate wealth in order to enrich either themselves -or their convent. The most simple fare, the least costly garments, serve -alike for their own use, and for that of their families: industry, -temperance, and devotion are their duties; and, as they are at liberty -to secede from their self-imposed obligations whenever they see fit to -do so, there is no lukewarmness among the community, who find time -throughout the whole year to devote many hours to God, even of their -most busy days; and, unlike their fellow-citizens, the other -Mussulmauns, they throw open the doors of their chapel to strangers, -only stipulating that gentlemen shall put off their shoes ere they -enter. - -This chapel, which has been erroneously designated a “mosque,” is an -octagon building of moderate size, neatly painted in fresco. The centre -of the floor is railed off, and the enclosure is sacred to the -brotherhood; while the outer circle, covered with Indian matting, is -appropriated to visiters. A deep gallery runs round six sides of the -building, and beneath it, on your left hand as you enter, you remark the -lattices through which the Turkish women witness the service. A narrow -mat surrounds the circle within the railing, and upon this the brethren -kneel during the prayers; while the centre of the floor is so highly -polished by the perpetual friction that it resembles a mirror, and the -boards are united by nails with heads as large as a shilling, to prevent -accidents to the feet of the Dervishes during their evolutions. A bar of -iron descends octagonally from the centre of the domed roof, to which -transverse bars are attached, bearing a vast number of glass lamps of -different colours and sizes; and, against many of the pillars, of which -I counted four-and-twenty, supporting the dome, are hung frames, within -which are inscribed passages from the Prophets. - -Above the seat of the superior, the name of the founder of the Tekiè is -written in gold on a black ground, in immense characters. This seat -consists of a small carpet, above which is spread a crimson rug, and on -this the worthy principal was squatted when we entered, in an ample -cloak of Spanish brown, with large hanging sleeves, and his geulaf, or -high hat of grey felt, encircled with a green shawl. I pitied him that -his back was turned towards the glorious Bosphorus, that was distinctly -seen through the four large windows at the extremity of the chapel, -flashing in the light, with the slender minarets and lordly mosques of -Stamboul gleaming out in the distance. - -One by one, the Dervishes entered the chapel, bowing profoundly at the -little gate of the enclosure, took their places on the mat, and, bending -down, reverently kissed the ground; and then, folding their arms meekly -on their breasts, remained buried in prayer, with their eyes closed, and -their bodies swinging slowly to and fro. They were all enveloped in wide -cloaks of dark coloured cloth with pendent sleeves; and wore their -geulafs, which they retained during the whole of the service. - -I confess that the impression produced on my mind by the idea of Dancing -Dervishes was the very reverse of solemn; and I was, in consequence, -quite unprepared for the effect that the exhibition of their religious -rites cannot fail to exert on all those who are not predetermined to -find food for mirth in every sectarian peculiarity. The deep stillness, -broken only by the breath of prayer, or the melancholy wailing of the -muffled instruments, which seemed to send forth their voice of sadness -from behind a cloud in subdued sorrowing, like the melodious plaint of -angels over fallen mortality—the concentrated and pious -self-forgetfulness of the community, who never once cast their eyes over -the crowds that thronged their chapel—the deep, rich chant of the -choral brethren—even the very contrast afforded by the light and -fairy-like temple in which they thus meekly ministered to their Maker, -with their own calm and inspired appearance, heightened the effect of -the scene; and tacitly rebuked the presumption and worldliness of spirit -that would have sought a jest in the very sanctuary of religion. - -The service commenced with an extemporaneous prayer from the chief -priest, to which the attendant Dervishes listened with arms folded upon -their breasts, and their eyes fixed on the ground. At its conclusion, -all bowed their foreheads to the earth; and the orchestra struck into -one of those peculiarly wild and melancholy Turkish airs which are -unlike any other music that I ever heard. Instantly, the full voices of -the brethren joined in chorus, and the effect was thrilling: now the -sounds died away like the exhausted breath of a departing spirit, and -suddenly they swelled once more into a deep and powerful diapason that -seemed scarce earthly. A second stillness of about a minute succeeded, -when the low, solemn music was resumed, and the Dervishes, slowly rising -from the earth, followed their superior three times round the enclosure; -bowing down twice under the shadow of the name of their Founder, -suspended above the seat of the high priest. This reverence was -performed without removing their folded arms from their breasts—the -first time on the side by which they approached, and afterwards on that -opposite, which they gained by slowly revolving on the right foot, in -such a manner as to prevent their turning their backs towards the -inscription. The procession was closed by a second prostration, after -which, each Dervish having gained his place, cast off his cloak, and -such as had walked in woollen slippers withdrew them, and, passing -solemnly before the Chief Priest, they commenced their evolutions. - -I am by no means prepared, nor even inclined, to attempt a Quixotic -defence of the very extraordinary and _bizarre_ ceremonial to which I -was next a witness; but I cannot, nevertheless, agree with a modern -traveller in describing it as “an absurdity.” That it does not accord -with our European ideas of consistent and worthy worship is not only -possible, but certain; yet I should imagine that no one could feel other -than respect for men of irreproachable character, serving God according -to their means of judgment. - -The extraordinary ceremony which gives its name to the Dancing, or, as -they are really and much more appropriately called, the Turning -Dervishes—for nothing can be more utterly unlike dancing than their -evolutions—is not without its meaning. The community first pray for -pardon of their past sins, and the amendment of their future lives; and -then, after a silent supplication for strength to work out the change, -they figure, by their peculiar and fatiguing movements, their anxiety to -“shake the dust from their feet,” and to cast from them all worldly -ties. - -As I could not reconcile myself to believe that the custom could have -grown out of mere whim, I took some pains to ascertain its meaning, as -well as visiting the chapel a second time during its observance, in -order to ascertain whether the ceremonies differed on different days, -but I remarked no change. - -Immediately after passing with a solemn reverence, twice performed, the -place of the High Priest, who remained standing, the Dervishes spread -their arms, and commenced their revolving motion; the palm of the right -hand being held upwards, and that of the left turned down. Their -under-dresses (for, as I before remarked, they had laid aside their -cloaks) consisted of a jacket and petticoat of dark coloured cloth, that -descended to their feet; the higher order of brethren being clad in -green, and the others in brown, or a sort of yellowish gray; about their -waists they wore wide girdles, edged with red, to which the right side -of the jacket was closely fastened, while the left hung loose: their -petticoats were of immense width, and laid in large plaits beneath the -girdle, and, as the wearers swung round, formed a bell-like appearance; -these latter garments, however, are only worn during the ceremony, and -are exchanged in summer for white ones of lighter material. - -The number of those who were “on duty,” for I know not how else to -express it, was nine; seven of them being men, and the remaining two, -mere boys, the youngest certainly not more than ten years of age. Nine, -eleven, and thirteen are the mystic numbers, which, however great the -strength of community, are never exceeded; and the remaining members of -the brotherhood, during the evolutions of their companions, continue -engaged in prayer within the enclosure. These on this occasion amounted -to about a score, and remained each leaning against a pillar: while the -beat of the drum in the gallery marked the time to which the revolving -Dervishes moved, and the effect was singular to a degree that baffles -description. So true and unerring were their motions, that, although the -space which they occupied was somewhat circumscribed, they never once -gained upon each other: and for five minutes they continued twirling -round and round, as though impelled by machinery, their pale, -passionless countenances perfectly immobile, their heads slightly -declined towards the right shoulder, and their inflated garments -creating a cold, sharp air in the chapel, from the rapidity of their -action. At the termination of that period, the name of the Prophet -occurred in the chant, which had been unintermitted in the gallery; and, -as they simultaneously paused, and, folding their hands upon their -breasts, bent down in reverence at the sound, their ample garments wound -about them at the sudden check, and gave them, for a moment, the -appearance of mummies. - -An interval of prayer followed; and the same ceremony was performed -three times; at the termination of which they all fell prostrate on the -earth, when those who had hitherto remained spectators flung their -cloaks over them, and the one who knelt on the left of the Chief Priest -rose, and delivered a long prayer divided into sections, with a rapid -and solemn voice, prolonging the last word of each sentence by the -utterance of “ha—ha—ha”—with a rich depth of octave that would not -have disgraced Phillips. - -This prayer was for “the great ones of the earth”—the magnates of the -land—all who were “in authority over them;” and at each proud name they -bowed their heads upon their breasts, until that of the Sultan was -mentioned, when they once more fell flat upon the ground, to the sound -of the most awful howl I ever heard. - -This outburst from the gallery terminated the labours of the orchestra; -and the superior, rising to his knees while the others continued -prostrate, in his turn prayed for a few instants; and then, taking his -stand upon the crimson rug, they approached him one by one, and, -clasping his hand, pressed it to their lips and forehead. When the first -had passed, he stationed himself on the right of the superior, and -awaited the arrival of the second, who, on reaching him, bestowed on him -also the kiss of peace, which he had just proffered to the Chief Priest; -and each in succession performed the same ceremony to all those who had -preceded him, which was acknowledged by gently stroking down the beard. - -This was the final act of the exhibition; and, the superior having -slowly and silently traversed the enclosure, in five seconds the chapel -was empty, and the congregation busied at the portal in reclaiming -their boots, shoes, and slippers. - -I had never hitherto seen such picturesque groups as those which -thronged the Dervishes’ chapel on my second visit; nor did I ever -witness more perfect order in any public assembly. A deep stillness -reigned throughout the whole ceremony, only broken by the sobs of a -middle-aged Turk who stood near me, and who was so much overcome by the -saddening wail of the orchestra that he could not restrain his tears; a -circumstance by no means uncommon in this country, where all ranks are -peculiarly susceptible to the influence of music. - -The interior of the edifice was a perfect picture, of which the -soberly-clad Dervishes occupied the centre; while the exterior circle -was peopled with groups of soldiers in their coarse wrapping coats and -red caps—venerable Turks in claret-coloured pelisses, richly -furred—descendants of Mahomet, with their green turbans and portly -beards—and peasants in their rude suits of dusky brown; all equally -intent, and all equally orderly. - -The Turks are extremely tolerant with regard to religious opinions; -their creed being split into as many sects as that of the Church of -England; and each individual being left equally free to follow, as he -sees fit, the dictates of his conscience. The Dervishes are of several -different orders. The _Mivlavies_ are materialists in their faith; the -_Zerrins_ worship the Virgin Mary; and the _Bektachis_ believe in the -Saviour and the twelve apostles; every order has its peculiar -constitution, differing from the dogmas of simple Islamism; but they are -universally venerated by Musselmauns, despite their sectarian -prejudices. They are generally versed in astrology and music; exorcise -sufferers from witchcraft and the evil eye; and are always of quiet and -submissive manners, never mingling either in the intrigues of the court, -or the cabals of the Ulémas. - -It is not surprising that the Turks should venerate their own Dervishes, -when they not only tolerate but even respect the Christian monks, and -regard their monasteries as holy places, bearing the names of saints, -and inhabited by men wholly devoted to God. To such a height, indeed, do -they carry this reverence, that they permit the communities of several -convents built on the charming little group of islands, called “Princes’ -Islands,” situated in the Propontis, not more than two leagues from -Constantinople, to be summoned to their chapel to prayer by the ringing -of bells; a privilege which is not accorded to any Christian church -devoted to a general congregation; but perhaps the greatest proof that -can be adduced of their veneration for religious societies exists in the -fact that in the mausoleum of the principal Tekiè at Iconium lies one -of the most celebrated of Musselmaun saints, Mollah Hunkiar, and beside -him a Christian monk, to whom he had been so tenderly attached during -his life, that he desired in his will that they should not be separated -after death. The two tombs still exist, and what renders the anecdote -still more worthy of record, is the circumstance that it is the Chèïk or -Abbot of this very monastery, who has the privilege of girding on the -sword of the Sultan in the Mosque of Eyoub, on his accession to the -Ottoman throne. - -The Turks do not consider their women worthy to become Dervishes, but -they, nevertheless, respect the Christian nuns; and a somewhat curious -proof of this fact was given in 1818, on the receipt by the Sultan and -his favourite minister, Halet Effendi, of two petitions drawn up by a -sisterhood at Genoa, in which were set forth the injuries done to their -convent by the French Republicans, terminating with a prayer to “his -very pious Highness,” to send to them, as a present, three Turkey -carpets to cover the floor of their chapel, one of which was to be -crimson, a second purple, and the third green; and in return they -promised to pray for the health, prosperity, and glory of the august -head of the Ottoman Empire. The Sultan gallantly acceded to their -request, and the compatriotes of Roxalana received with the least -possible delay the magnificent donation by which a Musselmaun Emperor -contributed to the adornment of a temple dedicated to Christian worship. - -In the cemetery of the Tekiè at Pera lies the body of the Marquis de -Bonneval, a French renegade who died a pasha; and the stone slab yet -remains there that once covered the head of Halet Effendi, the founder -of the convent, which, I have omitted to mention, is built entirely of -marble. The head of the Effendi has, however, been removed to a less -sacred place of burial, and has found a traitor’s grave. - -Halet Effendi, once the favourite of the Sultan, was the cause of the -Greek insurrection, which he brought about to conceal his own disloyal -views. Having, by his intrigues, caused the appointment of Michel Suzzo -to the principality of Moldavia, and having been reproached with the -disaffection of Suzzo towards his Imperial master, the minister, who was -responsible for the conduct and loyalty of his Greek _protégé_, boldly -replied that the disaffection towards the Sultan was not that of Suzzo -individually, but of his whole nation; an assertion which he immediately -proceeded to bear out by exciting the Greeks covertly to rebellion; and -he was so well seconded by his creature that, when Ypsalanti reared his -standard in the provinces, Suzzo joined his banner, and the insurrection -in the Morea, and the revolt of the Greeks in Constantinople, with the -murder of the Patriarch, were the fearful consequences of the rebellious -coalition; a treason which Mahmoud visited on his favourite with a -sentence of exile to Iconia, giving him, at the same time, an autograph -letter, in which he pledged himself to respect both his life and -property; but, after the lapse of a few years, repenting an act of -clemency so misplaced, the Sultan dispatched a Capedjee-basha, furnished -with a Firman of recall, to his banished courtier, who found Halet -Effendi at Iconia, and presented his credentials. The exile, overjoyed -at so sudden and unlooked-for a change in his fortunes, lost no time in -preparing for his return to Constantinople; but he had not long confided -himself to the keeping of the Capedjee-basha when the bowstring -terminated his existence, and the executioner hastened back to Stamboul, -carrying along with him the head of his victim. - -This ghastly memorial of their benefactor was consigned, at their urgent -request, to the Dervishes of Pera, who buried it in their grave-yard, -beneath the small slab of stone, which, in a Turkish cemetery, indicates -to the initiated that the deceased above whom it is placed has perished -by violence; but it had not lain there more than a few days, when the -Sultan chanced to inquire how it had been disposed of; and, hearing -that it had received burial at this Tekiè, of whose order, entitled -Mevlavies, he is himself a member, (and whose chapel in which he -formerly performed his evolutions he still frequents, although in -private, occupying, on his visits, one of the latticed closets,) he -ordered that it should be immediately disinterred and carried to Balata, -where the common sewers of the city empty themselves into the Bosphorus. -This was accordingly done; and the turban-crested pillar that surmounts -the slab now only serves to indicate the spot where rested for a few -brief days the dishonoured head of Halet Effendi. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - - Merchants of Galata—Palaces of Pera—Picturesque style of - Building—The Perotes—Social Subjects—Greeks, European and - Schismatic—Ambassadorial Residences—Entrée of the - Embassies—The Carnival—Soirées Dansantes—The Austrian - Minister—Madame la Baronne—The Russian Minister—Madame de - Boutenieff—The Masked Ball—Russian Supremacy—The Prussian - Plenipotentiary—The Sardinian Chargé d’Affaires—Diplomacy - Unhoused—Society of Pera. - -Neither Frank nor Christian is allowed to inhabit the “City of the -Faithful;” and the faubourg of Pera, situated on the opposite side of -the port, is consequently the head-quarters of the _élite_ of European -society. Galata, which skirts the shore of the Bosphorus at the base of -the hill on which Pera is built, numbers among its inhabitants many very -respectable merchants, whose avocations demand their continual presence; -but Pera is the dwelling-place of the beau-monde—the seat of -fashion—the St. James’s of the capital. Here every thing social is _en -magnifique_: the residences attached to the different Legations glory in -the imposing designations of “palaces”—the gloomy _magazins_ of the -Parisian _modistes_ are as dear and as dirty as can be desired—all the -_employés_ of diplomacy throng the narrow, steep, and ill-paved -streets, while the fair Greeks look down upon them from their -bay-windows, projecting far beyond the façade of the building; and the -bright-eyed Armenians peer from their lattices “all-seeing, but unseen.” -The quaintly-coloured houses, looking like tenements of painted -pasteboard, appear as though a touch would make them meet, and are -picturesque beyond description, as they advance and recede, setting all -external order, regularity, and proportion, at defiance. - -In my rapid definition of European society, I must not omit to mention -that the Perotes, or natives of Pera, consider themselves as much Franks -as though they had been born and nurtured on the banks of the Thames or -the Seine; and your expression of amusement at this very original notion -would inevitably give great offence. Conceding this point, therefore, as -one which will not admit of argument, I shall simply divide society into -two parts—the diplomatic and the scandalous—premising, however, that -it requires a delicate touch to separate them, they are so intimately -interwoven. Those who have the _entrée_ of the several embassies -criticise each other; while those who have not, exercise a still more -powerful prerogative; and certain it is that, between the two, the -population of Pera is a great circulating medium which would render an -official “hue and cry” a work of supererogation. “Not a feather falls -to the ground,” but in half an hour every individual in the place knows -by whom it was plucked, and the tale is told with a raciness and a zest -that would make the fortune of a Sunday paper. - -A nice distinction exists among the Greeks, on which they vehemently -insist; the Greek Catholics consider themselves as Europeans, while the -schismatic Greeks do not assume this privilege, of which the former are -extremely jealous. - -After the residence of a few weeks, you can readily determine the origin -of every female whom you encounter in the streets of Pera. The fair -Perotes, indeed, wear the bonnet, the cloak, and the shawl, which form -the walking garb of the genuine European gentlewoman; but, nevertheless, -it is impossible not to distinguish them at a glance; an insurmountable -taste for bright colours, an indescribable peculiarity in the adjustment -of their toilette, at once mark the Perote; while the dark-eyed Greek is -known by her wide-spreading turban of gauze or velvet, over which is -flung a lace veil, which, falling low upon the back and shoulders, -leaves the face almost entirely uncovered. - -Since the great fire of Pera, the Ambassadors of England and France have -resided at Therapia, a pretty village on the banks of the Bosphorus, -near the mouth of the Black Sea; but the Internuncio of Russia, the -Ministers of Austria and Prussia, and the Chargés d’Affaires of Sardinia -and Holland, still inhabit the town daring the winter months. The -Austrian palace, however, is the only one that now remains, the other -diplomatic establishments being compressed into dwelling-houses; thus -the Russian minister inhabits a mansion in the High Street, and the -Dutch Chargé d’Affaires resides next door to us. - -The _entrée_ of the embassies is peculiarly easy to the resident -Europeans, as their number is so limited that _les grands convenances_ -are almost necessarily laid aside, and their Excellencies -super-eminently tolerant with regard to the rank of their guests. Thus -it is somewhat startling to a traveller, accustomed to the exclusive -circles of Paris and London, to find, not only merchants and their wives -at the diplomatic _soirées_, but even the head clerks and their fair -partners. It is true that the mode of reception has gradations of -graciousness, - - “Small by degrees, and beautifully less;” - -but this is mere matter of individual feeling and power of -endurance—the fact remains unaltered. - -The Carnival had this year resumed its gaiety; men’s minds had begun to -cast off the panic occasioned by the terrific conflagration which almost -made the town a waste, and nearly ruined many of the inhabitants whose -property consisted chiefly in houses. - -At the Austrian palace there were balls every Sunday throughout the -Carnival, where mustachioes and diplomatic buttons were rife. The -never-ending cotillon, the rapid mazurka, the quadrille, and waltz, were -equally popular; and I have danced the first with a Greek, the second -with a Russian, the third with a Frenchman, and the fourth with a -German, during the course of the evening. - -The Baron de Stürmer, the Austrian minister, is about fifty years of -age, partially bald, and remarkably grave-looking when not excited; but -his address is peculiarly agreeable, and his smile like lightning. - -Madame la Baronne is a good specimen of the present school of Parisian -breeding—her pride is blent with playfulness, and her courtesy is as -gracious as it is graceful. Although _tant soit peu precieuse_—she is -perfectly free from pedantry, and is a delightful conversationist. She -has memories of Napoleon at St. Helena, where she resided for several -years; anecdotes, _piquantes_ and political—those well-worded and -softly-articulated compliments which seat you upon velvet; and, above -all, that air of genuine _laissez aller insouciance_ which no woman save -a Parisian ever thoroughly acquires. I am indebted to the elegant -hospitality of this lady for many of the most pleasant hours that I -spent in the Frank circle at Pera. - -M. de Boutenieff, the Russian minister, has a face which, for the first -five minutes, baffles you by its contradictory expression—there is a -character of benevolence and gentleness about the forehead and eyes that -attracts, while the subtle curve of the lip repulses by its cast of -craft and caution—his conversation is easy, courtly, and pleasing; and -his unremitted good humour and affability render him universally popular -in society. Madame de Boutenieff, who is his second wife, is young, -graceful, and lively—an indefatigable dancer, and a fascinating -hostess; and, moreover, the niece of Nesselrode. - -The _soirées dansantes_ at the Russian palace terminated with a masked -ball, which worthily wound up the Carnival, and was sustained with great -spirit. The fair hostess herself, with two ladies attached to the -legation, and the wife of the French chancellor, personated angels, who -were led into the ball-room by a _parti carré_ of devils, embodied by -four of the Russian secretaries. Some of our politicians will assuredly -smile at the conceit, nor can I forebear to admit the propriety of the -fancy; for truly, when I consider the number of _attachés_ to the -Russian Legation, as compared with that of the other powers at this -court, I am inclined to allow that “their name is legion.” - -Even in a ball-room the Russian supremacy is palpably evident—their -number, their political power, their never-ceasing efforts at -popularity—cannot be forgotten for a moment. There is diplomacy in -every action—in every look—in every tone—and withal a -self-gratulatory, quiet species of at-home-ness every where and with -everybody, which shews you at once that they are quite at ease, at -least, for the present. - -Exquisite, in the most wide acceptation of the term, in their -costume—affectedly refined and aristocratic in their manners—_acharnés -pour la danse_—“_passant la moitié de leur temps à rien faire, et -l’autre moitié à faire des riens_,” the _attachés_ of M. de Boutenieff, -upwards of thirty in number, are as busily employed in turning heads and -winning hearts, as though the great stake which they came here to play -were but the secondary object of their mission. - -Count Königsmark, the Prussian minister, is a high-bred and accomplished -gentleman: distinguished by that calm and graceful _tenue_ that sits so -well on men of rank, and which is the most becoming attribute alike of -mental and of social aristocracy. - -The Sardinian Chargé d’Affaires, General Montiglio, is of very retiring -habits, and mixes little in general society; but he is a person of -considerable acquirements, and an indefatigable sportsman. His domestic -history is a little romance, and may serve to account in a great -measure for his love of retirement, and the hermit-like seclusion of his -wife. Having made a _mariage d’inclination_ which was considered by the -Sardinian court to be incompatible with his rank and position in -society, he was sent into honourable exile to Smyrna, as Chargé -d’Affaires, whence he was a short time since removed to Constantinople; -where, as I before remarked, he is rarely met with amid the Perote crowd -that fills the ambassadorial ball-rooms. - -The other foreign ministers play a comparatively insignificant _rôle_ in -society; as, since the destruction of the several diplomatic residences -in the great fire, they have been compelled to inhabit houses which are -not calculated for reception; and it would appear as though they are -likely to be long situated thus: the only palace in process of -restoration being that of Russia. Here again is asserted the autocracy -of the North—the English palace is in ruins, and parasites are -wreathing, like emerald-coloured snakes, about its tottering -walls—Holland, France, all save Austria, are - - “Driven from their parch’d and blacken’d halls.” - -The evil is general—but the remedy has been applied, as yet, only in -one instance. - -Close the doors of the diplomatic residences, and little more can be -said for the European society of Pera; it is about on a par with that -of a third-rate provincial town in England. _Ennui_ succeeds to -curiosity, and indifference to _ennui_; and you gladly step into your -caïque, or your araba; or, better still, spring into your saddle, to -recreate yourself among scenes of beauty and magnificence, and to escape -from “the everlasting larum” of “rounded sentences which tend to -nothing.” - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - - The Greek Carnival—Kassim Pasha—The Marine Barrack—The - Admiralty—Palace of the Capitan Pasha—Turkish Ships and - Turkish Sailors—More Mistakes—Aqueduct of Justinian—The - Seraï—The Arsenal—The “Sweet Waters”—The Fanar—Interior of - a Greek House—Courteous Reception—Patriarchal Customs—Greek - Ladies at Home—Confectionary and Coffee—A Greek - Dinner—Ancient and Modern Greeks—A Few Words on - Education—National Politeness—The Great Logotheti - Aristarchi—His Politics—Sketch of his Father—His Domestic - History—A Greek Breakfast—The Morning after a Ball—Greek - Progress towards Civilization—Parallel between the Turk and - the Greek. - -The Greek Carnival extends three days beyond that of the Europeans; and, -such being the case, we gladly accepted an invitation to a ball to be -given by a wealthy Cesarean merchant, resident at the Fanar, or Greek -quarter of Constantinople; and I embarked in a caïque, with my father, -under one of those bright spring suns which make the Bosphorus glitter -like a plate of polished steel. - -We took boat at Kassim Pasha, in the yard of the marine barrack, an -extensive block of building, equally remarkable for its tawdry -fresco-painted walls, and demolished windows; and close beside the -Admiralty, a gay-looking edifice in the Russian taste, elaborately -ornamented throughout its exterior, and adorned with peristyles on -three of its sides. The _rez-de-chaussée_ contains apartments -appropriated to the principal persons of the establishment, and public -offices for the transaction of business. The next range are sacred to -the Sultan, who occasionally passes a morning at Kassim Pasha, -inspecting the progress of the vessels of war now building: and from the -windows of his saloons looking down upon the line-of-battle ships in the -harbour. - -On a height a little in rear of the Admiralty stand the picturesque -remains of the palace that was formerly inhabited by the Capitan Pasha; -of which two long lines of grated arches still exist nearly perfect, -having much the effect of an aqueduct; while a little cluster of towers, -crowning the grass-grown acclivity, add a most interesting feature to -the ruin. - -On all sides of the caïque towered a lordly vessel with its bristling -cannon, and painted or gilt stern gallery, lying peacefully at anchor in -the land-locked harbour; while the largest frigate in the world was -busily preparing for sea as we passed under her bows, and her deck was -all alive with men, in their red caps and close blue jackets; but I fear -that the blue jackets of England would scarce seek to claim brotherhood -with the tars of Turkey, for they have, in sooth, but a “lubberly” look -with them; and it is commonly remarked that the Sultan has some of the -finest vessels in the world, and some of the worst sailors. - -As this was the first day of unclouded sunshine on which I had crossed -the port, I looked around me in order to discover the “gilded domes” of -which a modern traveller has spoken; but, alas!—the truth must be -told—not a mosque in Stamboul has a gilded dome; and the only approach -to such a gorgeous object that I could discover were the gilded spires -of the minarets of Sultan Mahmoud’s mosque at Topphannè; but, _en -revanche_, the eye lingered long on the ruin of Justinian’s aqueduct, -which rises hoar and dark above the clustering houses of the city, -spanning the two hills against which it rests, as with the grasp of -centuries—upon the glittering pinnacles of the Seraï, flashing out amid -the tall cypresses that hem them in; and on the elegant, but nearly -untenanted, Seraglio itself, which stands upon the very edge of the -lake-like sea, mirrored in the clear waters. - -But these were soon left behind; and, as our sturdy rowers rapidly -impelled us forward, we traced on our right hand the extensive -outbuildings of the Arsenal, which bound the shore to the very extremity -of the port, and only terminate at the point of the “Sweet Waters,” -where a lovely river empties itself into the harbour, and gives its name -to the locality. - -In ten minutes, we were at the Fanar, and landed on a wooden terrace -washed by the waters of the port; and in five more we had passed into -the garden to which it belonged, and thence into the house of the -hospitable family who had offered us a home for the night. - -Having traversed an extensive hall paved with stone, whence three -flights of marble stairs gave admittance into different parts of the -mansion, we passed through a long gallery, and entered the apartment in -which the ladies of the family were awaiting our arrival. No chilling -salutation of measured courtesy—no high-bred manifestation of -“exclusive” indifference, greeted the foreign strangers; but each in -turn approached us with extended hand, and offered the kiss of welcome; -and in less than a quarter of an hour we were all laughing and chatting -as gaily in French, as though we had been the acquaintance of years. - -No where do you feel yourself more thoroughly at home at once than among -the inhabitants of the East; they _may_ be what we are accustomed to -call them—semi-barbarians—but, if such be the case, never was the -aphorism of a celebrated female writer more thoroughly exemplified that -“extreme politeness comes next to extreme simplicity of manners.” Any -privation that you may suffer in a Turkish or Greek house, beyond those -consequent on the habits of the country, must be gratuitous, as the -natives place a firm reliance on your asking for all that you require -or wish; and they are so far from being obliged to you for a contrary -mode of action, that you cannot more seriously offend than by giving -them cause to suspect, after your departure, that you have been -inconvenienced during your residence in their families. - -The room in which we were received was of considerable extent, and -surrounded on three sides by a sofa, like those in the Turkish houses, -which were in fact copied from the Greeks; this was covered with a gay -patterned chintz, and furnished with cushions of cut velvet of a rich -deep blue; nor was the comfortable tandour wanting; and, when I had laid -aside my cloak, shawl, and bonnet, and exchanged my walking shoes for -slippers, I crept under the wadded coverings as gladly as any Greek -among them; and, having surrounded ourselves with cushions, we all sat -in luxurious idleness, speculating on the forthcoming ball, and relating -anecdotes of those which were past. - -Nothing can be more patriarchal than the domestic economy of a Greek -family: that in which we were guests comprised three generations; and -the respect and obedience shown by the younger branches to their -venerable relatives were at once beautiful and affecting. The aged -grandmother, a noble remain of former beauty, with a profile which a -sculptor must still have loved to look upon, so perfectly was its -outline preserved—wore her grey hair braided back from her forehead, -and a dark shawl wound about her head—a long pelisse of brown cloth -lined with rich fur, with wide sleeves, and an under-jacket of crimson -merinos, doubled with marten-skin—her daughter, the mistress of the -house, and the mother of twelve children, reminded me strongly of a -Jewess, with her large, dark, flashing eyes, and high aquiline nose: her -wide brow was cinctured with a costly Persian scarf; and during the day -she three times changed the magnificent cachemere in which she was -enveloped. The younger ladies wore turbans of gauze wreathed with -flowers, very similar to those which are in use among our matrons for -evening dress; their dark, luxuriant, glossy hair being almost entirely -hidden; and furred pelisses that reached from the throat mid-way to the -knee, whence the full petticoat of merinos, or chaly, fell in large -folds to their feet. - -As soon as we were comfortably established round the tandour, a servant -brought in a tray on which were arranged a large cut glass vase, filled -with a delicate preserve slightly impregnated with _attar de rose_, a -range of crystal goblets of water, and a silver boat, whose oars were -gilt tea-spoons. One of these the lady of the house immersed in the -preserve, and offered to me; after which she replaced the spoon in the -boat, and I then accepted a draught of water presented by the same -hospitable hand; the whole ceremony was next gone through with my -father; and, the tray being dismissed, a second servant entered with -coffee, served in little porcelain cups of divers patterns, without -saucers, but deposited in stands of fillagreed silver, shaped nearly -like the egg-cups of Europe. - -After this, we were left to our charcoal and cushions until six o’clock; -save that my father smoked a costly pipe with a mouthpiece of the -colour and almost of the bulk of a lemon, in company of our host, a -tall, majestic-looking man, upwards of six feet in height, whose black -calpac differed from those of the Armenians in its superiority of size -and globular form, and whose furred garments, heaped one above another, -seemed to me, shivering as I had lately been under a sharp spring breeze -on the water, the very embodiment of comfort. - -A Greek dinner is a most elaborate business; rendered still more lengthy -by the fact that the knives, forks, and other appliances which European -example has introduced, are as yet rather hindrances than auxiliaries to -most of those who have adopted them. - -When we had taken our places at table, I looked around me with -considerable interest—we were truly a large party—all the junior -members of the family, who had been throughout the morning “on -household cares intent,” were gathered around the board; and such a -circle of bright black eyes I never beheld before in my life! - -The very aspect of the repast was _appetissant_—the portly tureen of -rice soup was surrounded by every tentative to appetite that can be -enumerated; pickled anchovies, shred cheese, dried sausage divided into -minute portions, pickles of every description, salt tunny-fish, looking -like condensed rose leaves, and Adrianople tongues sliced to the -thinness of wafers. The sparkling Greek wines were laughing in light -among dishes upheaped with luscious confectionary—Sciote pastry—red -mullet, blushing through the garlanded parsley among which they were -imbedded, and pyramids of pillauf slightly tinged with the juice of the -tomato. More substantial dishes were rapidly handed round by servants, -and a delicious dessert crowned the hospitable meal, at whose -termination we hurried to our several apartments, and were soon immersed -in all the mysteries of the toilet. - -The house of the merchant by whom the ball was to be given, and whose -name was Kachishesh Oglou, signifying “Son of the Hermit,” was next door -to that in which we were already guests; and the cheerful music of the -Wallachian band gave earnest of its commencement long ere we were ready -to augment the festive crowd: and a crowd it truly was, a perfect -social kaleidoscope; for the variety of costumes and colours in constant -motion formed a gay and characteristic piece of human mosaic. There were -the venerable men whose hair and beards had grown gray with age, and who -had scorned to put off the garb of their fathers; the dark globular -calpac and the graceful pelisse—the _tiers étât_ of fashion, in their -semi-European dress, the ill-cut frock-coat, and the scarlet _fèz_, -drawn down to their very eyebrows—and the young, travelled beaux, in -their pride of superior knowledge and _tenue_, gloved and chausséd with -a neatness and precision worthy of the school in which they had studied. - -Among the ladies, the same graduated scale of fashion was perceptible: -the elder matrons wore the dark head-dress and unbecoming vest of -by-gone years, half concealed by the warm wrapping pelisse—the next in -age had mingled the Greek and European costumes into one heterogeneous -mass, each heightening and widening the absurdity of the other; and had -overlaid the inconsistent medley with a profusion of diamonds absolutely -dazzling; while the younger ladies presented precisely the same -appearance as the belles of a third rate country town in England: their -petticoats too short, their heads too high, their sleeves too elaborate, -and their whole persons over-dressed. - -I have already remarked on the fondness of the Greek ladies for gay -colours; a taste peculiarly, and almost painfully, apparent in a -ball-room: such bright blues, deep pinks, and glowing scarlets I never -before saw collected together; and this glaring taste extends even to -their jewels, which they mix in the most extraordinary manner; their -only care being to heap upon their persons every ornament that they can -contrive to wear. - -I cannot, however, record even this inconsequent criticism without a -feeling of self-reproach, when I remember the kindliness of heart, and -frankness of welcome, with which I was received among them. No curious -impertinence taught me that I was felt to be a stranger; on the -contrary, I was greeted with smiles on every side; each had something -kind and complimentary to address to me; and in ten minutes I had been -presented to every individual in the room whose acquaintance I could -desire to make. Nor must I pass over without remark the progress of -education among these amiable women; two-thirds of the younger ones -speak French, many of them even fluently—several were conversant with -English, and still more with Italian; while a knowledge of the ancient -Greek is the basis of their education, and is consequently almost -general. A taste for music is also rapidly obtaining; and time and -greater facilities are alone wanting to lend the polish of -high-breeding and high education to the Greek ladies: the material is -there—they already possess intellect, quickness of perception, and a -strong desire for instruction; and, even eminently superior as they -already are to the Turkish and Armenian females, they are so conscious -of their deficiencies both of education and opportunity, that, were -these once secured to them, they would probably be inferior to no women -in the world as regards mental acquirements. - -I pass by the heavy-looking, but, nevertheless, handsome, son of the -Prince of Samos, the minister of Moldavia—a group of Mickialis, -Manolakis, Lorenzis, Arcolopolos, &c., &c., &c., all dark-eyed and -mustachioed—to particularize an individual who must ever be an object -of great interest to all who are conversant with Eastern politics—I -allude to Nicholas Aristarchi—Great Logotheti, or head of the clergy, -and representative of the Greek nation in the Synod—the Aristarchi, who -is accused by his enemies of having brought about the treaty of Unkiar -Skelessi—of having caused Achmet Pasha to counsel the Sultan to cede -some of his finest provinces to the Russians, in virtue of the -convention of St. Petersburg; and, to crown all, of being in the receipt -of a considerable pension, granted to him, in consideration of his -services, by the Emperor Nicholas. - -Be all this as it may—and be it remembered that each of these -assertions is totally discredited by a numerous party, who have taken a -very different view of the political career of Logotheti, and who find a -complete refutation of these charges against him, in the perilous -situation of the Sultan when Mahomet Ali marched upon Qutayah—Mahmoud -was without fleet or army—threatened by his people—abandoned by his -friends—deserted by his allies—and reduced to the bare question of -self-preservation. In this strait, uncounselled, unadvised, even -unsuspected of such an intention, he personally invited the Russian -fleet to protect him against his own subjects, nor did he abandon his -purpose at the remonstrance of his own ministers, and those of the -foreign powers. - -During the succeeding four years, the Ottoman Government have persisted -in the same views, as if in conviction of their efficacy; and it is -scarcely probable that a solitary individual, and that individual, -moreover, a Greek raïah, could possess sufficient power to regulate the -movements of a despotic government; while it is certain that Aristarchi -is still in the confidence of the Turkish ministry, and is more or less -interwoven in the intricate web of her political existence. - -Many of those who have been the most violent against him have forgotten, -or perhaps have never known, that he is the son of that Aristarchi who -was sacrificed because he was too true to the cause which he had -espoused. Aristarchi was the last Greek Dragoman to the Porte, and the -confidant of Halet Effendi; and, on the insurrection of his countrymen, -he continued faithful to the interests of the Sultan, and steadily -pursued the straight and manly line of policy which had induced him to -support the views of England against those of Russia; but he was -abandoned in his need by the power that he had, in his days of -influence, exerted his best energies to serve. England changed her -policy, and Aristarchi, abandoned to the tender mercies of the -arch-traitor, Halet Effendi, was exiled to Boloo, under a promise of -recall; but he ultimately lost his life, which no powerful hand was -outstretched to save, simply because Aristarchi was the only individual -whose personal and acquired rank rendered him eligible to fill the -exalted station of Prince of Wallachia; and that he was unhappily the -confidant of the treacherous intrigues of his patron, which that patron -well knew that he possessed the power to disclose. Thus, forgotten on -one hand, and betrayed on the other, he fell a sacrifice to the -misgivings of Halet Effendi, who supplied his place with one less versed -in the intricacies of his own subtle policy. - -Logotheti saw his father cut to pieces before his eyes—murdered by the -emissaries of those whom he had served with honour and fidelity—he -beheld his mother put forth, with her seven helpless daughters, from the -home that had so long been her’s—he stood between his two young -brothers, orphaned and beggared by the same stroke—he saw the -possessions which should have been his own pass into the hands of -strangers—and he knew and felt that on his individual exertions -depended the comforts, the fortunes, the very existence, of those -helpless and homeless beings. - -I shall pursue the subject no farther for obvious reasons, suffice it -that Nicholas Aristarchi, Great Logotheti and Chargé d’Affaires for -Wallachia, was to me an object of surpassing interest: I had heard so -much of him—I had imagined so much—and I had been so deeply affected -by his domestic history—that I was anxious to see a man who had -suffered so fearfully, who had struggled so manfully, and who had -grappled with fortune until he saw it at his feet; and whose individual -influence had sufficed to depose two Patriarchs, and to seat two others -on the throne of the Greek church. - -Nor did I, when I first met him, know the tendency of his politics; I -was desirous only to make the acquaintance of a man who had become an -object of great interest to me from the description and narration of an -individual whom he had essentially served, and who had succeeded in -awakening in my mind a wish to see and converse with him. My business -was with the man; with the politician I had nothing to do. I thought -only of the Aristarchi, who had saved and supported a ruined mother and -a beggared family; I cared not for the Dragoman, who had assisted at -treaties, and passed his youth among the intrigues of cabinets. His -domestic history was a little romance; my feelings of sympathy had been -excited by the manner in which it was related to me; and I rejoiced in -the opportunity of becoming known to him. - -Logotheti was one of the first persons presented to me; and I instantly -felt that, had I encountered him in a crowd, I could not have passed him -by without remark. He is about five and thirty, of the middle size, and -there is mind in every line of his expressive countenance—his brow is -high and ample, with the rich brown hair receding from it, as if fully -to reveal its intellectual character; his bright and restless eyes -appear almost to flash fire during his moments of excitement, but in -those of repose their characteristic is extreme softness; his nose is a -perfect aquiline, and his moustache partially conceals a set of the -whitest teeth I ever saw. As he stood conversing with me, I remarked -that he constantly amused himself by toying with his beard, which he -wears pointed, and of which he is evidently vain. His voice is -extremely agreeable, his delivery emphatic, and he speaks French -fluently. - -After a few moments of conversation, he introduced me to his wife, his -mother, and his sisters, all of whom greeted me with the greatest -kindness; and in a few more, my hand was in his, and we were threading -the mazes of a cotillon. I was much amused by the officiousness of his -attendants; his pipe-bearer, whose tube (not staff) of office was of the -most costly description, approached him every five minutes with the -tempting luxury, of which he was, however, much too well-bred to avail -himself while conversing with me; although the Greek ladies are -accustomed to this social accessory, and many of the elder ones even -indulge in it themselves—another handed to him from time to time a -clean cambric handkerchief—while a third haunted him like his shadow, -and the moment that we paused, either in the dance, or in our walk -across the room, placed a couple of chairs for us to seat ourselves. Of -this latter arrangement, he availed himself without scruple, and -compelled me to do the same; while, as the evolutions of the figure -constantly caused me to rise, he invariably stood leaning over the back -of my empty chair, until I was again seated, ere he would resume his -own. - -As he persisted in dancing with me nearly the whole of the evening, and -talking to me during the remainder, I soon became much interested in -his conversation, and it was with sincere pleasure that I heard him -promise that he would get up an extempore ball for us the following -night. The news soon spread through the room, and great were the -exertions made to secure invitations, the more particularly as the -morrow was the last day of the Carnival; and, at half past four in the -morning, after having received an invitation to breakfast with Madame -Logotheti, we made our parting bow to our very handsome hostess and her -hospitable husband, and hastened to secure a little rest, to enable us -to contend with the fatigues of the forthcoming evening. - -A Greek breakfast differs little from a Greek dinner: there are the same -sparkling wines, the same goodly tureen of soup, the same meats, and -confectionary, and _friandises_; but, in addition to these, there is the -snowy kaimack, or clotted cream, and the bubbling urn. - -I know not whether others have made the same remark, but I have -frequently observed that the breakfast after a ball, where the party is -an agreeable one, is a most delightful repast. The excitement of the -previous night has not entirely subsided—the “sayings and doings” of -“ladies bright and cavaliers” afford a gay and unfailing topic—and all -goes “merry as a marriage bell.” Certain it is, that in this instance -my theory is borne out by the result; for, on the termination of the -meal, the family insisted on our remaining with them during our stay at -the Fanar. Servants were accordingly despatched for our bandboxes and -dressing-cases, and we established ourselves comfortably round the -tandour until dinner-time. - -As the house which Logotheti occupied during the winter months was -merely hired,[1] and, although extremely handsome and spacious, was -greatly inferior in magnificence to his residence on the Bosphorus, he -did not consider it expedient to give the ball himself, lest he should -offend many whom he had neither time nor space to invite; but requested -one of his friends, Hage Aneste, or Aneste the Pilgrim, a Primate of the -Greek church and a near neighbour, to open his house in the evening, and -the arrangement was completed at once. - -If I had been pleased with Logotheti in the heat and hurry of a ball -room, I was infinitely more delighted with him in the bosom of his -family. His gentle and courtly manners, and his unaffected and fluent -conversation, rendered him a charming companion; and the hours flew so -swiftly in his society, and that of his amiable family, that dinner was -announced before the morning had appeared to be half spent. - -At half past nine, we were in the ball-room, which I entered on the arm -of Logotheti, and I was considerably startled during our progress up -stairs by the manner of his reception. Our host and hostess met us on -the first landing-place, where they bent down and kissed the hem of his -garment, despite his efforts to prevent this truly Oriental salutation. -Their example was followed by all those who made way for us; and, as he -led me through the noble saloon in which we were to dance, and seated me -in the centre of the sofa, at the upper end of a drawing-room that -opened into it, every one rose, and continued standing until he had -taken possession of a chair. - -Coffee having been handed round, Logotheti conducted me back into the -saloon, where we opened the ball with a Polonaise; after which, -quadrilles, waltzes, cotillons, and mazurkas, followed each other in -rapid succession; and, after having been introduced to more persons than -I could possibly recognise should I ever meet them again, and dancing -until near six o’clock in the morning, I walked another Polonaise with -our agreeable host, and quitted the ball-room with more regret than I -ever experienced on a similar occasion. - -We remained the morrow at the Fanar, and I carried away with me no -memories save those of kindness and courtesy. Seldom, very seldom -indeed, have I passed three days of such unalloyed gratification as -those for which I am indebted to Logotheti and his friends. - -No circumstance impressed me more strongly during this very agreeable -visit, than the rapid strides which the Constantinopolitan Greeks are -making towards civilization. The Turks have a thousand old and cherished -superstitions that tend to clog the chariot wheels of social -progression, and which it will require time to rend away; the Armenians, -who consider their Moslem masters as the _ne plus ultra_ of human -perfection, are yet further removed from improvement than the Turks; -while the Greeks, lively and quick-minded, seize, as it were by -intuition, minute shades of character as well as striking points of -manners. Locomotive, physically as well as mentally, they indulge their -erratic tastes and propensities by travel; they compare, estimate, and -adopt; they pride themselves in their progress; they stand forth, -scorning all half measures, as declared converts to European customs; -and they fashion their minds as well as their persons, after their -admitted models. - -The Turk is the more stately, the more haughty, and the more -self-centered, of the inhabitants of the East; but in all that relates -to social tactics he is very far inferior to the keen, shrewd, -calculating, intriguing, Greek. - -The Moslem will fix his eye upon a distant and important object, and -work steadily onwards until he has attained it; but, meanwhile, the -active Greek will have clutched a score of minor advantages, which -probably, in the aggregate, are of more than equal weight. It is the -collision of mind and matter—the elephant and the fox. Intellectual -craft has been the safety-buoy of the Greeks; had they been differently -constituted, they would long ere this have been swept from the face of -the earth, or have become mere “hewers of wood and drawers of water.” As -it is, there is so strong a principle of moral life in this portion of -the Greek nation, that, were they only more united among themselves, and -less a prey to intestine jealousies and heart-burnings, it is probable -that in these times, when Turkey lies stretched like a worsted giant at -the mercy of the European powers, the heel of the Greeks might be shod -with an iron, heavy enough to press her down beyond all means of -resuscitation; in possession, as they are, of the confidence of those in -power. - -Animal force has subjugated the Greeks—subjugated, but not subdued -them; their physical power has departed, but their moral energy remains -unimpaired; and it is doubtful whether human means will ever crush it. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - - Difficulty of Obtaining an Insight into Turkish - Character—Inconvenience of Interpreters—Errors of - Travellers—Ignorance of Resident Europeans—Fables and - Fable-mongers—Turkey, Local and Moral—Absence of Capital - Crime—Police of Constantinople—Quiet Streets—Sedate - Mirth—Practical Philosophy of the Turks—National - Emulation—Impossibility of Revolution—Mahmoud and his - People—Unpopularity of the Sultan—Russian - Interference—Vanity of the Turks—Russian Gold—Tenderness of - the Turks to Animals—Penalty for Destroying a Dog—The English - Sportsman—Fondness of the Turks for Children—Anecdote of the - Reiss Effendi—Adopted Children—Love of the Musselmauns for - their Mothers—Turkish Indifference to Death—Their - Burial-places—Fasts—The Turks in the Mosque—Contempt of the - Natives for Europeans—Freedom of the Turkish - Women—Inviolability of the Harem—Domestic Economy of the - Harem—Turkish Slaves—Anecdote of a Slave of Achmet - Pasha—Cleanliness of Turkish Houses—The Real Romance of the - East. - -There is, perhaps, no country under heaven where it is more difficult -for an European to obtain a full and perfect insight into the national -character, than in Turkey. The extreme application, and the length of -time necessary to the acquirement of the two leading languages, which -bear scarcely any affinity to those of Europe, render the task one of -utter hopelessness to the traveller, who consequently labours under the -disadvantage of explaining his impressions, and seeking for information -through the medium of a third person, inferentially, and it may almost -be said totally, uninterested in both. The most simple question may be -put in a manner calculated to influence the reply; as the rivulet takes -the tinge of the soil over which it passes—a misplaced emphasis may -change the nature of an assertion; and no one requires to be reminded of -the difficulty, if not impossibility, of meeting with an individual so -straightforward and matter-of-fact as to translate as though he were -perpetually _in foro conscientiæ_. Thus the means of communication -between the native and the stranger have an additional and almost -insurmountable impediment in this respect, superadded to the natural and -palpable obstacles presented by opposing and diffluent prejudices, -customs, and opinions. - -Flung back, consequently, upon his own resources; soured, perhaps -somewhat, by the consciousness that he is so, and judging according to -his own impressions, the traveller hazards undigested and erroneous -judgments on the most important facts—traces effects to wrong -causes—and, deciding by personal feeling, condemns much that, did he -perfectly and thoroughly comprehend its nature and tendency, he would -probably applaud. Hence arise most of those errors relative to the -feelings and affairs of the East, that have so long misled the public -mind in Europe; and, woman as I am, I cannot but deplore a fact which I -may be deficient in the power to remedy. The repercussion of public -opinion must be wrought by a skilful and a powerful hand, They are no -lady-fingers which can grasp a pen potent enough to overthrow the -impressions and prejudices that have covered reams of paper, and spread -scores of misconceptions. But, nevertheless, like the mouse in the -fable, I may myself succeed in breaking away a few of the meshes that -imprison the lion; and, as I was peculiarly situated during my residence -in the East, and enjoyed advantages and opportunities denied to the -generality of travellers, who, as far as the natives are concerned, pass -their time in Turkey “unknowing and unknown,” I trust that my attempt to -refute the errors of some of my predecessors, and to advance opinions, -as well as to adduce facts, according to my own experience, may not -entail on me the imputation of presumption. I know not whether it may -have been from want of inclination, but it is certain that Europeans are -at this moment resident in Turkey, as ignorant of all that relates to -her political economy, her system of government, and her moral ethics, -as though they had never left their own country: and who have, -nevertheless, been resident there for fifteen or twenty years. If you -succeed in prevailing on them to speak on the subject, they never -progress beyond exanimate and crude details of mere external effects. -They have not exerted themselves to look deeper; and it may be -supererogatory to add, that at the Embassies the great question of -Oriental policy is never discussed, save _en petit comité_. It is also a -well-attested fact that the entrée of native houses, and intimacy with -native families, are not only extremely difficult, but in most cases -impossible to Europeans; and hence the cause of the tissue of fables -which, like those of Scheherazade, have created genii and enchanters _ab -ovo usque ad mala_, in every account of the East. The European mind has -become so imbued with ideas of Oriental mysteriousness, mysticism, and -magnificence, and it has been so long accustomed to pillow its faith on -the marvels and metaphors of tourists, that it is to be doubted whether -it will willingly cast off its old associations, and suffer itself to be -undeceived. - -To the eye, Turkey is, indeed, all that has been described, gorgeous, -glowing, and magnificent; the very position of its capital seems to -claim for it the proud title of the “Queen of Cities.” Throned on its -seven hills, mirrored in the blue beauty of the Bosphorus—that glorious -strait which links the land-locked harbour of Stamboul to the mouth of -the Euxine—uniting two divisions of the earth in its golden -grasp—lording it over the classic and dusky mountains of Asia, and the -laughing shores of Europe—the imagination cannot picture a site or -scene of more perfect beauty. But the _morale_ of the Turkish empire is -less perfect than its terrestrial position; it possesses the best -conducted people with the worst conducted government—ministers -accessible to bribes—public functionaries practised in chicane—a court -without consistency, and a population without energy. - -All these things are, however, on the surface, and cannot, consequently, -escape the notice of any observant traveller. It is the reverse of the -picture that has been so frequently overlooked and neglected. And yet -who that regards, with unprejudiced eyes, the moral state of Turkey, can -fail to be struck by the absence of capital crime, the contented and -even proud feelings of the lower ranks, and the absence of all -assumption and haughtiness among the higher? - -Constantinople, with a population of six hundred thousand souls, has a -police of one hundred and fifty men. No street-riots rouse the quiet -citizens from their evening cogitations—no gaming-house vomits forth -its throng of despairing or of exulting votaries—no murders frighten -slumber from the pillows of the timid, “making night hideous”—no ruined -speculator terminates his losses and his life at the same instant, and -thus bequeathes a double misery to his survivors—no inebriated mechanic -reels homeward to wreak his drunken temper on his trembling wife—the -Kavashlir, or police of the capital, are rather for show than use. - -From dusk the streets are silent, save when their echoes are awakened by -the footfalls of some individual who passes, accompanied by his servant -bearing a lantern, on an errand of business or pleasure. Without these -lanterns, no person can stir, as the streets of the city are not -lighted, and so ill-paved that it would be not only difficult, but -almost dangerous, to traverse them in the dark. If occasionally some -loud voice of dispute, or some ringing peal of laughter, should scare -the silence of night, it is sure to be the voice or the laughter of an -European, for the Turk is never loud, even in his mirth; a quiet, -internal chuckle, rather seen upon the lips than sensible to the ear, is -his greatest demonstration of enjoyment; and while the excitable Greek -occasionally almost shrieks out his hilarity, the Musselmaun will look -on quietly, with the smile about his mouth, and the sparkle in his eye, -which are the only tokens of his anticipation in the jest. - -The Turks are the most practical philosophers on earth; they are always -contented with the present, and yet ever looking upon it as a mere -fleeting good, to which it were as idle to attach any overweening value, -as it would be to mourn it when it escapes them. Honours and wealth are -such precarious possessions in the East, that men cannot afford to waste -existence in weak repinings at their loss; nor are they inclined to do -so, when they remember that the next mutation of the Imperial will may -reinstate them, unquestioned and untrammelled, in their original -position. - -It is true that the sharpest sting of worldly misfortune is spared to -the Turk, by the perfect similarity of habit and feeling between the -rich and the poor; and he also suffers less morally than the European, -from the fact that there exists no aristocracy in the country, either of -birth or wealth, to ride rough-shod over their less fortunate -fellow-men. The boatman on the Bosphorus, and the porter in the -streets—the slave in the Salemliek, and the groom in the stables, are -alike eligible to fill the rank of Pasha—there is no exclusive _clique_ -or _caste_ to absorb “the loaves and fishes” of office in Turkey—the -butcher of to-day may be the Generalissimo of to-morrow; and the barber -who takes an Effendi by the nose on Monday may, on Tuesday, be equally -authorized to take him by the hand. - -To this circumstance must be attributed, in a great degree, the -impossibility of a revolution in Turkey; but another may also be adduced -of at least equal weight. In Europe, the subversion of order is the work -of a party who have everything to gain, and who, from possessing no -individual interest in the country, have consequently nothing to lose. -To persons of this class, every social change offers at least the -prospect of advantage; but, throughout the Ottoman empire, nearly every -man is the owner of a plot of land, and is enabled to trim his own vine, -and to sit under the shadow of his own fig-tree—he has an interest in -the soil—and thus, although popular commotions are of frequent -occurrence, they merely agitate, without exasperating the feelings of -the people. - -The Osmanli is, moreover, mentally, as well as physically, indolent—he -is an enemy to all unnecessary exertion; and the subjects of Sultan -Mahmoud have never threatened him with rebellion because he refused to -grant any change in their existing privileges and customs, but, on the -contrary, because he sought to introduce innovations for which they had -never asked, and for which they had no desire. “Why,” they exclaim in -their philosophy, “why seek to alter what is well? If we are content, -what more can we desire?” And, acting upon this principle, they resist -every attempt at change, as they would a design against their individual -liberty. - -This feeling has induced the great unpopularity of the Sultan; who, in -his zeal to civilize the Empire, has necessarily shocked many privileges -and overturned many theories. That he _is_ unpopular, unfortunately -admits of no doubt, even in the minds of those most attached to his -interests—the very presence of Russian arms within his Imperial -territory sufficiently attest the fact: and it is to be feared that he -will discover, when too late, that these apparent means of safety were -the actual engines of his destruction. Be this as it may, it is certain -that the Russian alliance has given great and rational umbrage to the -bulk of his people; and, combined with his own mania for improvement and -innovation, has caused a want of affection for his person, and a want of -deference for his opinions, which operate most disadvantageously for his -interests. - -That the Russian influence has negatived the good effects of many of his -endeavours is palpable, and forces itself daily on the notice of those -who look closely and carefully on the existing state of things at -Constantinople. It is the policy of Russia to check every advance -towards enlightenment among a people whom she has already trammelled, -and whom she would fain subjugate. The Turk is vain and self-centered, -and consequently most susceptible to flattery. Tell him that he is -“wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best,” and his own self-appreciation -leads him immediately to put firm faith in the sincerity of your -assertion; the effect of this blind trust is evident at once—it -paralyzes all desire of further improvement: he holds it as -supererogatory to “gild refined gold, and paint the lily,” and he thus -stops short at the threshold, when he should press forward to the arena. - -These sober statements are sad innovators on our European ideas of -Eastern magnificence, but they are, nevertheless, too characteristic to -be passed over in silence. - -To all the brute creation the Turks are not only merciful but -ministering friends; and to so great an extent do they carry this -tenderness towards the inferior animals, that they will not kill an -unweaned lamb, in order to spare unnecessary suffering to the mother; -and an English sportsman, who had been unsuccessful in the chase, -having, on one occasion, in firing off his piece previously to -disembarking from his caïque, brought down a gull that was sailing above -his head, was reproached by his rowers with as much horror and emphasis -as though he had been guilty of homicide. - -I have elsewhere remarked on the singular impunity enjoyed by the -aquatic birds which throng the harbour of Constantinople, and sport -among the shipping; on the divers, that may be knocked down by the oar -of every passing caïque, so fearless are they of human vicinity; and the -gulls, which cluster like pigeons on the roofs of the houses—on the -porpoises that crowd the port, and the dogs that haunt the streets. It -may not be unamusing to state the forfeit inflicted on an individual -for destroying one of these animals, as it is both curious and -characteristic. The dead dog is hung up by the tail in such a manner as -to suffer his nose to touch the ground; and his murderer is compelled to -cover him entirely with corn or millet seed, which is secured by the -proper authorities, and distributed to the poor. This ceremony generally -costs the delinquent about a thousand piastres. - -Another distinguishing trait in the Turkish character is their strong -parental affection; indeed I may say love of children generally. Nothing -can be more beautiful than the tenderness of a Turkish father; he hails -every demonstration of dawning intellect, every proof of infant -affection, with a delight that must be witnessed to be thoroughly -understood; he anticipates every want, he gratifies every wish, he -sacrifices his own personal comfort to ensure that of his child; and I -cannot better illustrate this fact than by mentioning a circumstance -which fell under my own observation. - -The Reiss Effendi, or Minister for Foreign Affairs, had a grandchild -whose indisposition caused him the most lively uneasiness; it was in -vain that his English physician assured him of the total absence of -danger; his every thought, his every anxiety, were with this darling -boy; in the midst of the most pressing public business, he would start -up and hasten to the chamber of the little patient, to assure himself -that everything was going on favourably; he would leave his friends, in -an hour of relaxation, to sit beside the sick bed of the child; and at -length, when a strict and rigid system of diet was prescribed, which was -to be of a fortnight’s duration, he actually submitted himself, and -compelled all his establishment to submit, to the same monotonous and -scanty fare, lest the boy should accidentally see, or otherwise become -conscious of the presence of, any more enticing food, for which he might -pine, and thus increase his malady. - -It may be thought that I have cited an extreme instance, but such is, in -reality, far from being the case; indeed, to such a pitch do the -Osmanlis carry their love for children, that they are constantly -adopting those of others, whom they emphatically denominate “children of -the soul.” They generally take them into their families when mere -infants; they rear them with the most extreme care and tenderness: and -finally portion them on their marriage, as though the claim were a -natural, rather than a gratuitous, one. The adopted child of Turkey is -not like the _protégé_ of Europe, the plaything of a season, and -ultimately too often the victim of a whim: the act of adoption is with -the Turks a solemn obligation; and poverty and privation would alike -fail to weary them of well-doing where their affections as well as their -word were pledged. - -An equally beautiful feature in the character of the Turks is their -reverence and respect for the author of their being. Their wives advise -and reprimand unheeded—their words are _bosh_—nothing—but the mother -is an oracle; she is consulted, confided in, listened to with respect -and deference, honoured to her latest hour, and remembered with -affection and regret beyond the grave. “My wives die, and I can replace -them,” says the Osmanli; “my children perish, and others may be born to -me; but who shall restore to me the mother who has passed away, and who -is seen no more?” - -These are strong traits, beautiful developments, of human nature; and, -if such be indeed the social attributes of “barbarism,” then may -civilized Europe, amid her pride of science and her superiority of -knowledge, confess that herein at least she is mated by the less -highly-gifted Musselmauns. - -The philosophy and kindly feeling of the Turk is carried even beyond the -grave. He looks upon death calmly and without repugnance; he does not -connect it with ideas of gloom and horror, as we are too prone to do in -Europe—he spreads his burial places in the sunniest spots—on the -crests of the laughing hills, where they are bathed in the light of the -blue sky; beside the crowded thoroughfares of the city, where the dead -are, as it were, once more mingled with the living—in the green nooks -that stretch down to the Bosphorus, wherein more selfish spirits would -have erected a villa, or have planted a vineyard. He identifies himself -with the generation which has passed away—he is ready to yield his -place to that which is to succeed his own. - -Nor must I omit to remark on the devout and unaffected religious feeling -that exists in Turkey, not only among the Musselmauns, who, however -imperative may be their avocations, never neglect to pray five times -during the day; but equally among the Greeks and Armenians, whose fasts -are so severe that those of the Roman Catholics are comparatively -feasts. If you meet a Turk and inquire after his health, he -replies—“_Shukiur Allah!_—Praise be to God, I am well.” Every thing is -referred to the Great First Cause. There is none of that haughty -self-dependence, that overweening _morgue_, so strongly marked in -Europeans. Among men, the Osmanli considers himself the first, but only -among men; when he puts off his slippers at the door of the mosque, he -carries no pomp with him into the presence of his God. The luxurious -inhabitant of the East, who, in his own salemliek is wont to recline on -cushions, and to be served by officious slaves, does not pass into the -house of God to tenant a crimson-lined and well-wadded pew, and to -listen to the words of inspiration beside a comfortable stove, in dreamy -indifference: he takes his place among the crowd—the Effendi stands -beside the water-carrier—the Bey near the charcoal-vender—he is but -one item among many—he arrogates to himself no honour in the temple -where all men are as one common family; and he insults not the Divine -Majesty by a bended knee and a stubborn brow. - -That the generality of the Turks hold every Frank in supreme contempt, -admits of no doubt; and could they, to use their own phrase, “make our -fathers and mothers eat dirt,” I am afraid that our respectable -ancestors would never again enjoy a comfortable meal; but this feeling -on their part is rather amusing than offensive, and only enhances the -merit of their politeness when they show courtesy to the stranger and -the Giaour. - -If, as we are all prone to believe, freedom be happiness, then are the -Turkish women the happiest, for they are certainly the freest -individuals in the Empire. It is the fashion in Europe to pity the women -of the East; but it is ignorance of their real position alone which can -engender so misplaced an exhibition of sentiment. I have already stated -that they are permitted to expostulate, to urge, even to insist on any -point wherein they may feel an interest; nor does an Osmanli husband -ever resent the expressions of his wife; it is, on the contrary, part -and parcel of his philosophy to bear the storm of words unmoved; and the -most emphatic and passionate oration of the inmates of his harem seldom -produces more than the trite “_Bakalum_—we shall see.” - -It is also a fact that though a Turk has an undoubted right to enter the -apartments of his wives at all hours, it is a privilege of which he very -rarely, I may almost say, never avails himself. One room in the harem is -appropriated to the master of the house, and therein he awaits the -appearance of the individual with whom he wishes to converse, and who is -summoned to his presence by a slave. Should he, on passing to his -apartment, see slippers at the foot of the stairs, he cannot, under any -pretence, intrude himself in the harem: it is a liberty that every woman -in the Empire would resent. When guests are on a visit of some days, he -sends a slave forward to announce his approach, and thus gives them time -and opportunity to withdraw. - -A Turkish woman consults no pleasure save her own when she wishes to -walk or drive, or even to pass a short time with a friend: she adjusts -her _yashmac_ and _feridjhe_, summons her slave, who prepares her -_boksha_, or bundle, neatly arranged in a muslin handkerchief; and, on -the entrance of the husband, his inquiries are answered by the -intelligence that the Hanoum[2] Effendi is gone to spend a week at the -harem of so and so. Should he be suspicious of the fact, he takes steps -to ascertain that she is really there; but the idea of controlling her -in the fancy, or of making it subject of reproach on her return, is -perfectly out of the question. - -The instances are rare in which a Turk, save among the higher ranks, -becomes the husband of two wives. He usually marries a woman of his own -rank; after which, should he, either from whim, or for family reasons, -resolve on increasing his establishment, he purchases slaves from -Circassia and Georgia, who are termed _Odaliques_; and who, however they -may succeed in superseding the Buyuk Hanoum, or head of the harem, in -his affections, are, nevertheless, subordinate persons in the household; -bound to obey her bidding, to pay her the greatest respect, and to look -up to her as a superior. Thus a Turkish lady constantly prefers the -introduction of half a dozen _Odaliques_ into her harem to that of a -second wife; as it precludes the possibility of any inconvenient -assumption of power on the part of her companions, who must, under all -circumstances, continue subservient to her authority. - -The almost total absence of education among Turkish women, and the -consequently limited range of their ideas, is another cause of that -quiet, careless, indolent happiness that they enjoy; their sensibilities -have never been awakened, and their feelings and habits are -comparatively unexacting: they have no factitious wants, growing out of -excessive mental refinement; and they do not, therefore, torment -themselves with the myriad anxieties, and doubts, and chimeras, which -would darken and depress the spirit of more highly-gifted females. Give -her shawls, and diamonds, a spacious mansion in Stamboul, and a sunny -palace on the Bosphorus, and a Turkish wife is the very type of -happiness; amused with trifles, careless of all save the passing hour; a -woman in person, but a child at heart. - -Were I a man, and condemned to an existence of servitude, I would -unhesitatingly chuse that of slavery in a Turkish family: for if ever -the “bitter draught” can indeed be rendered palatable, it is there. The -slave of the Osmanli is the child of his adoption; he purchases with his -gold a being to cherish, to protect, and to support; and in almost every -case he secures to himself what all his gold could not command—a -devoted and loving heart, ready to sacrifice its every hope and impulse -in his service. Once forget that the smiling menial who hands you your -coffee, or pours the rose-water on your hands from an urn of silver, -has been purchased at a price, and you must look with admiration on the -relative positions of the servant and his lord—the one so eager and so -earnest in his services—the other so gentle and so unexacting in his -commands. - -No assertion of mine can, however, so satisfactorily prove the fact -which I have here advanced, as the circumstance that almost all the -youth of both sexes in Circassia insist upon being conveyed by their -parents to Constantinople, where the road to honour and advancement is -open to every one. The slaves receive no wages; the price of their -services has already been paid to their relatives; but twice in the -year, at stated periods, the master and mistress of the family, and, -indeed, every one of their superiors under the same roof, are bound to -make them a present, termed the _Backshish_, the value of which varies -according to the will of the donor; and they are as well fed, and nearly -as well clothed, as their owners. - -As they stand in the apartment with their hands folded upon their -breasts, they occasionally mix in the conversation unrebuked; while, -from their number, (every individual maintaining as many as his income -will admit), they are never subjected to hard labour; indeed, I have -been sometimes tempted to think that all the work of a Turkish house -must be done by the fairies; for, although I have been the inmate of -several harems at all hours, I never saw a symptom of any thing like -domestic toil. - -There is a remarkable feature in the position of the Turkish slaves that -I must not omit to mention. Should it occur that one of them, from -whatever cause it may arise, feels himself uncomfortable in the house of -his owner, the dissatisfied party requests his master to dispose of him; -and, having repeated this appeal three several times, the law enforces -compliance with its spirit; nor is this all—the slave can not only -insist on changing owners, but even on selecting his purchaser, although -he may by such means entail considerable loss on his master. But, as -asseveration is not proof, I will adduce an example. - -The wife of Achmet Pasha had a female slave, who, being partial to a -young man of the neighbourhood, was desirous to become his property. -Such being the case, she informed her mistress that she wished to be -taken to the market and disposed of, which was accordingly carried into -effect; but, as she was young and pretty, and her lover in confined -circumstances, he was soon outbidden by a wealthier man; and, on her -return to the harem of Achmet Pasha, her mistress told her that an -Asiatic merchant had offered twenty thousand piastres for her, and that -she would be removed to his house in a few days. “I will not belong to -him,” was the reply; “there was a young man in the market who bid twelve -thousand for me, and I have decided to follow him. My price to you was -but ten thousand piastres, and thus you will gain two thousand by -selling me to him.” Her declaration was decisive: she became the -property of her lover, and her resolution cost her mistress eighty -pounds sterling. - -The most perfect cleanliness is the leading characteristic of Eastern -houses—not a grain of dust, not a foot-mark, defaces the surface of the -Indian matting that covers the large halls, whence the several -apartments branch off in every direction; the glass from which you drink -is carefully guarded to avoid the possibility of contamination; and, the -instant that you have eaten, a slave stands before you with water and a -napkin to cleanse your hands. To the constant use of the bath I have -already alluded; and no soil is ever seen on the dress of a Turkish -gentlewoman. - -I am quite conscious that more than one lady-reader will lay down my -volume without regret, when she discovers how matter-of-fact are many of -its contents. The very term “Oriental” implies to European ears the -concentration of romance; and I was long in the East ere I could divest -myself of the same feeling. It would have been easy for me to have -continued the illusion, for Oriental habits lend themselves greatly to -the deceit, when the looker-on is satisfied with glancing over the -surface of things; but with a conscientious chronicler this does not -suffice; and, consequently, I rather sought to be instructed than to be -amused, and preferred the veracious to the entertaining. - -This bowing down of the imagination before the reason is, however, the -less either a merit on the one hand, or a sacrifice on the other, that -enough of the wild and the wonderful, as well as of the bright and the -beautiful, still remains, to make the East a scene of enchantment. A -sky, whose blue brilliancy floods with light alike the shores of Asia -and of Europe—whose sunshine falls warm and golden on domes, and -minarets, and palaces—a sea, whose waves glitter in silver, forming the -bright bond by which two quarters of the world are linked together—an -Empire, peopled by the gathering of many nations—the stately Turk—the -serious Armenian—the wily Jew—the keen-eyed Greek—the graceful -Circassian—the desert-loving Tartar—the roving Arab—the mountain-born -son of Caucasus—the voluptuous Persian—the Indian Dervish, and the -thoughtful Frank—each clad in the garb, and speaking the language of -his people; suffice to weave a web of tints too various and too -brilliant to be wrought into the dull and commonplace pattern of -every-day existence. - -I would not remove one fold of the graceful drapery which veils the -time-hallowed statue of Eastern power and beauty; but I cannot refrain -from plucking away the trash and tinsel that ignorance and bad taste -have hung about it; and which belong as little to the masterpiece they -desecrate, as the votive offerings of bigotry and superstition form a -part of one of Raphaël’s divine Madonnas, because they are appended to -her shrine. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - - The Harem of Mustafa Effendi—The Ladies of the - Harem—Etiquettical Observances of the Harem—Ceremonies of the - Salemliek—Jealousy of Precedence among the Turkish - Women—Apartment of the Effendi—Eastern Passion for - Diamonds—Personal Appearance of Mustafa Effendi—The little - Slave-girl—Slavery in Turkey—Gallant Present—The - Dinner—Turkish Cookery—Illuminated Mosques—The - _Bokshaliks_—The Toilet after the Bath—History of an - _Odalique_—Stupid Husbands—Reciprocal Commiseration—Errors - of a Modern French Traveller—Privacy of the Women’s - Apartments—Anecdote of the Wife of the Kïara Bey—The Baïram - _Bokshalik_—My Sleeping-room—Forethought of Turkish - Hospitality—Farewell to Fatma Hanoum—Dense Crowd—Turkish - Mob—Turkish Officers—Military Difficulty—The “Lower - Orders”—Tolerance of the Orientals towards - Foreigners—Satisfactory Expedient. - -On the eve of the Baïram which terminates the Ramazan, we passed over to -Constantinople with some friends to visit Mustafa Effendi, the Egyptian -Chargé d’Affaires, whose magnificent mansion is situated near the gate -of the Seraglio. Having passed the portal, we found ourselves in a -spacious and covered court, having on our right hand a marble fountain, -into whose capacious basin the water fell murmuringly from a group of -lion’s heads; and, beyond it, the entrance to the women’s apartments, -with the conventuallooking wheel, by means of which food is introduced -into the harem; and on our left a stately staircase leading to the main -body of the building. Here our party were compelled to separate; the -gentlemen put off their boots, and followed the two black slaves who -awaited them, to the suite of rooms occupied by the master of the house, -while my companion and myself were consigned to the guidance of a third -attendant, who beat upon the door of the harem, and we entered a large -hall paved with marble, and were immediately surrounded by half a dozen -female slaves, who took our shoes, shawls, and bonnets, and led us over -the fine Indian matting of the centre saloon, to the richly-furnished -apartment of the lady of the house. - -A soft twilight reigned in the room, of which all the curtains were -closely drawn to exclude the sun; and the wife of the minister and her -daughter-in-law were seated at the tandour, engaged in conversation with -several of their attendants, who stood before them in a half circle, -with their arms folded upon their breasts. The elder lady was the most -high-bred person whom I had yet seen in the country; the younger one was -pale and delicate, with eyes like jet, and a very sweet and gentle -expression; she spoke but seldom, and always in monosyllables, being -evidently overawed by the presence of her companion. - -There are probably few nations in the world that observe with such -severity as the Turks that domestic precedence and etiquette, which, -while it may certainly prevent any disrespectful familiarity, has a -tendency to annihilate all ease. Thus, the other ladies of the family -are each inferior to the first wife, who takes the upper seat on the -sofa, and regulates all the internal economy of the women’s apartments: -and, although they may be greatly preferred by the husband, they are, -nevertheless, bound to obey her commands, and to treat her with the -respect due to a superior. In the Salemliek, when she is desired by her -lord to be seated, (without which gracious intimation she must continue -standing before him), she is privileged to place herself on the same -sofa, but on its extreme edge, and at a considerable distance; while the -other ladies are only permitted to fold their feet under them on a -cushion spread upon the carpet, and thence look up to the great and -gracious ruler of their destinies! The ceremonies of the Salemliek are -neither forgotten nor neglected in the harem, and it is customary for -all the slaves to bend down and kiss the hem of their mistress’s garment -on her first appearance in the morning. - -These heart-shutting observances cannot fail to heighten the jealousy -which their relative position must naturally excite in the bosoms of -the other inmates of the harem, although such a circumstance as -rebellion against the supreme power is never heard of, nor imagined. - -During the day we were summoned to the apartment of the minister; -whither, as the invitation was not extended to his wife, we went, -accompanied only by three or four black slaves. After traversing several -long galleries and halls, covered so closely with matting that not a -footfall could be heard, we passed under the tapestry-hanging that -veiled the door of the Effendi’s apartment, and found ourselves in an -atmosphere so heavy with perfume that for a moment it was almost -suffocating. - -The venerable Chargé d’Affaires, who had been long an invalid, was -sitting upon his sofa, surrounded by cushions of every possible size and -shape, wrapped in furs, and inhaling the odour of a bunch of musk -lemons, the most sickly and sating of all savours—a magnificent mangal, -upheaped with fire, occupied the centre of the apartment; the divan was -almost covered with inlaid boxes, articles of bijouterie, books, and -papers; a large silver tray resting upon a tripod was piled -pyramidically with fine winter fruits; and within a recess on one side -of the room were ranged a splendid coffee service of French porcelain, -and a pair of tall and exquisitely-wrought essence-vases of fillagreed -silver—in short, the whole aspect of the apartment would have -satisfied the most boudoir-loving _petite-maitresse_ of Paris or London. -Near the mangal stood the four attendants of the master of the house, -two fine boys of twelve or fourteen years of age, and two pretty little -girls, one or two years younger, gorgeously dressed, and wearing -magnificent brilliant ornaments on their heads and bosoms. - -The rage for diamonds is excessive among both the Turks and the Greeks; -but, while the Greek ladies delight in heaping upon their persons every -ornament for which they can find space, many of the fair Osmanlis, with -a pretty exclusive scorn of adventitious attraction, content themselves -with a clasp or two, a bracelet, or some similar bagatelle; and decorate -their favourite slaves with their more costly and ponderous jewels. - -A most venerable-looking person was Mustafa Effendi, with his lofty -turban, and his snow-white beard; and he received us so kindly, and -discoursed with us so good-humouredly, that I was delighted with him. A -chair was brought for the Greek lady who had accompanied me, but he -motioned to me to place myself on a pile of cushions at his side, where -I remained very comfortably during the whole of our visit. He took a -great quantity of snuff from a box whose lid was richly set with -precious stones; and, on my admiring it, showed me another containing -his opium pills, which was exquisitely inlaid with fine large -brilliants. - -My attention being attracted to the rosy, happy-looking little -slave-girl who stood near me, with her chubby arms crossed before her, -her large pink trowsers completely concealing her naked feet, and her -long blue antery richly trimmed with yellow floss-silk fringe, lying -upon the carpet; he beckoned her to him, called her a good child, who -had wit enough to anticipate his wants, and affection enough to supply -them without bidding, and bade me remark the henna with which the tips -of her toes and fingers were deeply tinged. She was, he said, a -Georgian, whom he had purchased of her mother for six thousand piastres; -she had already been in his house two years; and he hoped some day to -give her a marriage portion, and to see her comfortably established, as -she was a good girl, and he was much attached to her. The other, he -added, was also obedient and willing, but she did not possess the -vivacity and quickness of his little favourite—she had cost him seven -thousand piastres, as she was a year older, and considerably stronger -than her companion; and was a Circassian, brought to Constantinople, and -sold, at her own request, by her parents. - -When I remembered that these children were slaves, I felt inclined to -pity them—when the very price which had been paid for them was stated -to me, a sickness crept over my heart—but, as I looked upon the pleased -and happy countenances of the two little girls, and remembered that -slavery, in Turkey at least, is a mere name, and in nine cases out of -ten even voluntary, I felt that here my commiseration would be -misplaced. - -Soon after we had taken leave of the gentle and gracious old Effendi, a -basket of delicious fruit was sent into the harem for our use, with an -injunction that we should dine alone, lest we should be inconvenienced -by the national habits. An embroidered carpet was consequently spread, -beside which were placed a couple of cushions; and the dinner tray, such -as I have before described it, was lifted into the apartment of the -younger lady, at her earnest request: nine slaves, forming a line from -the table to the door, waited upon us: and we partook of an endless -variety of boiled, stewed, roasted, and baked—delicious cinnamon -soup—chickens, farcied with fine herbs and olives—anchovy -cakes—lemon-tinted pillauf—chopped meat and spiced rice, rolled in -preserved vine-leaves-the most delicate of pastry, and the most costly -of conserves. Many-coloured sherbets, and lemonade, completed the -repast; and when I laid aside my gold-embroidered napkin, and wiped the -rose-water from my hands, I could but marvel at the hyper-fastidiousness -of those travellers who have affected to quarrel with the Turkish -kitchen; or infer that they had only “assisted” at the tables of hotels -and eating-houses. - -From the windows of the apartment, we had an excellent view, when the -evening had closed in, of the illuminated mosques of the city, and the -lines of light that hung like threads of fire from minaret to minaret. -The casements quivered beneath the shock of the rattling cannon; and all -the sounds which came to us from without spoke of festivity and -rejoicing; and, meanwhile, we were a happy party within. Fatma Hanoum -smoked her pipe, and overlooked the distribution of the _bokshaliks_ -that her daughter was preparing for the morrow—every member of the -household, on the occasion of the Baïram, being entitled to a present, -more or less valuable according to their deserts, the length and -difficulty of their services, or the degree of favour in which they are -held. - -We, meanwhile, amused ourselves with watching the slaves, who, having -left the bath, had seated themselves in groups at the lower end of the -apartment, combing, tressing, and banding their dark, glossy hair; the -younger ones forming it into one long, thick plait, hanging down the -centre of the back, and twisting above it the painted handkerchief, so -popular in the harem that it is worn equally by the Sultana and the -slave; the others binding their tresses tightly about their heads, and -replacing the locks which they hid from view with a profusion of false -hair, braided in twenty or thirty little plaits, and reaching round the -whole width of the shoulders. - -All were busily engaged in preparing for the festival of the morrow, -though many of them were aware that they should not leave the harem; it -was sufficient that it _was_ a festival, an excitement, a topic of -conversation, something, in short, to engross their thoughts; and no -belle ever prepared for a birthday with more alacrity than did the -females of the harem of Mustafa Effendi, black and white, for the -Baïram. - -In the course of the evening, the Bayuk Hanoum was summoned to her -husband, and then the timid wife of her son joined us at the tandour, -and related to us the little history of her life, which, although by no -means remarkable in Turkey, is so characteristic, and will, moreover, -appear so extraordinary to European readers, that I shall give it, as -nearly as my memory will serve me, in her own words. - -“I am but nineteen,” she said, “a Circassian by birth, and was brought -by my parents to Constantinople, and sold, at the age of nine years, to -a friend of Fatma Hanoum’s. I was very happy, for she was kind to me, -and I thought to pass my life in her harem; but about a year ago I -accompanied her hither on a visit to the wife of Mustafa Effendi, at a -moment when her son was beside her. I was one of four; and I do not yet -understand why nor how I attracted his attention as I stood beside my -companions; but a few days afterwards my mistress called me to her, and -asked me if I had remarked the young Ismaël Bey when we had visited his -mother. I told her that I had seen him; and she then informed me that -the Hanoum desired to purchase me, in obedience to his wish; and -demanded of me if I was willing to accede to the arrangement. Of course, -I consented, and the Bey, having considered me as agreeable when I had -withdrawn my _yashmac_ as he had anticipated, he purchased me for ten -thousand piastres, and I became an inmate of the harem of Mustafa -Effendi—I am still happy,” she added plaintively, “very happy, for I am -sure he loves me; but I nevertheless hope to be more so; for ere long I -shall be a mother, and should my child prove to be a boy, from his -_Odalique_ I may perhaps become his wife.” - -I pitied the poor young creature as I listened to her narrative, through -the medium of my companion, who spoke the Turkish language fluently; and -I breathed a silent prayer that her visions of happiness might be -realized. She was not pretty; but she was so childlike, so graceful, and -so gentle, that she inspired an interest which, when I had heard her -story, was even painful; nor was the feeling lessened by an -introduction to her husband, who, during the evening, sent to desire -that all the women, save his mother and wife, should retire, as he -intended to visit the harem; doubtlessly as much to satisfy his -curiosity, as to exhibit his courtesy, by paying his respects to the -European guests of his mother. Sallow and sickly-looking, inanimate, -even for a Turk, and apparently _bête comme une bûche_, he seated -himself, and listened to the conversation that was going forward, with -one unvaried and inexpressive smile— - - Pleased, he knew not why, and cared not wherefore; - -dividing his admiration between the Frank ladies, and the brilliancy of -a large diamond that he wore on his finger. - -How comparative is happiness! I never lay my head upon my pillow, but I -am grateful to Providence that I was not born in Turkey; while the fair -Osmanlis in their turn pity the Frank women with a depth of sentiment -almost ludicrous. They can imagine no slavery comparable with our’s—we -take so much trouble to attain such slight ends—we run about from -country to country, to see sights which we must regret when we leave -them—we are so blent with all the anxieties and cares of our male -relations—we expose ourselves to danger, and brave difficulties suited -only to men—we have to contend with such trials and temptations, from -our constant contact with the opposite sex—in short, they regard us -as slaves, buying our comparative liberty at a price so mighty, that -they are unable to estimate its extent—and then, the hardship of -wearing our faces uncovered, and exposing them to the sun and wind, when -we might veil them comfortably with a _yashmac_! Not a day passes in -which they have commerce with a Frank, but they return thanks to Allah -that they are not European women! - -A modern French traveller, whose amusing work has, in one moderate -volume, contrived to treat of about a dozen countries and localities; -and to detail, respecting each, such a mass of fallacies as assuredly -were never before collected together: informs his readers that the -jealousies of the harem are carried to such a pitch as to entail poison, -or, at the least, humiliating and severe labour on the victim of the -disappointed rival! This assertion, like many others in which he has -indulged, would be comic were it not wicked—for the very arrangements -of the harem render it impossible: each lady has her private apartment, -which, should she desire to remain secluded, no one has the privilege to -invade; and, from the moment that she becomes a member of the family, -her life, should she so will it, is one of the most monotonous idleness. -The very slaves, as I believe I have elsewhere remarked, are so numerous -in every handsome establishment, that three-fourths of their time is -unemployed; and as, in the less distinguished ranks, no Turk indulges -in the expensive luxury of a second wife, there is little opportunity -afforded for female tyranny. - -The Kiära Bey, or Minister of the Interior, despite his exalted station -and his immense wealth, has declined to avail himself of his polygamical -privilege; and, although his wife is both plain and elderly, she has -such a supreme hold, if not upon his heart, at least upon his actions, -that, a short time since, having discovered that her lord had suddenly -become more than necessarily attentive to a fair Circassian, her own -peculiar favourite, whom she had reared from a child, and whose beauty -was of no ordinary character, she very quietly placed her in an araba, -sent her to the slave-market, and disposed of her to the highest bidder. -The ingratitude of the _protégée_ had loosened her hold on the -affections of her patroness; nor did the husband venture to utter a -reproach to his outraged helpmate, when he discovered the absence of the -too-fascinating Circassian. - -Had the unhappy girl been the _Odalique_ of the lord, instead of the -slave of the lady, the evil would have been irremediable, however; as in -that case, the Bayuk Hanoum would have possessed no power to displace -her. - -Early in the morning, the stately Fatma Hanoum presented to my companion -and myself a _bokshalik_ from the venerable Effendi, which consisted of -the material for a dress, neatly folded in a handkerchief of clear -muslin, fringed with gold-coloured silk; and, as I made my hasty -toilette, in the hope of witnessing the procession of the Baïram, and -seeing Mahmoud “the Powerful” in all the splendour of his greatness, I -glanced with considerable interest round the apartment in which I had -passed the night. In the domed recess, which I soon discovered to be -common to every handsome Turkish apartment, stood a French clock, that -“discoursed,” if not “eloquent,” at least fairy-like, music—a piece of -furniture, by the way, universally popular among the natives of the -East, who usually have one or more in every room occupied by the -family—two noble porcelain vases—a china plate containing an enamelled -snuff-box, and a carved ebony chaplet—and a tray on which were placed -cut crystal goblets of water, covered glass bowls filled with delicate -conserves, a silver caïque, whose oars were small spoons, and a -beautifully worked wicker basket, shaped like a dish, and upheaped with -crystallized fruits, sparkling beneath a veil of pale pink gauze, -knotted together with bunches of artificial flowers. - -Turkish hospitality and _prévoyance_ provide even for the refreshment of -a sleepless night! - -The divan was of flesh-coloured satin, and the carpet as delicately -wrought and patterned as a cachemire shawl. The cushions which had been -piled about my bed were of velvet, satin, and embroidered muslin, and -the coverlets, of rich Broussa silk, powdered with silver leaves. - -I made my libations with perfumed water—swallowed my coffee from a -china cup so minute that a fairy might have drained it—tied on my -bonnet—an object of unvarying amusement to the Turkish ladies, who -consider this stiff head-dress as one of the most frightful and -ridiculous of European inventions—and bade adieu to Fatma Hanoum and -her dark-eyed daughter, with a regret which their unbounded courtesy and -kindness were well calculated to inspire. - -A wealthy Armenian diamond-merchant, who held a high situation in the -Mint, had offered us a window, whence we might witness the whole -ceremony of the Imperial procession, and towards this point we bent our -steps. But, alas for our curiosity! our leave-taking had been so -thoughtlessly prolonged, that the subjects of his Sublime Highness had -blocked up every avenue bearing upon the point by which he was to pass; -and, despite all the efforts of our European cavaliers and native -attendants, to proceed was impossible. We accordingly took up our -station a little apart from the crowd, in order to contemplate at our -ease the novel and picturesque spectacle of a Turkish mob. - -In the distance rose the gigantic dome and arrowy minarets of Saint -Sophia; and beneath them, far as the eye could reach, stretched a sea of -capped and turbaned heads, heaving and sinking like billows after a -storm. Every house-roof, every mouldering wall, every heap of rubbish, -was covered with eager spectators; while the windows of the surrounding -dwellings were crowded with veiled women and laughing children. - -What groups were wedged together in the narrow space immediately before -us! The pale, bent, submissive-looking Jew was folding his greasy mantle -closer about him, as he elbowed aside the green-turbaned Emir, and the -grave and solemn Hadje who had knelt beside the grave of the Prophet: -the bustling Frank was striding along, jostling alike the serious -Armenian, whose furred and flowing habit formed a strange contrast to -the short blue jacket and tight pantaloons of the tall, strong-limbed, -Circassian—and the bustling and noisy Greek, whose shrill voice and -vociferous utterance would have suited a woman—parties of Turkish -officers were forcing a passage as best they could, with their caps -pulled down upon their eyebrows, their sword-belts hanging at least a -quarter of a yard below their waists, and their diamond stars, (the -symbols of their military rank) glittering in the clear -sunshine—patroles of Turkish soldiers were endeavouring in vain to -clear a passage along the centre of the street for the convenience of -the Sultanas, and the wives of the different Pashas, whose arabas were -momently expected; the mob closing rapidly in their rear as they slowly -moved on—and clouds of doves at intervals filled the air, the tenants -of the giant mosque before us, scared from the usual quiet of their -resting-places by the unwonted stir and excitement beneath them. - -As the birds which domesticate themselves about the mosques are held -sacred, and regarded with almost superstitious reverence, their numbers -necessarily increase to a wonderful extent; and on this occasion they -hovered round the stupendous edifice of Saint Sophia, to the amount of -several thousands. - -A strange military difficulty had been started a short time previously -to the occasion of the Baïram, which had been overcome in so -extraordinary and even humorous a manner, that it deserves especial -mention; and it was to convince myself of the actual existence of the -laughable custom engendered by Turkish jealousy, that I remained longer -than I should have otherwise been induced to do, in the immediate -vicinity of a Constantinopolitan mob. Be it, however, avowed, _en -passant_, that the—what shall I call them? for our European term of -“lower orders” is by no means applicable to a people who acknowledge no -difference of rank—no aristocracy save that of office—the great mass -of the population of the capital—assimilate on no one point with our -own turbulent, vociferous, uncompromising, and unaccommodating mobs in -Europe. Among above five thousand boatmen, artisans, and soldiers, not a -blow was struck, not a voice was raised in menace—among the conflicting -interests, feelings, and prejudices, of Christians, Musselmauns, and -Jews, not a word was uttered calculated to excite angry or unpleasant -feeling; while I am bound to confess that a female, however fastidious, -would have found less to offend her amid the crush and confusion of that -mighty mass of commonly called semi-civilized human beings, than in a -walk of ten minutes through the streets of London or Paris. - -The natives of the East have yet to learn that there can be either wit -or amusement in annoying others for the mere sake of creating annoyance; -that there can be humour in raising a blush on the cheek of the timid, -or calling a pang to the heart of the innocent. They are utilitarians; -to torment for the mere love of mischief they do not comprehend; and -they, consequently, never attempt extraneous evil unless to secure, or -at least to strive for, some immediate personal benefit. Thus no rude -or impertinent comment is made upon the Frank stranger, and above all, -upon the Frank woman, whose habits, manners, and costume, differ so -widely, and, doubtlessly to them so absurdly, from those of their own -country; while towards each other they are as staid, as solemn, and as -courteous, as though each were jealous to preserve the good order of the -community, and considered it as his individual concern. - -To revert to the military ceremony, from which, in order to render -justice to the Turkish population, I have unavoidably digressed; I shall -mention, without further preface, that it arose from the reluctance of -the Sultan and his ministers, that the troops, in presenting arms to the -female members of the Imperial family, should have the opportunity -afforded them of a momentary gaze at their veiled and sacred -countenances. The difficulty was, how to retain the “pomp and -circumstance” of the ceremonial, and at the same time to render this -passing privilege impossible. A most original and satisfactory expedient -was at length fortunately discovered; and we were lucky enough to -witness the effect of the new arrangement. - -The slow and noisy rattle of the arabas was heard—the word was passed -along the line that the Sultanas were approaching—and suddenly the -troops faced about, with their backs to the open space along which the -princesses were expected, and, extending their arms to their full -length, the manœuvre was performed behind them, producing the most -extraordinary and ludicrous scene that was perhaps ever enacted by a -body of soldiers! In this uncomfortable, and I should also imagine -difficult, position, they remained until the four carriages had passed, -when they resumed their original order, and stood leaning negligently on -their muskets until the return of the Imperial _cortège_. - -George Cruikshank would have immortalized himself had he been by to note -it! - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - - Bath-room of Scodra Pasha—Fondness of the Eastern Women for - the Bath—The Outer Hall—The Proprietress—Female Groupes—The - Cooling-room—The Great Hall—The Fountains—The Bathing - Women—The Dinner—Apology for the Turkish Ladies. - -The first bath-room which I saw in the country was that of Scodra Pasha; -and, had I been inclined so to do, I might doubtlessly have woven a -pretty fiction on the subject, without actually visiting one of these -extraordinary establishments. But too much has already been written on -inference by Eastern tourists, and I have no wish to add to the number -of fables which have been advanced as facts, by suffering imagination to -usurp the office of vision. Such being the case, I resolved to visit a -public bath in company with a female acquaintance, and not only become a -spectator but an actor in the scene, if I found the arrangement -feasible. - -The bath-room of the Pasha, or rather of his family, was a domed -cabinet, lined with marble, moderately heated, and entered from the -loveliest little boudoir imaginable, where a sofa of brocaded silk, -piled with cushions of gold tissue, offered the means of repose after -the exhaustion of bathing. But I had seen it tenanted only by a Greek -lady and myself, and half a score of slaves, who were all occupied in -attendance upon us; and I felt at once that, under such circumstances, I -could form no adequate idea of what is understood by a Turkish bath; the -terrestrial paradise of Eastern women, where politics, social and -national, scandal, marriage, and every other subject under heaven, -within the capacity of uneducated but quick-witted females, is -discussed: and where ample revenge is taken for the quiet and seclusion -of the harem, in the noise, and hurry, and excitement, of a crowd. - -Having passed through a small entrance-court, we entered an extensive -hall, paved with white marble, and surrounded by a double tier of -projecting galleries, supported by pillars: the lower range being raised -about three feet from the floor. These galleries were covered with rich -carpets, or mattresses, overlaid with chintz or crimson shag, and -crowded with cushions; the spaces between the pillars were slightly -partitioned off to the height of a few inches; and, when we entered, the -whole of the boxes, if I may so call them, were occupied, save the one -which had been reserved for us. - -In the centre of the hall, a large and handsome fountain of white -marble, pouring its waters into four ample scallop shells, whence they -fell again into a large basin with the prettiest and most soothing sound -imaginable, was surrounded by four sofas of the same material, on one of -which, a young and lovely woman, lay pillowed on several costly shawls, -nursing her infant. - -When I had established myself comfortably among my cushions, I found -plenty of amusement for the first half hour in looking about me; and a -more singular scene I never beheld. On the left hand of the door of -entrance, sat the proprietress of the baths, a beautiful woman of about -forty, in a dark turban, and a straight dress of flowered cotton, girt -round the waist with a cachemire shawl; her chemisette of silk gauze was -richly trimmed—her gold snuff-box lay on the sofa beside her—her -amber-headed pipe rested against a cushion—and she was amusing herself -by winding silk from a small ebony distaff, and taking a prominent part -in the conversation; while immediately behind her squatted a negro -slave-girl of twelve or thirteen years of age, grinning from ear to ear, -and rolling the whites of her large eyes in extacy at all that was going -forward. - -The boxes presented the oddest appearance in the world—some of the -ladies had returned from the bathing-hall, and were reclining -luxuriously upon their sofas, rolled from head to foot in fine white -linen, in many instances embroidered and fringed with gold, with their -fine hair falling about their shoulders, which their slaves, not quite -so closely covered as their mistresses, were drying, combing, perfuming, -and plaiting, with the greatest care. Others were preparing for the -bath, and laying aside their dresses, or rather suffering them to be -laid aside, for few of them extended a hand to assist themselves—while -the latest comers were removing their _yashmacs_ and cloaks, and -exchanging greetings with their acquaintance. - -As I had previously resolved to visit every part of the establishment, I -followed the example of my companion, who had already undergone the -fatigue of an Oriental bath, and exchanged my morning dress for a linen -wrapper, and loosened my hair: and then, conducted by the Greek -waiting-maid who had accompanied me, I walked barefooted across the cold -marble floor to a door at the opposite extremity of the hall, and, on -crossing the threshold, found myself in the cooling-room, where groups -of ladies were sitting, or lying listlessly on their sofas, enveloped in -their white linen wrappers, or preparing for their return to the colder -region whence I had just made my escape. - -This second room was filled with hot air, to me, indeed, most -oppressively so; but I soon discovered that it was, nevertheless, a -_cooling-room_; when, after having traversed it, and dipped my feet some -half dozen times in the little channels of warm water that intersected -the floor, I entered the great bathing-place of the establishment—the -extensive octagon hall in which all those who do not chuse, or who -cannot afford, to pay for a separate apartment, avail themselves, as -they find opportunities, of the eight fountains which it contains. - -For the first few moments, I was bewildered; the heavy, dense, -sulphureous vapour that filled the place, and almost suffocated me—the -wild, shrill cries of the slaves pealing through the reverberating domes -of the bathing-halls, enough to awaken the very marble with which they -were lined—the subdued laughter, and whispered conversation of their -mistresses murmuring along in an under-current of sound—the sight of -nearly three hundred women only partially dressed, and that in fine -linen so perfectly saturated with vapour, that it revealed the whole -outline of the figure—the busy slaves, passing and repassing, naked -from the waist upwards, and with their arms folded upon their bosoms, -balancing on their heads piles of fringed or embroidered napkins—groups -of lovely girls, laughing, chatting, and refreshing themselves with -sweetmeats, sherbet, and lemonade—parties of playful children, -apparently quite indifferent to the dense atmosphere which made me -struggle for breath—and, to crown all, the sudden bursting forth of a -chorus of voices into one of the wildest and shrillest of Turkish -melodies, that was caught up and flung back by the echoes of the vast -hall, making a din worthy of a saturnalia of demons—all combined to -form a picture, like the illusory semblance of a phantasmagoria, almost -leaving me in doubt whether that on which I looked were indeed reality, -or the mere creation of a distempered brain. - -Beside every fountain knelt, or sat, several ladies, attended by their -slaves, in all the various stages of the operation; each intent upon her -own arrangements, and regardless of the passers-by; nor did half a dozen -of them turn their heads even to look at the English stranger, as we -passed on to the small inner cabinet that had been retained for us. - -The process of Turkish bathing is tedious, exhausting, and troublesome; -I believe that the pretty Greek who attended me spent an hour and a half -over my hair alone. The supply of water is immense, and can be heated at -the pleasure of the bather, as it falls into the marble basin from two -pipes, the one pouring forth a hot, and the other a cold, stream. The -marble on which you stand and sit is heated to a degree that you could -not support, were the atmosphere less dense and oppressive; and, as the -water is poured over you from an embossed silver basin, the feeling of -exhaustion becomes almost agreeable. Every lady carries with her all the -appliances of the bath, as well as providing her own servant; the -inferior ranks alone availing themselves of the services of the bathing -women, who, in such cases, supply their employers with every thing -requisite. - -These bathing-women, of whom I saw several as I traversed the great -hall, are the most unsightly objects that can be imagined; from -constantly living in a sulphureous atmosphere, their skins have become -of the colour of tobacco, and of the consistency of parchment; many -among them were elderly women, but not one of them was wrinkled; they -had, apparently, become aged like frosted apples; the skin had tightened -over the muscles, and produced what to me at least was a hideous feature -of old age. - -Having remained in the bath about two hours and a half, I began to -sicken for pure air and rest; and, accordingly, winding a napkin with -fringed ends about my head, and folding myself in my wrapper, I hastily -and imprudently traversed the cooling-room, now crowded with company, -looking like a congregation of resuscitated corpses clad in their -grave-clothes, and fevered into life; and gained the outer hall, where -the napkin was removed from my head, my hair carefully plaited without -drying, and enveloped in a painted muslin handkerchief; and myself -buried among the soft cushions of the divan. - -A new feature had been added to the scene since my departure; most of -the ladies were at dinner. The crimson glow of the bath, which throws -all the blood into the head, had passed from most of their faces, and -was replaced by the pure, pale, peach-like softness of complexion that -its constant use never fails to produce. Numbers of negresses were -entering with covered dishes, or departing with the reliques of those -which had been served up; and, as the Turkish mode of eating lends -itself to these _pic-nic_ species of repasts, the fair ladies appeared -to be as much at home squatted round their plated or china bowls, spoon -in hand, in the hall of the bath, as though they were partaking of its -contents in the seclusion of their own harems. - -Sherbet, lemonade, _mohalibè_, a species of inferior blanc-manger, and -fruit, were constantly handed about for sale; and the scene was -altogether so amusing, that it was almost with regret that I folded -myself closely in my cloak and veil, and bowed my farewell to the -several groups which I passed on my way to the door. - -I should be unjust did I not declare that I witnessed none of that -unnecessary and wanton exposure described by Lady M. W. Montague. Either -the fair Ambassadress was present at a peculiar ceremony, or the Turkish -ladies have become more delicate and fastidious in their ideas of -propriety. - -The excessive exhaustion which it induces, and the great quantity of -time which it consumes, are the only objections that can reasonably be -advanced against the use of the Turkish bath. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - - - Cheerful Cemeteries—Burial-ground of Pera—Superiority of the - Turkish Cemeteries—Cypresses—Singular Superstition—The - _Grand Champs_—Greek Grave-yard—Sultan Selim’s - Barrack—Village of St. Demetrius—European - Burial-ground—Grave-stones—The Kiosk—Noble View—Legend of - the Maiden’s Tower—Plague Hospital of the Turks—The - Plague-Caïque—Armenian Cemetery—Curious Inscriptions—Turkish - Burial-place—Distinctive Head-stones—Graves of the - Janissaries—Wild Superstition—Cemetery of Scutari—Splendid - Cypresses—Ancient Prophecy—Extent of Burial-ground—The - Headless Dead—Exclusive Enclosures—Aspect of the Cemetery - from the Summer Palace of Heybetoullah Sultane—Local - Superstition—The Damnèd Souls. - -I have alluded elsewhere to the apparent care with which the Turks -select the most lovely spots for burying their dead, and how they have, -by such means, divested death of its most gloomy attributes. Like the -ancient Romans, they form grave-yards by the road-side; and, like them, -they inscribe upon their tombs the most beautiful lessons of resignation -and philosophy. - -The Cemetery of Pera offers a singular spectacle; and the rather that -the “Champ des Morts” is the promenade of the whole population, Turk, -Frank, Greek, and Armenian; the lesser burial-place, or _Petit Champs_, -is sacred to the Mussulmauns, and fringes with its dark cypresses the -crest of the hill that dominates the port; it is hemmed in with -houses—overlooked by a hundred casements—grazed by cattle—loud with -greetings and gossipry—and commands an extensive view of the shipping -in the harbour and the opposite shore. There are footpaths among the -funereal trees; sunny glades gleaming out amid the dark shadows; -head-stones clustered against the grassy slopes, and guard-houses, with -their portals thronged with lounging soldiers, mocking the -defencelessness of the dead. Nor must I forget to mention the small -octagonal building, which, seated in the very depth of the valley, and -generally remarkable from the dense volume of smoke exuding from its -tall chimney, marks the spot where the last profane duties are paid to -the dead; where the body is washed, the beard is shorn, the nails are -cut, and the limbs are decently composed, ere what was so lately a True -Believer is laid to rest in the narrow grave, to be aroused only by the -sound of the last trumpet. - -The superiority of the Turkish cemeteries over those of Europe may be -accounted for in several ways. Their head-stones are more picturesque -and various—their situation better chosen—and, above all things, the -Mussulmaun never disturbs the ashes of the dead. There is no burying and -re-burying on the same spot, as with us. The remains of the departed -are sacred. - -When a body is committed to the earth, the priest plants a cypress at -the head, and another at the foot, of the grave; and hence those -far-spreading forests, those bough o’er-canopied cities of the dead, -which form so remarkable a feature in Turkish scenery. Should only one -tree in six survive, enough still remain to form a dense and solemn -grove; but the Turks have a singular superstition with regard to those -that, instead of lancing their tall heads towards the sky, take a -downward bend, as though they would fain return to the earth from whence -they sprang; they hold that these imply the damnation of the soul whose -mortal remains they overshadow; and as, from the closeness with which -they are planted, and their consequent number, such accidents are by no -means rare, it must be at best a most uncomfortable creed. - -But it is to the “Grand Champs” that the stranger should direct his -steps, if he would contemplate a scene to which the world probably can -produce no parallel. Emerging from the all but interminable High Street, -whose projecting upper stories form a canopy above your head for nearly -its whole length, you have on your left hand the plague-hospital for the -Franks, and on your right a stretch of higher land, which is the -burial-ground of the Greeks. Here there is nothing to arrest your steps; -it is ill-kept, and, were it not for the houses that surround it, would -be dreary and desolate from its very disorder. The Greek is the creature -of to-day—yesterday is blotted from his tablets. - -Having passed the grave-yard, the road widens into an esplanade, in -front of an extensive block of building, erected by Sultan Selim as a -cavalry barrack. It is painted rose-colour, has a noble entrance, and -possesses a look of order and regularity almost European. It is not -until you descend the gentle declivity that slopes onward to the Grand -Champs des Morts, that you discover the whole extent of the edifice, -which is a quadrangle, having three fronts; its fourth side being -devoted to a range of stabling. - -The road to Therapia and the “Sweet Waters” skirts the burial-ground; -and the little Greek village or colony of St. Demetrius covers an -opposite height. - -The first plot of ground, after passing the barrack, is the grave-yard -of the Franks; and here you are greeted on all sides with inscriptions -in Latin: injunctions to pray for the souls of the departed; flourishes -of French sentiment; calembourgs graven into the everlasting stone, -treating of roses and reine Marguerites; concise English records of -births, deaths, ages, and diseases; Italian elaborations of regret and -despair; and all the commonplaces of an ordinary burial-ground. - -Along the edge of this piece of land, a wide road conducts you to a -steep descent leading to the Sultan’s Palace of Dolma Batché; the crest -of the hill commanding a noble view of the channel; while, on the verge -of the descent, and almost touching the graves, stands a kiosk of wood, -rudely put together, and serving as a coffee room; and immediately in -front of it, a group of cypresses form a pleasant shade, beneath which -parties of Turks, Greeks, and Armenians, seated on low stools, smoke -their eternal chibouks, sip their sugarless coffee, and contemplate one -of the loveliest views over which the eye of a painter ever lingered. - -From this height, the hill slopes rapidly downward, clothed with fruit -trees, and bright with vegetation. At its foot flows the blue Bosphorus, -clear and sparkling as the sky, whose tint it rivals. Immediately across -the channel stretches Scutari, the gem of the Asian shore, with its -forest of cypresses, its belt of palaces, its hill-seated kiosks, and -its sky-kissing minarets. Further in the distance are two pigmy islands, -heaving up their dark sides from the bright wave, like aquatic monsters -revelling in the sunshine; beyond is a stretch of sea—the Sea of -Marmora—laughing in the light, as though no storms had ever rent its -bosom—while, above all, on the extreme verge of the horizon, almost -blending with the dark purple clouds that rest upon it, towers Mount -Olympus, the dwelling of the gods, crowned with snows, and flinging its -long shadows over the pleasant town and mulberry groves of Broussa. And -here, a little to the right, (where Scutari, after advancing with a -graceful curve, as though to do homage to her European sister, again -recedes), upon a rock so small that its foundations cover the whole -surface, stands the “Maiden’s Tower;” an object in itself so picturesque -that it would arrest the eye though it possessed no legend to attract -the sympathy—but such is far from being the case. - -This Tower, so runs the tale, was erected by a former Sultan, as a -residence for his only daughter, of whom it was foretold by the -astrologers that she would, before the completion of her eighteenth -year, be destroyed by a serpent. Every precaution was taken to overcome -destiny; but it was not to be—an adder, accidentally concealed in a box -of figs, fastened upon the hand of the princess, and she was found dead -on her sofa. - -The Maiden’s Tower is now the plague-hospital of the Turks: and his -heart must be atrophised indeed who can look around on the bright and -beautiful scene amid which it stands, and not feel how much the bitter -pang of the plague-smitten must be enhanced by the contrast of all -around them with their own probable fate—for, alas! the long gaze of -the sickening victim is too frequently his last! The dying wretch should -pass to his infected home by a road of gloom and shadow, where no image -of gladness can mock him by its intrusive and harrowing presence—but to -be swiftly borne along that blue sea, with those magnificent shores -stretching away into the distance, far beyond his failing vision—to be -carried to his narrow chamber, probably to die—cut off from his -fellow-men—from all the glory and the majesty around him—surely no -after-pang can be so keen as that which grapples at his heart during his -brief voyage to the Maiden’s Tower! - -Rapidly darts forward the slender caïque; it shoots from the shore like -a wild bird—no sound of revelry, no shout of greeting, no pealing -laughter, heralds its departure—the sturdy rowers bend to their oars; -the resisting waters yield before the vigorous stroke—there is no -pause—no interval—the errand is contagion—the freight is death! The -eyes are dim that roll languidly in their sockets: the lips are livid -that quiver with agony in lieu of words: the brow is pale and clammy -that is turned upwards to the cloudless sky—the hands are nerveless -that are flung listlessly across the panting breast—and as men watch -from afar the rapid progress of the laden boat, their own breath comes -thickly, and their pulses throb; and, when they at length turn aside to -pursue their way, they move onward with a slower and a less steady -step—their brows are clouded—they have looked upon the plague! - -But the goal is gained, and the caïque has discharged its gloomy -freight. All around is life, and light, and loveliness. The surface of -the channel is crowded with boats, filled with busy human beings, -hurrying onward in pursuit of pleasure or of gain; a thousand sounds are -on the wind. The swift caïques dart like water-fowl past the Maiden’s -Tower, and few within them waste a thought upon the anguish which it -conceals! - -A few paces from the spot whence you look down upon this various -scene—a few paces, and from the refuge of the dying you gaze upon the -resting-place of the dead. Where the acacia-trees blossom in their -beauty, and shed their withered flowers upon a plain of graves on the -right hand, immediately in a line with the European cemetery, is the -burial-ground of the Armenians. It is a thickly-peopled spot; and as you -wander beneath the leafy boughs of the scented acacias, and thread your -way among the tombs, you are struck by the peculiarity of their -inscriptions. The noble Armenian character is graven deeply into the -stone; name and date are duly set forth; but that which renders an -Armenian slab (for there is not a head-stone throughout the cemetery) -peculiar and distinctive, is the singular custom that has obtained among -this people of chisselling upon the tomb the emblem of the trade or -profession of the deceased. - -Thus the priest is distinguished even beyond the grave by the mitre that -surmounts his name—the diamond merchant by a group of ornaments—the -money-changer by a pair of scales—the florist by a knot of -flowers—besides many more ignoble hieroglyphics, such as the razor of -the barber, the shears of the tailor, and others of this class; and, -where the calling is one that may have been followed by either sex, a -book, placed immediately above the appropriate emblem, distinguishes the -grave of the man. - -Nor is this all: the victims of a violent death have also their -distinctive mark—and more than one tomb in this extraordinary -burial-place presents you with the headless trunk of an individual, from -whose severed throat the gushing blood is spirting upwards like a -fountain, while the head itself is pillowed on the clasped hands! Many -of the more ancient among the tombs are very richly and elaborately -wrought, but nearly all the modern ones are perfectly simple; and you -seldom pass the spot without seeing groups of people seated upon the -graves beneath the shadow of the trees, talking, and even smoking. Death -has no gloom for the natives of the East. - -The Turkish cemetery stretches along the slope of the hill behind the -barrack, and descends far into the valley. Its thickly-planted cypresses -form a dense shade, beneath which the tall head-stones gleam out white -and ghastly. The grove is intersected by footpaths, and here and there a -green glade lets in the sunshine, to glitter upon many a gilded tomb. -Plunge into the thick darkness of the more covered spots, and for a -moment you will almost think that you stand amid the ruins of some -devastated city. You are surrounded by what appear for an instant to be -the myriad fragments of some mighty whole—but the gloom has deceived -you—you are in the midst of a Nekropolis—a City of the Dead. Those -chisselled blocks of stone that lie prostrate at your feet, or lean -heavily on one side as if about to fall, and which at the first glance -have seemed to you to be the shivered portions of some mighty -column—those turban-crowned shafts which rise on all sides—those gilt -and lettered slabs erected beside them—are memorials of the -departed—the first are of ancient date; the earth has become loosened -at their base, and they have lost their hold—the others tell their own -tale; the bearded Moslem sleeps beside his wife—the turban surmounting -his head-stone, and the rose-branch carved on her’s, define their sex, -while the record of their years and virtues is engraven beneath. Would -you know more? Note the form and folds of the turban, and you will learn -the rank and profession of the deceased—here lies the man of law—and -there rests the Pasha—the soldier slumbers yonder, and close beside you -repose the ashes of the priest—here and there, scattered over the -burial-ground, you may distinguish several head-stones from which the -turbans have been recently struck off—so recently that the severed -stone is not yet weather-stained; they mark the graves of the -Janissaries, desecrated by order of the Sultan after the distinction of -their body; who himself stood by while a portion of the work was going -forward; and the mutilated turbans that are half buried in the long -grass beside these graves are imperishable witnesses to their -disgrace—a disgrace which was extended even beyond the grave, and whose -depth of ignominy can only be understood in a country where the dead are -objects of peculiar veneration. - -Those raised terraces enclosed within a railing are family -burial-places; and the miniature column crowned with a _fèz_, painted -in bright scarlet, records the rest of some infant Effendi. At the base -of many of the shafts are stones hollowed out to contain water, which -are carefully filled, during the warm season, by pious individuals, for -the supply of the birds, or any wandering animals. - -The Turks have a strange superstition attached to this cemetery. They -believe that on particular anniversaries sparks of fire exude from many -of the graves, and lose themselves among the boughs of the cypresses. -The idea is at least highly poetical. - -But Constantinople boasts no burial-place of equal beauty with that of -Scutari, and probably the world cannot produce such another, either as -regards extent or pictorial effect. A forest of the finest cypresses -extending over an immense space, clothing hill and valley, and -overshadowing, like a huge pall, thousands of dead, is seen far off at -sea, and presents an object at once striking and magnificent. Most of -the trees are of gigantic height, and their slender and spiral outline -cutting sharply against the clear sky is graceful beyond expression. The -Turks themselves prefer the great cemetery of Scutari to all others; -for, according to an ancient prophecy in which they have the most -implicit faith, the followers of Mahomet are, ere the termination of the -world, to be expelled from Europe; and, as they are jealous of -committing even their ashes to the keeping of the Giaour, they covet, -above all things, a grave in this Asiatic wilderness of tombs. Thus, -year after year, the cypress forest extends its boundaries, and spreads -further and wider its dense shadows; generation after generation sleeps -in the same thickly-peopled solitude; and the laughing vineyard and the -grassy glade disappear beneath the encroachments of the ever-yawning -sepulchre—the living yield up their space to the dead—the blossoming -fruit trees are swept away, and the funereal and feathering boughs of -the dark grave-tree tower in their stead. - -It is not without a sensation of the most solemn awe that you turn aside -from the open plain, and abandon the cheerful sunshine, to plunge into -the deep gloom of the silent forest; scores of narrow pathways intersect -it in all directions; and, should you fail to follow them in your -wanderings, your every step must be upon a grave. Here a group of lofty -and turban-crowned columns, each with a small square slab of stone at -its base, arrests you with a thrill of sickening interest, for that -silent and pigmy slab tells you a tale of terror—each covers the -severed head of a victim to state policy, or state intrigue—Vizirs and -Pashas, Beys and Effendis—the eye that blighted, and the brow that -burned, are mouldering, or have mouldered there—the fever of ambition, -the thirst of power, the wiliness of treason, and the pride of -place—all that frets and fevers the mind of man, is there laid to rest -for ever—and the stately turban towers, as if in mockery, above the -trunkless head which festers in its dishonoured grave! - -Those gilded tombs enclosed within their circling barrier are inscribed -with the names and titles of some powerful or wealthy race that has -carried its pride beyond the grave, and not suffered even its dust to -mingle with that of more common men—the prostrate and perished columns -on one hand have yielded reluctantly to time, and now cumber the earth -in recordless ruin; while the stately head-stones on the other, yet -bright with gilding, and elaborate with ornament, point out to you the -resting-places of the newly dead—the pomp of yesterday speaks far less -sadly to the heart than the hoar and letterless remains of by-past -centuries. - -Suddenly a bright light flashes through the gloom; the warm sunshine -falls in a flood of radiance, the more startling from the darkness that -surrounds it, upon a limited and treeless space, on which time or the -tempest have done their work; and where withered boughs and shivered -trunks, branchless and gray with moss, are prostrate among sunken tombs -and ruined monuments. - -Your spirit is oppressed, your eye is blinded, by that mocking light! - -Here and there, upon the borders of the forest, a latticed pavilion of -the brightest green, contrasting strangely with the cold, white, -spectral-looking head-stones which it overtops, causes you to turn aside -almost in wonder; but death is even there—it is the tomb of some -beloved child, and the slab within is strown with flowers—flowers that -have been gathered in anguish, and moistened with tears. Alas! for the -breaking heart and the trembling hand that strewed them there! - -I remember nothing more beautiful than the aspect of the burying-ground -of Scutari, from the road which winds in front of the summer palace of -the Princess Haybètoullah. The crest of the hill is one dense mass of -dark foliage, while the slope is only partially clothed with trees, that -advance and recede in the most graceful curves; and the contrast between -the deep dusky green of the cypresses, and the soft bright tint of the -young fresh grass in the open spaces between them, produces an effect -almost magical, and which strikes you as being more the result of art -than accident, until you convince yourself, by looking around you, that -it is to its extent alone that this noble cemetery owes its gloom, for -its site is eminently picturesque and beautiful. On one side, an open -plain separates it from the channel; on the other, it is bounded by a -height clothed with vines and almond trees—the houses of Scutari touch -upon its border, and even mingle with its graves in the rear, while -before it spreads a wide extent of cultivated land dotted with -habitations. - -Need I add that the Nekropolis of Scutari, such as I have described it, -has also its local superstition? Surely not; and the idea is so wild, -and withal so imaginative, that I cannot pass it by without record. - -Along the channel may be constantly seen clouds of aquatic birds of -dusky plumage, speeding their rapid flight from the Euxine to the -Propontis, or bending their restless course from thence back again to -the Black Sea, never pausing for a moment to rest their weary wing on -the fair green spots of earth that woo them on every side; and it is -only when a storm takes place in the Sea of Marmora, or sweeps over the -bosom of the Bosphorus, that they fly shrieking to the cypress forest of -Scutari for shelter; and these the Turks believe to be the souls of the -damned, who have found sepulchre beneath its boughs, and which are -permitted, during a period of elementary commotion, to revisit the spot -where their mortal bodies moulder; and there mourn together over the -crimes and judgment of their misspent existence upon earth—while, -during the gentler seasons, they are compelled to pass incessantly -within sight of the localities they loved in life, without the privilege -of pausing even for one instant in the charmed flight to which they are -condemned for all eternity! - -My mind was full of this legend when I visited the cemetery—and I can -offer no better apology for the wild verses that I strung together as I -sat upon a fallen column in one of the gloomiest nooks of the forest, -and amid the noon-day twilight of the thick branches, while my -companions wandered away among the graves. - - - THE DAMNÈD SOULS. - - Hark! ’tis a night when the storm-god rides - In triumph o’er the deep; - And the howling voice of the tempest chides - The spirits that fain would sleep: - When the clouds, like a sable-bannered host, - Crowd the dense and lurid sky; - And the ship and her crew are in darkness lost - As the blast roars rushing by. - - Voices are heard which summon men - To a dark and nameless doom; - And spirits, beyond a mortal’s ken, - Are wandering through the gloom; - While the thunders leap from steep to steep, - And the yellow lightnings flash, - And the rocks reply to the riot on high, - As the wild waves o’er them dash. - - And we are here, in this night of fear, - Urged by a potent spell, - Haunting the glade where our bones are laid, - Our tale of crime to tell— - We have hither come, through the midnight gloom, - As the tempest about us rolls, - To spread mid the graves, where the rank grass waves, - The feast of the Damnèd Souls. - - Some have flown from the deep sea-caves - Which the storm-won treasures hold; - And these are they who through life were slaves - To the sordid love of gold; - No other light e’er meets their sight, - Save the gleam of the yellow ore; - And loathe they there, in their dark despair, - What they idolized before. - - They have swept o’er the rude and rushing tide, - Bestrewn with wreck and spoil, - Where the shrieking seaman writhed and died - ’Mid his unavailing toil; - And they rode the wave, without power to save - The wretch as he floated by; - And sighed to think, as they saw him sink, - What a boon it was to die! - - Some were cast from the burning womb, - Whence the lava-floods have birth; - From fires which wither, but ne’er consume - The rejected one of earth— - And these are they who were once the prey - Of the thirst that madmen know, - When the world for them is the diadem - That burns into the brow. - - They who crouch in the deepest gloom - Where no lightning-flash can dart, - Who, chained in couples, have hither come, - And can never be rent apart; - These are they whose life was a scene of strife, - And who learnt, alas! too late, - That the years flew fast which they each had cast - On the altar of their hate. - - But, hark! through the forest there sweeps a wail - More wild than the tempest-blast, - As each commences the darkling tale - Of the stern and shadowy past— - And the spell that has power, in this dread hour, - No pang of our’s controls— - Nor may mortal dare in the watch to share - That is kept by the Damnèd Souls! - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - - Character of the Constantinopolitan Greeks—The Greek Colony at - the Fanar—Vogoride, Logotheti, and Angiolopolo—Political - Sentiment—Chateaubriand at the Duke de Rovigo’s—Biting - Criticism—Greek Chambers—“What’s in a Name?”—Custom of - Burning Perfumes—The Pastille of the Seraglio—Turkish - Cosmetics—Eastern Beauty. - -The more I saw of the Greeks, the more curious did I find the study of -that page of the great volume of human nature which was there flung -back; and, far from sharing in the astonishment of those who almost deem -it a miracle that the whole nation has not been swept away, I rather -marvel at the state of moral and political thraldom in which they exist. -The tolerated citizens of an Empire whose interests, both civil and -religious, differ so widely from their own, the Fanariote Greeks nourish -in their heart’s core a hatred of their masters as intense as it is -enduring, and serve them rather from fear than zeal. - -Every Greek is an intuitive diplomatist; nature has endowed him with a -keen and subtle spirit—a power to see deeply, and to act promptly—and -as their motto is palpable to all who have studied their -character—_tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis_—they are any -thing but safe counsellors or firm friends. Each is to be had at a -price: and, as several of the most talented among them are in the -confidence of the leading members of the Turkish government, it were -idle to expatiate on the pernicious consequences of their influence. -There are so many spies in the camp—so many breaches in the -fortress—and, with the helm of affairs, although not actually in their -grasp, at least sufficiently within their reach to enable them -occasionally to make the vessel of state policy swerve towards the -course whither they would fain direct it, they are no contemptible -allies to any foreign power that may need their services. The Turk -probably possesses the soundest judgment, but the Greek is more subtle -and quick-witted, and dazzles even where he may fail to convince. - -Under these circumstances, partially trusted by the Turks, and enriched -and employed by other nations—gifted with subtlety, energy of -character, and that keenness of perception and quickness of intellect -for which they are remarkable—the Greeks would be dangerous, if not -fatal enemies to their Moslem masters, had they not, like Achilles, one -vulnerable point—they are not true, even to each other. Dissimulation -is the atmosphere in which they livejealousy is the food on which they -prey—and, while they are urging on the chariot of their own fortunes, -they are sure to have some luckless rival impaled upon one of the spokes -of its uncertain wheel. - -Hence, all those overwhelming revolutions which render the tenure of -wealth and honours among them almost as precarious as among the Turks -themselves. The tolerance of the Sultan’s government has conceded to -them a magistracy and an ecclesiastical power as distinct as though they -were a free people and the denizens of a free country; and their shrewd -and subtle spirits, trammelled without, become tenfold more bitter in -their concentrated struggle for supremacy among themselves. Their circle -is limited: their hemisphere will afford space for one luminary only; to -aggrandize one, another must be sacrificed; and thus it is a perpetual -grappling for ascendency; and public probity and private friendship give -way before it. - -The Greek colony at the Fanar is the focus of intrigue; each is a spy -upon his neighbour—here “Greek meets Greek,” and the “tug of war” is -deadly. Patriarchs and archbishops are deposed and exiled—magistrates -are displaced and banished, as one or the other party obtain -power—until the concentration of hatred atrophises every heart, and the -smile upon every lip waits but the opportunity to wither into a sneer. - -With the double impulsion of honour and power among their own community, -and wealth and influence without, it will be readily understood that a -people constituted like the Fanariote Greeks pursue their purpose with a -tenacity that blinds them to all less absorbing considerations. Each -suffices to himself—he is his own world—and he centres all his -energies and exertions upon one point. In this fact exists the weakness -of the Greeks—they are too egotistical to be dangerous—they indulge -individual selfishness when they should exert themselves for the common -benefit of the community—the fruit is perished at the core, and it -consequently decays upon the surface—and, while they thus make war upon -each other, and fling the brand of jealousy upon the hearths of their -own race, they require no exterior force to crush them. - -The three most conspicuous individuals now left among the Fanariote -Greeks are Vogorede, Logotheti, and Angiolopolo, each of whom is more or -less in the confidence of the Porte. The war between these talented and -ambitious men is literally a war of wits. The craft is with Vogorede, -the energy with Logotheti, and the tenacity of purpose with Angiolopolo. -The nature of each individual is written on his countenance—that of -Vogorede changes like the hue of the camelion; he is a man whose smile -is not mirth, nor approbation, nor enjoyment—his brow is narrow and -deeply interlined, less by time than by the workings of his spirit; his -eye is cold and quick, but it is the quickness which gives no token of -intelligence—the restlessness of suspicion. - -The personal attributes of Logotheti are of a different character; his -glance is searching and fiery, his features mobile and expressive, and -his forehead high and strongly marked; and to these no more striking -contrast can be afforded than by the truly magnificent head of -Angiolopolo. There is not a vestige of passion, not a trace of anxiety, -nor care, nor emotion perceptible; his countenance is calm, benevolent, -and beautiful: his brow is singularly smooth for his age, and its -character of placidity has continued unchanged throughout a long life of -political exertion and excitement; while the white beard, which he wears -to the utmost length that is now permitted, (Sultan Mahmoud having -lately regulated this important point, and having even curtailed the -exuberance of that of one of his ministers with his own Imperial hands!) -gives him an air of patriarchal dignity in excellent keeping with his -strictly Oriental costume. - -Having been for twelve years Chargé d’Affaires at Paris during the reign -of Napoleon, he has a memory stored with anecdote; and a vivacity of -expression, and an accuracy of detail, which make his portraits -life-like, and never fail to point the moral of the tale. He discourses -fluently in French, and enters into the most trifling subjects with a -relish and gaiety quite wonderful when his age (near seventy) and his -pursuits are taken into consideration; and you have not been half an -hour in his society before you feel the greatest surprise that the -_maladie de pays_ should ever have been sufficiently strong to induce -him to solicit his recall from a court whose now time-worn recollections -yet retain so bright a hold upon his nature. Angiolopolo has neither the -appearance nor the bearing of a veteran politician; and, were you -ignorant of his history, you would look upon him as one who had fallen -into “the sear and yellow leaf,” without one storm to hasten the decay. - -After an existence of political toil, Angiolopolo has ostensibly retired -into the calm and quiet of domestic life. I speak, therefore, of him -rather as he was a few months back than as he now actually is; though -the fire which has been long burning requires time ere it can be -thoroughly extinguished, and it is only fair to infer that, after so -many years of state service, Angiolopolo will carry with him the same -tastes and pursuits to the grave. - -Prepossessed by his appearance, I accepted with pleasure an invitation -to spend the day with his family, and the more particularly as I was -anxious to make the acquaintance of all those individuals who had become -matter of local interest. - -When I entered, he was seated in the Oriental fashion on a corner of the -sofa, with a small writing-stand on a low stool beside him, and leaning -his arm upon a chest of polished wood containing papers. He received us -with much politeness, and presented me to his wife and daughter, who -were nestled under the covering of the tandour, on the other side of the -apartment, and who welcomed me in the most cordial manner. - -For a time, nothing but the veriest commonplace was uttered by any of -the party; but some political allusion having been accidentally made, he -expressed himself both disappointed and annoyed at the supineness of the -British Government, though he admitted that it had caused him no -surprize, as it was not the first occasion on which England, after -amusing and deluding the Porte with promises of protection and support, -had failed to fulfil her pledges in the hour of need. “As individuals,” -he added emphatically, “no one can respect the English more than I do, -but as a nation every thinking man throughout the Ottoman Empire has -lost faith in them—the trust and confidence which the Turks once placed -in the political integrity of Great Britain are at an end for ever.” - -As he was an invalid, we dined _en famille_; and I was struck with the -extreme attention and deference that he showed towards his wife; all the -other Greeks with whom I had become acquainted being the most -indifferent, or, as we style it in Europe, the most fashionable of -husbands; nor was I less surprised at the apparent zest with which he -entered into the inconsequent conversation that ensued, and the -playfulness with which he bandied jest for jest, and piled anecdote on -anecdote. One incident that he mentioned I may repeat without -indiscretion, as it cannot, after such a lapse of time, affect the -individual who is its subject, and whose literary reputation is now too -well established to be injured by the old-world histories of the past. - -Angiolopolo was one day dining at the table of the Duke de Rovigo, when -the work of Chateaubriand on the East became the subject of -conversation; the author himself, then a very young man, and but little -known in the world of letters, being one of the guests; and, while it -was under discussion, the Duke requested of Angiolopolo to give him his -opinion on its merits. The Ottoman Chargé d’Affaires, aware that -Chateaubriand was present, and not wishing to pronounce a judgment that -must be displeasing to him, carelessly replied that he remembered having -met with the work some time previously: and thus sought to turn aside -the subject, the more particularly as, not being supposed to be aware of -the vicinity of the author, he had no apology afforded him on the score -of delicacy, should he pronounce an opinion tending to gloss over his -real sentiments. - -But this indefinite reply did not satisfy the Duke, who expressed his -astonishment that a native of the country of which the work treated -should feel so little interest in the subject as to retain no memory of -its contents. Thus urged, Angiolopolo found himself compelled to declare -that he had not only read the book carefully, but still retained the -most perfect recollection of many of its passages; and that he had -evaded the inquiry simply from a disinclination to speak with severity -of a writer, who had permitted himself to describe the domestic manners -of a people, of whom he had only been enabled to judge from such -specimens as coffee-houses and the like places of vulgar resort had -offered to his observation. - -That he should form erroneous opinions of the mass from these low-bred -and low-minded portions of the population might be pardoned, as the -error of a surface-scanning and light-headed traveller; but that he -should put them forth in sober earnestness to mislead wiser men, who did -not possess the opportunity of forming a more correct judgment for -themselves, was a graver and a more reprehensible fault, and one which -no native of the East could easily forgive. Had he been honest, he would -frankly have acknowledged that the doors of the higher classes were -reluctantly and rarely opened to the Franks, who required the best -introductions to secure an entrance into any distinguished house; both -the habits and the position of the Orientals being unfavourable to the -curiosity of strangers—and not have libelled a people of whom he really -knew as little on his return to Europe as the day on which he landed at -Stamboul. - -“Chateaubriand has since become a distinguished writer;” he added in -conclusion, “but I doubt not that often, amid his success, he has -remembered the dinner at the Duke de Rovigo’s, and his inexorable -critic.” - -In anecdotes of this description, in which his powers of memory and his -natural vivacity were equally apparent, the hours passed rapidly away; -nor did we retire till near midnight, and even then more as a matter of -expediency than of weariness, (for he was far too hospitable to suffer -us to leave him until the following day,) and we had consequently full -time to enjoy his reminiscences. - -I should have previously remarked that the chambers in the Greek houses -are generally arranged in the same manner as those of the Turks—that -is to say, a pile of mattresses are heaped upon the floor, without a -bedstead; but with the Greeks the coverlets are less splendid, and the -pillows are less costly. In each, a tray is conspicuously set out with -conserves, generally strongly impregnated with perfume, such as rose, -bergamotte, and citron: and covered goblets of richly-cut crystal, -filled with water. The custom appears singular to an European, but it is -by no means unpleasant; and I had not been long in the country ere I -found the visit of the servant, who knelt down at my bedside, and handed -the tray to me on my awaking, a very agreeable one. - -“What’s in a name?” asks Juliet. I confess that to me there is a spell -in many; and among the Greeks I did not enjoy my sweetmeats the less -that they were handed to me by Euphrosine or Anastasia; or my coffee -that the tray was held by Demetrius or Theodosius. This may be folly, -but it is not the less fact. - -The custom of burning perfumes in the mangal is, if not a healthy, at -least a very luxurious one; and the atmosphere of the saloon of -Angiolopolo was heavy with ambergris and musk. I have not yet met with a -native of the East, of either sex, who was not strongly attached to -their use; their own perfumes are delicate and agreeable, being rather -concentrated preparations, than individual scents; and soothing, rather -than exciting, the nerves; but they are also very partial to those of -Europe, and among the latest presents of the Empress of Russia to the -Princess Asmé, the Sultan’s eldest sister, were several cases of Eau de -Cologne. - -The pastille of the seraglio, of which a large quantity has been -presented to me by different Turkish and Armenian gentlemen, is a -delightful invention; and looks, moreover, in its casing of gold leaf, -extremely elegant; as it is somewhat costly, it is not in common use, -but it is greatly prized in the harems. - -Perhaps no country exceeds Turkey in the variety and value of its -cosmetics; and, although there are no daily prints to advertise their -virtues, no ingenious puffs to expatiate on their properties, the ladies -are by no means ignorant of their existence, but employ them in all -their varieties; from the dye with which they darken their eyebrows, to -the henna that disfigures the extremities of their fingers. - -Among the fair Greeks, the use of rouge is by no means uncommon; and -they also carry to a greater extreme than the Turkish women the -frightful custom of joining the eyebrows artificially across the nose, -by which mistaken habit I have seen many a really pretty face terribly -disfigured. I am, however, bound to confess that the dearth of beauty -among the Greek ladies is very striking; their expression is good, but -their features are irregular, and ill-assorted; and, were it not that -they have almost universally fine, sparkling, dark eyes, they would be, -taking them collectively, a decidedly plain race. - -I looked in vain for the noble, calm, and peculiar outline which we are -prone to believe must characterize the whole people; for the -finely-poised head, the expansive brow, the drooping eyelid, and, above -all, the straight nose and short upper lip of genuine Grecian beauty; I -met with it only in one instance, but that one was a breathing model of -the beautiful and classical in nature. - -The Greek ladies are bad figures, are by no means gifted either as to -hands or feet, walk ungracefully, and are remarkable only, as I have -already stated, for their bright eyes, and their dark, lustrous hair. - -The men are a much finer race, or rather there are more individuals -among them who have the distinguished outline of head which one looks to -meet with in their nation; but the females have neither the sweet, -sleepy, fascinating expression of the Turkish beauties, nor the pure, -fresh, sparkling complexion of the Armenian maidens, whose foreheads are -frequently as snowy as the veil that binds them, and whose lips and -cheeks look like crushed roses. - -Not the least lovely among them is the fair girl who, in a spirit of -frolic, consented to be presented to an English traveller, (Mr. Auldjo) -as a Turkish lady, but whose style of beauty is perfectly dissimilar -from that of the nation which she personated; the dark eyes, the -henna-tipped fingers, and the costume, which is essentially the same as -that of the harem, were, however, quite sufficient to deceive an -unpractised eye; and the lively Armenian, to whom I was introduced at my -express desire, tells the tale of her successful deceit with a -self-complacency and enjoyment perfectly amusing. - -Had she more mind, and less _enbompoint_, an Armenian beauty would be -perfect! - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - - The Kourban-Baïram—Politeness of Mustafa Effendi—Depressing - Recollections—Unquiet Night—Midnight March—Turkish Coffee—A - Latticed Araba—The Mosque of Sultan Achmet—Beautiful _coup - d’œil_—Dress of the Turkish Children—Restlessness of the - Franks—The Festival of Sacrifice—Old Jewish Rite—The Turkish - Wife—Sun-rise—Appearance of the Troops—Turkish Ladies—Group - of Field Officers—The Sultan’s Stud—Magnificent - Trappings—The Seraskier Pasha—The Great Officers of - State—The Procession—The Sultan—Imperial Curiosity—The - Chèïk-Islam—Costume of the Sultan—Japanese - Superstition—Vanity of Sultan Mahmoud—The Hairdresser of - Halil Pasha—Rapid Promotion—Oriental Salutations—Halil - Pasha—Saïd Pasha—Unruly Horses—The Valley of the “Sweet - Waters”—Pera. - -The Kourban-Baïram being fixed for the 28th of March, we crossed over to -Constantinople on the evening of the 27th, in order to be on the spot, -and thus diminish the fatigue of the morrow. Mustafa Effendi, who had -removed with his harem to his country-house, very obligingly offered us -the use of his mansion for the night, as well as the services of his -house-steward and a couple of servants; and we accordingly found -ourselves once more at home beneath his hospitable roof. - -I rejoiced that we required the accommodation only for some hours; as -perhaps there are few things more depressing than a stroll through the -empty and echoing chambers that you have associated with ideas and -memories of mirth, and inhabitation, and amusement. The spacious -apartments gave back a hollow reverberation, as we wandered over their -uncarpeted floors, and flung open the casements of their uncurtained -windows. The very chambers which had been purposely and carefully -prepared for us were new and strange, being in a different part of the -house from that occupied by the harem; and I more than once regretted -the absence of the courteous old man who had received me so kindly on my -first visit. - -As I had failed to obtain a view of the procession at the Festival of -the Baïram, that terminated the Ramazan, when an apartment had been -prepared for us at the Mint, of which we were unable to take possession, -owing to the density of the crowd, that filled every street in its -neighbourhood, and which we were not sufficiently early to precede; I -was the more anxious not to subject myself to a similar disappointment -on the present occasion; a feeling that was, indeed, shared by the whole -party; and, accordingly, on parting for the night, which we did at an -early hour, we were very sincere in our reciprocal promises to be -hyper-diligent on the morrow. - -And what a night we passed! The cannon was booming along the water, and -rattling in long-sustained echoes among the hills—the myriad dogs that -infest the city, scared from their usually quiet rest, were howling, -whining, and barking, without a moment’s intermission; and the Imperial -band was perambulating the streets, attended by flambeau-bearers; and -executing, with admirable precision, some noble pieces of music. The -wind-instruments were relieved at intervals by the drums and fifes, than -which there are, perhaps, none better in the world: and these were -succeeded by the tramp, beneath our window, of the whole garrison of the -city, afoot and under arms two hours before daybreak. - -I watched the troops as they passed, the flaring torches throwing them -into broad light between the two lofty white walls that hemmed in the -narrow street, and from whose surface the sickly moonlight was fast -waning, scrambling up the steep hill upon whose rise the house is built, -rather in masses than in columns; officers and men mingled pell-mell, -laughing, talking, and struggling over the rough pavement, in a manner -much more picturesque than imposing. - -I had scarcely thrown myself once more upon my sofa, in order to court -the sleep of which I had as yet only dreamt, when the rattling of our -heavy carriage into the courtyard, and the loud knock at the door by -which the Greek waiting-maid announced her wish for admittance, -dispelled my hopes once more; and when she entered, candle in hand, I -resigned myself to my fate, and, having ascertained that it was nearly -four o’clock, made a hasty toilette, and joined my companions. - -The warmest and strongest of coffee was soon swallowed—by the way, what -a sad pity it is that we know nothing about making coffee in Europe—and -having settled ourselves comfortably in our well-cushioned araba, Madame -——, myself, and our attendant were soon jolting over the rough _pavé_ -towards the scene of action, followed by my father and the two Turkish -servants. The lattices of the carriage were closely shut, to avoid any -possible difficulty, owing to our being Europeans; and one servant -walked close beside each door, as though guarding the harem of some -bearded Moslem. - -Arrived within the precincts of the court of Sultan Achmet’s magnificent -mosque, and fairly _entamés_ among the carriages, which resembled a bed -of scarlet and yellow poppies, we removed the lattices altogether, and -remained lying very comfortably among our silken cushions, with the -araba open on all sides, and immediately in front of us the space along -which the procession was to pass: the line of carriages forming one -boundary, and the other being guarded by a treble rank of military. - -The coup-d’œil was beautiful! The sun was just fringing the fleecy -clouds with a glad golden edge; and, as the vapours rolled away, the -bright blue of the laughing sky spread far and wide its stainless -canopy. The noble trees that overshadow a portion of the enclosure were -just putting forth their young spring leaves, all fresh, and dewy, and -tender—tokens of that infant vegetation which may be blighted by too -rude a blast, and which awakens in the heart such gentle and such fond -associations—the spacious steps of white marble that stretch far in -front of the principal entrance of the mosque were crowded with human -beings—the exterior gallery that runs along the side of the edifice on -which the Sultan was to pass was filled with women, whose white veils -and dark _feridjhes_ made them look like a community of nuns—while, in -the rear of the military, groups were every where forming, shifting, and -producing the most interesting pictorial effects. - -Here, it was a party of Jews—there, a knot of Armenians—further on, a -circle of Greeks—and close beside us a cluster of women huddled -together, and holding by the hand their rosy children, whose appearance -I cannot more appropriately describe than by comparing them to the -sweeps on May-day—such costumes! such pinks, greens, reds, and -yellows, each out-glaring the other on the girls; the most grotesque -prints fashioned into the most _outré_ forms—pendent sleeves, trailing -_anterys_, and little curly heads enveloped in painted handkerchiefs: -while the boys from three years of age figured in surtout coats as -brightly buttoned, and as ill-cut as those of their fathers—miniature -pantaloons, corded with scarlet—and minute _fez’s_, with their purple -tassels attached by stars of pearl of great beauty, or decorated with -magnificent brilliant ornaments, fastened to the cap with pearl loops, -to which were generally added golden coins, blue beads, and other -preservatives against the Evil Eye! - -A few Franks were distinguishable among the crowd; but they appeared and -disappeared like wandering spirits, never resting long on the same spot, -and earning many a quiet smile from their Moslem neighbours, who are -never weary of marvelling at the perpetual locomotion of the Giaours, so -opposed to their own love of rest and quiet. Give a Turk a moderately -good position on such an occasion as this, and he will never abandon it -on the bare possibility of procuring a better; but the Greek and the -European fidget and fuss to the last moment, and very probably do not -always profit by their pains. - -The Kourban-Baïram, or festival of sacrifice, differs from that which -takes place at the conclusion of the Ramazan, by its greater pomp and -the circumstance that, on the occasion of the present festival, animals -are sacrificed to propitiate the favour of the Divinity: and, as we -drove along the streets, they were crowded with sheep and lambs about to -be offered up. - -Every head of a family sacrifices an animal with his own hands; and -every male member of his household is at liberty to indulge his piety in -a similar manner; but the chief of the house is bound to observe the -ceremonial. - -On his return from the Mosque, the Sultan puts on a sacrificial dress, -and, while two attendants hold the lamb which is to be honoured by -suffering the stab of the Imperial knife, he slaughters it with his -Sublime hands. The first victim that he destroys is a propitiation for -himself, but he afterwards offers up one for each member of his family, -and consequently his office is by no means a sinecure. - -Nor is this the only occasion on which this ancient Jewish rite is -observed by the Turks. On recovery from a severe illness, on the birth -of a child, on return from a pilgrimage—in short, in every leading -circumstance of his life, the Musselmaun immolates a victim: but the -Kourban-Baïram is the great sacrificial anniversary, and is observed -with much splendour and rejoicing by all the population of the capital. -The vessels in the harbour are gaily decked out with flags; all business -is suspended; men grasp each other by the hand in the streets, and utter -a fraternal greeting—and the poor are seen hastening from house to -house to secure the flesh of the sacrifices, which is divided among -themselves and the dogs of the city, scarcely less sacred than their own -kind in the eyes of the Osmanlis. - -A friend of mine was told the other day by a Turk with whom he is -intimate, and who had just returned to Stamboul after an absence of six -months, that he had ascertained that while he was away from home his -wife had not once quitted the house; a piece of intelligence which so -rejoiced him, that he had sacrificed six sheep, one for each month, in -gratitude to Allah and the Prophet, who had bestowed on him so virtuous -a helpmate. - -What a glorious burst of light flooded the enclosure when the sun at -length clomb the horizon! It was not only a time of human festival, but -nature’s own peculiar holyday; and there was an elasticity and balminess -in the air that swept through the carriage, which made the heart leap -for gladness. - -The troops presented a better appearance in line than I had expected, -but Sultan Mahmoud has yet much to do if he ever intends to make them -look like _soldiers_. They are dirty, slouching, and awkward; tread -inwards from their habit of sitting upon their feet, and march as though -they were dragging their slippers after them. The frightful _fèz_ is -pulled down to their very eyebrows, and the ill-cut clothing is composed -of the coarsest and dingiest materials. - -But what shall I say of the officers? How shall I describe the -appearance of the gallant individuals who were constantly passing and -repassing, and making frequent pauses in our immediate vicinity; incited -thereto, as I have no doubt, by the presence of two lovely young Turkish -ladies, who had quitted their carriage, and established themselves on -the footboard behind, in order to secure a better sight of the “Brother -of the Sun,” whom we were all anxiously awaiting; and whose _yashmacs_ -were so gracefully, or shall I say coquettishly, arranged, that I doubt -whether they would have been so attractive without them. They were of -the whitest and clearest muslin, through which I not only saw the -flowers that rested on their foreheads, and the diamonds that sparkled -in the embroidered and richly-fringed handkerchiefs bound about their -heads, but even the very colour of their lips. And then the magic of -their long, sleepy, jet-black eyes, and the constant flinging back and -refolding of the jealous _feridjhe_, by fingers white, and slender, and -henna-tipped! I really pitied the sword-girt Moslems. - -I was still gazing at these lovely women, when a party of about thirty -field-officers passed the carriage, on their way to their places near -the door of the Mosque, at which the Sultan was to enter. They were all -similarly attired in surtout coats of Spanish brown, gathered in large -folds at the back of the waist, and buttoned beneath a cloth strap; a -very common and ugly fashion among the Turks; and wore sword-belts -richly embroidered with gold. Many among them were some of the stoutest -men I ever saw. - -In about five minutes after them, arrived the led horses of the Sultan; -and these formed by far the most splendid feature of the procession; -they were ten in number, and wore on their heads a _panache_ of white -and pink ostrich feathers mixed with roses, and fastened down upon the -forelock with a clasp of precious stones. Each was attended by a groom, -controlling, with some trouble, the curvettings and capers of the -pampered animals, who were caparisoned in a style of splendour which, if -it have ever been equalled, can certainly never have been surpassed. -Their housings, which were either of silk or velvet, all differing the -one from the other, were embroidered with gold and silver, large -pearls, and jewels. One of them bore, on a ground of myrtle-coloured -velvet, the cypher of the Sultan wrought in brilliants, and surrounded -by a garland of flowers formed of rubies, emeralds, and topaz. Another -housing, of rich lilac silk, was worked at the corners with a cluster of -musical instruments in diamonds and large pearls, and, as the sunshine -flashed upon it, it was like a blaze of light. The remainder were -equally magnificent; and the well-padded saddles of crimson or green -velvet were decorated with stirrups of chased gold, while the bridles, -whose embroidered reins hung low upon the necks of the animals, were one -mass of gold and jewels. - -The Sultan’s stud was succeeded by the Seraskier Pasha in state, mounted -on a tall gray horse, (whose elaborate accoutrements were only inferior -to those that I have attempted to describe,) and surrounded and followed -by a dozen attendants on foot: his diamond-hilted sword—the rings upon -his hands—the star in front of his _fèz_, and the orders on his breast, -were perfectly dazzling. - -At intervals of about a minute, all the great officers of state passed -in the same order, and according to their respective ranks; and at -length we heard the welcome sounds of the Imperial band, which struck up -the Sultan’s Grand March, as Mahmoud the Powerful, the Brother of the -Sun, and Emperor of the East, passed the gates of the court. - -First came twelve running footmen, in richly laced uniforms, and high -military caps; and these were succeeded by the twenty body pages, who -were splendidly dressed, and wore in their chakos, plumes, or rather -_crêtes_ of stiff feathers, intermixed with artificial flowers of -immense size, and originally invented to conceal the face of the Sultan -as he passed along, and thus screen him from the Evil Eye! But his -present Sublime Highness is not to be so easily scared into concealment, -and the pages who were wont to surround his predecessors merely precede -him, while a crowd of military officers supply their place, one walking -at each of his stirrups, and the rest a little in the rear. - -As this was the first occasion on which I had seen the Sultan, I leant -eagerly forward upon my cushions to obtain a good view of him; and I saw -before me, at the distance of fifteen or twenty yards at the utmost, a -man of noble physiognomy and graceful bearing, who sat his horse with -gentlemanlike ease, and whose countenance was decidedly prepossessing. -He wore in his _fèz_ an aigrette of diamonds, sustaining a cluster of -peacock’s feathers; an ample blue cloak was flung across his shoulders, -whose collar was one mass of jewels, and on the third finger of his -bridle hand glittered the largest brilliant that I ever remember to have -seen. - -As he moved forward at a foot’s pace, loud shouts of “Long live Sultan -Mahmoud!” ran along the lines, and were re-echoed by the crowd, but he -did not acknowledge the greeting, though his eyes wandered on all sides, -until they fell upon our party, when a bright smile lit up his features, -and for the first time he turned his head, and looked long and fixedly -at us. In the next instant, he bent down, and said something in a -subdued voice to the officer who walked at his stirrup, who, with a low -obeisance, quitted his side, and hastily made his way through the crowd, -until he reached our carriage, to the astonishment and terror of a group -of Turkish women who had ensconced themselves almost under it; and, -bowing to my father, who still stood bare-headed beside us, he inquired -of one of the servants who I was and what had brought me to -Constantinople; the Sultan, meanwhile, looking back continually, and -smiling in the same goodhumoured and condescending manner. - -The reply was simple—I was an Englishwoman, and had accompanied my -father to Turkey, for the purpose of seeing the country; and, having -received this answer, the messenger again saluted us, and withdrew. - -A very short interval ensued ere he returned, and hurriedly and -anxiously resumed his inquiries, to which our attendant became too -nervous to reply; when he exclaimed, “Is there no one here who can act -as Dragoman, and give me the intelligence which is required by his -Sublime Highness?” - -“I will inform you of all that you require to learn, Effendim;” said my -companion in her soft, harmonious, Turkish: “the lady is English.” - -“His Highness sees that she is English;” replied the officer: “but he -wishes to know _who_ she is.” - -This important information was added, and once more he departed. - -Crowds of decorated individuals closed the procession; and in five -minutes more Sultan Mahmoud dismounted and entered the Mosque. - -The Chèïk-Islam, or High Priest, had preceded his Imperial Master; but -we saw him only at a distance as he ascended the marble steps that I -have already mentioned, and passed in through the great entrance. He -wore a turban of the sacred green, about which was wound a massive -chain, or rather belt, of gold; and was mounted on a fine Arabian, whose -bridle was held by two grooms. - -Sultan Mahmoud is not a handsome man, and yet it is difficult to define -wherefore; for his features are good and strongly marked, and his eye -bright and piercing. His jet black hair, seen in heavy curls beneath -the _fèz_, which, like most of his subjects, he wears drawn down low -upon his forehead; and his bushy and well-trimmed beard, add -considerably to the dignity of his appearance, as well as giving to him -a look of much greater youth than he can actually boast; but this is a -merely artificial advantage, being the effect of one of those skilful -dyes so common in the East. - -As in Japan, the popular belief is firm that the King never dies, so in -Turkey the Sovereign is never permitted to imagine that he can grow old; -and thus every officer of the household stains his hair and beard, and -uses all the means with which art or invention can supply him, in order -that no intrusive symptom of age or decay may shock the nerves, and -awaken the regrets of his lord and contemporary—the faded beauties of -the Seraglio are removed from his sight, the past is seldom adverted to, -and the future is considered as his sure and undoubted heritage. - -Never did monarch lend himself to the delicious cheat more lovingly than -Sultan Mahmoud; who, with all his energy of character, is the victim -(for in his case I can apply no other term) of the most consummate -personal vanity. We are accustomed in England to think of George the -Fourth as the _ne plus ultra_ of exquisitism—the Prince of -_Petit-maîtres_—but what will honest John Bull say to a Turkish -Emperor, an Imperial Mussulmaun, who paints white and red, and who -considers himself sufficiently repaid for all the care and anxiety of a -costly toilette, by the admiration and flattery of the ladies of the -Seraglio? And yet such is the case—the Immolator of the Janissaries, -the reformer of a mighty empire, the sovereign of the gravest people -upon earth, is a very “thing of shreds and patches”—a consumer of -cosmetics—an idolater of gauds and toys—the Sacrificing High Priest at -the altar of self-adornment! - -On a recent occasion, having caused his hair (of which he is extremely -vain) to be cut by the court _coiffeur_, he withdrew his _fèz_ and -inquired of his son-in-law, Halil Pasha, if he approved of the style in -which it had been done. The Favorite, with a sincerity which did him -honour, replied that the Imperial Head had been most basely shorn; and -was forthwith desired to display the honours of his own cranium to his -Sublime Highness, who immediately acquiesced in the superior skill of -the artist who had operated upon the Pasha; and desired that, without a -moment’s delay, the happy mortal who had exhibited such distinguished -taste in curling and cutting should be summoned to his presence. - -In five minutes, half a dozen of the palace officers were _en route_ in -search of the _coiffeur_, who was accidentally from home: and it was -not until after a considerable delay that he was discovered, basin in -hand, and razor in grasp, busily engaged in shaving the head of a -grave-looking Armenian, who had already undergone half the operation. -Despite the lathered skull of the customer, and the terrified -deprecations of the _artiste_, the officers, who were utterly ignorant -of the Sultan’s motive for summoning their prisoner, pounced upon him -without mercy, and rather dragged than conducted him to the caïque that -was waiting to convey him to the palace; whither he was followed by the -silent and pitying wonder of the men, and the low wailing of the women. - -On his arrival, he was immediately led into the Imperial presence, where -his trembling knees instinctively bent under him, as he wildly gasped -out his innocence of any and every crime against His Sublime Highness; -he wrung his hands, he implored a mercy for which he scarcely dared to -hope, he writhed in his agony of spirit, expecting nothing less than the -bowstring for some imputed delinquency, and he talked of his wife, and -his young and helpless children so soon to be cast upon the world unless -his life were spared; while the Sultan laid aside his _fèz_, and -prepared his own head for a more simple operation. - -“Peace, fool!” said His Highness at length, “did you not cut the hair -of Halil Pasha?” - -“I did, your Sublime Highness; and to the best of my poor skill,” -faltered out the pale and terrified _artiste_; “have mercy upon my want -of knowledge!” - -“Compose your nerves, and produce your scissors,” returned the Sultan; -“you shall have the distinguished honour of cutting mine, also—to your -task at once.” - -No sooner said than done: men of this craft have been gifted with ready -wit and self-possession, from the days in which the red-robed ghost of -the German barber shaved the adventurous student in the haunted castle; -and ere long His Imperial Highness was cropped and curled to his sublime -satisfaction; and the hairdresser found himself appointed keeper of the -head of the Turkish Empire—a “man of mark”—and returned to his home in -triumph, not only _quitte pour la peur_, but with his wildest visions -realized! - -During the short period that the Sultan remained in the mosque, the -scene around us was far from unamusing: the horses were paraded to and -fro; the troops rested on their arms, and conversed freely with each -other; the officers, breaking through the spell that had lately bound -them, resumed their stroll and their scrutiny; and many a glance was -directed towards our little party, for which we were indebted to the -curiosity of their Imperial Master. Then came a rush from the great -entrance of the mosque; and, when a host of red-capped and turbaned -Turks had issued forth, the Chèïk-Islam slowly descended the steps, and -departed in the same state as he had come. The horses were led back into -their ranks; the military shouldered their muskets; and once more the -Seraskier Pasha with his train of attendants paced slowly along the -line. - -Those officers who were of sufficiently high grade to attract his -attention made their graceful obeisance, first laying their right hand -upon their lips, and then upon their foreheads, and bowing down nearly -to the earth; while the Pashas, who were not of a rank elevated enough -to appear mounted before the Sultan, moved amid the throng, with their -diamond orders and embroidered sword-belts glittering in the light. -Among these was Namik Pasha, whom I had known in England, and who -approached the carriage to greet me, while the Seraskier reined up his -horse beneath the window of a house that overlooked the scene, and paid -his compliments to Madame de Boutenieff, who sat surrounded by -secretaries and _attachés_. - -One by one, all the Pashas re-appeared, and, having saluted each other -with a ceremonious etiquette that distinctly marked their respective -ranks, they marshalled themselves round the gateway according to their -precedence of power; and then it was that I particularly remarked the -unpleasant effect of their ungloved hands, so utterly inconsistent, -according to European ideas, with the magnificence of all the other -details of their costume. - -By a happy, though not altogether singular, coincidence, the husband of -one of the princesses, and the intended husband of the other, are both -the adopted sons of the old Seraskier; and as they took their places on -either side of him, they naturally excited considerable attention. - -Halil Pasha is a good-looking man, but clumsily and ungracefully made, -with a grave expression of countenance; which, if report speak truly, -the temper of his Imperial helpmate is not calculated to gladden. - -Having mentioned the Princess Salihè, I may as well introduce in this -place a little anecdote, for whose veracity my informant pledged -himself. Her Imperial Highness, on one occasion, only a few months back, -chanced to pass in her araba by a coffee-kiosk, in which a party of -Ulemas, about thirty in number, were gravely smoking their chibouks. It -chanced that no individual among them remarked the approach of the -Imperial carriage; and they consequently all remained seated, as though -the owner of the equipage had not been the Cousin of the Sun and Moon, -and herself one of the principal constellations. The rage of the -Princess was unbounded; and she instantly despatched one of her -_kavashlir_ for an armed guard, to whom she gave orders to convey the -whole party to the palace of the Seraskier, to receive the bastinado for -the want of respect which they had displayed towards her sacred person. -To hear was to obey; and forthwith the thirty Ulemas, members of the -most powerful body of men now existing in the Empire, were marched off -to the Seraskier; to whom, on their appearance in the court of the -palace, it was immediately announced that a formidable group of Ulemas, -attended by a number of soldiers, were approaching, as if to demand an -audience of His Excellency. - -The Seraskier, anxious as to the purport of their visit, ordered that -they should instantly be admitted; and, suspicious of some popular -discontent, resolved upon giving them a most courteous reception; when -he was struck dumb by the intelligence that they were prisoners sent to -receive the punishment of their crime! For a moment even the Seraskier -was at fault; but, suddenly looking towards them with a smiling -countenance, and affecting not to remark the lowering brows of the -outraged professors—“Her Imperial Highness has condescended to make -merry with me,” he said gaily. “She threatened that I should pay dear -for some unpalatable advice that I ventured to give her, and you are to -be the medium of her vengeance. I comprehend the jest, and must abide by -her good pleasure.” Then, turning to his purse-bearer, he desired him to -count out one hundred piastres to each individual, which was accordingly -done, and the discomfited Ulemas left the palace. - -But the affair might have proved to be the very reverse of a jest in its -consequences, and this the Pasha well knew when he ventured to set at -nought the orders of the princess; and he accordingly lost no time in -obtaining an audience of the Sultan, to whom he explained the whole -circumstance. His Highness, after commenting gaily on the expedient of -the Seraskier, and causing steps to be taken to ascertain that the -aggrieved parties harboured no thoughts or designs of revenge, sent a -stern message to his Imperial daughter, in which he warned her not to -attempt on any future occasion to bastinado his learned and faithful -subjects, thirty at a time. - -Saïd Pasha, the affianced bridegroom of the Princess Mihirmàh, is -decidedly the handsomest man at court, as well as one of the youngest; -he has fine eyes, a prominent and well-shaped nose, and a smile of -peculiar sweetness. - -A burst of martial music again warned us of the approach of the Sultan; -and, as he moved along upon his proud steed, which tossed its -party-coloured plumes and flashing jewels in the clear sunshine, he -turned towards us another look and another smile—and, in a few minutes, -nothing of the pageant remained with us save its memory; if, indeed, I -except the band, whose thrilling music, as they marched past, startled -our horses, which began to rear and kick in so inconvenient a manner -that we were glad to drive off; and, taking our way through “The Valley -of the Sweet Waters,” along the banks of the sparkling Barbyses, and -past the Imperial Kiosks, that rise like fairy palaces from the soft -turf of that lovely spot, we returned, amid the freshness and beauty of -a quiet day in Spring, to our residence at Pera. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - - The Military College—Achmet Pasha and Azmi Bey—Study of Azmi - Bey—His grateful Memories of England and the English—The - Establishment—The Lithographic Presses—Extemporaneous - Poetry—Halls of Study—Number of Students—Mathematical - Hall—The Sultan’s Gallery—The Mosque—The Mufti—The Turkish - Creed—The Imperial Closet—The Gallery of the Imperial - Suite—The Retiring-Room—The Printing-Office—The - Hospital—The Refectory—The Professor of Fortification—Negro - Officers—Moral Condition of the College—Courtesy of the - Officers—Deficiencies of the Professors—The Turks a Reading - People—Object of the Institution—Reasons of its - Failure—Smiling Enemies—Forlorn Hope—Russian - Influence—Saduk Agha—Achmet Pasha—Azmi Bey—Apology for my - Prolixity. - -The Military College, which, from its extent, and the lavish liberality -of its arrangements, may well be termed a princely establishment, -occupies the crest of a hill immediately above the Imperial palace of -Dolma Batché, signifying the “Valley of Gourds”—and the tall minaret of -its mosque shoots upwards into the blue heaven with the grace and -lightness of a sky-winged arrow; while the gilded crescent in the centre -of the dome reflects back the sparkling sunbeams as they flash upon its -glittering surface. - -As I had brought an introductory letter to Achmet Pasha, the governor, -and had been personally acquainted in London with Azmi Bey, the -Military Commandant, and, in fact, Principal of the Institution, I -experienced no difficulty whatever in obtaining permission to pay it a -visit; and I accordingly proceeded thither, accompanied by my father and -a couple of friends, who were, like myself, anxious to form a correct -opinion of the establishment. - -We were met at the great entrance by the young Bey himself, who welcomed -us with the most sincere cordiality; and, offering me his arm with a -ready politeness quite European, he conducted us to his private -apartment, or, perhaps, I should rather call it, study. This very -cheerful and comfortable room, situated at an angle of the building, and -commanding two magnificent points of view, was thickly hung with English -and French engravings, principally interiors of our metropolitan -buildings, college-halls, theatres, and other places of public resort, -highly coloured—a large stove gave forth an agreeable warmth—the -window seats were strown with books and papers—a few maps were lying -upon a side table—a curious collection of volumes was gathered together -in a small bookcase—and the apartment had altogether a more furnished -and snug look than any which I had yet seen inhabited by a Turk—there -were flowers also in a glass vase; and a paper-presser on which a -sleeping Cupid lay stretched listlessly among his fabled roses—the -souvenir of an European friend. - -We remained some time talking over past days, and I was sincerely -pleased by the fond and grateful manner in which he spoke of England, -and his English acquaintance. He reminded me of several little by-gone -incidents, inquired for particular individuals, and exhibited a warmth -of feeling and interest in the past for which I was scarcely prepared. -During the conversation, tea was handed to us in the Russian fashion by -his dragoman, attended by two negro slaves, and after partaking of it we -commenced our survey of the establishment. - -[Illustration: Miss Pardoe del. - -Day & Haghe Lith^{rs}. to the King. - -THE MILITARY COLLEGE. - -_Pub^d. by Henry Colburn, 13 G^t. Marlborough S^t._] - -The main building forms three sides of a square, and the centre of the -fourth is occupied by an elegant kiosk-like edifice, containing the -lithographic presses. Here we found an individual designing a very -neatly-ornamented sheet-almanac, of which he had sketched the border -with great delicacy. All the machinery is English, and appears to be in -constant use. I have omitted to mention that, before we quitted the -apartment of Azmi Bey, he presented to us several of the Professors, who -entered to pay their respects. Among these, the most remarkable was -Saduk Agha, a Prussian renegade, who speaks French, Italian, and Turkish -fluently, and has a considerable knowledge of English. After conversing -with him for some time on the merits of lithography, and examining a -number of drawings, principally military figures, that had been executed -by the pupils of the establishment, and were many of them of -considerable merit; he joined his entreaties to those of Azmi Bey that I -would write a few lines as evidence of my visit, which they might put -under the press. Finding that they were both determined to succeed, and -not considering the point worthy of contention, I complied with the -request, not a little amused at my first appearance in print in Turkey: -and I much doubt whether any thing that I have hitherto written, am now -writing, or may hereafter write, will ever be read and re-read with so -much apparent _gusto_ as the half dozen lines of doggrel verse which I -improvised on a scrap of torn paper, _sur la plante des pieds_, -surrounded by about a score of Turkish spectators. - -From this point, we proceeded to the inner or garden court, of which one -side is laid out in a parterre inclosure, the centre being occupied by -the mosque, and the extreme end terminated by the two great halls of -study. We entered the first of these by a noble flight of stone steps, -and found ourselves in an apartment of vast extent, admirably lighted, -and arranged with the most perfect order and conveniency. Thickly set -rows of high-backed benches of stained wood extended the whole depth of -the hall, leaving a passage on either side just sufficiently wide for -the ingress and egress of visitors; and the first ranges of seats were -occupied by about one hundred and fifty of the junior pupils, who were -busily employed in tracing upon their slates the elegant characters of -their language, as sentence after sentence was slowly declaimed by the -head boy of the class. This department of the institution is on the -Lancastrian system. - -There are at present only three hundred students on the establishment; a -report having been promulgated by its enemies that an attempt would be -made to interfere with their religious tenets; in consequence of which -many parents declined sending their sons: the only answer of the -Governors to this calumny has been to compel the attendance of the boys -three times a day at the mosque; a tolerably convincing proof that they -entertain no anti-Mohammedan partialities. - -As the School is expressly intended as a nursery for the army, all the -ambition of the students is made to bear upon that point: extraordinary -application, or regularity of conduct, is recompensed by a step of -military rank; and thus, should the intention of the authorities ever be -borne out, a youth of talent and good conduct may hereafter quit the -college as an officer, and thus commence his actual career of life, -where many of his predecessors have terminated their’s. - -Having traversed the Lancastrian class, we reached the mathematical -hall, where a considerable number of young men were busily engaged in -colouring ground-plans of the surrounding country. The lower end of this -stately apartment forms a deep bay, round which rows of seats are -arranged amphitheatrically, having in the midst of them a table whereon -are placed globes, charts, and all the requisites for study. The other -extremity of the hall is terminated by a raised gallery, intended for -the use of the Sultan, above which hangs his portrait in oils, executed -by an Armenian artist, harsh, and crude, and wiry, as though it had been -the production of a Chinese easel, and surmounted by a most elaborate -drapery. Beneath the portrait is stretched a noble map of the -Archipelago, the Sea of Marmora, and the Bosphorus. An electrifying -machine, and a large map of America, an immense table, and the desks and -seats of the students, made up the remainder of the furniture; and the -apartment itself was by far the finest that I had yet seen in the -country. - -The next point of curiosity was the mosque; and I was no less surprised -than gratified at the readiness with which Azmi Bey acceded to our -desire of visiting it. The outer apartment, or vestibule, was covered -with fine Indian matting, and before we traversed it the Bey requested -my father to put off his boots, though he made no objection to my -retaining my slippers. As we reached the door which opened into the body -of the mosque, I perceived that we had arrived during the prayers. The -High Priest sat with his arms folded above his ample robe; his dark brow -surmounted by a turban of the sacred green, and his feet doubled under -him, in a recess facing the entrance, chanting in a nasal and monotonous -drawl; while a very slender congregation was scattered over the floor, -squatted upon the rich carpets that covered it. But we no sooner made -our appearance than the Mufti rose and quitted the mosque, followed by -his little flock; and we were left in quiet possession of the elegant -temple whence they had so hastily withdrawn. - -The faith of the Musselmauns is that of love, not fear: to believe in -One GOD, and to be charitable—and who shall deny that it is a -comprehensive creed? The mosque in which we stood was the very -embodiment of such a worship—the sunshine streamed through its many -windows upon the most delicate fresco-painting, the brightest and -richest of carpets, and the glittering lattices of the Imperial closet. -The only dark object that met the eye was a curtain of olive-coloured -cloth, surrounded by a bordering of flowers, delicately worked in tinted -silks, which veiled the entrance of the marble steps leading to the -pulpit—all beside was dazzlingly bright, and it was almost with regret -that I returned into the vestibule, in order to ascend to the Sultan’s -gallery. - -A small hall and a handsome flight of stairs, closely covered with -English carpeting, conducted us to an elegant anti-room, from which four -doors, veiled by draperies of dove-coloured cloth heavily fringed, -opened into as many apartments, appropriated to the Sultan and his -suite. - -The Imperial closet is richly hung with gold-coloured draperies, that -fling a sunset glow on the surrounding objects: a magnificent sofa -occupies one side of the room, and the floor is covered with a Brussels -carpet. Portions of the gilded lattice open and shut at pleasure; and -the whole has so perfectly Oriental an effect, that you involuntarily -think of Scheherazade and her fable-loving Sultan; and forget the -sanctity of the place, while contemplating the luxury of its -arrangement. - -The gallery appropriated to the Imperial suite adjoins the closet, and -beyond this is the retiring-room of the Sultan, wherein he performs his -ablutions, previously to the commencement of the service. It is less -gorgeous in its general effect than the closet, but commands a noble -view of the Bosphorus, and the Sea of Marmora. - -On leaving the mosque, we descended by a flight of stone steps into the -vaults beneath it, to visit the printing-office, where all was activity: -compositors were setting the types—“devils” were guiding the -rollers—lads were folding the printed sheets—and binders were -stitching them into volumes. Every thing was clean, and orderly, and -well conducted. - -We next made a tour of the hospital; and, had not two of the beds been -tenanted, I should have quitted the establishment, if not with a firm -conviction, at least with a very strong suspicion, that it was intended -merely for show, it was so delicately clean and so beautifully arranged. - -At the head of the stairs was the receiving-room of the surgeon; and -beyond this, on either side of the gallery, were the laboratory and the -surgery, their doors veiled with white muslin, and every article in its -place; the dormitories, which are only two in number, each capable of -containing about a score of patients, were carpeted along the centre; -the beds were tastefully draperied with muslin: and a small table stood -near each pillow; while along the cornice of the ceiling were suspended, -at regular distances, small tablets, whereon were inscribed the names of -the different diseases to be treated in the ward. - -The refectory was perfectly European in its aspect, surrounded by long -narrow tables and benches, and well supplied with plates, spoons, -forks, and soup-ladles. As we entered, Azmi Bey looked towards us -confidently for applause. He had truly worked a goodly reform in Turkish -habits, when he taught each boy to put his fork into his own plate, -instead of plunging his fingers into the dish of the community! Nor did -we fail to compliment him on the change. - -By the time that we had completed our survey of the Establishment, our -“tail” would have been no contemptible rival to that of Mr. -O’Connell—every Professor and Officer connected with the Institution -having made his bow, and joined the party. And not the least conspicuous -of the number was the Professor of Fortification, who, besides being a -Creole, had one of the most frightful and resolute squints I ever had -the misfortune to meet with; and the Captain of the Guard, a very -corpulent and consequential negro. Black officers and soldiers are, -however, common in Turkey, where a man’s colour is never construed into -an objection to profit by his services, nor an excuse for leaving them -unrewarded. - -Having described in detail the external arrangements of the Military -College of Turkey, it now remains for me to advert to its moral -condition, and this is truly a melancholy task; for, rich as I have -shown it to be in all the outward attributes necessary to such an -Establishment, it is utterly destitute of the more essential requisites -for insuring the important end of its foundation. - -Care and cost have been lavished upon it unsparingly: it is a favourite -toy of the Sultan—a subject of ceaseless thought and interest to Achmet -Pasha, to whose immediate control it has been entrusted—the one -engrossing object of Azmi Bey’s solicitude—the Great National -Scholastic Establishment—the nursery for the Imperial Army. But, alas! -despite all these advantages, it is like the Statue of Pygmalion ere it -was warmed to life—a body without a soul—matter without mind—a -splendid machine, without a competent and practised hand to call forth -its powers, and to work out its effects! - -To the courtesy of the several individuals immediately connected with -the Institution, I have already borne testimony; nor does a doubt exist -in my own mind of their sincere zeal for its welfare and prosperity. -But, unhappily, the best intentions, and the most earnest enthusiasm, -must fail to compensate the painful deficiency of that talent and -experience necessary to its success. Could sentiment be deepened into -science, and inclination be wrought into ability, the Military College -would take high ground; for the students are eager in the pursuit of -knowledge, but, where the means are limited, the effects must be -comparatively inconsequent: and it is a melancholy truth that the -untiring application, the admirable docility, and the promising talents -of the pupils, can only conduct them to a certain point, beyond which -their best efforts will not enable them to progress unassisted. This is -more particularly the fact as regards the youth of Turkey, from the -circumstance of their being by nature imitative rather than inventive; -and, moreover, not possessing those opportunities of observation and -individual research which lead the students of Europe to rely in no -trifling degree upon their own mental resources. - -In our western world the wings of Genius are never clipped—the sunny -path of Talent is never overshadowed—the calm brow of Science is never -clouded—by a deficiency in the means of further improvement, -encouragement, and support. But Education, as we comprehend the term, is -yet in its first infancy in Turkey; and should the same evil influence -which is now blighting with its Upas breath the Ottoman atmosphere be -long suffered to exhale its poisonous properties, it is certain to -annihilate all power of improvement. - -Perhaps, with the single exception of Great Britain, there exists not in -the world a more reading nation than Turkey. I have no doubt that this -assertion will startle many individuals in Europe, who have been -accustomed, and, indeed, led to believe, that the natives of the East -are, as a people, plunged in the profoundest ignorance. It is, -nevertheless, a fact that nearly every man throughout the Empire can -read and write, and that there are at this moment upwards of eight -thousand children scattered through the different schools of the -capital. But the studies of the Osmanlis of both sexes have, with some -few exceptions, hitherto been confined to the Koran, and to works of an -inconsequent and useless description; the mere plaything of an idle -hour, incapable of inspiring one novel idea, or of leaving upon the mind -impressions calculated to exalt or to enlighten it. - -The object of such an Institution as a Public School was undoubtedly to -widen the mental views, and to enlarge the tastes of the youth of -Turkey. But, in order to effect this very desirable end, it was -requisite that the soundest judgment should be exercised in the -selection of the individuals to whom were committed its different -departments of literature and science, and this was unfortunately far -from being the case; the internal economy of the Establishment having -been entrusted to persons so decidedly incompetent that, with every -desire to do their duty, they have erred, from their utter ignorance of -the extent of the task which they have undertaken, or which has been -forced upon them. - -As far as the different Professors are capable of so doing, they have -directed the studies and formed the tastes of the students; but the -young and ardent mind, thirsting after knowledge, and earnest in its -acquirement, demands assistance as progressive as its own advancement. -The fresh and buoyant spirit requires external aid, at once able and -judicious, to support its vigour, and to strengthen its yet unpractised -wing. And where these fail, where the shadow is alone furnished, while -the substance is wanting, what can be expected from the comparatively -unassisted efforts of young and unformed intellects, that have not -simply to struggle onward towards a goal to be attained only by their -best energies; but also to contend against, and to cast from them, a -crowd of early prejudices and associations—while they are destitute of -the assistance of more experienced and mature talents, upon which to -fall back, when they have themselves just acquired sufficient knowledge -to feel their own deficiencies? - -Let it not be believed for an instant that the Turks, had they been left -to the free exercise of their own good sense and reflection, are so -obtuse as not to have made the discovery that the progress of the pupils -was necessarily retarded by the inexperience and incompetency of the -preceptors. He who judges thus hastily will wrong them. Already had the -suspicion sprung up in their minds—already did those on whom the -authority for so doing more particularly devolved suggest the -expediency of procuring, from Europe, men of talent, science, and -judgment, capable of sustaining the credit of the Establishment. But the -project was crushed in the bud; negatived on its first suggestion; set -aside by a single sentence; _that_ sentence which has become -all-powerful in Constantinople—and thus the ruin of the Institution is -already sealed by the incapacity of its professors, the prejudices of -its enemies, and the lavish and deceitful encomiums of its false -friends. - -Achmet Pasha has been told that never did establishment prosper like the -Military College of Constantinople. A foreign minister has declared it -perfect; and obsequious secretaries and _attachés_ have raised their -hands and eyes in almost religious wonder. Compliments have been -lavished on the meagre talents of the masters, and smiles have veiled -their deficiencies. And thus, flattered into a belief of their own -sufficiency on the one hand, and misled by misstatements on the other, -the influential individuals connected with the unhappy College have -abandoned it to the ruin which must ultimately, and at no distant -period, overtake it; from the hopeless incapacity of a set of men, who, -familiar with the name of every science under Heaven, are most of them -profoundly ignorant of all save the first rudiments of each; and who -are, consequently, ill calculated to work that great moral change so -ardently desired by all the true friends of Turkey. - -I put forth this assertion boldly, because I have convinced myself of -its justice; and if—after having stated the eagerness with which the -students seek to acquire information, the care and cost that have been -lavished on the College itself, and the zeal and untiring watchfulness -of those to whose charge it has been intrusted—I am asked the simple -question of wherefore this great National Institution is crippled in so -senseless and ruinous a manner by the appointment of inefficient -individuals to its most important and responsible posts, the answer is -ready—It is the will of Russia! - -The growth of knowledge is the destruction of tyranny and oppression: it -is the moral axe struck to the core of the wide-spreading Banian of -usurpation and encroachment—it is the light of mind, dispelling the -darkness of prejudice and falsehood. - -Were Turkey once roused to a perfect estimate of her own moral power, -she must inevitably cast off the web that has been slowly and craftily -woven about her; and which, should no friendly hand disentangle its -intricate threads ere it be yet too late, must ultimately fetter her -strength beyond all power of resuscitation. To do this she must take an -enlarged and correct view of her position—she must be able to -appreciate her just value among the nations—she must be capable of -combating sophistry with caution, and craft with calculative wisdom. -This power she can only acquire by placing herself upon a mental -equality with more civilized Europe; by training up her youth to habits -of reflection and scientific research; by awakening within their breasts -the generous emulation of excellence; and by opening before them paths -of honour and advancement, no longer to be trodden by the weak foot of -chance, but sacred to superior merit and superior genius. - -All this must Turkey accomplish ere she can once again be great and -free. And it is to prevent this that the subtle policy of her archenemy, -Russia, strains every nerve, and exerts every energy—the blandishments -of a flattery, to which she is constitutionally too susceptible for her -real welfare—the threats of a strength beneath which she is -unfortunately already bowed almost to the dust—for should some generous -spark of honour be aroused to resistance, there is the unanswerable -declaration—_L’Empereur le veut!_ beyond which there is no appeal. - -Thus Russia looked upon the College with a jealous eye—it might, if -suffered to progress towards perfection unchecked, ultimately become a -great moral engine in the hands of the Turkish government: and this was, -of course, not to be permitted. The Russian Legation consequently took -an overwhelming and most generous interest in all the details of the -establishment; laughed to scorn the necessity of European science and -European assistance, where native talent was so rife—employed her -creatures in writing complimentary and fulsome panegyrics on the -Institution, which were lithographed at the school, and translated for -the Sultan; and, in short, administered such copious draughts of -flattery to all connected with the establishment, that their soporific -effects are painfully apparent in the quiet, self-gratulatory, smiling -satisfaction of those, who, while they believe that they are nursing the -new-born Institution into vigour, are actually closing their encircling -arms so tightly about its throat that they are strangling it in its -first weakness. - -The School has but one hope—and that is unhappily faint and afar off. -There are now between thirty and forty promising young men studying in -Europe, who may perchance one day be enabled to effect its -resuscitation. But years must elapse ere the most gifted pupils are -eligible to become preceptors: and before those years are past, what may -be the fate of Turkey? England must resolve the question. - -At present it is certain that the Military College is indirectly under -Russian control and patronage; all the professors having been selected -openly or covertly by themselves. And thus, one individual, for the -limited remuneration of about £200 a year, not having the fear of -ridicule before his eyes, gravely undertakes to impart to his pupils the -knowledge of some half dozen sciences, among which geography and -astronomy are far from being the most profound or conspicuous. - -Saduk Agha, of whom I have already spoken, is a man of distinguished -abilities, who, had he been suffered to do so, might have materially -assisted the studies of the pupils; but this point would have been too -mighty for Russian policy to concede; and, as it was not judged prudent -to exclude him altogether, and thus draw down remarks which might have -proved inconvenient, his services were secured at a salary of £150 a -year, to teach the Prussian game entitled _Le Jeu de Guerre_, which is a -species of dissected military map, put together precisely like the -puzzles used by children in England. - -Achmet Pasha, (to whom, as I have already remarked, the superintendence -of the Institution has been immediately confided), however much he may -desire its prosperity, has scarcely time, talent, or opportunity, (as I -think it will be conceded when I have enumerated his multitudinous -avocations) to give to it the care and attention which it requires from -its Principal; or to bestow upon it that watchful _surveillance_ so -necessary to the prosperity of an Establishment for youth. He is Grand -Chamberlain—Generalissimo of the Imperial Guard—Governor of the -Military College—Director of the Roads—Grand Master of the -Artillery—Head of the Police—Inspector of Naval Architecture—_pro -tempore_ Lord of the Admiralty, and Governor of Natolia—in short, he -either is, or requires to be, an universal genius. - -Azmi Bey, the Military Commandant, with a zeal which retains him a -willing prisoner almost constantly within the walls of the college, and -an enthusiasm that neither difficulties nor disappointments have yet -quenched, is, nevertheless, too young and too inexperienced to be equal -to meet efficiently the weighty responsibility that has been thrust upon -him; and for which he is indebted to a quickness of observation, an -ardent desire of improvement, and a facility of imitation, called forth -and developed by his brief residence in Europe. All that he was -competent to effect, he has already accomplished; for he has reduced to -order the chaos of conflicting prejudices and associations, and habits, -which met him, Hydra-headed, on the very threshold of his task. From his -limited experience of European feelings and manners, he has also -profited sufficiently to enable him to adopt much that was worthy of -imitation; while, on the other hand, he has judiciously rejected much of -which the utility and desirableness were at best problematical. The -easy, I may almost say, affectionate manner of all around him convince -you at once that he is gentle in his rule; while the earnestness with -which he interests himself in the most minute details connected with the -Establishment is an equal proof of his unfeigned desire for its success. -But the brevity of his European sojourn, and the confusion of ideas, and -hurry of mind, consequent on a residence in London during the height of -the season—the rapidity with which he was whirled from military and -naval colleges to railroads and manufactories, from museums and -libraries to public gardens and theatres—could scarcely, even with the -most ceaseless efforts on his own part, have afforded opportunities for -study, or time for reflection and research, calculated to render him the -efficient mainspring of so complicated and delicate a piece of machinery -as a great National Academy. - -I fear that I have been prolix on the subject of this interesting -Establishment, which might have become a moral sceptre in the hand of a -future Sultan, and which is now “a vain shadow” and “a whitewashed -sepulchre;” but it is impossible not to feel deeply the cruel wrong -committed by the false sophisms of a smiling enemy, towards a confiding -and unsuspicious people; yet was my sympathy unmingled with surprise. -Did not Russia refuse to allow the Porte to ratify the engagements -entered into by Reschid Bey with the European officers whom he had -selected for the service of the Sultan? And was it probable that she -would permit a nearer and a more certain danger without an effort to -annihilate it? - -One more question, and I have done. Will the traveller in Turkey, fifty -years hence, have any thing to tell of the Military College of -Constantinople? Alas! I doubt it. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - - Invitation from Mustapha Pasha of Scodra—The Caïque, and the - Caïquejhes—How to Travel in a Caïque—Hasty - Glances—Self-Gratulation—Scutari—Imperial Superstition—The - Seraglio Point—Dolma Batchè—Beshiktash—The Turning - Dervishes—Beglièrbey—The Kiosks—A Dilemma—A Ruined - Palace—An Introduction—A Turkish Beauty—A Discovery—A New - Acquaintance—The Buyuk Hanoum—Fatiguing Walk—Palace of - Mustapha Pasha—The Harem—Turkish Dyes—Ceremonies of - Reception—Turkish Establishment—The Buyuk Hanoum—Turkish - Chaplets—The Imperial Firman—Pearls, Rubies, and - Emeralds—The Favourite Odalique—Heyminè Hanoum—A - Conversation on Politics—Scodra Pasha—Singular - Coincidence—Convenience of the Turkish Kitchen—Luxury of the - Table—Coquetry of the Chibouk—Turkish Mode of Lighting the - Apartments—Gentleness towards the Slaves—Interesting - Reminiscences—Domestic Details—Dilaram Hanoum—A Paragraph on - Pearls—A Turkish Mirror—A Summons—Scodra Pasha—Motives for - Revolt—The Imperial Envoy—Submission—Ready Wit of the - Pasha’s Son—The Reception Room—Personal Appearance of the - Scodra Pasha—Inconvenient Courtesy—Conversation on - England—Philosophy—Pleasant Dreams—The Plague-Smitten. - -Accompanied by a Greek lady of my acquaintance, I embarked one fine -morning on board our caïque, to pay a visit to the wife and daughter of -Mustapha Pasha of Scodra. As his palace was situated in a distant -quarter of the city, and we were anxious to avoid the necessity of -rattling over the rude and broken pavement of the streets in an araba, -we resolved to stretch out beyond the Seraglio Point; and, following -the walls that are now crumbling into ruin along the coast, disembark at -Yani-capu, or the New Gate pier. - -Our sturdy rowers accordingly bent to their oars, and the arrowy caïque -shot across the port, and out into the wider sea beyond, like a wild -bird. The boatmen were clad in their summer garb, for the sunshine lay -bright upon the water, and scarcely a breath of air murmured among the -dark branches of the cypress groves. They wore shirts of silk gauze, of -about the thickness of mull-muslin, with large hanging sleeves, and -bordered round the breast with a narrow scallopping of needlework; their -ample trowsers were of white cotton, and their shaven heads were only -partially covered by small skull-caps of red cloth, with pendent tassels -of purple silk; their feet were bare. - -My companion and myself occupied cushions spread along the bottom of the -boat: the most comfortable, as well as the safest way to travel in a -caïque, which, from its peculiar formation, is liable to be overset by -the slightest imprudence; while our Greek servant, with his legs folded -under him, was seated on the raised stern of the boat, immediately -behind us. - -What pretty peeps we had of the Seraglio gardens, as we shot along; -through the many latticed openings contrived for the gratification of -the fair prisoners. What magnificent glimpses of domes and minarets, of -bursting foliage, of marble fountains, and of gilded kiosks! But, alas! -how vain must have been all the luxurious inventions of the most -luxurious of Sultans, to insure happiness to the tenants of this painted -prison! I looked around me on the sea-birds that were sporting upon the -wave—above me, to the fleecy clouds that were sailing over the blue -ether—far into the distance where a shoal of dolphins were gamboling -almost above the water; and, as I felt the motion of the swift caïque, -while it was gently heaved up and down by the current of the sea of -Marmora, and saw how rapidly we sped along, I breathed a silent -thanksgiving that _I_ too was free! Free to come and to go—to love or -to reject—to gaze in turn upon every bright and beautiful scene of -nature, untrammelled, and unquestioned—that no Sultan could frown me -into submission—no Kislar Agha frighten me into hypocrisy—in short, -that I was not born a subject of his Sublime Highness, Mahmoud the -Powerful. - -On our left, rose the lordly mountain of Bulgurlhu Dagi, above Scutari, -whose shores were fringed with country-houses, and hanging gardens; -gradually deepening into a sterner character as they receded from the -Bosphorus, and lifting to the sky the palace-like barrack, and the -elegant Persian kiosk of the Sultan. The present Sovereign has a -superstition derived from an astrologer whom he consulted in his youth, -that, while he is constructing Imperial residences, he is sure to be -fortunate in his other undertakings; and hence he is continually adding -to the almost countless numbers of palaces and kiosks, that occupy the -loveliest spots throughout the vicinity of the capital. - -The most extensive and ancient of these is that which is situated at the -entrance of the harbour, and gives its name to the “Seraglio Point,” the -walls of the Imperial Seraï running, as I have already mentioned, far -along the coast. On the opposite shore is the small but elegant palace -of Scutari, with its bowery terraces, which are overlooked by the -Sultan’s principal residence of Dolma Batchè; and you may shoot an arrow -from the many-coloured and irregularly constructed palace of Dolma -Batchè to the vast edifice now building on the same border of the -Bosphorus, with infinitely less taste and more architectural -pretension—although, with true Eastern inconsistency, the whole of the -stupendous palace above Beshiktash, save the foundation, is of wood, -surrounded by a colonnade, supported on stately columns of white marble. - -This palace, of which the expence is estimated at a million sterling, -has been already a considerable time in progress; and is erected on a -locality that was partly occupied by a beautiful kiosk of Sultan Selim, -and partly by a Tekiè and Chapel of Turning Dervishes. - -These latter, with a tenacity altogether incompatible with our European -ideas of a despotic government, resolutely refused to quit their -convent, when the plan of the new palace which rendered their ejection -indispensable was explained to them. They had come to a resolution not -to move—their mausoleum contained the holy ashes of a saint, and, in -short, they were determined to measure their strength with the Sultan. -Accordingly, raising the cry of sacrilege, they continued snugly within -their convent walls, which were soon overtopped by the Imperial pile -that rose gradually on either side of them. - -But Sultan Mahmoud was born a century too late to be thus baffled—the -work went on; and he bore the opposition to his will with most exemplary -patience so long as it did not retard the operations of his architects. -But, when the moment at length arrived which rendered expedient the -removal of the fraternity, he claimed from the Chèïk Islam, or High -Priest, his permission to expel them; and, having failed in procuring -it, quietly mounted his horse, and rode up to the convent gate. The -Chief Dervish met him on the threshold, and the dialogue was brief:— - -“Your Tekiè occupies the ground necessary to the completion of my -palace:—you must vacate it.” - -“We guard the sepulchre of a saint, may it please your Sublime -Highness.” - -“My pleasure is your immediate removal—I have provided a place of -reception for your community.” - -“We are not strong enough to contend against your Imperial will. We -obey.” And the fraternity were put in possession of an extensive -edifice, lately occupied by the Court Jester! - -By a strange chance, this house was situated immediately under the holy -tomb which had afforded to the Dervishes their principal pretext for -disobedience to the Imperial mandate; and the Sultan adroitly availed -himself of the fact to impress upon them the eligibility of the -situation, pointing out, with a solemnity worthy of the occasion, that -it was more decent for them to be domesticated on the very spot -consecrated by the remains of the illustrious deceased, than at the -distance of a furlong, as had hitherto been the case. The observation -was a happy one, and the remark unanswerable; and the fraternity were -fain to affect accordance with the sentiment, however inconvenient its -effects. - -Immediately opposite, seated upon the Asian shore, like a regal beauty -contemplating her gorgeousness in the clear mirror of the Bosphorus, -rises the summer palace of Beglièrbey—with its walls of pale gold and -dead white; the prettiest and most fanciful of all the Imperial -residences, and rendered doubly agreeable by its spacious gardens and -overhanging groves. - -But the kiosks! Who shall number the kiosks! those gilt-latticed, -many-formed, and graceful toys, which seem as though they had been -rained from the sky during an hour of sunshine—see them on the heights -of the Asian shore—seek them in the depths of the “Valley of Sweet -Waters”—count them as they rise at short distances along the walls of -the Seraï—pause a moment to admire their fairy-like beauty as you -gallop through some lovely glen, so wild and solitary that you almost -fancied yourself to have been the first who has ever explored its -recesses—any where, every where, you come upon them; and they are so -neatly kept, so brightly gilt, and so gaily painted, that they look like -gigantic flowers scattered over the landscape. - -But back, my truant fancy, to the sea of Marmora, and the shores of -Scutari; where the light caïque is bounding over the heaving waters, and -Mount Olympus, with its crown of snow, is summoning you to memories of -the days when, if Gods indeed were not, men lent them life! Back to the -hoary walls of Byzantium—to the lingering relics of the Ancient -Romans—to the City of the True Believers! - -We passed the little bay of Cum-capu, or Sandport, and our caïque -shortly afterwards shot into the creek of Yani-capu; but we had not left -the boat five minutes when we became suspicious that the servant was not -altogether so familiar with the road leading to the palace of the Pasha -as he had professed to be. Nor were our suspicions erroneous; for, after -leading us up one street and down another; along the foot of the -Aqueduct of Justinian; and amid the blackened remains of the last great -fire, he fairly confessed that he had lost his way. - -In this dilemma, we took a guide, who assured us that he was as familiar -with the palace of the Scodra Pasha as with his own house, and so he -proved to be; though the trifling inconvenience that ensued convinced us -that we were as far from our object as ever. After threading a vast -number of narrow streets, each more filthy than the last, we at length -reached one which, built on a steep acclivity, boasted a somewhat more -comfortable and cleanly appearance; the houses were larger and better -kept, and the shops less frequent and more respectable. Our guide -stopped before a pair of great gates about half way up the hill, and, -seizing the knocker, gave very audible evidence of our wish for -admittance; after which he pocketed his piastres, and withdrew. - -On the opening of the gate, we found ourselves in a small covered court, -choked with rubbish. A house, literally “tottering to its fall,” and -propped on the garden side with heavy pieces of timber, presented itself -as the palace of the Pasha; and the door of the harem, which one rude -blow would have shivered to atoms, was immediately before us. - -We looked at each other in wonder; but, as the servant who had given us -admittance assured us that we had made no mistake, which we were not -only inclined, but really anxious to believe that we had done, we -desired to be conducted to the Buyuk Hanoum. A loud blow on the door of -the harem, most portentously echoed by the void beyond, was instantly -answered by the appearance of a tall, bony, grinning negress; who, -having bade us welcome, invited us to follow her to her mistress. - -The stairs by which we ascended to the harem creaked and quivered -beneath our weight; the window that lighted them was uncurtained, and -its missing panes were replaced by rags and paper—there was no matting -upon the floor of the empty, chilly, comfortless hall into which the -apartments opened—and the whole appearance of the place was so desolate -and wretched, that I shivered as I remembered that I had engaged myself -to pass the night there. - -Having traversed the hall, the slave lifted the heavy curtain veiling -the door of one of the inner apartments; and, having obeyed her -bidding, we found ourselves in a small, snug, well-heated room, closely -carpeted and curtained; and at the instant of our entrance a beautiful -girl rose from the sofa where she had been seated, and welcomed us with -a smile and a blush that made us forget at once “the ruin of her house.” -There was one circumstance connected with the greeting, however, that -struck us as very singular; she made no allusion to our having been -expected: but there was, on the contrary, a sort of wonder and curiosity -in her manner, which, with intuitive good-breeding, she did not express. - -We were both still haunted by the idea that there must be some mistake; -and this impression was heightened by the timid and constrained bearing -of the young beauty, who, after having clapped her hands, and desired -the two or three slaves who hastily obeyed the summons to prepare -sweetmeats and coffee, suddenly sank into silence, as though waiting to -learn the purport of our visit. My companion, acting upon the -presumption that some mistake _must_ exist, although she was unable to -comprehend its nature, once more inquired if she were correct in -supposing that we were in the palace of the Scodra Pasha. - -Again she was answered affirmatively. - -“And you are then the beautiful daughter of the Pasha, of whom I have -heard so much?” - -“I am the wife of his son,”—was the reply, which, concise as it was, -brought a brighter blush to the cheek of the speaker. - -And she _was_ beautiful, according to the strict rule of Turkish -loveliness; with rich red lips, large dark sleepy eyes, and a throat as -white and dazzling as the inner leaf of the water-lily. - -“You are young to be a wife; have you been long married?” - -“Exactly twelve months—I am thirteen; my husband is a year older.” - -“Did you expect us earlier?” - -“Expect you!” echoed the fair Turk, opening her deep eyes in wonder: -“Mashallah! how could I expect that two Frank ladies would come to visit -me?” - -This was inexplicable! - -“I trust that the Pasha has quite recovered his late indisposition,” -pursued my companion after a moment’s silence. - -“I did not know that he was unwell; we have not heard from him lately.” - -“Heard from him?” echoed Madame——in her turn; “my husband had a long -conversation with him yesterday.” - -Again the beauty dilated her large eyes in wonder. “Impossible! He is in -Albania.” Here was the solution of the enigma. We were bound on a visit -to Mustapha Pasha, the rebel—and we were under the roof of Omer Pasha, -his present successor! - -After a hearty laugh on all sides, we were quite at our ease; the young -beauty handed scented conserves and coffee to us with her own pretty, -plump, henna-tipped fingers; and informed us that her mother-in-law, the -Buyuk Hanoum, and herself, were occupying a house lent to them by a -friend, for the few weeks which they found it expedient to pass in -Constantinople, while making their arrangements for Albania, where they -were shortly to join the Pasha. - -After passing half an hour in chatting on various subjects, we rose to -take our leave, and to profit by the polite offer of our new -acquaintance to send a servant to point out to us the palace of Mustapha -Pasha. As we were making our parting compliments, a slave came in to -request that we would pay a visit to the Buyuk Hanoum in her apartment, -whither she had just returned from the bath. - -We immediately assented, and were conducted to a spacious room at the -other extremity of the hall, where we found the lady seated under the -tandour, and almost in darkness; the windows of the room being on the -old Turkish principle—that is, perforated in a double tier—the lower -ones so closely latticed that they admitted scarcely any light, and -barely permitted those within to see into the street; and the upper -ones, small and half circular, dull with dust, situated close to the -ceiling, and, in several instances, where time or accident had displaced -the glass, repaired roughly with thin planks nailed across. The -atmosphere of the apartment was close and oppressive, perfume having -been flung into the mangal as we entered, which was rising in a dense -vapour; and every creek and crevice in the room (and they were not few) -being stopped with pink paper. - -The Buyuk Hanoum received us with much courtesy, and apologized for not -having welcomed us herself on our first arrival in her own apartment, -owing to her having been at the moment in the bath; and she appeared -much amused at the mistake, (of which her slaves had already informed -her) that had brought us under her roof. She had formerly been a fine -woman, but was no longer young, and had consequently lost all the -charming _fraicheur_ (I use the French word, for it is perfectly -untranslateable) which is the great beauty of Oriental females. In the -course of conversation, we discovered that she was sister to one of the -wives of Achmet Pasha; and had herself been to pay a visit to the harem -of Mustapha Pasha the previous day. - -As our engagement still remained to be fulfilled, we did not long linger -in the apartment of the Buyuk Hanoum; but, taking leave of herself and -her pretty little daughter-in-law, who had, during our visit, remained -standing at the end of the room, with her hands folded meekly before -her, while we shared the sofa of the hostess: we placed ourselves under -the guidance of a bearded and turbaned Moslem, who was awaiting us in -the courtyard, and once more sallied forth. - -What a walk we had! Up and down, and in and out, until I began to think -that the tales of Eastern enchantment that I had read in my girlhood -were now realized for my individual inconvenience, and that the palace -was receding as rapidly as we advanced. I was not, however, suffered to -persist in this idle fancy, for we really _did_ arrive at last, although -some hours later than we should have done, before the great gates of an -extensive edifice, which I am bound to admit had, externally, more the -appearance of a barrack than a palace. Half a dozen servants, several of -them negroes, were lounging in listless idleness at the entrance, which -our arrival instantly changed into ready and officious bustle. - -We were ushered across an extensive courtyard to one of the wings of the -palace, a vast, irregular, pile of building; and a single stroke upon -the door of the harem was immediately answered from within: a group of -smiling female slaves received us in an inner court, wherein stood the -araba of the Buyuk Hanoum, and a very handsome marble fountain, at -which a pretty girl of about eighteen was performing her ablutions. A -couple of the negroes accompanied us up stairs, and, leading us across a -very handsome saloon, whose recesses were filled with cushions, and -whose open gallery commanded the court beneath, showed us into a smaller -apartment, and seated us on a sofa, whereon lay a mandolin and a -tambourine, probably flung there by some fair musicians whom our -approach had startled from their pastime. - -Here we were shortly joined by a very old woman, who came to pay her -compliments to us; and who, from her manner, was evidently a -confidential person in the harem. She had been extremely beautiful, and -was still a fine ruin; the outline of her features being delicate and -regular; while her hair, of a bright chesnut colour, unmixed with a -taint of gray, gave her a softness of expression perfectly singular. -This latter circumstance only served to convince me of the great -superiority of the dyes in use among the Turkish women, to those common -in Europe; a fact which I had already occasion to notice: whatever may -be the age of a Turkish female, she is seldom disfigured by gray hair, -but, on the contrary, her tresses are as pure in colour, and as smooth -and glossy, as those of the youngest girl in her family. - -A female slave shortly afterwards appeared to conduct us to the -apartment of the Buyuk Hanoum, which, when we entered, was half filled -with attendants, some standing in a semicircle round the mangal, and -others squatted on the carpet at the extremity of the room. - -As this was the first harem that I had visited, where the establishment -was on the true Turkish footing—or, to speak more plainly, where there -were more candidates than one for the affections of the master of the -house, although there was, in point of fact, actually but one wife—I -paid particular attention to those delicate shades of etiquette and -gradations of ceremony that I had been prepared to notice in these -“princely families.” - -The Buyuk Hanoum occupied the upper end of the sofa, against which the -tandour was placed; she was a plain woman, with a cold and somewhat -stern expression of countenance: and there was more haughtiness in the -bend and the smile wherewith she welcomed us, than I had yet seen -exhibited by a Turkish female; when we entered, she was amusing herself, -as is common with both sexes in this country, (as well Turks as -Armenians) in passing rapidly through her fingers the beads of a -chaplet, that rested on the gold-embroidered covering of the tandour. - -I must be permitted a momentary digression on the subject of these -chaplets, which are as popular, or very nearly so, as the chibouk. They -resemble, somewhat, the rosary of the Roman Catholics, save that instead -of being terminated by a crucifix and a knot of relics, they are merely -beads strung upon a silk cord, divided at intervals by some of a larger -size, and secured, at the junction of the cord, by a carved acorn, or an -ornament of a like description. They are commonly made of a wood, which, -becoming heated by the action of the hand emits a delicious perfume; but -their material depends upon the taste and means of the owner; the poorer -classes carrying chaplets of berries, common beads, and other cheap -substitutes, for this somewhat costly indulgence. - -The more independent the circumstances of a Turk, and consequently the -less use he is called upon to make of his hands, the more constantly are -they employed in toying with his chaplet—his fingers are busy with it -as he walks along the street—you hear the light click, click, click, of -the fast-falling beads, as he is squatted on his sofa—nay, so fond is -he of this dull enjoyment, that, only a short period after my arrival at -Constantinople, a Firman was issued by the Sultan, forbidding the use of -the chaplet in the mosques, the noise of so many collected together, and -all at work at the same time, disturbing the Mufti. - -It is composed of ninety-nine beads, without including that which -connects the ends of the cord. With each of the former, an attribute of -God is recited thus; Great—Glorious—Excellent—Omnipotent—&c. &c. The -final bead terminates the ejaculatory prayer, and bears the name of the -Deity himself. - -The chaplet of the Buyuk Hanoum was of fine pearls, beautifully matched, -and each the size of a pea, the divisions being formed by emeralds -similarly shaped and sized, and the whole string secured by one -pear-shaped emerald the size of a hazel-nut. - -At the angle of the sofa sat the favourite Odalique of the Pasha, a -short, slight, unattractive woman of about thirty years of age; with -common, and rather coarse features, but with a shrewd and keen -expression that almost made them interesting. Close beside her was -seated a third lady, who, although certainly not pretty, was -nevertheless tall, graceful, and delicate, with full, fine eyes, and an -exquisite complexion; when we entered, she was employed in fondling a -sweet little child of between one and two years old. A pile of cushions, -carefully and comfortably arranged, were prepared immediately opposite -to the seat of the Buyuk Hanoum, for her fair daughter, but the lovely -Heyminè had not yet left the bath. - -At the invitation of the Buyuk Hanoum, we placed ourselves beside her, -and partook of sweetmeats and coffee, amid the polite greetings of the -whole party; and the refreshments had scarcely disappeared, when the -fair bather entered the apartment. - -How shall I describe the beautiful Heyminè Hanoum? How paint the soft, -sweet, sleepy loveliness of the Pasha’s daughter? She was just sixteen, -at the age when Oriental beauty is at its height, and Oriental -gracefulness unsurpassed by any gracefulness on earth. Her slight, -willow-like, figure—her dark deep eyes, long and lustrous, with lashes -edging like silken fringes their snowy and vein-traced lids—her -luxuriant hair, black as the wing of the raven—her white and dazzling -teeth—and the sweet but firm expression of her beautifully formed -mouth—— - -I had seen many lovely women in Turkey, but never one so purely, so -perfectly lovely, as Heyminè Hanoum; and I am not quite sure that I did -not admire her the more for the deep shade of melancholy that cast a -sort of twilight over her beauty, and softened, without diminishing, its -effect. - -She had been born in Albania; it was the land of her love; the Buyuk -Hanoum, her mother, was descended from one of the most powerful and -princely families of the country; and she had been used to see her -looked upon with the reverence due to her birth and rank; she -remembered that the Pasha, her father, had dared, in his pride of -place, to measure strength with the Sultan, his master, and to defy his -power—he had failed, but the haughty effort had been made; and the fair -Heyminè looked back with sadness and regret to the days of past -splendour and warrior strife amid which she had grown to womanhood. She -clung to her mother with the loving gentleness that spoke in her deep -eyes: but she worshipped her father, as something more than mortal; and -her fair cheek flushed crimson, and her proud lip dilated into smiles, -as she spoke of him. And how she had garnered up within her heart those -sweet, sad, memories which mock the brightness of the present! How she -dwelt upon the country she had loved and lost, and amid whose mountains -she had breathed the breath of freedom! I never saw the enthusiasm of -the spirit more legibly written upon the brow of any human being than on -her’s. It redeemed the apathy of a score of Eastern women! - -The Buyuk Hanoum was as far from being reconciled to the change of -country and position as her daughter; but her sadness was more subdued -by resignation—she had reached the age when reverses are less keenly -felt—a calm sorrow sat upon her brow, and breathed in her low, -tremulous, tone; but the blood which leaped to the brow of the daughter -in warmer gushes as she spoke of the past only curdled more chillingly -about the heart of the mother when the same visions arose in vain -mockery before her, to remind her of what had once been, and could never -be again! - -Scodra Pasha had earned for himself a place on the page of history, but -he had paid a high and a painful price for the privilege. He had tasted -for a brief space the intoxicating draught of power, but the bowl had -been dashed from his lips. He had defied the yoke beneath which he had -been ultimately bowed, and the iron that has been resisted is ever that -which eats deepest into the soul. - -It must be a severe trial to sink from a leader to a vassal; even when -it is from a rebel chief to the dependent Pasha of a Sultan. Mustapha -Pasha had been almost a sovereign in Albania, a brave soldier, and a -powerful prince; and, when he accepted the conditions of his Imperial -Master, and bought his life at the price of his country and his fortune, -the struggle of the spirit must have been a bitter one. - -It was a singular circumstance that, at the period of my first visit to -his harem, he was occupying a palace adjoining that in which resided -another attainted noble—the Ex-Pasha of Bagdad! Both men of -information—both blighted in their ambition, and bowed beneath the -power they had defied—they amused the _ennui_ of their monotonous -existence with writing poetry; and moralizing on the instability of -human greatness. I have remarked elsewhere that the Turks are seldom -found wanting in philosophy. - -As we did not arrive at the Pasha’s palace for several hours after we -were expected, it was supposed that some accidental circumstance had -prevented our visit, and the family had consequently dined before we got -there: but such an occurrence as this never causes the slightest -inconvenience in a Turkish house, where the culinary arrangements are so -regulated that you can command an excellent repast at whatever moment -you may chance to require it. - -On the present occasion, I rather regretted that the profuse and even -sumptuous dinner that was served up to us was, from an excess of -courtesy on the part of our entertainers, perfectly European in its -arrangement, being accompanied by silver forks, knives, and chairs; but -the luxury of the East had, nevertheless, its part in the banquet, for -the cloth that covered the table was enriched with a deep border of -exquisite needlework, and the napkins of muslin, almost as impalpable as -a cobweb, were richly embroidered in gold. Wine was handed to us on a -beautifully chased golden salver, and the glasses from which we drank it -were of finely cut crystal; while the table stood upon a tapestry -carpet. - -But the most beautiful objects employed during the repast were the -silver basin, strainer, and vase, that were held by two black slaves for -us to wash our hands, while a third stood a pace behind them, bearing -upon his arm the napkin, wrought with a border of flowers in coloured -silks, whereon they were to be dried. The vase, shaped like that from -which Ganymede might have poured wine for Imperial Jove, was chased in -the most delicate manner with grapes and vine leaves; and the same -design enriched the border of the capacious basin. - -As soon as we had dined, we adjourned to the private apartment of -Heyminè Hanoum, at her especial invitation; when the young beauty, freed -from the restraint of her mother’s presence, clapped her hands, and -ordered her pipe, which she smoked with as much grace and gusto as any -Moslem of the Empire. They who cavil at this application of the word -_grace_, have certainly never seen a young Turkish woman manage her -chibouk—Nothing can be more coquettish! - -The chapter on fans, so celebrated in the “Spectator,” might be -out-written a hundredfold by one competent to describe the manœuvres -of an Eastern beauty, with her amber-lipped and gold-twisted pipe. Such -soft and studied attitudes—such long and slowly-drawn respirations, -having all the sentiment of a sigh without its sadness—such clasping -and unclasping of the delicate fingers about the slender tube—-no -novice should venture to smoke beside a Turkish woman, who is not -satisfied to look as awkward as a poor mortal can desire! - -We were all comfortably nestled among our cushions; and, on a small -round table at the extremity of the apartment, stood a tray, bearing -four wax lights. This custom of clustering the candles together is -common in both Turkish, Armenian, and Greek houses; and is peculiarly -congenial to the indolence of Eastern habits, as it leaves such deep -shadows in the distance, that those who have no immediate occupation to -confine them to the vicinity of the glare may doze in undisturbed -twilight on their sofas. - -At intervals, a slave entered to trim the candles, or to replenish the -pipe of Heyminè Hanoum; and each lingered awhile, unchidden, to listen -to a fragment of the conversation, or to indulge in another gaze at the -Frank strangers; among the rest, one pale, languid-looking woman, who -complained of sudden and severe suffering, and to whom the Pasha’s -daughter spoke even more kindly and gently than to any of the others, -squatted down near the door, and remained a considerable time, with her -head drooping on her bosom, apparently amused in spite of her -indisposition. - -The slaves, both black and white, were innumerable—I should think that -we had at least a score in attendance on us during dinner. - -Despite the occasional interruptions that I have described, our -conversation became gradually extremely interesting. The young beauty -talked of Albania—of the proud and happy life that she had led there -during her father’s prosperity; and then of the misery which she had -endured in exchanging its delights for the chilling observances and -restraints of the Turkish capital. Had the heart of Heyminè Hanoum beat -in the breast of her father, let the result have been what it might, he -never would have recanted his rebellion. - -From the political position of her family, she digressed to its social -condition; and I was not a little amused by the perfect _sang froid_ -with which she entered into a detail of the domestic arrangements of the -household. - -“You have seen my brother;” she said, “and I need not tell you that he -is delicate and sickly. He was my mother’s last child, and the Pasha -feared that he should be left without a son. In this dilemma, he -expressed to the Buyuk Hanoum his desire to contract a second marriage; -but this she would by no means permit. She could not, however, avoid -seeing that his anxiety was but too well founded: and she accordingly -proposed a compromise, to which he at once agreed. Without loss of -time, he wrote to a friend in Constantinople to purchase for him four -young Circassians, and to embark them, under the charge of an elderly -woman, for Albania. - -“Young as I was, I shall not attempt to describe to you my mortification -on their arrival. I saw the tears of my mother, which, when alone with -me, she did not attempt to suppress; we had hitherto had but one heart -and one interest in the harem of my father, and we became suddenly -domesticated with strangers—women of another land and another language; -to whom we were knit by no ties, bound by no sympathies. - -“But all this is idle. You saw the Odalique who sat nearest to my -mother? Allah has been gracious to her—she has borne two sons to the -Pasha.—She with the large dark eyes, who when you entered was nursing -her infant, has no other child than that one little girl. A third you -will shortly see, when she pays me her visit previously to retiring for -the night: I love her much, but she, poor thing! is childless. The -fourth died in consequence of her sufferings during the passage to -Albania, which was tempestuous and protracted. The aged woman who -received you on your arrival was the person who accompanied the four -Circassians from Constantinople, and—but here is Dilaram Hanoum.” - -As she spoke, the curtain that shaded the door was pushed aside, and the -Odalique entered. She was by far the prettiest woman of the three, but -there was a subdued and hopeless expression about her, which showed at -once that she had not been a favourite child of fortune. She was slight -and beautifully formed, with a low, soft voice which was almost music. -She appeared much attached to the lovely Heyminè, and hastened, after -the first salutations were over, to replenish the pipe that rested -beside the young beauty, and to hand it to her; a mark of attention and -respect which was acknowledged by its object with the graceful -salutation common in the East—the pressure of the fingers of the right -hand to the lips and brow. - -The conversation was, of course, changed on her entrance; and the -subject of jewels having been mentioned, Heyminè Hanoum despatched a -slave for a handkerchief with which she was in the habit of binding up -her hair, in order to show us one of the Albanian fashions. It was of -black muslin, painted with groups of coloured flowers, and bordered all -round with a deep fringe of fine pearls. I never in my life saw any -mixture which produced a more striking effect; and when she wound it -about her head—the dark glossy tresses of her hair relieved by the -bright tints of the flowers, and the whiteness of her clear brow -rivalling the pearls that rested on it—her crimson jacket, lined with -sable, falling back, and revealing the transparent chemisette of gauze, -and the fair throat which it shaded—the pale blue silk trowsers trimmed -with silver, and the small white naked foot that peeped for an instant -from beneath them as she altered her position—I thought that earth -could hold nothing more lovely than Heyminè Hanoum! - -I was very busily engaged in examining an elegant hand-mirror set in a -frame of chased silver, when a couple of negroes entered to invite us to -the presence of the Pasha, who was awaiting us in his apartment. I have -already mentioned that one room in the harem is appropriated to the -master of the house, wherein he receives such of its inmates as he -desires to converse with. - -The message was scarcely delivered when the Buyuk Hanoum, whom the Pasha -had desired to introduce us, entered the apartment, evidently somewhat -surprised at the honour which was about to be bestowed upon two female -Infidels. I had heard a great deal of the Scodra Pasha, and I naturally -desired to see him; nor perhaps may it be amiss to impart to my readers -a portion of his history. - -Mustapha Pasha was residing on his Pashalik in Albania when Sultan -Mahmoud reformed the national costume of the country, and replaced the -lofty turbans and flowing garments of past centuries, with the scarlet -_fèz_ and frock coat of the present day. When the order for this change -reached the Pasha, he at once communicated it to the troops, who -resisted it with such violence as to threaten not only the liberty, but -the life of their Chief if he persisted in its enforcement. In vain did -he argue, explain, and persuade; the soldiery, wedded to their ancient -usages, refused to listen to his reasonings; their opposition being -furthermore aggravated by a conscription, enforced with sufficient -severity to lend them arguments against all concession to a power by -which they were thus oppressed; and he finally found himself compelled -to adopt a decided line of conduct in order to insure his own personal -safety. - -Already nearly in a state of siege in one of his palaces—surrounded by -troops on whom he could by no means depend, seconded as they were by the -people, in the indignation excited by the threatened infringement on -their cherished habits—drawing the whole of his revenue from the -soil—married to a lady of the country—possessed of considerable -property within the Pashalik—and threatened with death by an infuriated -populace—it cannot be wondered at that Mustapha Pasha, thus hard -pressed, resolved to assist his people in the struggle; and -strengthening his army, and trusting to his mountain fastnesses, -determined on a resistance to the Imperial will which at once placed -Albania in a state of revolt. - -It were tedious to detail at length the various fortunes of the rebel -Pasha: a brave man, beloved by his troops, and sincere in the same -cause—greatly assisted, moreover, by the mountainous and difficult -character of the country naturally possesses the means of making head -against a superior power to his own; and thus it was with the Scodra -Pasha. Many abortive attempts were made to dislodge and capture him, by -an army under the command of Reschid Mehemet Pasha, but in vain. He -still held on his way, until at length the Sultan, irritated at the -ill-success of his endeavours, despatched Achmet Pasha with full power -to act as a pacificator, and to use all possible means to recall the -rebel chief to his allegiance, and an order not to return without having -terminated the rebellion. - -Thus instructed, the Imperial Envoy left the capital for Albania; and -his attempts were not destined to be as fruitless as those of his -predecessors. The rebel Pasha’s army had fought for their lives as well -as their privileges; they had gone too far to recede; and Achmet Pasha -felt at once the utter futility of persisting in a system of violence -which could produce no definite result. The character of his adversary -was well known to him; it was high, honourable, and unsullied, save by -his revolt against his Imperial Master; and it was to this knowledge -that he resolved to trust, in order to bring about a submission which -the Sultan’s arms were unable to effect. He accordingly despatched a -messenger to Mustapha Pasha, by whom he requested an interview; and, to -prove that no treachery was intended on the one hand, or feared on the -other, he offered to place himself in the power of the rebel leader, by -meeting him alone and unattended wherever he might appoint. - -The Scodra Pasha, a man of amiable disposition and quick feelings, was -touched by this mark of confidence, and unhesitatingly acceded to the -request; when Achmet Pasha, without further delay, fulfilled the -conditions which he had imposed upon himself, mounted his horse, and -rode boldly off to the palace of the rebel. He was received with the -utmost courtesy; coffee and pipes were introduced, and the two Pashas -sat down side by side upon their cushions to discuss the important -subject of their meeting. - -To a man of Mustapha Pasha’s good sense and sound judgment, it was by no -means difficult for his visitor to demonstrate in the clearest manner -the hopelessness of his situation. It was true that hitherto he had -baffled all the attempts of the Imperial troops, by the wisdom of his -measures, the judiciousness of his arrangements, the bravery of his own -bearing, and the zeal of his soldiery. But this state of things could -not last for ever—he was feeding upon his own strength, and his -resources must ultimately fail—he had yet time to make a creditable and -a free submission—he had still an opportunity to save his head—but, -when he yielded from weakness, (and, should he persist in his rebellion, -the bitter hour of helplessness must come;) how could he look for a -mercy which he had rejected when it was freely extended to him? - -Thus pressed, both by exterior argument and internal conviction; wearied -also, it may be, of opposition to a sovereign whom he reverenced; the -rebel leader asked time for deliberate consideration ere he returned a -definite answer to the proposition—he stipulated also that an assurance -should be solemnly given that his own life and those of his family -should be spared; which Achmet Pasha did not hesitate to promise upon -the spot. It was accordingly determined that the latter should remain -two days in the palace of the rebel chief, when he should either depart -alone, and unmolested, bearing with him the continued defiance of the -revolted province; or that he should return to Constantinople -accompanied by his host, and the females of his family, under the -safeguard of his plighted word. - -The latter alternative was adopted; and Achmet Pasha ultimately returned -to Constantinople in company with the Scodra Pasha and his Harem. The -fortune of the rebel chief was confiscated, and a hundred and twenty -thousand piastres a-year settled upon him to supply the means of -existence. But some time elapsed ere he was admitted to the presence, -and allowed the high honour of kissing the foot, of his Sublime -Highness. - -On the same occasion he presented his two eldest sons, with whom the -Sultan was so much pleased that he created them Pashas on the instant; -and, having entered into conversation with them, he inquired how they -liked the _fèz_, upon which the younger of the two, a fine boy of eight -years of age, answered with a promptitude worthy of an accomplished -courtier, that he had always liked it, but since he had seen it on the -head of the Sultan, he should like it a thousand times better; a reply -which so delighted Mahmoud that he immediately presented him with a -watch magnificently enriched with diamonds. Nor was the child less -fortunate throughout the audience, for the smiling sovereign tried him -with another question, to which he answered with even more point—“And -which do you like the best, my young Pasha?” asked the Sultan: -“Constantinople or Albania?” - -“Constantinople,” replied the boy; “because you are here—the leaves -cannot come upon the trees without the sun; and we cannot grow up to be -brave men if we are not near you.” - -No wonder that Mustapha Pasha looks upon the mother of the boy as “the -Light of the Harem.” - -The Buyuk Hanoum led us across the outer saloon to a spacious staircase, -then across an upper hall, through a short gallery, and finally to the -door of the Pasha’s apartment. As I crossed the threshold, I was -actually dazzled with light: the room was large; and was raised one step -at the upper end, round which ran the sofa. Two tables, bearing trays of -candles, were placed near the entrance; and a silver branch holding -others was in the arched recess between them. The curtains and the -covering of the sofa were of crimson satin, the latter fringed with gold -a foot in depth, and furnished with cushions of gold tissue embroidered -with coloured silk. At the extremity of the dais a pile of cushions were -heaped upon the floor; and at the upper end of the sofa squatted the -Pasha, with a negro slave on each side of him, busied in arranging his -pipe which had been just replenished. A capacious mangal, heavy with -perfume, occupied the centre of the floor. - -Mustapha Pasha is still in the prime of life; of the middle size, with -an agreeable and sensible expression of face, and a slight cast in one -of his eyes. He received us very courteously, and ordered chairs for my -friend and myself near his own seat, while he motioned the Buyuk Hanoum -to be seated also; an intimation which she obeyed by placing herself on -the extreme edge of the sofa. The next ceremony was to cause pipes to be -presented to my companion and myself; the greatest honour that can be -conferred on a female in Turkey being an invitation to smoke in the -presence of the other sex. - -This was indeed a dilemma, for smoking had formed no part of my -education; and I knew that, did I even raise the pipe to my lips, I -should infallibly be ill; but the Pasha fortunately remarked the slight -shudder and the gesture of repugnance with which I took it from the hand -of the slave; and he immediately requested me to refuse it, if I found -it disagreeable, as he merely sought to pay me a compliment by offering -it. - -I need not say how gladly I availed myself of the permission, much to -the amusement of the Pasha; who, after he had inhaled a few whiffs of -his own chibouk, sent a second message to the harem, which was answered -by the speedy appearance of Heyminè Hanoum and the favourite Odalique. A -motion of his hand invited both to take their places upon the cushions -already alluded to; and then I remarked the ascendency of the latter -over the spirit of the Pasha—an ascendency due probably as much to her -being the mother of his two sons, as to her natural shrewdness of -intellect. Be that as it may, however, it was easy to perceive that she -was a woman of great natural talent, and wonderful quickness of -perception; and very likely to retain the supremacy that she had gained. - -The Pasha understood a little French, but did not attempt to speak it; -though it is probable that he will soon do so, as he is studying the -language with unwearying perseverance. He has already formed a very -respectable library, where he has collected together the works of -Voltaire, Racine, Boileau, Molière, and many other standard authors; and -he has done so thus prematurely, he says, in order that the sight of the -volumes may stimulate him to industry; as he never looks towards them -without reflecting on the riches that are hidden from him by his -ignorance of the language, and which may one day be within his grasp. - -I was astonished at many of the questions that he asked me; they were so -unlike the generality of those to which I had already become accustomed -in the country. He was very inquisitive on the subject of the Thames -Tunnel—inquired as to its probable expense—the period at which it was -likely to be completed—the width of the river at that precise -spot—the amount of the toll to be paid by passengers—the mode in -which the money had been obtained for its construction—in what manner -it would be lighted—in short, he entered into every particular -connected with the undertaking so earnestly, that I had reason to -congratulate myself on being able to satisfy his curiosity. - -He next asked a number of questions relatively to the Fire Insurance -Companies of London, of which he had heard vaguely; and, when I had -explained to him the whole of the system, he expressed his regret that -no institution of the kind had been established in Constantinople; a -want to which he was the more sensible as he had lately lost a house -filled with valuable furniture and effects, of which he had been unable -to save the smallest portion. He inquired if I thought that one of our -Companies would consent to accept an insurance for his palace; as in the -event of their being willing to do so, he would immediately take steps -to make the arrangement. I explained to him the difficulty of inducing -them to run so great a risk, aware as they must be of the frequency of -fires in Stamboul, and the exorbitant interest they would require in the -event of their consenting to his wish: when he at once allowed the -objection to be perfectly reasonable, although he much regretted the -necessity of abandoning the idea. - -In the course of conversation, some allusion having been made to the -philosophy with which he supported his reverses, his reply was so -characteristic that it deserves record. “The chariot of my fortunes,” he -said, “had, for so long a time, run smoothly over the highways of life, -that I ought rather to feel surprise at its even pace during so many -years, than wonder that its wheels should fail at last.” - -To comment on such an answer would be idle. - -It was not without regret that I took leave of the Pasha, whose -courteous manners and intelligent conversation rendered him a most -agreeable companion; and, had I been able to converse with him in his -own language, I have no doubt that I should have been still more -impressed in his favour. Before we quitted him, he invited us to spend a -few days with the Buyuk Hanoum, and his daughter, during the marriage -festivities of the Princess Mihirmàh, at a house which he had taken at -the “Sweet Waters;” and, as we re-entered the harem, I could not refrain -from expressing to the fair Heyminè my admiration of the intelligence -and information of her father. But all praise of the Pasha to his -daughter was “gilding refined gold, painting the lily, and throwing a -perfume o’er the violet;” human commendations could not exalt him higher -in her esteem. - -If splendour could insure repose, we were destined to a long night of -slumber beneath the roof of Mustapha Pasha, for our beds were one blaze -of gold and embroidery; and it is certain that the fair form which -hovered about me until I sank upon my pillows had a most pleasant -influence over my dreams; I never passed a more delicious night. I had -visions of beauty, of which the lovely Heyminè was the type and subject: -and if some faint impressions of strife and suffering mingled in the -illusion, a bright smile and a soft glance dispelled the gloom, and -brought back the light and the loveliness, that had been veiled for a -moment, with tenfold lustre. - -In the morning we returned to Pera, carrying with us a store of pleasant -memories for which we were indebted to this amiable family; and it was -not without a very painful emotion that we learnt, in the course of the -second day after we had quitted them, that the harem of the Pasha was -dispersed in all directions, and the palace completely empty. The sick -slave, whom I mentioned as having passed a considerable time in the -apartment of Heyminè Hanoum, had died the previous night of plague! - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - - Procession of Betrothal—Preliminary Ceremonies—The Mantle of - Mahomet—The Palace of the Seraskier Pasha—The Palace - Square—Picturesque Groups—An Interior—Turkish - Children—Oriental Curiosity—Costume of the Turkish - Children—Military Music—The Procession—Hurried Departure of - the Crowd—The Seraskier’s Tower—The Fire Guard—Candidates - for the Imperial Bride—Imperial Expedient—Saïd Pasha—Policy - of the Seraskier—An Audience—The Biter Bitten—Ingenious - Ruse—Sublime Economy—Brilliant Traffic—The Danger of - Delay—The Marriage Gifts—An Interesting Interview. - -A few days after my visit to the harem of Scodra Pasha, my father and -myself started at nine o’clock in the morning to Constantinople, to be -present at the procession consequent on the betrothal of the Princess -Mihirmàh, the Sultan’s second daughter; a lovely girl of nineteen, about -to be bestowed on Mohammed Saïd Pasha, who had been summoned from his -Pashalik, at the Dardanelles, to receive at the hand of his Imperial -Master this most honouring of all gifts. - -But, before describing the procession, it may not perhaps be amiss to -record some of the less public ceremonies of the betrothal, for which I -am indebted to an eye-witness. - -The day fixed upon for its celebration was the 7th of April; and, at -the hour which the Court Astrologer had decided to be the most -auspicious for the assembling together of the individuals necessary to -its completion, who had received their notes of invitation two days -previously from the Kislar-Aghasi (Chief of the Eunuchs), they met in -the private apartment of the Imperial Treasurer, near the chamber that -contains the holy Mantle of Mahomet—the same sacred locality that -witnessed the betrothal of the elder Princess. Here the whole company -entered at the moment which had also been previously pointed out by the -Astrologer as fortunate, and remained for some time in religious -silence, in presence of the inestimable relic; after which each member -of the distinguished circle seated himself upon the carpet that had been -prepared for him. - -The Grand Vizier, Mohammed Ronouf Pasha, took the upper place upon the -sofa, having near him the Chèïk-Islam, (or High Priest) Mekki Zadè -Moustafa Assim Effendi, who officiated on the august occasion. On the -right sat the chief of the Eunuchs of the Imperial Seraglio, who acted -as the proxy of the Princess; and whose witnesses were the Commissioner -of the Imperial Treasury, and Osman Agha, one of the principal -Eunuchs.—On the left was placed the adopted father and representative -of Mohammed Saïd Pasha, the Seraskier—having for his witnesses, Halil -Rifat Pasha, the Sultan’s son-in-law, Akhmet Fevzi Pasha, Military -Counsellor of the Palace, and Mohammed Saïd Pertew Effendi, Minister of -the Interior, and Counsellor of State, with four others. Among the -Chèïks and the men of letters who were admitted to this august assembly, -to mingle their prayers with those of the Chèïk-Islam, were Elhadj -Yousouf Effendi, Chief of the Chèïks, and preacher at the great mosque -of St. Sophia; and Elhadj Abdoullah Effendi, first chaplain of the -mosque of Eyoub, and preacher at the mosque of Sultan Akhmet. - -They were no sooner seated than the officers attached to the service of -this chamber, which bears the name of Khirkaï-Chériff, presented to each -person perfumes and rose-water according to the Eastern custom; and, -when they withdrew, the doors were closed, and the ceremony commenced -with a prayer by the Chèïk-Islam, for the divine blessing on the union -they were then assembled to celebrate; after which he put the customary -questions to the proxies of the two contracting parties. - -As soon as the act of betrothal was terminated, the doors were again -thrown open, and the two Chèïks pronounced a prayer suited to the -occasion. At the close of the prayer, the distinguished party quitted -the Khirkaï-Chériff, and passed into a neighbouring apartment, where -they partook of the refreshments provided for them, and were waited upon -by the keeper of the Privy Purse, who presented to them the rich gifts -with which his Sublime Highness was pleased to honour them. They then -left the palace. - -As soon as they had departed, the Sultana-Mother sent by the Bach-Agha -(Eunuch and Major Domo) the nuptial offering of the bride to the -bridegroom, who was awaiting it at the palace of the Seraskier, and -superintending at the same time the arrangement of his own marriage -present, which was to be conveyed with great pomp to the Seraï. The -procession was to start from the palace of the Seraskier (the -bridegroom’s adopted father) at half-past ten o’clock, and we -accordingly hired a window overlooking the line of march; whence we -could see the train issue from the palace court, cross the extensive -space in front of it, and finally lose itself in a narrow street leading -to the Imperial residence. - -The esplanade on which we looked down was crowded with horsemen, -footmen, and carriages. Groups of women were squatted immediately in the -rear of the soldiers, who lined the space along which the procession was -to move; others occupied a raised platform erected by some speculative -Moslem, whereon a place could be secured for the modest remuneration of -a piastre, (two-pence halfpenny.) Rows of arabas, like beds of scarlet -poppies, were ranged behind the pedestrians; while, further from the -scene of action, parties were scattered over the whole square in the -most picturesque confusion. Here a train of Serudjhis walked the horses -that they had brought for hire; there a knot of Jews chattered and -gesticulated; while their women huddled themselves up in the coarse -cotton scarfs which concealed their head-dresses. On one side the snowy -turbans and dark robes of half a dozen Ulemas formed a striking contrast -to the green shawls bound about the brows of a group of Hadjïs, and -their ample pelisses of crimson or maroon, lined and overlaid with fur. -Here it was a party of soldiers—there a band of Bulgarians, dressed in -jackets of sheepskin, with the wool turned inwards, round caps of black -lambskin, and leather leggings. Then moved by a score of Armenians, with -their tall calpacs and crimson slippers—jostled, as they passed slowly -along, by a set of Franks, crushing and squeezing, as though they were -resolved to carry their point, _coute qui coute_. - -On a little hillock near the window that we occupied, a couple of Turks -had spread their carpet, and were quietly smoking their chibouks, -attended by their negro pipe-bearers; while here and there a gigantic -umbrella of white cotton overshadowed a round stand covered with -sherbet and mohalibè, around which were clustered a throng of noisy -Greeks, each with eyes as black as the shawl that he wore about his -scarlet _fèz_. - -Nor was the scene within the room less characteristic than that without; -the remaining windows had been hired by four grave-looking elderly -Turks, who had brought with them half a dozen pretty little girls, of -eight or ten years of age; who were sitting, doubled up at one corner of -the sofa, with all the early taught awe and deference for the lordly sex -which is the leading sentiment of the harem. - -Our entrance, however, aroused them into something like action; for -while our dragoman explained who and what we were, whence we came, and -whither we were bound:—questions which are asked by the grave and -bearded Moslem, as unceremoniously as by any one of our Trans-Atlantic -brethren, and without the slightest suspicion on his own part that he is -guilty of any impertinence—I made an easy acquaintance with the pretty -children, by permitting them to handle the flowers in my bonnet, to -touch my shawl, and to run their little plump fingers over my -waist-ribbon. And when the grandee of the party who occupied the upper -end of the sofa, whereon, moreover, his attendants had spread a carpet -of crimson shag, fringed with gold, as though the ignoble chintz were -not worthy the honour of receiving him, had taken the chibouk from his -own mouth, and sent it by his pipe-bearer to my father—a mark of high -consideration rather flattering than fastidious—and my father had, in -his turn, despatched the dragoman, to spread before the children a feast -of mohalibè, frosted over with powdered sugar, we were all the best -friends in the world. - -One of the little girls—a calm, self-centered, true Turkish child, with -all the premature languishment and indolence so peculiar to the women of -the country, with black, sleepy eyes, and lips like rose-buds—was clad -in a jacket of purple velvet, lined with ermine, and laced with gold; -her antery of pale pink muslin was tucked up within the cachemire shawl -that she wore about her waist; and her large trowsers of green chintz -fell in ample plaits over the little naked feet, which, when she rose -from the sofa, were scarcely covered at the extremities by the yellow -slippers that lay beside her. - -Another, perhaps a year younger, had her jacket of crimson merino -doubled with sable, and her little Symrniote fèz worked with seed -pearls; her antery was yellow, her trowsers blue, and her chemisette of -pale amber-coloured gauze. Nothing can be more outré than the costume of -a little Turkish maiden; the long hair hanging in a score of minute -braids, each confined at the extremity with a small knot of ribbon; the -tight sleeves, open from the elbow, falling below the hip, and edged -with elaborately wrought silk fringe; the round, white, dimpled feet, -peeping out beneath the full trowsers; and the heavy jacket folding back -from the ivory shoulders and snowy throat. - -There is no distinction of dress between the child of two years old and -the woman of twenty; the same jewels, the same fashion, the same -material, compose the one and the other; they differ only in quantity; -the diamonds, except upon great occasions, are lavished on the children; -and in fringe, and embroidery, and ribbon, they only yield to their -elders, because there is not sufficient space upon their little persons -to enable their parents to equalize the consumption between them. - -At length, the distant sounds of military music came to us from the -Palace court, and forth issued the Sultan’s Band, playing his Grand -March; this was succeeded by a regiment of the line, moving in double -files: then rode forward about a score of staff officers, including -several generals of brigade, and colonels of the Imperial Guard, -surrounded by servants on foot; these were succeeded by two open -carriages and four, empty—and after these came the presents of the -bridegroom to the Imperial Family. First walked a hundred men of the -Seraskier’s establishment; about a score of whom bore upon their heads -cages of wire, covered with coloured gauze, ornamented with flowing -ribbons, and filled with sweetmeats of the most costly description, -piled in porcelain dishes; the frosted sugar glittering in the light -like jewels. Those were succeeded by others charged with silk stuffs of -the most rare qualities, produced by the Indian looms—Cachemires of -Tibet and Lahor—and other magnificent gifts, destined for the Sultan -Mother. - -The offerings to the bride followed. They consisted of two toilette -services of massive silver, containing the most delicious perfumes of -the East; a silver dinner service, arranged on a plateau of the same -metal; several silver salvers covered with precious stones, and -ornaments of gold and silver, and others heaped with gold coins: the -whole covered with cages of silver net-work. Each of these bearers was -attended by a page. - -Then followed four more, having on their heads trays of shawls, folded -in coloured muslin—and next came a dozen men, charged with all the -articles necessary for the bath, under transparent coverings. One -carried the pattens of ebony, inlaid with stars of mother-of-pearl, and -clasped over the foot with a band of brilliants; another, the -head-kerchief of silver tissue, embroidered with wreaths of silken -flowers; the third, a pile of silk napkins, fringed with gold; the -fourth, a wrapping-cloth of flowered satin; the fifth, a capacious basin -of burnished gold; the sixth, a comb of ivory, enriched with diamonds; -the seventh, a pair of slippers, wrought with emeralds and seed pearl; -the eighth, a chemisette of pale pink gauze, edged round the bosom with -silver fringe; the ninth, a cut crystal box clasped with gold, -containing scented soaps; the tenth, an ebony essence case, studded with -rubies; the eleventh, a hand-mirror in a gold frame, surrounded by a -garland of jewels; and the twelfth, a sofa covering of crimson velvet, -flowered and fringed with gold. - -Four eunuchs in brown and gold followed the presents; and were succeeded -by an escort of sergeants of the line; after which appeared the -Seraskier Pasha, surrounded by a brilliant staff, and preceding a second -regiment of infantry, with the bright barrels of their fire-locks -flashing in the sunshine, and attended by their band. These terminated -the procession. But an interesting feature of the show still remained, -when the led horses of the palace guests, each held by a groom, came -prancing through the wide gateway, as if vain of their glittering -housings and embroidered reins; the groups which had been scattered over -the square were all in motion; the crimson-covered arabas began to move -from their station; the sherbet-venders vaunted their merchandize, with -voluble eagerness, to the passers-by—the Turks resigned their chibouks -to their pipe-bearers, and rose from their carpets, which were instantly -rolled up, and carried away by their domestics—the Bulgarians inflated -their bag-pipes, and obstructed the path of the foot-passengers, with -their heavy and awkward dance, which must have been modelled upon that -of the bear—and, ere I had wearied of contemplating the scene, -nine-tenths of the crowd that had so lately thronged the wide space -beneath me had passed away. - -The sunshine was lying warm and bright on the dome of Sultan Bajazet’s -mosque, with its portals of indented gothic; and its spiral minarets, -with their galleries of rich tracery-work; dominated in their turn by -the Tower of the Seraskier, which shoots up tall and white from an angle -of the palace court, like the giant guardian of the locality; and whose -summit (to which we afterwards ascended) commands a series of the most -magnificent views that the world can produce. - -On one side, the City of Constantinople is spread out beneath you like a -map; and you look down upon its thousand domes, and its five thousand -minarets—upon its khans, and its charshees, its palaces and its -prisons. Move a few paces forward, only to the next window, and the Sea -of Marmora, with its peopled coasts, its rocky islets, and its -glittering waves, carries your thoughts homeward to the “golden west.” -From one point you look on Mount Olympus, with its crown of snow; from -another, on the sunny Bosphorus, laden with life, and laughing in the -day-beam. Turn to the left, and the Golden Horn, from whence the riches -of the world are poured forth over the East, lies at your feet. -On—on—ere your eyes ache with gazing, and your mind with wonder, and -repose your vision on the dark and arid rocks which enclose “The Valley -of the Sweet Waters,” the most fairy-like glen that ever was hemmed in -by a belt of mountains. And when you at length descend the three hundred -and thirty steps of the dizzy Tower of the Seraskier, inscribe upon your -tablets the faint record of an hour, during which, if you have -sensibility or imagination, a love of the beautiful, or an appreciation -of the sublime, you must have lived through an age of feeling and of -fancy; with the busy, breathing city at your feet—the sweet, still -valley beside you—and the wide sea, the unfathomable, the mysterious -sea, bounding your vision. - -What a pigmy is man amid such a scene as this! - -I must not omit to mention that the Seraskier’s Tower, called, by the -Turks, Yanguen Kiosk, or Fire Tower, is the watch-house of the -fire-guard. Six individuals are constantly on the look-out during the -day and night, who relieve each other every hour; and, during the -night-watch, the guard constantly makes his round in a pair of spring -pattens, which, being made of wood, and soled with iron, keep up a -continual noise that prevents his giving way to drowsiness, and thus -neglecting his duty. - -There were seven equally eligible candidates for the hand of the -Princess Mihirmàh; and consequently more than seven times seven -intrigues set on foot, when it was finally announced that the Sultan, -her father, had resolved on bestowing her in marriage on some fortunate -noble of his Empire. The Sublime Porte was all in commotion—the seven -Eligibles all in agitation—every palace and harem on the _qui -vive_—bribes flew about, on yellow wings, like the bright butterflies -that herald spring—and the Sultan himself, weary of conflicting -counsels and opposing interests, wavering and undecided; while many -persons agreed in believing that the Imperial choice would ultimately -fall on the handsome and wealthy Mustapha Pasha of Adrianople; and the -rather as it was rumoured that the Princess had seen and admired him. - -But Sultan Mahmoud, after a youth of terror and a manhood of blood, had -become too good a tactician to risk offending many by ennobling one; -and he consequently adopted an expedient which had assuredly never been -contemplated by those about his person. He caused the names of the seven -candidates to be inscribed on as many separate shreds of parchment; and -on the following Friday, when he visited the mosque, he cast them all in -a mass beneath his prayer-carpet, where they remained during the -service; at whose close, he put up a prayer to Allah and the Prophet to -aid him in the hour of trial, by enabling him to withdraw the name of -the individual whose alliance would prove the most beneficial, alike to -his Empire, and to his daughter. Whether the prayer was heard and -answered, I know not; but the Sublime fingers closed over the parchment -which was inscribed with the cypher of Saïd Pasha of the Dardanelles. - -Saïd Pasha is a handsome man of three or four and thirty, with an -expression of benevolence and amiability strikingly in his favour. He -commenced his career at Court as Page to the Sultan, where he lost the -favour of his master by refusing to obey a command which would have -rendered him for a time the companion of grooms and serving-men; an -instance of self-respect and self-appreciation so rare in Turkey, that -it excited quite as much astonishment as indignation. Dismissed from the -Court in disgrace, the young adventurer became a member of the sect of -the _Mevlavies_, or Turning Dervishes; but, after the expiration of a -year, he was recalled by the Sultan, and received a post in the army. -Subsequently to this period, his rise to the Pashalik was rapid, as is -generally the case in the East; and, on the last page of existence which -he has turned, the characters may indeed be said to have been traced in -gold. - -After this hasty sketch of his history, it is scarcely necessary for me -to add that Saïd Pasha left the Dardanelles a poor man; nor to remind my -readers that a titled Lackland was no meet match for a Sultan’s -daughter. The evil cried aloud for remedy, and the cure came as speedily -as its necessity had arisen. - -The Seraskier had adopted Halil Pasha as his son, on the occasion of his -marriage with the Princess Salihè, two years ago; and had been to him a -most munificent father; in the present difficulty he again stepped -forward, and the portionless Saïd Pasha beheld himself at once a rich -man. - -Upon the Seraskier it then devolved, in his double capacity of High -Minister and Parent, to introduce the fortunate bridegroom to his -Imperial father-in-law; and the recollection of all that the wily old -courtier had done for the object of his first adoption, produced very -different feelings in the breasts of the two individuals, more -immediately interested in the financial arrangements of the marriage. - -“I present to your Sublime Highness,” said the minister, “the son-in-law -whom Allah has destined to the high honour of becoming the husband of -your Imperial daughter—Saïd Pasha, my adopted son—and I do so with the -greater delight that I know him to be as brave in the field, as he is -wise in the cabinet—as mild in temper, as he is courageous in -spirit—learned, gentle, submissive, and enthusiastic, in his attachment -to your Sublime Highness (May your end be glorious!) He has every virtue -under heaven, and but one defect.” - -“And what may that be?” inquired the Sultan, arching his dark eyebrows -in astonishment. “It must be weighty indeed if it can counteract the -effect of so bright a list of qualities.” - -“Alas! your Sublime Highness—” replied the Seraskier, “Saïd Pasha is -poor!” - -The point was pathetic enough; and the politic minister, who would -gladly have secured the honour of being the adopted father of the -Sultan’s second son-in-law, without paying quite so high a price for it -as he had done on the marriage of his first, flattered himself that a -recollection of the enormous outlay which he had made on that occasion -would exonerate him from a similar expence on the present. But the -Sultan had doubtlessly learnt that the diamond can be cut only with its -own dust; and he acted upon that principle, as he blandly answered, if -not in the words, at least in the feeling, of our immortal bard:— - - ’Tis true, ’tis pity, and pity ’tis, ’tis true; - -“But, while he has the wealthy and munificent Seraskier of the Sublime -Empire for his adopted father, he must remain unconscious of the fact.” - -The Minister did all that have remained for him to do—he tried to look -flattered and gratified—he even returned thanks for the gracious words -which taught him to understand all that was expected of him: and he left -the Presence to withdraw, from his strong box, ducats to the amount of -two millions of piastres, which were bought up by the Frank Merchants at -Galata. - -But the best part of the jest was yet to come. On the marriage of one of -the Imperial Family, every Pasha of the Empire is expected to present an -offering proportioned to his means; and, as these generally consist of -jewels, the Chamberlain acquaints each individual, on learning the -amount of his purposed present, with the most acceptable shape in which -he can make it; and by these means prevents the chance of a too frequent -repetition of the same gift. - -When the Princess Salihè became the wife of Halil Pasha, the amount of -her diamonds thus obtained was very considerable; and, as she is a -person of too morose and selfish a character to take pleasure in showing -herself to the people as the sisters of the Sultan are in the habit of -doing; and, moreover, too haughty to seek to dazzle even in the harem, -his Sublime Highness, who is an admirable tactician, bethought himself -of a most brilliant plan for making a little money in a quiet way out of -these anti-engaging qualities. - -He accordingly paid a visit to his daughter; and after she had enjoyed -the high honour of kissing his foot, and he had graciously signified to -her his Imperial permission that she should seat herself upon the -cushions piled on the floor near him; he condescendingly explained to -her the utter uselessness of jewels which she never wore, and suggested -the expediency of her disposing of them, and adding the interest of the -sum that they would produce to her present income. - -The Princess listened in respectful silence; and then ventured to doubt -whether a purchaser could be found for the diamonds of a Sultan’s -daughter. This difficulty was, however, instantly overcome, by an offer, -on the part of his Sublime Highness, to become himself that purchaser. -And the consent of the Princess having been obtained, and the price to -be paid decided on, the principal remained in the Imperial Treasury, -whence the interest was to be drawn; and the jewels, thus, in point of -fact, obtained for a per centage on their value, were carried off in -triumph by the court jewellers, to be reset for the younger Princess! - -Nor was this all—for, when the Pashas declared the amount of their -offerings, the money was paid on the instant, and these very diamonds -given in exchange, fashioned into such forms as best suited the taste -and convenience of their new owner. - -Thus were things situated when the baffled Seraskier withdrew from the -Imperial Presence, to drag his beloved ducats from their snug -resting-place in his strong box, and to scatter them among the -money-changing Franks. Many of the Pashas had not yet come forward with -their gifts, and he had still breathing time for a shrewd stroke. It is -the fashion at the Sublime Court for each noble to announce the amount -of the present which he purposes to make; and the declaration generally -exceeds the actual value of the offering by fifty or a thousand -piastres. The Seraskier accordingly collected these declarations, and -having so done, he addressed a courtly circular to the tardy (in this -case too tardy!) Pashas, informing them that his Sublime Highness -Mahmoud “The Powerful,” the Light of the World, and Brother of the Sun, -had so overwhelmed his intended son-in-law, Mohammed Saïd Pasha, with -the brightness of his munificence, that he had rained diamonds upon him, -and overstrown his path with precious stones; and, such being the case, -he, the Seraskier, acting as his adopted father and counsellor, had -suggested to him the expediency of proposing to those Pashas who had not -yet honoured him with their gifts, to make them in the current coin of -the Empire, rather than in diamonds which could not, under the -circumstances, avail him any thing. - -The suggestion was a command; the wily Seraskier held the list of names -and offerings; and each Pasha was under the necessity of coming forward, -and paying to the treasurer of the Seraskier the actual sum in money -which he had specified! - -Nothing sharpens the wits of a Turk like self-interest. - -The procession, from which I have digressed, passed through the street -called Divan-Yoli, terminating at the mosque of St. Sophia, near the -Imperial Palace. When it arrived at Ortakapou, or The Middle Door, the -whole of the officers alighted, and formed an avenue to the entrance of -the harem, whence the marriage gifts were conveyed into the Seraï, where -the Seraskier, acting for the bridegroom, craved and obtained an -interview with the Kislar-Agha, who was proxy for the Princess. This -hideous negro has the thickest lips, the flattest nose, the smallest -eyes, and the most unwieldy person of all the eunuchs of the empire. -Imagination cannot paint his ugliness! And before this revolting -caricature of humanity, the haughty Minister, in whose hands are life -and death, bent his stubborn knee in supplication. Scarcely had he -crossed the threshold of the magnificent apartment in which the -Kislar-Agha awaited him, ere he prostrated himself to the earth, as he -besought the monstrous representative of youth and beauty to have mercy -upon the slave who kissed the dust before the Light of the Creation, the -Glory of the Moon,[3] the Empress of his thoughts—upon which the -unwieldy negro averted his face, cast down his eyes, and assumed the -prude; but, after a vast deal of coquetting, the lover-like vehemence of -the gray-headed Seraskier met with its reward—a sable hand was extended -towards him, which he embraced with transport—the presents were -condescendingly accepted; the sweetmeats by the Kislar-Agha himself: and -the more costly offerings by the principal eunuchs of the palace, in the -names of their Imperial Mistresses, to whom they were immediately -conveyed. - -And thus terminated the first act of the sublime comedy! - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - - Fine Scenery—The Coast of Asia—Turkish Cemeteries—The - Imperial Seraï—The Golden Horn—Mount Olympus—The - Arabajhe—The Araba—The Persian Kiosk—The Barrack of - Scutari—The Mosque of Selim III.—The Slipper of the Sultana - Validè—The Imperial Guard—Military Material—The Macaroni - Manufactory—Sublime Targets—A Major of the Imperial - Guard—Triumph of Utilitarianism—The Rise of the Vines—The - Holy Tomb—Encampments of the Plague-smitten—The Setting - Sun—Return to Europe—The Square of Topphannè. - -I have seldom seen a lovelier day than that on which we first passed -over to Scutari; the sunshine was bright upon the Bosphorus, the tops of -the tall cypresses were golden in the light, and their feathery branches -heaved slightly beneath the breeze; the sky was blue about the spiral -minarets: and the painted houses gleamed out like gigantic flowers as -the day-beam touched them; the ripple sparkled like diamond-dust, and -our arrowy caïque seemed to breathe as it undulated upon the surface. - -It was a glorious scene! And we were soon upon the bosom of the blue -waters, darting along, with the wild birds above our heads, out into the -Sea of Marmora. Europe was beside and behind us—Europe, with its -palaces, its politics, and its power—and the shadowy shore of Asia, -with its cypress-crowned heights, and its dusky mountains, seemed to woo -our approach. How I regretted that the passage was so brief—a few -strokes of the oar, a few pulsations of the heart, after we had shot -past the “Maiden’s Tower,” and we were landed beside the ruined mosque, -in the valley beyond the Persian Kiosk of the Sultan, which crowns the -crest of the highest hill. - -The land curved gracefully downward at this point to form a fair green -glen, where a group of plane trees and acacias threw their long branches -over the remains of the crumbling temple. Here and there a solitary -cypress shot up its dark head like a death-lance into the clear horizon, -contrasting its funereal and gloomy pomp with the laughing clusters of -the pink-blossoming almond-trees, which were scattering their petals -over the grave-stones that rose on the side of the grassy bank amid the -wild flowers, as if to link the present with the past. - -It is a beautiful custom, that of burying the dead upon the very path of -the living! It destroys so much of the gloom which imagination is prone -to drape about the grave—it creates so much more of a common interest. -The Turk smokes his chibouk with his back resting against a -turban-crested grave-stone; the Greek spreads his meal upon a tomb; the -Armenian shelters himself from the sunshine beneath the boughs that -overshadow the burial-places of his people; the women sit in groups, and -talk of their homes and of their little ones among the ashes of their -ancestors; and the children gather the wild flowers that grow amid the -graves, as gaily as though death had never entered there. - -The caïque soon darted into the little bay, and we trod the shore of -Asia. Immediately in front of us, on the European coast, stretched the -long castellated wall of the ancient city of Constantine, with its Seven -Towers, and its palace-girdled Point. Nothing could be more beautiful! -The numerous buildings of the imperial Seraï were overtopped by shadowy -plane-trees, leafy beeches, lofty cypresses, feathery acacias, and other -magnificent forest trees; from amid whose foliage the gleaming domes and -gilded spires of the palace peeped out like glimpses of fairy-land. On -the extreme point of the shore stands that portion of the Seraglio which -was formerly appropriated to the ladies of the Imperial Harem, but which -is now untenanted, save by half a dozen old and withered women, the -surviving wives of the unfortunate Sultan Selim. The sun had touched it, -and was reflected back in brightness from its gilded doors and -glittering lattices. It looked like a cluster of kiosks gracefully -flung together in the hour of sport. - -Beyond that point lay the Golden Horn; and, along the summit of the hill -which shuts it in on the opposite shore, stretched the cypress-grove and -houses of Pera. But ere long we turned away from these accustomed -objects to glance upwards to the crest of Mount Olympus, far, far away -in the distance, forming a mighty background to the Sea of Marmora. We -saw it at a happy moment, for the sunbeams had turned its snows to -jewels, which were flashing with a brightness that almost forbade our -gaze; when suddenly a light cloud passed over its stately brow, and, -deadening for an instant the glitter that it had borrowed from the -day-beam, sobered down its tints into more subdued beauty, and made it -look as though it were girdled by a rainbow. - -As we reluctantly quitted this fair scene, and walked towards the -valley, we saw the araba that we had appointed to await us there, -standing beneath the shade of the tall trees; and as the arabajhe -observed our approach, he rose from his seat beneath a stately elm, laid -aside his chibouk, and prepared to assist us into the carriage. But I -lingered yet another moment to contemplate his costume—his voluminous -turban, which it must have required ells of muslin to produce; and his -gaily-tasselled and embroidered jacket, falling back to disclose the -shawl that bound his waist. I scarcely knew which to admire the -most;—his black and bushy beard, and the thick mustachioes that adorned -his upper lip; or the elaborately-wrought Albanian leggings and yellow -slippers which completed his costume. - -No one but a native of the luxurious East could ever have invented an -araba; with its comfortable cushions, and its gaily painted roof, and -gilded pillars. The prettiest are those of brown and gold, with -rose-coloured draperies, through which the breeze flutters to your cheek -as blandly as though it loved the tint that reminded it of the roses of -the past season amid which it had wandered. - -As we clomb the hill, we passed beside the Imperial kiosk, a delicate -little edifice with walls of pale green, and snow-white jalousies; and -then, descending a slight acclivity, we found ourselves opposite the -magnificent barrack, which forms so fine a feature from the sea. There -is probably no country in the world where the barracks are so elegantly -built as in Turkey; they have all the appearance of palaces; and that of -Scutari being appropriated to the Imperial Guard is the handsomest in -the neighbourhood of the capital; being a quadrangle, flanked with -square towers, built in three sections, gradually diminishing in size, -and crowned by a slight spire. Immediately opposite to the principal -gate of the barrack stands the magnificent mosque of Selim III.; but -Scutari, among the numerous temples whose slender minarets are relieved -by the dark back ground of her funereal cypresses, possesses one of -which I must not forget to make mention. Small in size, and not -particularly elegant in its appearance, the mosque of the Sultana Validè -must not be passed over in silence, built as it was from the proceeds of -one of her diamond-sprinkled slippers! - -I have mentioned that this barrack is occupied by the Imperial Guard: -and I never shall forget their appearance, as groups of them passed us -on the road. Dirty, slouching, and awkward, many among them without -either shirts or stockings, they certainly looked as unlike Household -Troops as can well be imagined; and might have traversed three quarters -of Europe without being mistaken for soldiers at all, either by their -gait or their garb. When on duty, and not examined too closely, they -make a fair figure as a body, but on ordinary occasions they are as -unmilitary in their appearance and bearing as the rest of the Turkish -army; and the majority of them are such mere boys that they induce a -feeling of pity rather than fear. On one occasion, when I paid a visit -to the Sultan’s sister, while waiting to be admitted, I amused myself -by looking attentively at the palace-guard, who had all collected -outside the guard-house to see the Franks; including the two sentinels -on duty, they amounted to ten individuals; and certainly eight of the -number were not more than fourteen years of age; nor do I believe that -any of them had washed their faces, or brushed their garments for a week -previously. - -A Pasha, while speaking with me one day of the Turkish army, assured me -that it was composed of “excellent materials.”—It may be so; I cannot, -nor do I desire, to confute his opinion; but it is certain that, like -other raw materials, it will require a great deal of working before it -can be rendered serviceable; and that, at present, there are few things -more laughable than to see a Turkish regiment at drill or exercise; -there is an independence of feeling and action about each individual -which is quite _impayable_. - -But the surprise created by the appearance of the Imperial Guard was not -to be the only cause for astonishment excited by this gallant corps; for -we were yet indulging a hearty laugh at their expense when we were -startled by the recommendation of the arabajhe that we should visit the -Macaroni Manufactory of Achmet Pasha. At first we thought that our -dragoman had played us false, for we could find no possible connection -in our own minds between the Generalissimo of the Armies of the Sublime -Porte, and a Macaroni Manufactory. The invitation had, however, been -correctly interpreted, and we immediately diverged from the road to see -this highly-connected establishment. - -On rising a little hill, we entered the widest street that I had yet -seen in the East, partly overshadowed by the stately trees which -encircled an ancient mosque, and terminated by the principal entrance to -the garrison. - -I may as well mention here that the main portal of every Turkish barrack -is decorated with a target, richly framed, and perforated with one or -more balls, shot by the Sublime hand of the Sultan, who is an excellent -marksman; and thus seeks to excite by his example a feeling of emulation -among his soldiery. - -The araba drew up before a neat-looking white building with a green -balcony, and, ere we could alight, the door was opened to us; when one -of the gentlemen of the party instantly recognized an acquaintance, to -whom he hastened to present us; and I in turn made my bow to a Major of -the Imperial Guard, with a diamond decoration on his breast, his sleeves -tucked up to the shoulders, and his arms buried to the elbows in flour. - -The Turks are utilitarians indeed! - -The scene was a singular one; the large hall in which we stood was -entirely over-canopied with ropes of macaroni, and surrounded by presses -and rollers.—A major was deciding on the merits of the flour—a -lieutenant was superintending the working of the machine—a couple of -sergeants were suspending the paste to dry—and a fatigue party were -turning the wheels. - -Hear this, ye Grenadiers and Coldstream! ye exquisites of Bond Street -and the Ring! There was no _ennui_ here—all was grinding, and sifting, -and rolling, and drying, and selling—yes, selling—The Imperial Guard -of his Sublime Highness have no occasion to kill time; they rather seek -customers. The whitest and finest of the paste supplies the kitchen of -the Sultan: the darkest and coarsest finds its way to that of the -soldiers; but “more remains behind;” and if you are inclined to feast on -Imperial macaroni, you have but to draw out your purse, and pay it in -piastres! - -What a well-imagined antidote to the weariness of a garrison life—What -a triumph for utilitarianism! - -I shall say nothing of the forest-like cemetery; I have spoken of it -elsewhere. The dark cypresses were flinging their long shadows across -the road; and the hill which we slowly ascended on quitting the -manufactory was called “The Rise of the Vines.” The name is -appropriate; for the houses that fringe it on the left hand overlook a -wide extent of orchard and vineyard, interspersed with kiosks, and -groups of flowering acacias. The view was bounded by the sea, and the -tall mountains above Broussa: and flowers were blossoming by the -wayside, and wild-birds were singing among the boughs. No wonder that -the nature-loving Turks are attached to Scutari. - -A small building to the left of the road attracted my attention, and I -alighted to examine it. It proved to be the tomb of a Saint; and I -distinguished, through the closely-latticed casement, a wooden -sarcophagus surmounted by a green turban, and surrounded by the -prayer-carpets of the priests. The wire-work of the window was knotted -all over with rags; shreds of cotton, woollen, and silk—morsels of -ribbon and tape—and fragments of every description. They had been -fastened there by sick and suffering persons, who had firmly believed -that their trouble, whether mental or physical, would remain attached to -the rag, and that they should themselves “return each to his home -clean.” - -We avoided the town, for the Plague was there; that omnipresent but -invisible enemy which stretches its clammy hand over the East, and -sweeps down its prey, unchecked by the groans of the bereaved, or the -pangs of the smitten—the deadly Plague, which spares neither sex, nor -age, nor condition, but makes one universal harvest of mankind. - -Nothing ever thrilled me more than when I once came suddenly, during my -wanderings, upon an encampment of the Plague-smitten. The huts are -generally erected on a hill-side, and the tents pitched among them; and -you see the families of the infected basking in the sunshine within -their prescribed limits, and gazing eagerly at the chance passenger, -whom his ignorance of their vicinity may conduct past their temporary -dwellings; the children rolling half-naked upon the grass; and the -sallow and careworn parents hanging out the garments of the patients on -the trees of the neighbourhood. Such was precisely the case with that -into which I had unconsciously intruded; and whence I was very hastily -dislodged by the shouts of the guard, stationed to enforce the -quarantaine of the mountain colony; and the alarmed exclamations of my -companions. - -It is difficult to look upon such a scene, and upon such a sky, and to -believe in the existence of this frightful scourge! It is the canker at -the core of the forest-tree—the serpent in the garden of Eden. - -The sun was setting ere we prepared to traverse the Golden Horn, in -order to reach the European side before the firing of the evening gun; -the shadows were lying long upon the water: a yellow gleam was settling -on the domes and houses of Stamboul, and a thick vapour lowered over the -sky. The twilight of the East is fleeting as a thought—and the outline -of the city ere long loomed out from amid the gathering darkness, like a -spectre of the past. One line of light still glimmered across the waves -like a thread of gold, linking the shores of Europe and of Asia; but, -even as I pointed it out, it faded; softening down to a faint yellow, -like the lip of a primrose—and in another instant, it was gone; while, -as it disappeared, the hoarse cannon pealed over the ripple, and told -that another day was spent. - -Our rowers had calculated to a nicety, for, as the sound died away, the -caïque touched the crazy wooden pier of Topphannè, and we were once more -in Europe! - -There is not a locality throughout the whole of the capital more -strictly or more richly oriental in its aspect than the small square of -Topphannè. In the midst stands the celebrated Kilidge Ali Pasha -Djiamini, or Fountain of the Mosque of Ali Pasha, a French renegade, who -built the temple which bears his name. Constantinople boasts no other -fountain of equal beauty. Its rich and elegant arabesques are beyond all -praise; and, when the sun is shining on them, almost look like jewels. -It has, however, suffered materially from the reforming mania of the -Sultan, who, in his rage for improvement, has replaced its wavy and -deeply-projecting roof with a little terrace railing, out of all -keeping, alike with its architecture and its ornaments; and who was with -difficulty persuaded not to destroy it altogether. - -On one side of the fountain is the mosque to which it belongs, and on -the other the kiosk of Halil Pasha, with its magnificent portal and -glittering casements. But to be seen to perfection, the square of -Topphannè must be visited during the autumn, when the rich fruits of -Asia are scattered over its whole extent; piles of perfumed melons, -pyramids of yellow grapes, heaps of scarlet pomegranates—the golden -orange, the amber-coloured lemon, the ruddy apple, the tufted quince, -all are poured forth before you. Nor are the vendors less various or -less glowing than their merchandize, as they sit doubled-up upon their -mats, clad in all the colours of the rainbow, with their chibouks -between their lips; rather waiting than looking for customers—a bright -sky above them, and the blended languages of many lands swelling upon -the wind. - -Had I landed at Topphannè on my arrival in Turkey, I should have fancied -myself a spectator of one of the scenes described by the tale-telling -Schererazade. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - - Turkish Superstitions—Auguries—The Court Astrologer—The Evil - Eye—Danger of Blue Eyes—Imperial Firman—The Babaluk—The - Ceremony—Sable Pythonesses—Witchcraft. - -The Turks are strangely superstitious; they cling resolutely to the -absurd and wild fancies which have been banished from Europe for -centuries; and that too with a blindness of faith, and a tenacity of -purpose, quite in keeping with their firm and somewhat dogged natures. - -Many of their superstitions they inherit from the Romans; they extract -auguries of good and evil from the entrails of fresh-slaughtered -animals—they draw inferences from the flight of birds—they have -auspicious and inauspicious hours, which are gravely determined by the -Astrologers; and no Osmanli ever undertakes a journey, builds a house, -marries a wife, or commences any business of importance, without -satisfying himself on this important point. Should evil or -disappointment overtake him, despite the precaution he has used, he -never blames either his own mismanagement or another’s treachery; -neither does he sink beneath the trial: he tells you that it is his -_kismet_—his fate—and he calmly submits to what he considers to have -been inevitable; and should misfortunes accumulate about him, instead of -attributing them to worldly causes, he ascribes them to _felech_—his -constellation—without searching further. - -When he is troubled with unpleasant dreams, haunted by melancholy -fancies, or suffering from bodily disease, he tears away a fragment of -his dress, and fastens the rag to the iron-work of a window belonging to -the tomb of a saint, in order to deposit the evil along with it. When he -is sick, he procures from the Priest an earthen bowl, inscribed -throughout its interior with passages from the Koran; and, filling it -with water, sets it aside until the whole of the writing becomes -effaced, when he swallows the liquid, and thus administers to himself a -dose of Holy Writ! The Court Astrologer publishes every year a species -of supernatural almanack, in which he specifies the lucky and unlucky -days of the different moons; foretells wars, deaths, and marriages; and -imparts a vast quantity of multifarious information, which must be both -valuable and curious, if it is to be estimated by the price paid for it, -as the salary of the Seer is a most liberal one. - -Another singular superstition common throughout Turkey is the belief -that should a dog chance to pass between two persons who are conversing, -one or the other will fall sick unless the animal be propitiated with -food; and the first care of a Musselmaun to whom this ill-luck has -occurred, is to look about him for the means of averting its effect. - -But the predominant weakness of the East is the dread of the Evil Eye. -Should you praise the beauty of a Turkish child to its mother, without -prefacing your admiration with “_Mashallah!_” or, In the name of -God—which is considered sufficient to counteract the power of all -malignant spirits; and, should the child become ill or meet with an -accident, it is at once decided that you have smitten it with the Evil -Eye. The Greeks, when by accident they allude to their own good health -or good fortune, immediately spit upon their breasts to avert the malign -influence; and to such a pitch do they carry their faith in the efficacy -of this inelegant exorcism, that on a recent occasion, when an -acquaintance of my own was introduced to a beautiful Greek girl, and -betrayed into an eulogium on her loveliness, he was earnestly entreated -by her mother to perform the same ceremony in the very face which he had -just been eulogizing, in order to annul the evil effects of his -admiration; and so pressing were her instances that he was compelled to -affect obedience to her wishes, ere she could be re-assured of the -safety of her daughter! - -The Turk decorates the roof of his house, the prow of his caïque, the -cap of his child, the neck of his horse, and the cage of his bird, with -charms against the Evil Eye; one of the most powerful of these antidotes -being garlic: and it must be conceded that, here at least, the workers -of woe have shown their taste. Every hovel has its head of garlic -suspended by a string; and bouquets of flowers formed of spices, amid -which this noxious root is nestled, are sent as presents to the mother -of a new-born infant, as a safeguard both to herself and her little one. - -A blue eye is super-eminently suspicious, for they have an idea that -such is the legitimate colour of the evil orb; and you seldom see a -horse, or a draught ox, or even a donkey, which has not about its neck a -string of blue beads, to preserve it from the dark deeds of witchcraft. -I was considerably amused on one occasion, when, being about to meet the -carriage of a friend, the horse that drew it, either from idleness or -caprice, suddenly stood still, and the arabajhe exclaimed with vehemence -to his mistress, “You see, madam, you see that the horse is struck—the -new Hanoum has blue eyes!” turning his own on me as he spoke, with a -most unloving expression. I am perfectly convinced that, had the animal -met with any misfortune, or been guilty of any misdemeanour during the -remainder of the day, the whole blame would have inevitably been visited -on my unlucky eyes, which had counteracted the effect of a row of glass -beads, and a crescent of bone! - -To protect the reigning Sultan from the power of the Evil Eye during his -state progresses through the streets of the capital, a peculiar -head-dress was invented for the Imperial body-pages, whose ornamented -plumes were of such large dimensions as, collectively, to form a screen -about his sacred person. Even Sultan Mahmoud, who is superior to many of -the popular prejudices, has just caused a Firman to be published, -prohibiting the women from looking earnestly at him as he passes them, -on pain of—what think you, reader?—of subjecting their husbands or -brothers to the bastinado! The Turkish laws are too gallant to condemn -females to suffer this punishment in their own persons, and Mahmoud is -consequently to be protected from the possibly fatal effects of the -ladies’ eyes by their fears for their male relations. - -Another singular custom is that of pouring water where any one has -fallen, to prevent a recurrence of the accident on the same spot, which -is religiously observed by the lower orders; as well as flinging stones -at the body of a decapitated criminal, in order to secure the dreams of -the spectator from an intrusion of the ghastly object. - -No Turk of the lower ranks of society ever passes a shred of paper which -may chance to lie upon his path; he always gathers it up with the -greatest care; as the popular belief leads him to place implicit faith -in an ancient superstition that all paper thus obtained will be -collected after death, and scattered over the burning soil through which -he is to pass to paradise; and that consequently the more he is enabled -to secure, the less suffering he will have to endure hereafter. - -A most extraordinary fact came to my knowledge a short time before I -left the East, relatively to the female Arabs of the harem. They have a -species of society, or institution—I scarcely know how to term it—in -which they are initiated from their girlhood, that they call “Babaluk,” -whose principle of mystery is kept as secret as that of freemasonry; -while the occasional display of its influence is wild and startling -enough to remind the spectator of the Priestesses of Delphi. - -Far from affecting any concealment of their participation in the -pretended powers of the society, you cannot, when a guest in the harem, -please an initiated Arab more surely than by inquiring if she be a -Babaluk; and the Turkish ladies frequently amuse themselves and their -visitors by exhibiting their black slaves while under the influence of -their self-excited phrenzy. When a sable Pythoness is informed of the -wish of her mistress, she collects such of her companions as are -Babaluks, for there are sometimes several in the same harem, and a -brazier of burning charcoal is placed in the centre of the saloon in -which the ceremony is to take place. Round this brazier the Arabs squat -down, and commence a low, wild chant, which they take up at intervals -from the lips of each other; and then break into a chorus, that -ultimately dies away in a wail, succeeded by a long silence, during -whose continuance they rock their bodies backwards and forwards, and -never raise their eyes from the earth. From the moment in which the -chant commences, an attendant is constantly employed in feeding the fire -with aloes, incense, musk, and every species of intoxicating perfume. - -After a time, they fall on the floor in a state of utter insensibility, -and great exertion is frequently necessary to arouse them from their -trance; but, when once they are awakened, they become furious—they rend -themselves, and each other—they tear their hair and their -clothing—they howl like wild beasts, and they cry earnestly for food, -while they reject all that is offered except brandy and raw meat, both -of which they destroy in great quantities. Having satisfied their -hunger, they renew the warfare that they had discontinued to indulge it, -and finally roll on the floor with bloodshot eyeballs, and foaming at -the mouth. - -A second trance ultimately seizes them, from which they are left to -recover alone; fresh perfumes being flung into the brazier to expedite -their restoration, which generally takes place in ten or fifteen -minutes; and then it is that the spell of prophecy is on them. They rise -slowly and majestically from the floor—they wave their hands solemnly -over the aromatic flame—they have become suddenly subdued and gentle; -and, after having made the circuit of the brazier several times in -silence, they gaze coldly round the circle, until, fixing upon some -particular individual, they commence shadowing forth her fate, past, -present, and to come; and I have heard it seriously asserted that they -have thus divulged the most secret events of by-gone years, as well as -prophecying those which subsequently took place. - -It is scarcely wonderful—even disgusting as a great portion of the -ceremonial undoubtedly is—that many of the Turkish ladies occasionally -relieve the tedium of the harem by the exhibition of the Babaluk; that -vague yearning to pry into futurity so inherent in our nature, coupled -with the uncertainty on whom the spell of the sybil may be cast, causes -an excitement which forms an agreeable contrast from their customary -_ennui_. No second fate is ever foretold at the same orgies. When the -first Babaluk begins to speak, the others sink down into a sitting -posture, occasionally enforcing her assertions by repeating the last -words of any remarkable sentence in a long, low wail; and, when she -ceases and takes her place among them, they are for the third time -overtaken by a trance: the brazier is then removed, the spectators leave -the room, the door is carefully closed, and the Babaluks are left to -awaken at their leisure. When they finally come forth, they resume their -customary avocations, without making the slightest allusion to the -extraordinary scene in which they have been actors; nor do they like the -subject to be mentioned to them until several days have elapsed. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - - Imperial Invitation—Disagreeable Adventure—Executed - Criminal—Efficacy of Wayside Executions—Tardy - Conversions—Mistaken Humanity—Summary Mode of Execution—The - Palace of Asmè Sultane—Entrance of the Harem—Costume of the - Slaves—Nazip Hanoum—Ceremonious Reception—The Adopted - Daughter—Costume of the Ladies of the Seraï—Beauty of the - Slaves—Extraordinary Arrangement—Rejected Addresses—The - Imperial Lover—Sacredness of Adoption in Turkey—Romantic - Correspondence—Ladies of the Household—The Mother of the - Slaves—Peroussè Hanoum—Crowded Audience—The Imperial - Odalique—Music of the Harem—The New Pet—The Kislar-Agha—The - “Light of the Harem”—The Poetical Sultan—Indisposition of the - Sultana—The Palace Gardens—The Imperial Apartments—The - Dancing Girl—Reluctant Departure—Ballad by Peroussè Hanoum. - -Having received an invitation to wait upon Asmè Sultane, the elder -sister of the Sultan, at her summer palace, I started from Pera early -one morning accompanied by a friend, to obey the Imperial summons. - -The weather was beautiful; the great Cemetery was crowded with loungers, -and the road leading to “The Sweet Waters” thronged with horsemen. The -spring flowers were bursting, and the young leaves trembling in the -fresh breeze; and, as we passed on, amid sunshine and salutations, I -forgot the purpose of my errand in the enjoyment of the glad scene -around me. - -But, unhappily for the continuance of these joyous feelings, the -authorities had just secured a band of Sclavonian housebreakers, and, -having bestowed upon them a very summary species of civil drum-head -court-martial, had hung a dozen of them the previous day in the -outskirts of the city. Of this uncomfortable fact we were entirely -ignorant; and the shock may consequently be conceived when, on -descending a steep pitch into the narrow street of Ortakeuÿ, the -arabadjhe suddenly exclaimed—“A man hanged! A man hanged! Hide your -eyes, ladies.” But it was too late. As the carriage turned the corner of -the road I had caught sight of the suspended criminal, and I continued -to gaze upon him, fascinated by the horror of the spectacle. This was -only the second time that I had looked upon death, and it was now before -me in so revolting a shape that I felt as though my life-blood were -curdling about my heart! - -We had come upon the victim in so instantaneous a manner that the sleeve -of my dress almost touched his arm, as he hung from the projecting spout -of a house immediately beside our path. He was a tall, powerful man, -bare-headed, and clad in a white jacket and trowsers, fastened about his -waist with a scarlet shawl. But what made the exhibition tenfold more -horrible was the fact that the rope had slipped during his dying -struggles, and that his head was bent forcibly backward. I shall never -forget it; and I verily believe that I should have remained without the -power of turning away my eyes had not my companion aroused me forcibly -from my lethargy; when, yielding to the heart-sickness which crept over -me, I fortunately fainted, and thus escaped all further suffering from -the disgusting spectacle. - -I am not prepared to deny that these wayside executions may be very -efficacious in preventing the spread of crime; it is a subject on which -I am not competent to offer an opinion; but I am enabled from my own -painful experience to decide upon their extreme inconvenience, to use no -stronger term, to those who do not require so frightful a warning. To -encounter death in a shape of violence upon the very path of the living, -and in the midst of men busied in their daily avocations—to know that -the narrow space in which the victim is suspended, surrounded by objects -of barter, has been let out on hire for this horrible purpose—that a -bargain has been made between the government and the shopkeeper for the -use of the doorway leading into his dwelling—there is altogether -something so revolting in the whole system that I cannot think of it -without a shudder; and thus was every avenue into Pera closed for three -days against those to whom such sights were painful; for the same -ghastly object presented itself at each village leading from the city: -while the body of the ringleader of the band, decapitated, and deprived -of its right hand, was exposed in one of the public squares. - -One of the gang saved himself by becoming at one and the same time a -True Believer and King’s Evidence; the only individual of the -association who would consent to accept life on such terms. The -remainder, kept in ignorance, according to the Turkish custom, of the -precise moment of their execution, were allowed to frequent the taverns -and coffee-houses accompanied by a guard, during several hours, and to -drink and converse freely with those whom they happened to meet there; -when suddenly their career of intemperance was checked; they were halted -in front of the house which had been fixed upon for their reception, the -fatal noose affixed, a basket placed beneath their feet to be -subsequently drawn away, and in another instant they were launched into -Eternity, while the accents of revelry were yet upon their lips! As the -Turks do not admit the efficacy of a tardy and terror-wrung repentance, -they consider this mode of execution to be the most humane which they -can adopt; and, as the criminal is flattered to the last with the hope -of pardon, he thus escapes much of the premature suffering attendant -upon a violent death. - -In about an hour after we had escaped from the frightful spectacle I -have described, we arrived at the gate of the Palace—an extensive and -handsome edifice on the border of the Bosphorus; where a guard of -soldiers and a throng of servants were to be traversed ere we could -reach the staircase leading to the ante-room in which we waited, while -our presence was announced to the princess. As Her Highness was in the -bath when we entered, we were detained a considerable time in this -apartment, surrounded by the officers of the household, and the -principal negroes of the harem; a delay at which I rather rejoiced, as I -had not altogether recovered from the effects of my morning’s adventure. - -At length we were requested to move forward, and, attended by half a -dozen individuals of the Imperial suite, we traversed several apartments -neatly matted, but quite destitute of furniture; until at the extremity -of a long gallery, lighted on either side by twelve spacious windows, -commanding the channel on the one hand, and the palace gardens on the -other, we reached the lofty doors of the harem, which were flung back at -the first signal of our attendants, and as instantly closed again when -we had crossed the threshold. - -A train of female slaves, dressed in the most gaudy furniture chintzes, -received us as we entered, and led us across a lordly hall lined with -white marble, and supported by numerous pillars of the same material; -through whose open doors we had a delicious view of the extensive -gardens, with their fantastic flower-beds, stately fountains, and -gleaming terraces. Nazip Hanoum, the adopted daughter of the Princess, -met us in the centre of the hall, and welcomed us most gracefully; after -which, taking a hand of each, she conducted us to her own apartment, a -charming room overlooking the water, and entered from a gallery that -surrounded the principal saloon. Having relieved us of our veils, and -seated us on the cushions beside her, she clapped her hands, and about a -score of slaves entered with coffee and sweetmeats. - -The _coup d’œil_ was beautiful, as the fair girls, not one of whom -could have been more than twenty years of age, and who were all -exceedingly lovely, prepared to hand the refreshments. The princess had -given orders that we should be received with all possible ceremony: and -the display was consequently most beautiful. One slave held a weighty -vase, suspended from three silver chains, in which stood the coffee; -another bore a large gold salver, covered with cups and holders of -costly enamel, whence depended a dazzling drapery of gold tissue -wrought with pearls, and richly fringed: a third carried a gilded tray -bearing vases of cut crystal containing a variety of exquisite -sweetmeats, confined beneath golden covers enriched with gems; a fourth -held the salver on which stood a range of glass goblets of beautiful -form and workmanship, filled with water—all, in fine, were laden with -some object of cost and luxury; and their attitudes were so graceful, -their faces so lovely, and their costume so striking, that I regretted -their departure, when, after we had partaken of the rose-scented jelly -and perfumed mocha, they slowly withdrew. - -Nazip Hanoum, the favourite of Asmè Sultane, was purchased by Her -Imperial Highness when she was only a few months old, together with her -mother, who died while she was yet an infant. Her influence over the -mind of her illustrious protectress is unlimited, and, had she been -really born “beneath the purple,” she could not have commanded greater -liberty or consideration than she now enjoys. Her features are very -regular, and even handsome; but her beauty is destroyed by the immense -number of freckles that cover her face and bosom. Her eyes are a deep -rich blue, with long dark lashes, and her hair is of a fine golden -auburn; but the great charm of Nazip Hanoum exists in her extreme -gracefulness; she has not a movement which is not elegant; and her -playful vivacity and great natural shrewdness render her a delightful -companion. Her voice is low, and sweet; and her ringing laughter the -very echo of joyousness. - -Her costume was an odd admixture of the European and the Oriental. She -wore trowsers of pale blue cotton flowered with yellow; and an antery of -light green striped with white, and edged with a fringe of pink floss -silk; while her jacket, which was the production of a Parisian -dress-maker, was of dove-coloured satin, thickly wadded, and furnished -with a deep cape, and a pair of immense sleeves, fastened at the wrists -with diamond studs. But the most striking feature of the costume in the -Imperial Palaces is the head-dress. Nothing can be imagined more -hideous! A painted handkerchief is bound tightly round the brow, and -secured by jewelled bodkins: the back hair is _crèpé_ until it becomes -one huge dishevelled mass, when it is traversed across the top of the -head by a corner of the handkerchief: a number of slender plaits of -false hair hang down the back, frequently differing very materially from -the colour of the natural tresses: the front locks are cut square across -the forehead, and left a couple of inches longer at the sides, where -they lie quite flat, and are stuck full of roses, or gems; or overhung -by the deep fringe of the handkerchief, wrought to resemble a wreath of -flowers. Some few among the ladies of the Imperial Seraïs fasten -immense bunches of artificial ringlets under their yashmacs when they -drive out, but they are as yet sufficiently uncommon to be remarkable. -To this head-dress, such as I have described it, Nazip Hanoum had added, -in common with the other females of the household, a star and crescent -of sticking-plaister between her eyebrows, which were stained a deep -black, and destroyed the natural softness of her expression. But her -hands and arms were lovely! White, and round, and soft, as though they -had been moulded in wax; and her slight elastic figure looked as if it -had been modelled by the Graces. - -Asmè Sultane is celebrated throughout the capital for the beauty of her -slaves; and his Sublime Highness has thrice demanded Nazip Hanoum, but -has been thrice refused; an occurrence so unprecedented in the East, -that he has finished by persuading himself that he is actually attached -to the lively girl who has dared to play the part of a modern Roxalana, -and to defy his power. - -His first rejection was treated by the Sultan as the wayward whim of a -spoiled beauty, and he even condescended to expostulate with Nazip -Hanoum; but his advice had no more effect upon her than his preference; -and for the first time in his life, the “Brother of the Sun” and -“Emperor of the Earth” found himself slighted by a mere girl. - -The evil was, however, without remedy, for, as the adopted daughter of -an Imperial Princess, the liberty of the young Hanoum was sacred; and -his Sublime Highness was fain to content himself with the anticipation -of future success; but, when a second solicitation brought with it only -a second repulse, despite all the costly gifts and lover-like courtesies -of the preceding twelve months, the enraged Sultan took up the affair in -another tone, and accused the Princess of having instigated her -favourite to this unheard-of rebellion against his sacred will. - -The Sultana defended herself with all the energy of innocence, and even -consented to further his suit by her counsels and persuasion, but no -success followed her efforts. Nazip Hanoum preferred the partial liberty -of the harem of her protectress, and the comparative independence of her -present position, to the gilded captivity of the Imperial Seraglio, and -the fleeting favour of its lord; and she consequently continued firm. - -The Sultan, enraged beyond endurance at this unexpected perseverance, -left the palace in displeasure, and even refused to see his sister, whom -he still persisted in believing to be the principal cause of his defeat. -But monarchs are mere men where blighted feeling or wounded vanity make -themselves felt: and Mahmoud, when he retreated to his gilded saloons at -Beglierbey, shared the fate of his kind. He became convinced that he -really loved Nazip Hanoum, and that her possession was necessary to his -happiness; and, determined not to be thwarted a third time, he continued -deaf to the earnest and humble prayers of the Princess that he would -restore to her the light of his favour, and the glory of his presence; -and actually refused during three long weeks to be accessible to her -entreaties; when, feeling convinced that this display of his sublime -wrath must have produced a powerful effect on the refractory beauty, he -once more bent his course to the palace of the Princess. - -A rich gift to Nazip Hanoum announced her pardon; and when she had -played and sung, seated on a cushion at his feet, and he had witnessed -the graceful movements of the dancing girls, and partaken of the -perfumed sherbet of his Imperial Sister, he led the young beauty into -the gardens of the palace, where she was compelled to listen for the -third time to his thriftless suit. But, alas! for the lordly lover—the -reflections of the past year had only strengthened her resolution, and -she continued as unmoved by his protestations as she had been by his -displeasure; and thus, Mahmoud returned once more to his Seraglio as -unsuccessful as ever. - -Such is the sacredness of adoption among the Turks. - -I have already mentioned that the Palace of Ortakeuÿ fronts the -Bosphorus, from which it is only separated by a broad path or terrace of -marble, extending along a considerable portion of the channel, and only -broken at intervals by the projection of the different palaces and -dwellings that are built against the edge of the stream. While we were -conversing with Nazip Hanoum, my attention was attracted by a peculiar -signal rising from this terrace, and evidently intended for the ear of -some fair inhabitant of the Seraï. As no answer was returned, the shrill -wild sound was repeated, when Nazip Hanoum rose quietly from her -cushions, and throwing back a small door which opened in the midst of -the lattice-work of one of the windows, demanded, in a tone of pretty -peevishness, why she was thus persecuted, when she had announced her -resolution not to receive another letter. The reply to this appeal, -brief as it was, was conclusive, for, shrugging her shoulders with a -coquettish gesture of impatience, she flung from the casement a painted -handkerchief secured by a silken cord attached to the window-frame, and -after the delay of a moment, drew it back, and took a letter from amid -its folds, which, having read with a blush and a smile, she thrust into -the shawl that was bound about her waist, with all the composure of a -person to whom such an occurrence was no novelty. - -We shortly afterwards proceeded to wait upon all the principal ladies of -the household, who occupied apartments opening from the same gallery as -that of Nazip Hanoum. The first whom we visited was the mother of the -slaves, a serious, stately woman, of about fifty years of age, dressed -in an antery and trowsers of black cashmere, very silent, and even -sad-looking, whom we quitted as soon as we had satisfied her curiosity; -for the atmosphere of her stateliness did not appear congenial to our -light-hearted conductress. - -We were next introduced to Peroussè Hanoum, the private secretary of the -Princess, who had been a favourite Odalique of Sultan Selim; a woman -remarkable for her talents both natural and acquired; and a celebrated -poet. She was seated upon her sofa, surrounded by papers; lying -confusedly in heaps, or tied up in squares of clear muslin; and engaged -in writing on the lid of a chest inlaid with mother-of-pearl. She was -still handsome, with delicate features, and fine eyes, but disfigured by -the dye with which she had made her eyebrows meet across her nose. Had I -been able to converse with her, without the interposition of a third -person, I am sure that I should have been delighted, for she was all -energy and enthusiasm. Her room was crowded with Turkish and Greek -women, squatted on cushions all over the floor; and close beside her, -with her pale cheek resting upon her knees, sat one of the ladies of the -Imperial Seraglio, who having suffered severely from a protracted -indisposition, had asked and obtained permission to spend a few weeks in -the harem of the Princess, by whom she had been brought up. She was a -lovely girl of eighteen or nineteen, very richly dressed, but evidently -broken-hearted. Whenever she was addressed, the tears rushed into her -large dark eyes, and every reply appeared to be an effort. The gilded -Palace of her Imperial Master had evidently been a mere prison to her; -and you read a tale of blighted hope and spirit-sickness upon every line -of her pallid face. - -While we were in the apartment of the secretary, Nazip Hanoum, at the -request of the fair and faded visitor, sent a slave for her zebec, and -played and sang with considerable sweetness and execution: after which -the gifted Peroussè Hanoum read one of her poems, which elicited such -rapturous applause, that I asked and obtained a transcript of it, and -having caused it to be translated into French by one of the Professors -of the Military College, I have since rendered it into English verse for -the gratification of my readers. - -We spent a considerable time in the apartment of Peroussè Hanoum; and -after having paid a number of less interesting visits, we finally -entered the principal room of the Harem. Here we found a sweet girl of -about thirteen years of age, lying upon a pile of cushions, having -sprained her ancle a day or two previously, while dancing before the -Sultan. She was amusing herself by nursing a very fine infant, a recent -purchase of the Princess, who had bought both it and its mother, at the -earnest request of the latter; who, having lost three husbands in the -space of eighteen months, and being left entirely destitute, had -profited by the well-known partiality of her Imperial Highness for -children, to become an inmate of the Palace. The little girl was the pet -and plaything, not only of Asmè Sultane, but of the whole harem; and was -handed from one to the other, and caressed by all; while the mother did -nothing but eat, sleep, and say her prayers; which latter ceremony she -performed with most edifying ostentation. - -What a bevy of fair girls occupied that apartment! What eyes, and lips, -and teeth, were grouped together, as they sat clustered like bees upon -their cushions, with their delicate fingers clasped together, and almost -making their idleness look graceful! Here and there one lay fast asleep, -with her cheek pillowed upon her hand, and a smile upon her lips, as -though her last waking glance had been at the silver mounted mirror -which lay beside her, and her last thought one of triumph at her young -beauty. - -A few were yet settling their cashemere girdles, and arranging their -unwieldy head-dresses for the day, after their return from the bath; -while one laughing maiden, who appeared to possess the talent in an -extraordinary degree, was cutting court-plaister into various fantastic -shapes, and dispensing them to her numerous applicants, by whom they -were immediately affixed to their carefully-tinted eyebrows. The -Kislar-Agha, meanwhile, walked in and out of the apartment, rolling the -whites of his large eyes, and pouting his thick lips in silence, totally -unmoved by the mirth and laughter going on in every direction; and -scarcely replying to the questions and comments of those who were -courageous enough to address him. - -But, although there were many prettier women than herself in the party, -Nazip Hanoum was the “Light of the Harem!” All gave way before her; her -graceful playfulness, her joyous laughter, her innocent caprices, were -alike received with smiles and approbation; and she appeared to be a -general favourite, and to justify by her amiability the measureless -affection of her Imperial patroness. We were shortly joined by Peroussè -Hanoum, who accompanied one of the slaves on the zebec, while she sang, -or rather recited, one of her own compositions; after which the fair -favourite played the theorbo, and, while another of the party beat the -tambourine, half a dozen voices pealed out the ballads of the Sultan, -who is also a poet, and who frequently enjoys the happiness of listening -to his own productions, from the lips of the fair household of his -Imperial Sister. - -The part taken in this concert by Nazip Hanoum and the Secretary was -intended as a high compliment to their Frank visitors; for the Turkish -ladies hold it as a degradation to exhibit a talent which is made an -object of speculation and profit by hired performers. - -Her Imperial Highness having left the bath with a violent and painful -headache, we were requested to make a tour of the gardens, while she lay -down to endeavour to obtain some relief: and accordingly, conducted by -Nazip Hanoum, and followed by a dozen of her companions, we sallied -forth by a door opening from the hall upon a stately terrace of white -marble; and I laughed most heartily when, on emerging from the palace, -the sprightly favourite shouted to the gardeners who were at work on all -sides, “Do not look—we are coming out;” and, as a matter of course, -every one of them turned towards her to utter their assurance of -obedience, while away ran the laughing girl to gather the gayest flowers -of the parterre, as an offering to the Frank ladies. - -One fountain which we passed struck me as being peculiarly elegant; the -stream, falling from an artificial eminence, filled successively eleven -basins of white marble, gradually increasing in size, until the last -formed a noble sheet of water immediately under the palace windows. The -terraces were shaded by stately trees; and a gaily gilded kiosk, -superbly painted in fresco, throughout the whole of its interior, -occupied the highest point of the grounds. - -Having completed our survey of the gardens, and the Princess being still -invisible, we proceeded, under the same guidance, to visit the state -apartments, which were situated immediately over the harem. - -The grand saloon, built above the marble hall, was the very embodiment -of Eastern splendour. Its magnificently-painted dome was supported by -forty porphyry pillars with gilt capitals; its walls were lined with -plate glass; its doors veiled by silken draperies; its floor covered -with Persian carpets; and the lattices which veiled the entrance to the -women’s apartments richly carved and gilt. At either extremity of the -saloon, whose form was a fine oval, a noble flight of marble steps led -downwards to the harem; and along the glittering balustrade were -scattered groups of slaves, awaiting the summons of their Imperial -Mistress, and clad in the gaudiest colours. - -The morning-room of the Sultana was flooded with sunshine, and opened -upon the terrace: the carpet, covering the floor, the cushions which -were piled beneath the windows and the hangings of the walls, were all -of the purest white, ornamented with wreaths of roses; while the roof, -on which the Orientals universally display most elaborate taste, was of -a deep purple colour, ribbed and studded with golden stars. - -The reception-room was in a different style: sombre, magnificent, and -almost cloistral in its decorations; heavy with gilding, and gloomy with -cornices; while the sleeping chamber, hung with crimson and blue satin, -and scattered over with perfumes and objects of taste, had an air of -comfort and inhabitation almost English. - -But the most elegant suite of rooms was that appropriated to the Sultan. -A saloon whose thirty windows were hung with purple velvet fringed with -gold; whose sofa cushions were formed of glittering tissue; and whose -walls were rich with plate-glass and gilding; whose floor was crowded -with objects of _vertù_, and whose every table was scattered over with -gems, opened into the Imperial sleeping-room, whose European bed, hung -with flowered muslin, and decorated with knots of coloured ribbon, -contrasted cheerfully with the heavy magnificence of the saloon and its -elaborate draperies; while the mangal of wrought silver, richly gilt, -and the collection of jewelled toys which filled the two recesses at the -end of the apartment, brought back the imagination to the gorgeous East. - -Incense-burners of gold, studded with precious stones; ring-trays -wreathed with rubies; a miniature of the Sultan himself in a frame -thickly set with diamonds, and resting upon a cushion of white satin; a -toilette of fillagreed silver; a chocolate cup of enamel studded with -pearls: and a gilt salver, covered with watches of all sizes and shapes, -were part of the tempting array. But I was more delighted by a Koràn, -and a manuscript collection of prayers, written by the Sultan, and -splendidly illuminated. Both were bound in gold, with the Imperial -cipher wrought upon each corner in brilliants, while a border was formed -round the outer edges of the volumes, of passages from the holy -writings, indifferent coloured jewels. - -The private withdrawing-room was not remarkable in any respect, if, -indeed, I except the circumstance of its sofa and curtains being trimmed -with fluted gauze ribbon, which, to an European eye, produced a most -extraordinary effect. But, upon the whole, I saw less inconsistency and -bad taste exhibited in the arrangements of the numerous apartments that -I traversed, than I had prepared myself to expect. - -While we were making our tour of the palace, orders had been given by -the Princess that the dancing girls should prepare themselves to exhibit -their skill for our amusement; but, unfortunately, in the excess of her -graciousness, she had resolved on treating us with a view of their new -dresses and their new dances, both intended to be European; and -assuredly such costumes were never before imagined. I will give the -description of one—it will suffice to afford an idea of the whole. A -dress of blue muslin, elaborately ornamented with bows of pink and -scarlet ribbon, was drawn round the throat with a cord of green silk, -which hung down the back and terminated in two heavy tassels; the -petticoat was long and scanty, and was trimmed with two narrow flounces, -edged with white satin; black leather shoes of the coarsest description, -gloveless hands, a sash of pink and silver that swept the floor; a -necklace of pearl; and a head-dress at least a yard across, where a mass -of false hair was smothered in flowers enough to decorate a supper -table, and carefully selected of all the colours of the rainbow, -completed the costume; and I need not expatiate on its effect. But the -admiration which it excited in the harem was immense; and the really -beautiful girl who was the fortunate wearer of the motley garb appeared -to consider herself raised above mortality, as she listened to the -comments of the throng by whom she was surrounded. - -The male dresses were in perfect keeping with that which I have -endeavoured to describe; and the whole had found such favour in the eyes -of the Sultana, that she only tolerated the Turkish costume on ordinary -occasions. - -As the day was waning to a close, and the distance to Pera was -considerable, I was reluctantly obliged to decline the honour of dining -in the palace, and awaiting until evening the appearance of the -Princess, whose continued indisposition still confined her to her -apartment; and accordingly, despite the remonstrances of our kind and -courteous entertainers, I took my leave of the fair favourite and her -talented friend; bearing with me an invitation from Her Imperial -Highness to repeat my visit at no distant period, when she might be able -to receive and converse with me; and I then returned to Pera with an -aching head and dazzled eyes. - -I subjoin the little ballad of Peroussè Hanoum, which I have rendered -almost literally into English verse. I could have wished that it had -been somewhat more Oriental in its character, but its quaintness is at -least sufficiently characteristic. - - - BALLAD. - - My love for thee hath ta’en away my rest; - By day and night I think of thee alone; - I muse upon the curls which veil thy breast, - And sigh to know that thou art not mine own. - - My love for thee is madness! All esteem - My passion folly who do look on me; - The arrows of thine eyes have drank the stream - Of my fond heart; and I must part from thee. - - My love for thee is deep; and I of late - Can look upon none other—Thou art cold, - And ’tis the working of my hapless fate - That I no more thy gracious smiles behold. - - Leyla! be mine, and learn my spirit-wrong; - I’ll tell thee all my grief—the tale is long. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - - - Kahaitchana—The Barbyses—The Valley of the Sweet - Waters—Imperial Procession—National Interdict—Picturesque - Scene—The Princess Salihè and her Infant—Forbearance of the - Sultan—The Toxopholites—Imperial Monopoly—Passion of the - Sultan for Archery—Record-Columns—The Odalique’s Grave—The - Lost One—Azmè Sultane—Imperial Courtesy—A Drive through the - Valley. - -The loveliest spot in the neighbourhood of Constantinople is undeniably -Kahaitchana; called by the Franks the “Valley of the Sweet Waters,” a -name as appropriate as it is poetical. - -The sparkling Barbyses takes its rise amid the rich vegetation of the -valley, and traverses its greensward like a silver thread. As a river it -is inconsiderable, but, being the only stream of any size within many -miles of the capital, it is an object of great enjoyment and admiration. - -The valley itself, like that of Rasselas, is shut in on all sides by -tall and arid hills, amid which it nestles so fresh, and green, and -sunny, that you feel at once that it was destined by nature for holyday -uses. Need I say that the Sultan has here both a summer palace and a -kiosk? There exists no pretty spot near Stamboul where he has them not; -but the Palace of Kahaitchana is a favourite retreat, where he generally -retires to escape from the coil and cares of the capital, whenever he -can contrive to wring a day’s leisure from the stern grasp of public -duty. The ride from Pera is delightful: the air of the hills is so -elastic that it seems to instil new life into your pulses; and the -descent into the valley is so picturesque, that, despite your previous -enjoyment, you are anxious to arrive in the lovely spot which lies, -bathed in sunshine, at your feet. - -A brighter day never shone from the heavens than that on which I joined -a party who were bound for Kahaitchana. I had been indisposed for -several days, and was too weak to indulge myself with a gallop; and -accordingly, comfortably nestled amid the cushions of my araba, I -suffered the more joyous and healthful of my friends to fly past me, and -leisurely pursued my way to the valley. - -As I descended the hill, I saw a procession of carriages issuing from -the palace court, and making their way along the opposite bank of the -stream, which forms the boundary of the Imperial pleasure grounds. A -mounted guard stopped me for an instant at the foot of the height, but -suffered me to pass after the delay of a moment, as he had received no -orders to prevent the entrance of any Frank lady by that road; the -interdict being confined to Greeks, Armenians, and Jewesses. Simply -requesting me, therefore, to stop my carriage, as the Imperial family -passed, he desired my arabajhe to proceed. I obeyed without hesitation; -and, as the river is only a few feet in width, I had an excellent view -of the distinguished party. - -An open carriage, drawn by four fine bay horses, each led by a groom, -contained the two younger sons of the Sultan, the palace dwarf, and the -principal negro of the Sultan’s household. The infant prince is a -sweet-looking child, with bright eyes and rosy cheeks, and appears -healthy enough to be the son of a peasant. Four bullock-carriages -followed, and among their veiled occupants were the Princess Mihirmàh, -her mother, and one of her sisters. Some of the younger ladies were -exceedingly lovely, and wore their yashmacs so transparent, and so -coquettishly arranged, that I could trace their features distinctly. -This is, however, by no means the case generally speaking, as the -inmates of the Imperial Seraglio are more closely covered when in a less -retired spot, than any other of the Turkish women; and I remember on one -occasion to have seen a favourite Odalique of the Sultan, who had a -gauze across her eyes, as well as wearing her yashmac close to their -very lids! - -Troops of negroes surrounded the carriages, and the procession was -closed by the Kislar Agha, mounted on a superb Arabian horse, and -accompanied by four attendants on foot. - -As soon as the _cortège_ had passed, I pursued my way, and found that my -friends had been compelled to make a circuit, and to enter the valley by -another road, which did not communicate with the palace grounds. Nothing -could be more cheerful or more picturesque than the scene that met my -eye as I descended from the araba. The greensward was covered with merry -groups—Wallachian and Bulgarian musicians were scattered among the -revellers; Bohemian flower girls were vending their pretty nosegays in -every direction, so skilfully arranged that each veiled fair one saw in -an instant whether the tale she wished to tell had been anticipated by -the dark-eyed Flora—mounted patroles appeared and disappeared along the -crests of the hills as they pursued their round of observation—an -Imperial caïque of white and gold was riding upon the ripple near one of -the palace gates—Turkish servants were galloping in all -directions—every avenue of the Imperial residence was doubly -guarded—and all was bustle and excitement. - -[Illustration: Miss Pardoe del. - -Day & Haghe Lith^{rs}. to the King - -PALACE of the “SWEET WATERS”. - -_Henry Colburn, 13, G^t. Marlborough S^t. 1837._] - -As we were standing in front of the palace, two six-oared caïques drew -up beside the terrace, and shortly afterwards appeared the Princess -Salihè, the wife of Halil Pasha, attended by half a dozen negroes, -and twice as many female slaves, and followed by the head nurse carrying -in her arms the lovely infant, on occasion of whose birth Sultan Mahmoud -displayed such unprecedented generosity. - -Heretofore, as it was stated at the time in the public prints, all the -Emperors of Turkey had caused the male children of their own offspring -to be destroyed, and thus provided most efficiently against future -disputes relatively to the succession. The child on whom I now looked -had not only been spared by its Imperial Grandsire, but public -rejoicings had taken place on its birth—cannon had been fired, and -ministers had been admitted to the Presence on audiences of -congratulation. It was a noble boy, laughing and sporting in the arms of -its nurse; and, as the caïques shot away, I busied myself with -endeavouring to picture to my mind’s eye the joy of the fond mother on -learning that her child was to be spared to her. The delight was, -however, fated to be transient, for Mahmoud was ere long released from -his incipient enemy, (if such the little prince were indeed destined one -day to become) without dyeing his own hands in blood. Three days after -our visit to Kahaitchana he expired in convulsions, induced by his -sufferings in teething. - -As I understood that His Highness was engaged at archery with some of -his favourite Pashas, I resolved on endeavouring to obtain a sight of -him; and accordingly one or two of our party detached themselves from -the rest, and, making a circuit of the pleasure-grounds, we arrived -opposite the spot where the Toxopholites were “speeding the winged arrow -to the mark.” A heavy cloud that was passing over the valley had already -shed a few of those large drops which fall upon the leaves with the -sound and the weight of hail; and the Sultan was seated beneath a red -umbrella, held over his sacred person by one of the Officers of the -Imperial Household. The favoured Pashas were standing in a line along -the _façade_ of the building; and a number of servants were dispersed -over the lawn, for the purpose of collecting the arrows. - -Apropos of umbrellas—Until the present reign, the red umbrella was -sacred to the use of the Sultan; but his present Highness probably -deeming the monopoly a very inconsequent one, graciously removed the -interdict; and I need scarcely add that red umbrellas are now the rage -at Constantinople. - -Archery is a passion with Sultan Mahmoud, who is extremely vain of his -prowess; so much so indeed, that a long stretch of hilly country -immediately in the rear of the Military College is dotted over with -marble pillars fancifully carved, and carefully inscribed, erected on -the spots where the arrows shot by himself from a terrace on the crest -of the height are supposed to have fallen—I say supposed, for, as his -foible is no secret, the Imperial pages who are employed to collect the -shafts, and to measure the distances, generally pick up the arrow and -run on twenty or thirty paces further, ere they affect to find it; by -which means the Sultan shoots like the Prince Aimwell in the Fairy Tale; -and the cunning varlets who restore his arrows earn many a _backshish_ -or present which more honest men would miss. I remember on one occasion, -when on an exploring expedition, suddenly coming upon so handsome a -marble column, inscribed with letters of gold, and surmounted by an urn, -that I was curious to learn its purport; when, to my surprise, I -discovered that this was a record-pillar of the same description; and as -his Sublime Highness had on this occasion pulled a very long bow indeed, -so he had perpetuated its memory by a handsomer erection than usual. - -The archery party at Kahaitchana was amusing enough. First flew the -arrow of the Sultan, and away ran the attendants; then each Pasha shot -in his turn, taking especial care to keep within bounds, and not to -out-Cæsar Cæsar. Some of them looked important, and others horridly -bored: but there was no escape from an amateur who boasts that he has -practised every week for the last forty years. - -A little to the left of the spot occupied by the archers is a raised -platform overshadowed by a weeping willow, beneath which rises a -handsome head-stone. It is the grave of an Imperial Odalique, who died -suddenly in the very zenith of her youth, her beauty, and her favour. -She was buried in this lovely spot at the express command of the Sultan, -who was so deeply affected by her loss that for two entire years he -abandoned the valley. The platform is overlooked by the windows of the -Salemliek, and every wind that sighs through the willow branches carries -their voice to the ears of those who occupy its gilded chambers. -Mahmoud, in a fit of poetical despair, is said to have written a -pathetic ballad of which she was the subject. I endeavoured to procure -it, but failed; and, as I was loath that she should remain unsung in -Europe, I even tried my own hand in some wild stanzas, which I wrote -hurriedly as I stood near her grave. - - - THE LOST ONE. - - Spring is come back to us—the laughing Spring! - Sunlight is on the waters— - And many a bright, and many a beaming thing, - O’er this fair scene its gladdening spell will fling, - For the East’s dark-eyed daughters. - But where is She, the loveliest of the throng, - The painter’s model, and the theme of song; - For whom the summer roses joyfully - Gave forth alike the beauty of their bloom, - Their dewy freshness, and their soft perfume:— - The loved of the World’s Monarch—Where is She? - - Alas! for her the Spring returns in vain; - Her home is with the sleepers:— - She will not join in the glad song again - With which she once subdued the spirit-pain - Of the earth’s pale-browed weepers. - For her the dance is ended—and for her - The flowers no more will their bright petals stir; - Nor the sad bulbul wake his melody: - The sunshine falls on every hillock’s crest, - The pulse of joy beats high in every breast; - But She, the loved and lost one, where is She? - - She lies where lie the last year’s faded flow’rs; - She sleeps where sleep the proudest; - And there are eyes that will weep burning show’rs, - And there are sighs will wear away the hours - When the heart’s grief is loudest. - Yet mourn her not, she had her day of pride, - The East’s dread sovereign chose her for his bride; - The sunlight rested on her favour’d brow: - Like a fair blossom blighted in its bloom, - She filled an early, but a cherished tomb, - And where the mighty linger, rests She now! - -Despite the sentiment of the thing, however, the beautiful Odalique has -been long forgotten; and the bevy of beauties who wander near her grave -have no time to sigh over her fate. It was, nevertheless, consolatory to -my romance to remark that the Sultan shot his arrows in another -direction! - -On leaving the neighbourhood of the Toxopholites, I returned accompanied -by a Greek lady to the araba, and drove higher up the valley; where we -came in contact with the carriages of Azmè Sultane and her suite. On -seeing us, she stopped, and, after inquiring if I were the Frank lady -whom she had invited to her palace, she courteously and condescendingly -expressed her regret that her indisposition had rendered her unable to -receive me, but desired that I would hold myself engaged to spend -another day in the Seraï ere long. She then, as a mark of especial -favour, sent one of her negroes to the araba, with the infant to whom I -have already made allusion, and whom I discovered to be the namesake of -my lovely acquaintance, Heyminè Hanoum: the child was richly and -fantastically dressed; and, when I had praised its beauty, admired its -costume, and restored it to the attendant, I received a very gracious -salutation from Her Highness, who moved on, followed by her suite. - -The Princess, who is the widow of a Pasha, is a noble-looking woman, -with a very aristocratic manner, and strongly resembles her brother. She -has evidently been handsome, but must now be more than sixty years of -age. Her fair favourite, Nazip Hanoum, was seated beside her, but so -closely veiled, that, until she saluted me, I was unable to recognise -her. - -As we continued our drive, we passed a hundred groups of which an artist -might have made as many studies. All was enjoyment and hilarity. Caïques -came and went along the bright river; majestic trees stretched their -long branches over the greensward; gay voices were on the wind; the -cloud had passed away; and the sunlight lay bright upon the hill-tops. I -know not a spot on earth where the long, sparkling summer day may be -more deliciously spent than in the lovely Valley of the Sweet Waters. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - - Easter with the Greeks—Greek Church at Pera—Women’s - Gallery—Interior of a Greek Church—The Sanctuary—The - Screen—Throne of the Patriarch—The Holy Sepulchre—Singular - Appearance of the Congregation—Sociability of the - Ladies—_L’Echelle des Morts_—Shipping—Boats and - Boatmen—Church of the Fanar—Ancient Screen—Treasure - Chests—The Sanctuary—Private Chapels—A Pious - Illumination—Priests’ House—Prison—Remedy against - Mahomedanism—Midnight Mass—Unexpected Greetings—The - Patriarch—Logotheti—Russian Secretaries—Russian Supremacy in - Turkey—Affinity of Religion between the Greeks and - Russians—The Homage—Pious Confusion—Patriarch’s - Palace—Lovely Night-Scene—Midnight Procession—Serious - Impressions—Suffocating Heat—Dawn. - -Our own Easter was over. The last dinner had been eaten, the last -quadrille had been danced; politics had succeeded to parties, and -diplomacy to dissipation; when the Greeks were preparing to celebrate -the festival with all the pomp and circumstance of the most gorgeous and -glowing of religions. I took this opportunity of paying my first visit -to the Greek Church of Pera; an elegant edifice built at the expense of -the Russian government, and richly decorated with blue and gold; where -the service is performed both in Greek and Russ, all the priests -attached to it being Russians. - -A Greek lady, whose acquaintance I had made, politely offered me the use -of her seat, which I accepted the more gladly, that without such -accommodation I must have failed in my attempts to witness the ceremony; -most of the females being obliged to content themselves with hearing the -service, without a hope of seeing it. This difficulty arises from the -fact that the women are not permitted to occupy the body of the church, -but are confined to a gallery so closely latticed that it is impossible -for those below to catch the faintest glimpse of the secluded fair-ones. - -The appearance of a Greek church differs from those of the Roman -Catholics, infinitely more than do the several religions. The Sanctuary, -in the midst of which stands the High Altar, is separated from the -church by a close screen; and there are neither aisles nor side chapels. -The whole edifice is lighted by chandeliers suspended from the ceiling -in three straight lines, reaching from the Sanctuary to the principal -entrance: and the screen is ornamented with the effigies of saints, -hardly and drily painted; which frequently figure in such sort in their -temples as thoroughly to exonerate them from the imputation of making to -themselves the “likeness of anything in Heaven, or on earth, or in the -waters under the earth.” Nor is this all; for the pious being to the -full as prone to make votive offerings to their favourite saints as any -Catholic in Spain or Portugal, the staring, wooden pictures are -furthermore decorated with gold and silver hands, eyes, ears, or noses, -as the case may be; which gives them so comical an effect that the -gravest person cannot contemplate them without a smile. - -The centre of the screen is closed by a curtain above the low double -door opening into the church—the veil shrouding from the eyes of the -congregation “the holy of holies,” according to the old Jewish use. On -the present occasion, the curtain was drawn back, and the High Priest -was robing himself in front of the altar. - -The Patriarch’s throne was on the right hand, and immediately opposite -to it was the pulpit; while at the bottom of the church on each side of -the door stood two enormous chests of polished wood, containing the -church plate and properties. In the centre of the marble floor was -placed the boast and treasure of the chapel—a stone which once formed -part of the Sepulchre of the Saviour, affirmed to have been brought from -the Holy Land, and ultimately deposited here. The crush towards this -point was enormous: the dense crowd shoving and elbowing each other most -determinedly to secure an approach; which, when they had effected it, -enabled them to cross themselves, according to the rite of their -church, seven times successively with a rapidity only to be acquired by -long practice, and to kiss each extremity of the stone, leaving a piece -of money in the salver of the attendant priest. - -Huge wax candles of at least seven inches in diameter were burning in -front of the Sanctuary, and on the canopy covering the Sepulchre; and -the glare fell upon a dense crowd of heads, some shaven close, some -decorated with a single long tress of hair hanging from the summit; some -half-shaved, as though a platter had been adjusted to the cranium of the -individual, and that the barber had operated round its edges; and others -with long dishevelled elf-locks falling about their shoulders—the -effect was perfectly ludicrous! - -Meanwhile, the ladies in the gallery were not idle: compliments were -exchanged—inquiries made and answered—and conversations carried on, as -coolly as though the interlocutors had been quietly seated in their own -houses: while every five or six minutes a priest made his appearance, -bearing a salver to receive the donations of the pious and charitable. -But I soon wearied of the nasal, monotonous chant of the officiating -priests, which more than counteracted the light and gladsome aspect of -the edifice; and, satisfied with having seen a great deal of paint and -gilding, and a rich display of tissue and embroidery, as well as a holy -scuffle among the crowd at a particular period of the service, to -possess themselves of the candles that had lit up the Sepulchre, I -escaped from the scene of pious confusion; and slowly taking my way -through the cypress-shaded burial-ground, and onward to the Echelle des -morts, I gladly stepped into the caïque, to share, beneath the -hospitable roof of a friend, in the magnificent ceremonials which were -to take place in the ancient patriarchal church at the Fanar. - -As we traversed the port, I was struck by the various character of the -shipping, more than usually conspicuous under a flood of bright -sunshine. The vessels of war, (one of them the largest in the world) -were lying like floating cities on the still surface of the mirror-like -Bosphorus: the foreign merchant ships, anchored in dense ranks along the -shore, with their sails furled, and their slender masts shooting -upwards, like the tall stems of a wind-stripped forest—the Arab -vessels, with their sharp high prows and sterns, precisely as I had -often seen them represented on the antique medals—the steam-packets, -dark and motionless like ocean-monsters, about to vomit forth their -volumes of thick, suffocating smoke upon the clear air; while about, and -around, and among all these, darted, and glided, and whirled, the -slender caïques of polished and carved walnut wood, with their -gracefully-clad rowers, and their minute gilded ornaments glittering in -the light; the sharp shrill cry of “On the European side”—“On the -Asiatic side!”—ringing upon the ear every moment, as the boatmen -indicated each to the other which course to steer, in order to leave to -all a free passage. - -We landed on a terrace overhanging the water, at the extremity of our -friend’s garden; and after taking coffee with the ladies, immediately -set forth to visit the church by daylight. Though more limited in its -dimensions, and less rich in its decorations, than the church at Pera, -it nevertheless pleased me infinitely better; there was an air of -time-hallowed holiness about the whole of its interior, far more -attractive than the unfaded paint and fresh gilding which I had seen in -the morning. - -The Patriarch’s throne, simple, and even clumsy in its form and fashion, -had existed for twelve hundred years, and was consequently respectable -from its antiquity; close beside it stood the raised and high-backed -chair of Logotheti; and about twenty feet beyond, stretched the -magnificent screen of the Sanctuary, delicately carved in dark oak. This -screen particularly attracted me, the workmanship was so minute and -elaborate, and the columns which separated the panels in such high and -bold relief. Here, as at Pera, dry, hard, savage-looking Saints -ornamented the spaces between them, and were equally decorated with the -incongruous and disjointed offerings of their votaries. - -The most popular personage of the whole calendar among the Greeks is -decidedly St. George, who had no less than two entire effigies in beaten -silver in this church. The pulpit was of mosaic, thickly overstrown with -stars of mother-of-pearl; and two large chests, similar to those which I -have already named, were composed of the same materials. The women’s -gallery was even more closely latticed than that at Pera, and the flood -of light without was admitted so sparingly by the high and infrequent -casements, that a solemn twilight reigned throughout the edifice, which -accorded admirably with its antique and somewhat gloomy character. - -Thanks to the guidance under which we entered, the priest who had opened -the doors for us was obliging enough to walk to the other extremity of -the church, and thus leave us the opportunity of penetrating into the -Sanctuary, which the profane foot of woman is supposed never to tread. -It consisted of a small chapel, containing an altar by no means -remarkable, spread with the sacramental plate: a high-backed chair of -marble for the Patriarch, a fountain for the use of the officiating -priests, a few miserable oil-paintings, and a vast number of small -pictures of Saints and Virgins, placed there during a certain time for -“a consideration,” to become hallowed by the sanctity of the spot ere -they were removed to the private chapels of the different families: -every Greek, however limited in fortune, having an apartment in his -house fitted up as an oratory. - -I was, however, much more amused (for that is the only applicable word) -in watching the proceedings of a Greek lady who had accompanied me, than -in contemplating the portly saints and florid martyrs by whom I was -surrounded. A slight iron rail runs along the screen at the base of the -paintings for the purpose of supporting the tapers which the zeal of the -pious may be inclined to burn in their honour; and my companion was -busily employed in lighting a score of these minute candles at a lamp -that is constantly left burning for the purpose; humming in an -under-tone, while she did so, the barcarolle in Masaniello which was -exchanged, as she commenced her survey of the holy group, for such -exclamations as the following:— - -“The Virgin—I shall give her four, because my own name is Mary—and -look, I pray you, at the pretty effect of her gold hand, and her silver -crown, with the light flashing on them. Now comes St. George—I like St. -George, so he shall have two. Who is this? Oh! St. Nicholas; I cannot -bear St. Nicholas, so I shall pass him by.” - -I ventured to intercede in his favour. - -“Very well, then, as you wish it, there is one for him; but he never was -a favourite of mine: there are two saints in the calendar to whom I -never burn a taper, St. Nicholas and St. Demetrius.” - -It was, however, finally settled that no partialities were to be -indulged on the present occasion, and consequently the effect produced -was that of a miniature illumination. My curiosity being satisfied, and -the pious offering of my companion completed, we proceeded to make a -tour of the vast monastic-looking building forming one side of the -enclosure, and which is appropriated to the priests. Ascending an -external flight of steps, we found ourselves in a wide gallery, whence -the apartments opened on the right and left, precisely as the cells are -arranged in a convent. One of these small, but comfortable, rooms is -allotted to each individual; and those which we visited were very -carefully carpeted and curtained, with divans of chintz, and every -luxury customary in Greek apartments. In many of them we found ladies -taking coffee with their owners, while servants were hurrying to and -fro, full of bustle and importance. - -Altogether there was an atmosphere of comfort about the establishment, -which quite made me overlook its otherwise dreary extent; and as I -passed out by another door, having before me the Palace of the -Patriarch, I felt no inclination to commiserate the worldly condition of -his subordinates. - -From the Priest’s House we proceeded to the prison,[4] where we found -one miserable urchin of twelve years old, “in durance vile” for an -attempt to turn Musselmaun; he was ragged and almost barefooted, and -some pious Turk had promised to recompense his apostacy with a new suit, -and a pair of shoes; but, unfortunately for the cause of the Prophet, -the boy was caught in the act of elusion, and delivered up by his -exasperated parents to the authority of the Church, which had already -kept him a prisoner for eight days, and was about to send him, with a -chain about his leg, to spend a month in a public mad-house! - -What analogy the good Papas had found between the mosque and the -mad-house I know not; but the punishment was certainly a most original -and frightful one. The boy told us his own tale, and then added, with a -broad grin, that he would take them in at last. Two other prisoners, -accused of theft, were about to suffer their sentence in a day or two: -exile in both cases, accompanied by branding on the breast in the most -aggravated of the two; and, meanwhile, close confinement. They were a -couple of shrewd-looking, desperate ruffians, and laughed in his face as -the keeper spoke of them. We were then shown the bastinado, and the -rings and chains for insubordinate prisoners; and, after having made a -donation which was received with a surprise perfectly untrammelled with -gratitude, I returned to the residence of our hospitable friends, with -the rattling of fetters in my ears, and a thousand gloomy fancies -floating over my brain. - -At half past ten o’clock we repaired once more to the Church, in order -to assist at the midnight mass; where a Greek lady very politely gave up -her seat to me, that I might have an uninterrupted view of the -ceremonies. The service had already commenced when we entered, and the -whole interior of the edifice was one blaze of light. The thirty -chandeliers suspended from the ceiling threw a many-coloured gleam on -the crowd beneath them, from their pendants of tinted glass; and the -huge candles in front of the Sanctuary, and the tapers burning before -the saints, added to the brightness of the glare; which, penetrating -through the lattices of the gallery, enabled me to contemplate as -extraordinary a scene as I had ever witnessed in a place of worship. The -fair tenants of the front seats presented much the same appearance as a -parterre of flowers; there were turbans of every tint, dresses of every -dye, bonnets of every form: and such a constant flutter, fidget, and -fuss; such bowing, smiling, and whispering, that I began to fancy there -must be some mistake, and that we were, in fact, gathered together to -witness some mere worldly exhibition. - -But the monotonous chanting of the priests, which had been momentarily -suspended, was suddenly renewed; and I turned away from a score of -polite greetings, offered by persons of whom I had not the slightest -recollection, but to whom I had doubtlessly been presented during the -carnival, in order to observe the proceedings beneath me. - -The Patriarch was seated on his throne, dressed in a vestment of white -satin, clasped on the breast with an immense diamond ornament, over -which was flung a scarf of gold tissue; the borders of the robe were -wrought to about a foot in depth with portraits of the saints in -needlework of different colours, interspersed with gold and silver -threads. His crown of crimson velvet was entirely covered with immense -pearls, fashioned into different figures; the intermediate spaces being -occupied by rubies, emeralds, and brilliants, of great beauty and -lustre. He held his staff in one hand, and in the other the Gospel, -bound in white satin, and studded with jewels; and, at every movement -that he made, the tapers by which he was surrounded flashed back the -radiance of his elaborately-gemmed habit in a coruscation perfectly -dazzling. - -Beside him, and on a level with the throne, sat Logotheti, in an uniform -richly embroidered with silver; my father was beside him; and at the -foot of his chair stood Vogorede; while immediately in front of the -throne, in a line with the pulpit, four of the Russian Secretaries -occupied a crimson-cushioned seat, whence they had a full view of the -Sanctuary. - -Among the numerous causes, all working towards the same centre of -Russian supremacy in Turkey, one of the most dangerous for the Moslem is -the community of religion between the Russian and the Greek. The -Autocrat has built a church for the Greeks in the vicinity of -Constantinople, and the arms of Russia surmount the portal! The -_attachés_ of the Russian Embassy, while the members of all the other -Legations are either sleeping or feasting, are meekly kneeling before -the throne of the Greek Patriarch, and humbly kissing the hand which -extended to them! - -The act in itself is simple. It is the effect that it produces on the -minds of the mass which is to be dreaded. The expression of delighted -admiration on the countenances of the crowd was a perfect study, as, -following in the wake of Logotheti and Vogoride, ere less important -persons had an opportunity of doing homage to the Patriarch, the -all-powerful agents of all-powerful Russia bent a willing knee to kiss -the sacred hand. A common interest was created at once, and no tie is so -sure as that of religious faith. The Greeks already writhe in their -fetters—the bondmen loathe their task-masters—the tree is cankered at -the core, and hollowed in the trunk: let Russia apply the axe, and it -will fall. - -The Moslem, be he lured to ruin as smilingly as he may, and flattered -into security as blandly as the criminal of his country, who finds the -rope about his neck ere he knows that he is condemned; is the coveted -prey of his semi-barbarous ally. The force of the Russian, and the guile -of the Greek—external power and internal treachery—are at work against -him; and what has he to oppose to these? High-sounding titles, and -pompous phrases—a young and half-trained soldiery—a navy, unequal to -the management of their magnificent shipping—and a Capital, protected -by men, many of whom wear a Russian medal at their breast—a medal -bestowed on them by the munificent Emperor of another nation, for having -done their duty (according to Muscovite notions) towards their own! - -But let Turkey be supported for awhile, as her own efforts merit that -she should be; let her find the ready help from European powers, in -which she so fondly trusted—and she will, ere long, prove herself -worthy to take her place among the nations. Her military and naval -forces require only time; her soldiers have already given evidence of -their courage, and, having so done when comparatively undisciplined, -will naturally develop still higher attributes when acting as a -well-organized body; in which each individual receives, as well as -gives, support. Let the Russian medal be trampled in the dust of the -city streets—and this will demand no effort on the part of those who -wear it, into whose breasts it burns, and who consider it rather as a -brand of disgrace, than as a creditable badge—and it will then require -no spirit of prophecy to foretell the future prosperity of Turkey. To -the East, Europe is indebted for her knowledge of military tactics and -military subordination, and she can well afford to pay back the debt. -Half a dozen experienced officers would, in a few months, change the -whole appearance and nature of the Turkish army. - -Homage had been paid to the Patriarch, and the chanting became more -animated, as, followed by a train of Archbishops and Bishops, he retired -to the sanctuary, and added to his already costly habiliments several -other jewelled and embroidered draperies. He next received the -sacrament, at which period of the ceremony every man, woman, and child, -within the church hastened to light the taper that they had brought for -the purpose, (the symbol of the Resurrection) which produced a sudden -burst of light absolutely thrilling. As I looked down upon the -struggling and stifling crowd beneath me, so closely wedged together -that it was with difficulty they could raise the arm holding the taper, -which each lit by that of his neighbour, the scene was most -extraordinary. A dense vapour was even then rapidly spreading its heavy -folds over the whole edifice, and, in a few moments, I could distinguish -nothing but a sea of heads, and a multitude of pigmy lights, feebly -struggling through the thick smoke. - -The fiery and impetuous Greeks, enthusiastic in all their feelings—in -religion, in love, in hate, and in ambition—did not, in the present -instance, confine themselves so scrupulously as an European congregation -would have done, to the space assigned to them—half a dozen wild, -bandit-looking individuals clambered into the pulpit—a score more clung -to the steps—those who chanced to be nearest to the vacated stalls of -the Bishops appropriated them without ceremony—others hung by the -pillars which supported the gallery—and thus sufficient space was with -difficulty ensured by the panting beadles for the passage of the -procession. - -At this moment, I followed my friend from the church, and, four or five -sturdy servants having with considerable effort forced a way for us to -the Patriarch’s Palace, we hastened to take possession of his private -sitting-room, which, as it overlooked the enclosure in which the church -was situated, and where the procession was to halt, he had politely -offered, in order to secure the gratification of my curiosity. - -The night was one of beauty. The pale moon was riding high among masses -of fleecy clouds, which were pillowed upon the deep blue of the sky, -forming towers, and palaces, and islets, so changeful and fleeting, that -they looked like the ephemeral creations of fairy-land. A lofty and -leafy plane tree, whose foliage had newly burst beneath the soft -influence of spring, was sighing gently in the midnight wind; and the -long dark outline of the monastic buildings, and the slanting roof of -the church, loomed out in the faint moonlight, with a mysterious depth -of shadow well suited to the solemnity of the hour. The wide doors of -the sacred edifice suddenly fell back—the low chant of the choir -swelled upon the night air—and forth rushed the eager crowd that had so -lately thronged the church; each with his lighted taper in his hand, and -pressing forward to a raised platform in the centre of the enclosure, -railed in for the convenience of the Patriarch and his train of -dignitaries. - -Ere long, the whole of the wide space was like a sea, in which the dark -waves flung themselves upwards in fiery sparks, while they rolled and -swelled in gloom beneath the surface—or like a spot upon a sky of -tempest, into which were gathered all the stars of heaven to form one -galaxy of light amid the surrounding gloom. And forth into this place of -brightness slowly moved the holy train from the chapel. First came the -bearer of the golden crucifix, surrounded by gilded lanterns and -gleaming candlesticks; and next the torch-bearers, whose waxen candles, -linked together in threes with gaudily-coloured ribbons, represented the -Trinity; then moved forward a train of priests, walking two and two, -with their flowing robes of saffron-coloured satin, their luxuriant -beards sweeping down to their breasts, their brimless caps, and their -long locks falling upon their shoulders. - -Nothing can be more picturesque than the head-dress of a Greek priest. -As they are not permitted to use either scissors or razor from the -period of their birth, when they are vowed to the Church by their -parents, they reduce the beard by plucking it, according to the old -Jewish law; and, being almost universally very fine men, they do this -with a care and skill which heighten the effect of their appearance; -while their long thick locks are, on ordinary occasions, hidden beneath -their caps. - -This holy body was succeeded by the Patriarch, supported on either side -by two of the Archbishops, who, in the Greek Church, represent the -Apostles, as the Patriarch himself personates the Saviour, and followed -by the ten others in robes of such dazzling brilliancy that any attempt -at description would be idle. Immediately after these came the Bishops, -walking two and two; succeeded in their turn by Logotheti and Vogoride, -another train of priests, and finally by that portion of the -congregation who had not been able to effect an earlier egress from the -church. - -The junior priests arranged themselves in a circle at the foot of the -platform, which was soon filled by the heads of the Church, and the lay -dignitaries, among whom stood my father. The Patriarch read a portion of -the scriptures, from an ample volume that lay open on the stand before -him: the attendant priests chanted a psalm which rose and fell on the -night wind in solemn cadences; and, finally, the elder of the Bishops, -having placed in the hand of the Patriarch one of the triple candles -which I have already named, wherewith to bless the people; and -subsequently two linked together, representing the double nature of -Christ; the whole crowd bowed their uncovered heads, and crossed -themselves seven times, with the collected points of the two -fore-fingers and the thumb; after which a passage was with difficulty -forced through the crowd for the return of the procession, whose chant -gradually died away upon the ear, as it disappeared beneath the portal -of the church, and in five minutes more we were alone, gazing out upon -the empty enclosure flickered with moonlight. - -It was a solemn moment! The pomp and circumstance of human worship had -passed away, and we looked only on the uncertain moon, over which the -light scud was rapidly drifting; while the only sound that fell upon our -ears was the sighing of the midnight wind through the leaves of the tall -plane tree. I bowed my head in silence upon the cushion against which I -leaned—my excited fancies were suddenly sobered, my throbbing pulses -stilled—Nature had spoken to my heart, and my spirit was subdued -beneath her influence. It was a sudden and strange reaction; and, could -I at that moment have escaped to the solitude of my own chamber, I do -not think that one idle memory of the magnificence which I had so lately -witnessed would have intruded on my reveries. - -Man’s pride, and pomp, and power, had fettered my fancy, and riveted my -gaze—But it was night; the still, soft night, with its pale moon, its -mysterious clouds, and its sighing voice, which had touched my spirit. -In such hours, the heart would be alone with GOD! - -When we re-entered the church, I feared that I should have fainted; -thick volumes of smoke were rolling heavily along the roof; the -suffocating incense was mounting in columns from the censers—the myriad -tapers were adding their heat to that of the burning perfume; and the -transition from the light pure atmosphere without was sickening. I -persisted, nevertheless, in my determination of remaining until the -close of the ceremony, which concluded with the Declaration of Faith, -read by Logotheti; and a portion of the Gospel, delivered from the -pulpit by a priest, richly dressed in blue and silver. - -The grey light of morning was glimmering on the Bosphorus as we returned -to the house, where we breakfasted, and then retired to bed with aching -heads and dazzled eyes, to prepare for the fatigues of the morrow. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - - - Feasting after Fasting—Visit to the Patriarch—Gorgeous - Procession—Inconvenient Enthusiasm—Indisposition of the - Patriarch—The Ceremony of Unrobing—The Impromptu Fair—The - Patriarch at Home—The Golden Eggs. - -To what a breakfast did we sit down the following morning! The long and -rigorous fast was over, and a hearty vengeance was to be taken for the -previous forty days of penance and abstinence. It was amusing to remark -with what interest every dish was examined, and how universally each was -rejected which was not composed of some hitherto forbidden luxury. The -centre of the table was occupied by a porcelain bowl filled with eggs -boiled hard, and stained a fine red with logwood; but it was placed -there merely in compliance with the national custom, as an Easter -emblem; for on this, the first day of emancipation from the thrall of -fast, no individual of the party had a thought to bestow on such -primitive fare. - -At the conclusion of the meal, I went, accompanied by my father, and a -fine youth who had escaped from college for the Easter recess, and who -volunteered to act as interpreter, to pay a visit to the Patriarch, who -had expressed a desire to make our acquaintance. We were conducted -through several large, cold, scantily furnished apartments, presenting -rather the appearance of belonging to a barrack than to an episcopal -palace, with their floors thickly strown with bay leaves, which emitted -a delicious perfume as we passed along, to the private sitting-room -overlooking the court of the church, where we seated ourselves to await -the arrival of the Patriarch, who had not yet left the Sanctuary. - -A sudden rush from the door of the church called us to the windows, -whence we could distinguish, in the distance, the gorgeous procession -which was conducting the Patriarch home after eight and forty hours of -constant ceremonial. We had ample time to enjoy the spectacle, for the -throng was so dense, that it was with the utmost difficulty that the -beadles and _kavasses_ could force a passage through the excited and -clamorous multitude, for the objects of their overweening and -inconvenient enthusiasm. Nor was the difficulty likely to decrease, for -the crowd were still pouring out from the church, clinging one to the -other to secure their footing, and defying alike the many-thonged whips -of the beadles, and the powerful elbows and staves of the police. - -The Patriarch, who had rigorously observed the fast throughout the whole -of Lent; and who had, moreover, only partially recovered from a severe -and lingering illness, was little able, after forty-eight consecutive -hours of exertion, to contend with this unlooked-for and gratuitous -demand upon his energies; and as he moved forward, supported by two of -the Bishops, he continually implored the forbearance of the people, who, -in their eagerness to kiss the hem of his garment, subjected him to no -slight risk of suffocation. But he implored in vain; the crowd shouted -and struggled—the beadles struck and shoved—and the priests threatened -and expostulated—unheeded; while the Patriarch was ultimately lifted -from his feet, and carried to the foot of the great stair leading to the -palace, by half a dozen of his followers. - -The solemn chant of the approaching priests instantly re-echoed through -the vast pile, and an avenue was formed from the portal of the building -to the door of the apartment in which we stood. First entered the -incense-bearer, who swung his censor twice or thrice at each extremity -of the room, and then hastily withdrew; and he was almost immediately -followed by the whole train of Bishops, sinking under the weight of -jewels and embroidery in which they were attired, and who took their -places in line along the edge of the divan, and there awaited in -silence the arrival of the two Archbishops who preceded the Patriarch. -The sight was dazzling! On all sides a mass of gold and precious stones, -of tissue and embroidery, presented itself; and the eye actually ached -with gazing. After the lapse of a few seconds, the Great Dignitaries -also arrived: and as I advanced to kiss the hand of the Patriarch, I -felt completely overawed by the magnificence of the spectacle. - -The ceremony of unrobing followed, during which the solemn chanting of -the priests, who lined the gallery through which the train had passed, -was never once interrupted; and as the Bishops cast off robe after robe -of costly silk, gorgeous brocade, and glittering tissue, I only -marvelled how they could have supported such a weight of dress amid the -crowd that had so unmercifully pressed upon them below, without sinking -under it! - -A furred mantle having been flung over the shoulders of the Patriarch, -he was conducted from the apartment, followed by the Bishops; and we -remained for a time watching the movements of the multitude in the court -beneath, while he prepared himself to receive the numerous visits which -he had to undergo, ere he could enjoy the repose that he so much needed. -Triumphal arches, formed of green boughs and flowering shrubs, had been -hastily set up in every direction, and beneath these stood the sherbet -venders, and confectioners, without whom no festival is complete in the -East. - -The church doors were already closed: and the versatile Greeks were now -as ardent and eager in the pursuit of pleasure as they had been but an -hour previously in that of salvation. Most of them were employed in -re-arranging their turbans, which had been unwound in the late struggle; -others were squatted on the ground, eating _yahourt_ (a sort of -coagulated buttermilk) out of small earthen basins, which they emptied -with their forefinger, with a rapidity perfectly surprising; and others -again surrounding a _mohalibè_ merchant, whose large tray, neatly -covered with a white cloth, china saucers, and shining brass spoons -shaped like trowels, enhanced the relish of the dainty that he -dispensed—a species of inferior blanc-manger, eaten with rose-water and -powdered sugar. - -A servant having announced that the Patriarch awaited us in another -department, we followed him to a spacious saloon in the opposite wing of -the palace, where we found the magnificent Prelate seated in a cushioned -chair raised a few steps from the floor. He had exchanged his -party-coloured raiment for a flowing robe of violet silk with a falling -collar of velvet, and wore about his neck a massive gold chain, from -which was suspended a star of brilliants. On his right hand were two -baskets of variegated wicker-work; the one containing eggs of a crimson -colour richly gilt, and the other filled with eggs of white and gold; -while on his left-hand, a larger basket was upheaped with others simply -stained with logwood, like those which I had seen on the breakfast -table. - -He received us with much politeness; and, through the medium of our -young friend, who made an admirable Dragoman, he asked me several -questions on the impressions which I had received in the East: appeared -gratified at the admiration that I expressed of the gorgeous ceremonial -to which I had so lately been a witness; and regretted that the -exhaustion under which he was then suffering from the fatigues of the -last two days rendered him unable to converse with me, as he had been -desirous of doing. - -Coffee and sweetmeats were shortly afterwards served; and, as I was -aware that the anti-room was thronged with persons who were waiting to -pay their compliments to him, I rose to depart; when he presented to me -a couple of the gilded eggs, which he accompanied by a flattering -expression of the pleasure that my visit had afforded to him, and a hope -that he should again see me when his health was re-established. I made -as handsome a reply as I was capable of doing; pressed to my lips the -holy fingers which were extended towards me, and took my leave. - -I was not aware, as I received the eggs, of the extent of the -compliment that had been paid to me, which I only learnt accidentally, -on inquiring the origin and meaning of so singular an offering. The -custom, as I was informed, is of so ancient a date, that no reason, save -its antiquity, can now be adduced for its observance; but great ceremony -is kept up in the distribution. To the principal persons of the nation -the Patriarch gives two of those eggs which are gilt, to the next in -rank one gilt and one plain—then follows one gilt—then two plain—and -finally one—but, to each person who is admitted to the presence of the -Patriarch, he is under the necessity of making the offering, be the -guest who he may; and a day is set apart during the week, on which the -whole of the male Greek population of Constantinople have the right to -receive it at his hands, until extreme fatigue obliges him to resign the -office to the Grand-Vicar. - -On returning to the house of our friends, we partook of coffee, and the -delicious Easter cake peculiar to the Greeks; and immediately afterwards -embarked in our caïque, which was to convey us to the Echelles des -Morts, in order to witness the festivities of the Armenians in the great -cemetery. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - - - High Street of Pera—Dangers and Donkeys—Travelling in an - Araba—Fondness of the Orientals for their Cemeteries—Singular - Spectacle—Moral Supineness of the Armenians—M. Nubar—The - Fair—Armenian Dance—Anti-Exclusives—Water Venders—Being à - la Franka—Wrestling Rings—The Battle of the Sects. - -The araba was already at the door when we arrived at home; and, weary -with mounting the steep ascent to Pera, I gladly threw myself upon the -crimson mattress, and among the yielding cushions, and prepared to -become a spectator of this new festival in luxurious inaction. - -Let no one venture either on foot, on horseback, or in a carriage, along -the all-but-interminable High Street of Pera, on a fête-day, if he be in -a hurry! In the first place, two moderately-sized individuals who chance -to be opposite neighbours may shake hands from their own doors without -moving an inch forward—and in the next, there is no other road from -Topphannè or Galata (the principal landing-places) to the Great -Cemetery. And then the natives of the East have a very sociable, but -extremely inconvenient habit of walking with their arms about each -other’s necks, or holding hands like children in parties of five or -six, although they are obliged, from the narrowness of the thoroughfare, -to move along sideways; but, nevertheless, they will not slacken their -hold until the necessity for so doing becomes sufficiently imperative to -admit no alternative. - -[Illustration: A STREET IN PERA] - -Another peculiarity attending an Eastern mob is its utter disregard of -being run over, or knocked down: an Oriental will see your horse’s nose -resting on his shoulder, and even then he will not move out of the way -until you compel him; and when your arabajhe warns him that he is almost -under the wheel of the carriage, he looks at him as though he wondered -at the wanton waste of words bestowed upon so insignificant a piece of -information. - -But, if the bipeds are difficult of management, the quadrupeds are -altogether unmanageable! Let those whose nerves are shattered by the -rattle of the London carts come here, and have their temper tried by the -donkeys of Constantinople. You have scarcely turned the corner of the -street, and forced your way among the clinging, chattering, lounging -mob, ere you come upon a gang of donkeys—your horse is restless, he -champs the bit, paws with his foreleg, and backs among the crowd, in his -impatience to get on; you must be contented to allow him the privilege -of champing, pawing, and backing, for there is no contending against a -string of a dozen donkeys, laden with tiles. - -While you are trying to look amused at your dilemma, and endeavouring -with “favour and fair words” to induce their owner to arrange them in -regular line in order to enable you to pass, you hear a portentous -clatter a hundred yards a-head:—you look forward with foreboding, and -your fears have not misled you: it is, indeed, “the meeting of the -donkeys;” and another gang, heavily charged with earth, or bricks, or -unhewn stone, are gravely approaching to entangle themselves among your -first favourites, and to be dislodged only with blows and kicks very -ill-calculated to pacify either you or your horse. - -In an araba your case is still more hopeless; for a horse _must_ get on -at last, by dint of intruding upon the pavement, and impudently poking -his nose into every window; applying his shoulder to the back of one -individual, and whisking his long tail into the face of another—but a -carriage following a carriage must be satisfied to travel at the pace -which may chance to be agreeable to its leader—while a carriage meeting -a carriage is pushed one way, lifted another, driven against the walls -of the houses, and shoved into the kennel, until you begin to consider -it very doubtful whether you possess sufficient strength of wrist and -tenacity of finger, to enable you to remain within, while such violent -proceedings are taking place without. And when to these difficulties are -superadded the inconvenience of a dense, reckless, pleasure-seeking mob, -it must be conceded on all hands that the progress along the High Street -of Pera on a festival day is by no means “easy travelling.” - -On the occasion of which I am about to speak we encountered three -detachments of donkeys, four arabas, six horses laden with timber, and a -flock of sheep—fortunately, we were by no means pressed for time; -though how we escaped victimizing a few of the supine subjects of his -Sublime Highness, I cannot take upon me to explain. - -I have already spoken elsewhere of the indifference, if not absolute -enjoyment, with which the inhabitants of the East frequent their -burying-grounds; but on the occasion of this festival I was more -impressed than ever by the extent to which it is carried. The whole of -the Christian Cemetery had assumed the appearance of a fair—nor was -this all, for the very tombs of the dead were taxed to enhance the -comforts of the living; and many was the tent whose centre table, -covered with a fringed cloth, and temptingly spread with biscuits, -sweetmeats, and sherbet, was the stately monument of some departed -Armenian! Grave-stones steadied the poles which supported the -swings—divans, comfortably overlaid with cushions, were but -chintz-covered sepulchres—the step that enabled the boy to reach his -seat in the merry-go-round was the earth which had been heaped upon the -breast of the man whose course was run—the same trees flung their long -shadows over the sports of the living and the slumbers of the dead—the -kibaub merchants had dug hollows to cook their dainties under the -shelter of the tombs—and the smoking booths were amply supplied with -seats and counters from the same wide waste of death. - -On one side, a slender train of priests were committing a body to the -earth, and mingling their lugubrious chant with the shrill instruments -of a party of dancers; on the other, a patrol of dismounted lancers were -threading among the many-coloured tents, in order to maintain an order -which the heavy-witted Armenians lacked all inclination to break. - -I never saw a set of people who bore so decidedly the stamp of having -been born to slavery as the Armenians: they seem even to love the rattle -of their chains; they have no high feeling, no emulation, no enthusiasm, -no longing for “a place among the nations;” no aspirations after the -bright and the beautiful; no ideas, in short, beyond a pitiful imitation -of their Moslem masters, whom they consider as the _ne plus ultra_ of -all perfection. - -The appearance of the upper class of Armenians I have already described. -Give them a more becoming head-dress, and their costume is surpassingly -graceful; but their advantages are all external; their dreams are all of -piastres; they have no soul. If you talk to them of their subjection to -the Osmanli, what do they reply? “All that you say may be very true, but -it does not concern me—my affairs are in a most prosperous condition.” - -It is impossible to make them sensible of their own social position; -they listen, twirl their mustachioes, flourish their white -handkerchiefs, replenish their chibouks, utter from time to time -“_pekké,_” (very well), with an inane smile, and ultimately walk away, -as well satisfied with themselves and with their tyrants as though the -subject were one of the most irrelevant nature. - -From this sweeping accusation of apathy and self-depreciation, even -after many months passed in the East, I can except only one individual; -but that one is indeed a rare and a bright example to the rest of his -countrymen. To those travellers who have visited Constantinople, and who -have had the pleasure and advantage of his acquaintance, I need scarcely -say that I allude to M. Nubar, the eminent merchant of Galata, whose -extensive information, sound judgment, and habitual courtesy, render his -friendship extremely valuable to those who are fortunate enough to -secure it. - -To return, however, to the festival of the Champ des Morts, from which I -have digressed. Every hundred yards that we advanced, the scene became -more striking. One long line of diminutive tents formed a temporary -street of eating-houses; there were kibaubs, pillauf, fritters, pickled -vegetables, soups, rolls stuffed with fine herbs, sausages, fried fish, -bread of every quality, and cakes of all dimensions. Escaping from this -too savoury locality, we found ourselves among the sherbet venders, -whose marquees, lined with blue or crimson, were pitched with more -precision and regard to comfort and convenience than those of the -_restaurateurs_. Mirrors, bouquets, and a display of goblets of all -shapes and sizes, were skilfully set forth in many of them; some even -indulged in the luxury of pictures, which were universally-glaring and -highly-coloured French prints of female heads, of the most common -description; and in these tents chairs and cushions were alike provided -for the guests; while in one corner stood the mangal, ready to supply -the necessary fragment of live coal for igniting the chibouk. - -Scattered among these more assuming establishments were the stands of -the itinerant merchants, whose little cupolaed fountains threw up a -slender thread of water to the accompaniment of a tinkling sound, -produced by the contact of half a dozen thin plates of metal; while a -circle of sherbet glasses, filled with liquids of different colours, and -interspersed with green boughs, and suspended lemons, looked so cool and -refreshing that they were more tempting by far than the aristocratic -establishments of the marquee owners. Here and there a flat tomb, -fancifully covered with gold-embroidered handkerchiefs, was overspread -with sweetmeats and preserved fruits; while, in the midst of these rival -establishments, groups of men were seated in a circle, wherever a little -shade could be obtained, smoking their long pipes in silence, with -their diminutive coffee-cups resting on the ground beside them. The -wooden kiosk overhanging the Bosphorus was crowded; and many a party was -snugly niched among the acacias, with their backs resting against the -tombs, and the sunshine flickering at their feet. - -But the leading feature of the festival was the Armenian dance, that was -going forward in every direction, and which was so perfectly -characteristic of the people that it merits particular mention. A large -circle was formed, frequently consisting of between forty and fifty -individuals, (chance comers falling in as they pleased without question -or hindrance) holding each other by the hand, or round the neck, and -wedged closely together so as to form a compact body; the leader of the -dance being the only one who detached himself from the rest, and held -the person next to him at arm’s length. In the centre of the ring stood, -and sometimes danced, the musician, whose instrument was either a -species of small, cracked guitar, with wire strings, which he struck -with very slender regard to either time or tune; or a bagpipe precisely -similar to that of Scotland, but not played in the same spirit-stirring -style, the Armenian performer making no attempt at any thing beyond -noise, and never by any accident forming three consecutive notes which -harmonized; but his hearers were not fastidious, and the music was, at -least, in good keeping with the dance. Beside the minstrel, such as I -have described him, moved the buffoon of the company, who also, by some -extraordinary and perfectly Armenian concatenation of ideas, acted as -Master of the Ceremonies. - -The leader flourished a painted muslin handkerchief, while he lifted up -first one foot and then the other, as fowls do sometimes in a farmyard; -poising the body on one leg for an instant, and then changing the -position. This movement was followed by the whole of the party with more -or less awkwardness; and thus hopping, balancing, and shifting their -feet, they slowly worked round and round the circle, without changing -either the time or the movement for several consecutive hours; the -different individuals falling in and out of the ring as their -inclination prompted, without disturbing in the slightest degree the -economy of the dance. There was nothing exclusive in these Terpsichorean -circles, where the smart serving-man’s neck was clasped by the sinewy -hand of the street-porter, and where the embroidered Albanian legging -and European shoe were placed in juxtaposition with the bare limb and -heelless slipper. There must have been at least a dozen of these dances -going forward in the fair, (for such I may truly call it), with a -perseverance and solemnity perfectly astonishing, when it is remembered -that many of the individuals thus engaged had walked five and six -leagues to share in the festival, and would have no resting-place but -the earth whereon to sleep away their fatigue. - -Great was the commerce of the water-venders, who traversed the crowd in -every direction, with their classically formed earthen jars upon their -shoulders, and their crystal goblets in their hands, who, for a couple -of _paras_, poured forth a draught of sparkling water, which almost made -one thirsty to look at it; and were as particular and punctilious in -cleansing the glass after every customer, as though they were under the -_surveillance_ of his successor. - -A few, a very few, of the revellers had indulged in deeper potations, -and were exhibiting proofs of their inebriety in their unsteady gait and -uncertain utterance; but intemperance is not _yet_ the common vice of -the East; although it bids fair in time to become such. A very talented -and distinguished individual, with whom I was lately conversing on the -subject of the different degrees of civilization attained by particular -nations, said of the Russians that they had commenced with champagne and -ballet-dancers. Glorious was it, therefore, for the half dozen Armenians -who were staggering among the crowd, to have profited as far as they -could by so brilliant an example. Being intoxicated is, according to -the Eastern phraseology, being _à la Franka_. - -Apart from the crowd were wrestling-rings, where the combatants -exhibited their prowess precisely after the fashion of the Ancient -Romans; and on all sides were bands of Bohemians, as dark-eyed and as -voluble as the gipsies of Europe. - -The festival lasted three days, and not a single hand nor voice was -raised in violence during the whole period; when, as if resolved to -vindicate themselves from the aspersion of utter insensibility, the -Catholic and Schismatic sects terminated their sports with a regular -fight, in front of an Armenian church in Galata. The Schismatic party -were returning to the place of embarkation in order to pass over to -Constantinople, and singing at the pitch of their voices, at the precise -moment when a priest of the opposite sect was performing mass in the -church. A messenger was despatched to the revellers to enforce silence -until they had quitted the precincts of the chapel; but his errand was a -vain one; the Schismatics were not to be controlled; a crowd -collected—the merits of the case were explained—the Catholics became -furious, and insisted on the instant departure of the intruders—the -Schismatics waxed valiant, and refused to move—and, finally, after a -fight in which many blows were given and received, the Turks stepped in -as mediators, and carried off a score of the combatants to Stamboul, -where they were detained for the night, fined a few piastres, and -dismissed like a set of lubberly schoolboys, who had wound up a holyday -with a boxing-match! - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - - - The Mosques at Midnight—Baron Rothschild—Firmans and - Orders—A Proposition—Masquerading—St. Sophia by - Lamplight—The Congregation—The Mosque of Sultan - Achmet—Colossal Pillars—Return to the Harem—The - Chèïk-Islam—Count Bathiany—The Party—St. Sophia by - Daylight—Erroneous Impression—Turkish Paradise—Piety of the - Turkish Women—The Vexed Traveller—Disappointment—Confusion - of Architecture—The Sweating Stone—Women’s Gallery—View from - the Gallery—Gog and Magog at Constantinople—The Impenetrable - Door—Ancient Tradition—Leads of the Mosque—Gallery of the - Dome—The Doves—The Atmeidan—The Tree of Groans—The Mosque - of Sultan Achmet—Antique Vases—Historical Pulpit—The Inner - Court—The Six Minarets—The Mosque of Solimaniè—Painted - Windows—Ground-plan of the Principal Mosques—The Treasury of - Solimaniè—Mausoleum of Solyman the Magnificent—Model of the - Mosque at Mecca—Mausoleums in General—Indispensable - Accessories—The Medresch—Mosque of Sultan Mahmoud at - Topphannè. - -Although I am about to describe to my readers a morning at the mosques, -I must nevertheless first conduct them into the mosques at midnight, by -recounting a visit to St. Sophia and Sultan Achmet, which I have -hitherto forborne to mention, in the hope (since realized) of being -enabled, ere my departure from Constantinople, both to form and to -impart a better idea of these magnificent edifices than my first -adventurous survey had rendered me capable of doing. - -During a visit that I made to a Turkish family, with whom I had become -acquainted, the conversation turned on the difficulty of obtaining a -Firman to see the mosques; when it was stated that Baron Rothschild was -the only private individual to whom the favour had ever been accorded: -(probably upon the same principle that the Pope instituted the order of -St. Gregory, and bestowed the first decoration upon the Hebraic -Crœsus) and that travellers were thus dependent on the uncertain -chance of encountering, during their residence in Turkey, some -distinguished person to whom the marble doors were permitted to fall -back. - -In vain I questioned and cross-questioned; I failed to obtain a ray of -hope beyond the very feeble one held out by this infrequent casualty; -and I could not refrain from expressing the bitterness of my -disappointment, with an emphasis which convinced my Musselmaun hearers -that I was sincere. - -Hours passed away, and other subjects had succeeded to this most -interesting one, when, as the evening closed in, I remarked that —— -Bey, the eldest son of the house, was carrying on a very energetic -_sotto voce_ conversation with his venerable father; and I was not a -little astonished when he ultimately informed me, in his imperfect -French, that there was one method of visiting the mosques, if I had -nerve to attempt it, which would probably prove successful; and that, in -the event of my resolving to run the risk, he was himself so convinced -of its practicability, that he would accompany me, with the consent of -his father, attended by the old Kïara, or House-steward; upon the -understanding (and on this the grey-bearded Effendi had resolutely -insisted) that in the event of detection it was to be _sauve qui peut_; -an arrangement that would enable his son at once to elude pursuit, if he -exercised the least ingenuity or caution. - -What European traveller, possessed of the least spirit of adventure, -would refuse to encounter danger in order to stand beneath the dome of -St. Sophia? And, above all, what wandering Giaour could resist the -temptation of entering a mosque during High Prayer? - -These were the questions that I asked myself as the young Bey vowed -himself so gallantly to the venture, (to him, in any case, not without -its dangers) in order to avert from me the disappointment which I -dreaded. - -I at once understood that the attempt must be made in a Turkish dress; -but this fact was of trifling importance, as no costume in the world -lends itself more readily or more conveniently to the purposes of -disguise. After having deliberately weighed the chances for and against -detection, I resolved to run the risk; and accordingly I stained my -eyebrows with some of the dye common in the harem; concealed my female -attire beneath a magnificent pelisse, lined with sables, which fastened -from my chin to my feet; pulled a _fèz_ low upon my brow; and, preceded -by a servant with a lantern, attended by the Bey, and followed by the -Kïara and a pipe-bearer, at half-past ten o’clock I sallied forth on my -adventurous errand. - -We had not mentioned to either the wife or the mother of the Bey whither -we were bound, being fearful of alarming them unnecessarily; and they -consequently remained perfectly satisfied with the assurance of the old -gentleman, that I was anxious to see the Bosphorus by moonlight; though -a darker night never spread its mantle over the earth. - -I am extremely doubtful whether, on a less exciting occasion, I could -have kept time with the rapid pace of my companion, over the vile -pavement of Constantinople; as it was, however, I dared not give way, -lest any one among the individuals who followed us, and who were perhaps -bound on the same errand, should penetrate my disguise. - -“If we escape from St. Sophia unsuspected,” said my chivalrous friend, -“we will then make another bold attempt; we will visit the mosque of -Sultan Achmet; and as this is a high festival, if you risk the -adventure, you will have done what no Infidel has ever yet dared to do; -but I forewarn you that, should you be discovered, and fail to make your -escape on the instant, you will be torn to pieces.” - -This assertion somewhat staggered me, and for an instant my woman-spirit -quailed; I contented myself, however, with briefly replying: “When we -leave St. Sophia, we will talk of this,” and continued to walk beside -him in silence. At length we entered the spacious court of the mosque, -and as the servants stooped to withdraw my shoes, the Bey murmured in my -ear: “Be firm, or you are lost!”—and making a strong effort to subdue -the feeling of mingled awe and fear, which was rapidly stealing over me, -I pulled the _fèz_ deeper upon my eyebrows, and obeyed. - -On passing the threshold, I found myself in a covered peristyle, whose -gigantic columns of granite are partially sunk in the wall of which they -form a part; the floor was covered with fine matting, and the coloured -lamps, which were suspended in festoons from the lofty ceiling, shed a -broad light on all the surrounding objects. In most of the recesses -formed by the pillars, beggars were crouched down, holding in front of -them their little metal basins, to receive the _paras_ of the -charitable; while servants lounged to and fro, or squatted in groups -upon the matting, awaiting the egress of their employers. As I looked -around me, our own attendant moved forward, and raising the curtain -which veiled a double door of bronze, situated at mid-length of the -peristyle, I involuntarily shrank back before the blaze of light that -burst upon me. - -Far as the eye could reach upwards, circles of coloured fire, appearing -as if suspended in mid-air, designed the form of the stupendous dome; -while beneath, devices of every shape and colour were formed by myriads -of lamps of various hues: the Imperial closet, situated opposite to the -pulpit, was one blaze of refulgence, and its gilded lattices flashed -back the brilliancy, till it looked like a gigantic meteor! - -As I stood a few paces within the doorway, I could not distinguish the -limits of the edifice—I looked forward, upward—to the right hand, and -to the left—but I could only take in a given space, covered with human -beings, kneeling in regular lines, and at a certain signal bowing their -turbaned heads to the earth, as if one soul and one impulse animated the -whole congregation; while the shrill chanting of the choir pealed -through the vast pile, and died away in lengthened cadences among the -tall dark pillars which support it. - -And this was St. Sophia! To me it seemed like a creation of -enchantment—the light—the ringing voices—the mysterious extent, which -baffled the earnestness of my gaze—the ten thousand turbaned Moslems, -all kneeling with their faces turned towards Mecca, and at intervals -laying their foreheads to the earth—the bright and various colours of -the dresses—and the rich and glowing tints of the carpets that veiled -the marble floor—all conspired to form a scene of such unearthly -magnificence, that I felt as though there could be no reality in what I -looked on, but that, at some sudden signal, the towering columns would -fail to support the vault of light above them, and all would become -void. - -I had forgotten every thing in the mere exercise of vision;—the danger -of detection—the flight of time—almost my own identity—when my -companion uttered the single word “_Gel_—Come”—and, passing forward to -another door on the opposite side of the building, I instinctively -followed him, and once more found myself in the court. - -What a long breath I drew, as the cold air swept across my forehead! I -felt like one who has suddenly stepped beyond the circle of an -enchanter, and dissolved the spell of some mighty magic. - -“Whither shall we now bend our way?” asked my companion, as we resumed -our shoes. - -“To Sultan Achmet,”—I answered briefly. I could not have bestowed many -words on my best friend at that moment; the very effort at speech was -painful. - -In ten minutes more we stood before the mosque of Sultan Achmet, and, -ascending the noble flight of steps which lead to the principal -entrance, we again cast off our shoes, and entered the temple. - -Infinitely less vast than St. Sophia, this mosque impressed me with a -feeling of awe, much greater than that which I had experienced in -visiting its more stately neighbour—four colossal pillars of marble, -five or six feet in circumference, support the dome, and these were -wreathed with lamps, even to the summit; while the number of lights -suspended from the ceiling gave the whole edifice the appearance of a -space overhung with stars. We entered at a propitious moment, for the -Faithful were performing their prostrations, and had consequently no -time to speculate on our appearance; the chanting was wilder and -shriller than that which I had just heard at St. Sophia; it sounded to -me, in fact, more like the delirious outcry, which we may suppose to -have been uttered by a band of Delphic Priestesses, than the voices of a -choir of uninspired human beings. - -We passed onward over the yielding carpets, which returned no sound -beneath our footsteps: and there was something strangely supernatural -in the spectacle of several human beings moving along, without creating -a single echo in the vast space they traversed. We paused an instant -beside the marble-arched platform, on which the muezzin was performing -his prostrations to the shrill cry of the choir;—we lingered another, -to take a last look at the kneeling thousands who were absorbed in their -devotions; and then, rapidly descending into the court, my companion -uttered a hasty congratulation on the successful issue of our bold -adventure, to which I responded a most heartfelt ‘Amen’—and in less -than an hour, I cast off my _fèz_ and my pelisse in the harem -of——Effendi, and exclaimed to its astonished inmates:—“I have seen -the mosques!” - -Knowing what I now know of the Turks, I would not run the same risk a -second time, though the Prophet’s Beard were to be my recompense. There -are some circumstances in which ignorance of the extent of the danger is -its best antidote. - -But the feeling that remained on my mind was vague even to pain; I had -seen St. Sophia, it is true, and seen it in all the glory of its million -lamps; I had beheld it at a moment when no christian eye had ever -heretofore looked on it; and when detection would have involved instant -destruction. I had lifted aside the veil from the Holy of -Holies—witnessed the prostration which followed the thrilling cry of -“Allah Il Allah!”—and polluted, with the breath of a Giaour, the -atmosphere of the True Believers—I had looked upon the Chèïk-Islam, as -he stood with his face turned Mecca-ward, his pale brow cinctured with -gold, and his stately figure draped in white cachemere—and I had stood -erect when every head was bowed, and every knee bent at the name of the -Prophet; but still I had no definite idea of the mosque of St. Sophia; -on the contrary, the wish that I had formerly felt to visit it grew to a -positive craving from the hour in which I found myself at midnight -beneath its fire-girdled dome, and glanced out into the deep and -mysterious darkness beyond; and it was not until months afterwards that -it was satisfied, when the arrival of Count Bathiany, an Hungarian -nobleman, brother to the Princess Metternich, gave an opportunity to the -curious of indulging their lion-hunting propensities. - -The party assembled at half-past ten in the morning at one of the gates -of the city, near the Seraglio wall, known by the name of “The Gate of -the Garden.” There were horsemen and pedestrians—ladies in arabas, and -on foot—spruce _attachés_, grave elderly gentlemen, anxious -antiquaries, officers of the navy, dragomen, foreign nobles, native -servants, and a motley train of sailors and attendants, carrying the -slippers of their several masters. - -But if the eye were confused by the number of objects by which it was -attracted as our party passed, procession-like, through the narrow -streets, amid the comments and not unfrequently the scowls of the Turks, -who bear but impatiently this licensed profanation of their temples; the -ear was infinitely more so by the confusion of languages which assailed -it on all sides; here, two Russians almost set your teeth on edge as -they exchanged a few sentences—there, a couple of Germans deluded you -for the first moment into a belief that they were conversing in -English—on one side, a dark-eyed stranger begged your pardon in his low -soft Italian, for an awkwardness of which you were not conscious, and -thus gave himself an opportunity of addressing you during the morning, -without rudeness—and on the other, two smart midshipmen laughed out in -the lightness of their hearts words which told of home, because they -were breathed in the language of your own land—while a constant chorus -of Turkish, Greek, and Arab, was kept up by the attendants in the rear. - -At length we reached St. Sophia; and I felt my heart beat quicker, as I -once more traversed the flagged court, and passed the elegant fountain, -at which the Faithful perform their ablutions; with its projecting -octagonal roof, its marble basin, and its covering of close iron -net-work, to protect the spring from the pollution of the birds. - -At the entrance of the peristyle to which I have before alluded, we put -on the slippers we had provided, and, as soon as we had all passed, the -doors were closed. - -How different was the aspect of every object around me from that which -it wore on my last visit! Then, all was refulgent with light; and now, a -sacred gloom hung upon the dark walls, and floated like a veil about our -path. Few were they who did not pass on in silence; for there is a power -and a sublimity in scenes like the one I am attempting to describe, -which overawe for awhile even the most vulgar minds; while to the -susceptible and contemplative the spell is deepened a thousand-fold. - -One burst, rather of sound than speech—the wordless tribute of -irrepressible admiration—heralded our passage across the block of -porphyry upon which close the interior doors of the mosque; and in less -than a moment the richly carpeted floor of marble, porphyry, jasper, and -verd-antique, was mosaiced with groups of gazers throughout its whole -extent. Some stood riveted to the spot on which they had first halted, -as if touched by the wand of an enchanter, and scarcely stirring a limb -in the excess of their absorbing contemplation; others hurried rapidly -along, as though breathless with eager and impatient curiosity—one -tall, pale man, with amber-coloured mustachioes and long thin fingers, -was already taking notes, with his little red book resting against the -boots that he carried in his hand; and a couple of antiquaries were just -commencing a dispute _sotto voce_ relatively to some pillars of Egyptian -granite on the left hand side of the temple. - -Nor were the Imams idle; for they had instantly detected the unhandsome -intrusion of one traveller with his boots on; an insult so great, that -no Moslem can tolerate it; and they were busily employed in compelling -their removal: accompanying the ceremony with certain epithets addressed -to the Giaour, with which, if he were unfortunate enough to understand -them, he had no opportunity of feeling flattered. - -Our party were not, however, the only tenants of the vast pile. A group -of Ulemas were engaged in prayer as we entered, nor did they suffer our -presence to interfere with their devotions; and almost in the centre of -the floor knelt a party of women similarly engaged, while a couple of -children, who had accompanied them, were chasing each other over the -rich carpets. - -An erroneous impression has obtained in Europe that females do not -attend, or rather, I should perhaps say, are not permitted to enter, the -mosques; this, as I have just shewn, is by no means the case; the -entrance is forbidden to them only during the midnight prayer. And, in -like manner, I had been taught to believe, before I visited the country, -that the Turks denied to their women the possession of souls: this is as -false a position as the other. It is true that the lordly Moslem claims -a paradise apart; where Hourii are to wreathe his brow with -ever-blooming flowers—pour his sherbet in streams of perfume into its -crystal vase—and fill his chibouk with fragrance.[5] But, amid these -voluptuous dreams, he does not quite overlook the eternal interests of -his mere earthly partner; I do not believe that her future enjoyments -are as clearly defined as those which he arrogates to himself—there is -a little harem-like mystery flung over the destiny that awaits her; but, -meanwhile, he does not altogether shut her out from the promise of a -hereafter, from which he himself anticipates so full a portion of -felicity. - -The Turkish women are intuitively pious; the exercises of religion are -admirably suited to their style of existence. In the seclusion of the -harem the hour of prayer is an epoch of unwearying interest to the -whole of its inhabitants; and there is something touching and beautiful -in the humility with which, when they have spread their prayer-carpets, -they veil themselves with a scarf of white muslin, ere they intrude into -the immediate presence of their Maker. - -Being aware of all this, the appearance of females in the mosque of St. -Sophia did not produce the same effect upon me as upon many of the -party. Those who were lately from Europe could scarcely believe their -eyes; and when, in reply to the remark of a person who stood near me, -expressing his astonishment at such an apparition, I explained to him -that the presence of females in the different mosques was of constant -and hourly occurrence, he looked so exceedingly annoyed at the sweeping -away of his ancient prejudices, that I verily believe he thought the -deficiency of the whole female Empire of Turkey must be transferred to -my own little person, and that I, at least, could have no soul. - -Upon the whole, the first view of St. Sophia disappointed me; I had -carried away an idea of much greater extent; spacious as it was, I could -now see from one extremity of the wide edifice to the other—I was no -longer bewildered by the blaze of innumerable lights—and I know not -wherefore, but I regretted the mysterious indistinctness of outline -which had thralled me during my midnight visit. - -Ignorant as I am also of architecture as a science, I have a sufficient -perception of the beautiful and the symmetrical, to make me lament the -incongruous medley of different orders and materials by which I was -surrounded. What gigantic pillars encircle the dome!—What individual -treasures are collected together! But with what recklessness are they -forced into juxtaposition! Columns of varying sizes and proportions; -some of Egyptian granite, others of porphyry, others again of scagliola, -and various precious marbles, are scattered, like the fragments of many -distinct buildings, throughout the whole body of the edifice. The eye is -bewildered, and the mind remains unsatisfied. - -Eight of the porphyry pillars are relics of the temple of Heliopolis; -while those of _verd-antique_ are from that of Ephesus. The walls are -lined with marble, jasper, porphyry, and verd-antique, to the height of -a gallery which surrounds the temple; and which, like the base of the -building, is floored with rich marbles, and supported by plain columns -of the same material. But the dome, which was formerly adorned with -minute mosaics, was white-washed when the Turks converted St. Sophia -into a mosque; and the original richness of the design is now only to -be deciphered in spots where the plaster has fallen away; added to -which, the inferior Imams attached to the building make a trade of the -fragments of mosaic that they are continually tearing down, and which -are eagerly bought up by travellers, who thus encourage a Vandalism -whose destructive effects are irreparable. - -Before we ascended to the gallery, we were introduced to one of the -miracles of the place, in the shape of a column; a portion of whose -surface is cased with iron, in one part of which a deep cavity is worn -away beneath the metal; and into this orifice the visiter is invited to -insert his finger, in order to convince himself of the humidity of the -marble. This column is called by the Imams “the Sweating Stone;” but if -the indignation of the inanimate matter at the transformation of a -Christian temple into a Mahommedan mosque have really reduced it to a -state of perpetual and palpable perspiration, I am under the necessity -of confessing that the miracle was not wrought for me; for, on making -the trial, I was conscious only of an extreme chill. - -Hence we ascended by a very dilapidated and crumbling spiral stair to -the gallery, devoted originally to the use of the women, and capacious -enough to contain several hundreds; and here the mosaic merchants -plunged their hands into their breasts, and from amid the folds of their -garments drew forth some thousands of the gilt and coloured stones which -they had torn away from the elaborately-ornamented dome. - -These were soon disposed of, and then we were permitted to contemplate -at our ease the marvels of the mighty pile, with its vast uncumbered -space, its bronzed columns, (many of them clamped with iron to enable -them to resist more powerfully the ravages of time,) and the huge, -shapeless, mystic-looking masses of dark shadow immediately beneath the -dome, which, after you have lost yourself in a thousand vague -conjectures on their nature and purport, turn out to be nothing more -than the mere daubing of some journeyman painter for the purpose of -effacing two mighty cherubim, that, in days of yore, pointed to the -Christian votary the way to Heaven, but which now, in the dim twilight -of the place, look like familiar spirits, shapeless and grim, guarding -the accumulated relics of the days of paganism, congregated beneath -them. - -The view from this gallery, at the upper extremity of the mosque, is -extremely imposing; from that point you take in, and feel, all the -extent of the edifice, whose effect is rendered the more striking, from -the fact that it is entirely laid bare beneath you, being totally free -from the divisions and subdivisions which in Catholic chapels are -necessary for the location of the different shrines. Plain and -unornamented, save by the casing of marble already alluded to, the walls -tower upward in severe beauty, until they reach the base of the stately -dome, which is poized, as if by some mighty magic, on the capitals of a -circle of gigantic and rudely fashioned pillars; immediately beneath you -are the columns that support the gallery in which you stand, throughout -the whole extent of the temple; while on your left hand the marble -pulpit, with its flight of noble steps, shut in by a finely sculptured -door of the same material, and on your right the Imperial closet, with -its gilded lattices, complete the detail of the picture. - -The two huge waxen candles occupying the sides of the arched recess, or -_mihrab_, at the eastern end of the building, are lighted every night, -and last exactly twelve months; they are the very Gog and Magog of -wax-chandlery, and must be at least eighteen inches in circumference. - -In making the tour of the gallery, we came upon a door that had been -stopped with masonry; the frame into which it had originally fitted is -of white marble, and remains quite perfect. There are traces of violence -on the brick-work, which appears to have been secured by some powerful -cement that has indurated with age, until it has acquired the solidity -of stone, and has become capable of resisting any ordinary effort to -remove it; and this door is the second miracle of St. Sophia. - -The legend runs that the united attempts of all the masons of Stamboul -are powerless against the rude masonry that blocks the entrance of this -passage, by reason of a wondrous and most potent talisman, which human -means have as yet failed to weaken; but that it conducts to an apartment -in which a Greek Bishop is seated before a reading-desk perusing an open -volume of so holy a nature, that no Moslem eye must ever rest upon it. -Nor does the tradition end here, for both the Turks and Greeks have a -firm faith in the prophecies which have been made, that St. Sophia will -one day revert to the Christians, on which occasion the walled-up Bishop -will emerge from his concealment, and chant a solemn high mass at the -great altar. - -The latter portion of the legend would imply that the superstition is of -remote origin. I felt glad of this—these mystic imaginings require to -be enveloped in the mist of centuries, in order to elevate the -ridiculous into the sublime, and to attract our fancy without revolting -our reason. - -From the gallery we passed out upon the leads that cover the inferior -cupolas of the building, and screen the mausoleums of the Sultans, and -other distinguished personages, whose ashes repose within the holy -precincts of St. Sophia; and, after traversing a number of these, and -crouching through several low and narrow stone passages, stopping at -intervals to contemplate the magnificent views that were spread out -beneath us on all sides, and which varied every moment as we advanced, -we at length found ourselves at the foot of the ruinous and crumbling -stair, or rather ascent, (for the traces of steps are almost worn away) -leading to the gallery encircling the dome. - -Few of the party were disheartened by the difficulty; and accordingly we -slipped and scrambled towards the summit, and resolved to see all the -marvels of the place; but when the narrow door which opens from the -gallery was flung back by the guide, “a change came o’er the spirit of -our dream”—and out of the hundred individuals who were lion-hunting at -St. Sophia, there were only seven who possessed nerve enough to make the -tour of the dome. Many a fair lady and gallant knight leant for an -instant over the slender fence, and looked down into the body of the -building while clinging firmly to the rail; gazing on men reduced to the -dimensions of pigmies, and wide carpets dwindled to the proportions of a -pocket handkerchief; but a brief survey contented them, and they drew -back from the dizzy spectacle, with swimming heads and aching eyes. - -Seven individuals only, as I have already mentioned, detached themselves -from the throng, of which number I was one; and I understood at once the -secret of the line of light that had struck me so forcibly on the night -of my first visit, when I remarked the clustered lamps which were still -attached to the lower railing of the gallery; and I wondered no longer -at the sublime effect they had produced, as I perceived the immense -height at which they had been placed. - -The path we had to follow was about a foot in width, and the slight -railing that protected it was secured by iron bars to the wall beyond; -but in two places the projecting ledge that formed the passage had lost -its horizontal position, and sloped downwards at the outer edge, giving -a most uncomfortable projection to the wooden fence; these little -inconveniences were, however, amply compensated by the sublime effect of -the edifice, seen thus, as it seemed, from the clouds; while the -beautiful proportions of the dome became tenfold more evident as the eye -took in its whole extent, unbewildered by the immense space which had -baffled it from below. - -While I stood gazing on the magnificent spectacle spread out beneath -me, a couple of doves winged their tranquil flight across the body of -the mosque, to their resting-places on the opposite side of the -building. As these birds are held sacred by the Musselmauns, they abound -about all their public edifices, and multiply to an extraordinary -extent; and their appearance, at a moment when my fancy was awakened, -and my feelings excited, by the objects of beauty and of grandeur that -surrounded me, produced an effect so powerful as to give birth to a very -different train of ideas from those in which I had previously been -indulging.[6] - -The tour of the gallery completed our survey of the far-famed St. -Sophia; and flinging off the slippers which we had drawn over our shoes, -we exchanged the marble floor, covered with yielding carpets, for the -steep and stony streets leading to the mosque of Sultan Achmet. - -On passing through the Atmeidan (or Place of Horses) on one side of -which the mosque is situated, a large plane tree was pointed out to me, -from whose branches Sultan Mahmoud caused several of the principal -Janissaries to be hanged, during the destruction of that formidable -body, whence it is called by the Turks “the Tree of Groans.” The -exterior of the building was already familiar to me, as it was from the -courtyard of Sultan Achmet that I had seen the procession of the -Kourban-Baïram; but of its interior I retained only the same dreamy, -indistinct impression which I had carried away on the same occasion from -St. Sophia. - -The mosque of Sultan Achmet is remarkable for the immensity of the four -colossal columns that support the dome, to which I have already alluded; -and from the fact that the decree against the Janissaries was unrolled -and read by the Chief Priest from its marble pulpit. An air of solemn -and religious grandeur is shed over it by the dim twilight that enters -through the windows of clouded glass; and it possesses a side gallery, -roofed with mosaic and supported by marble pillars, which produces a -very pleasing effect; but beyond this, there is little to attract in its -detail, if, indeed, I except the curious and valuable collection of -antique vases, many of them richly inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and -various coloured stones, (and all of them, as the Imam assured us, -authentic) which are suspended from the transverse bars of iron that -support the lamps, intermixed with ostrich eggs, bunches of corn in the -ear, and similar symbols of abundance. - -The inner court of the mosque is truly beautiful, being surrounded by an -open cloister supported by graceful columns in the Arabian taste, whose -capitals resemble clusters of stalactites, and whose slender shafts -shoot upwards almost with the lightness of a minaret. In the centre of -the court, a stately fountain pours forth its sparkling waters; and on -the left hand as you enter is situated the marble balcony from which are -read all the Imperial Firmans that possess public interest. Near the -gate of entrance, stands an immense block of porphyry of singular -beauty, resting upon two masses of stone; on which the dead are exposed -previous to their interment; no corpse being permitted to defile the -interior of the mosque, and the Sultans themselves having the funeral -prayers read over them in the open air. - -The mosque of Sultan Achmet is the only one in the city that has six -minarets. This peculiarity arose from the desire of the Sultan to be the -first monarch who should build a mosque in his capital, rivalling that -of Mecca in the number of its minarets; but, as this could not be done -without permission of the Mufti, compliance with the Imperial request -was delayed, until steps had been taken to increase those at Mecca to -seven, as it was not deemed expedient for any other mosque to enjoy the -same privileges as that which is sanctified by the presence of the -Prophet’s Tomb. - -These minarets are arranged with the most beautiful taste: two of them -are attached to the main body of the building, while the four others -pierce through the dense foliage of the stately forest trees which -encircle the mosque, with an irregularity singularly graceful. Their -transparent galleries of perforated masonry (three in number) girdle the -slender shafts with the lightness and delicacy of net-work, and their -pointed spires, touched with gold, gleam out like stars through the -clear blue of the surrounding horizon. - -From the mosque of Sultan Achmet we proceeded to that of Solimaniè, -built by Solyman the Magnificent, which is considered to be the most -elegant edifice in Stamboul. Its interior is eminently cheerful and -attractive; and the splendid windows of stained glass are the spoils of -its founder, who, subsequently to a victory obtained over the Persians, -bore them away in triumph to enrich the present building, which was then -in a state of progression. The four pillars that support the dome are -slight and well-proportioned; but the four porphyry columns which form -the angles of the temple are the boast of the edifice; they originally -served as pedestals to as many antique statues, and are of surpassing -symmetry. St. Sophia, amid all the remains which are collected beneath -its roof, possesses nothing so fine; and, independently of these, there -is a greater attempt at architectural elaboration throughout the whole -building, than in either of the mosques that we had previously visited. - -The pulpit is very peculiar, being shaped somewhat like the blossom of -the aram, which it the more resembles from the fact that the marble -whereof it is formed is of the most snowy whiteness; and the great doors -of the main entrance are richly inlaid with devices of mother-of-pearl. - -Attached to the wall, near the platform of the muezzin, hangs a long -scroll of parchment, on which are traced, in black and gold, the -ground-plans of the five principal mosques in the world—viz. those of -Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem, St. Sophia, and Adrianople. It is evidently of -great antiquity, and was precisely the description of relic which an -antiquary would have valued; while even to the unscientific it was an -object of considerable interest. - -There is one peculiarity in the mosque of Solimaniè, which it were an -injustice to the Turkish government to pass over in silence; and which -is in itself so interesting, that I am surprised no traveller has yet -made it matter of record. - -An open gallery, extending along the whole of the northern side of the -edifice, is filled with chests of various sizes and descriptions, piled -one on the other, and carefully marked; these chests contain treasure, -principally in gold, silver, and jewels, to a vast amount; and are all -the property of individuals, who, in the event of their leaving the -country, family misunderstandings, or from other causes, require a place -of safety in which to deposit their wealth. Each package being -accurately described, and scrupulously secured, is received and -registered at Solimaniè by the proper authorities, and there it remains -intact and inviolate, despite national convulsions and ministerial -changes. No event, however unexpected, or however extraordinary, is -suffered to affect the sacredness of the trust; and no consideration of -country, or of religion, militates against the admission of such -deposits as may be tendered, by persons anxious to secure their property -against casualties. - -On one side may be seen the fortune of an orphan confided to the keeping -of the Directors of the Institution during his minority; on the other, -the capital of a merchant who is pursuing his traffic over seas. All -classes and all creeds alike avail themselves of the security of the -depository; and, although an individual may fail to reclaim his property -for twenty, fifty, or even an unlimited number of years, no seal is ever -broken, no lock is ever forced. And despite that this great National -Bank, for as such it may truly be considered, offers not only an easy, -but an efficient and abundant, mean of supply, no instance has ever -been known in which government has made an effort to avail itself of the -treasures of Solimaniè. As the property is deposited, so is it -withdrawn—the proper documents are produced, and the chest or desk is -delivered up without the demand of a piastre from those who have acted -as its guardians. - -The despotism of the Turkish government cannot, in this instance, be -subject of complaint; when, amid all its reverses, and all its -necessities, it has ever respected the property thus trustingly -confided; while it can scarcely be denied that the admirable integrity, -which is the great safeguard of the heaped-up wealth within the walls of -the mosque, is at least as worthy of commendation, as the generous -liberality which has foreborne to levy a tax upon so valuable a -privilege. - -From the mosque we passed out by a charming covered walk to the -mausoleum of the Magnificent Solyman; an elegant cupolaed building, with -a fluted roof projecting about two feet forward, cased with marble on -the outside, and finely painted within in delicate frescoes. An enormous -plane tree flings its tortuous branches over the beautiful edifice, -which has far more the aspect of a temple than a tomb; and the sunshine -falls flickeringly on the marble steps, as it struggles through the -fresh leaves. The floor is richly carpeted, and along the centre are -ranged the sarcophagi of Solyman the Magnificent and his successor, of -Sultan Akhmet, and of the two daughters of the Imperial founder of the -mosque. Those of the Sultans are adorned with lofty turbans of white -muslin, decorated with aigrettes, and attached to the sarcophagi by -costly shawls; the tombs of the Princesses are covered plainly with -cachemire of a dark green colour, and are considerably injured by time. - -An admirable model of the mosque of Mecca occupied a stand on the right -of the entrance, and was an object of general curiosity; it was well -executed, and gave an excellent idea not only of the building itself but -of the approaches to it. The Tomb of the Prophet occupied the centre of -the plan; and the line of road, covered with pilgrims, with its mountain -barrier and halting-places, enabled the spectator to form an accurate -judgment of the locality. - -In all mausoleums of this description, (and they abound in -Constantinople) a priest each day lights up the huge wax candles that -are placed at the feet of the sarcophagi, and leaves them burning while -he reads a chapter from the Koran. Every part of the building is kept -scrupulously clean, and a grain of dust is never suffered to pollute the -tombs; the light is freely admitted to the interior, and no feeling of -gloom connects itself with these resting-places of the dead, which are -the very types of luxury and comfort. - -Each mausoleum has its peculiar priest, which renders a fact that at -first startled me infinitely less surprising; I allude to the immense -number of individuals attached to the service of each mosque—St. Sophia -alone, as I have been credibly informed, affording occupation to more -than three hundred persons! - -Three accessories are indispensable to a mosque—a clock, a fountain, -and a minaret; the clock determines the hour of prayer—the fountain -enables the Faithful to perform their ablutions—and the minaret -supplies the gallery whence the muezzin warns the pious to the temple of -Allah. - -But, independently of these, every Imperial mosque possesses also its -_Medresch_ or College, where the _Sophtas_ are instructed at the expense -of the establishment; and its _Imaret_, or receiving-house for pilgrims, -where wayfaring strangers are lodged and fed, and the poor are relieved -at a certain hour each day, when a distribution of food takes place to -all who think proper to solicit it. In the event of a _Kourban_, or -sacrifice, it is in the _Imaret_ that the animal is put to death, and -shared among the needy who throng its entrance to benefit by the pious -offering. - -The mosque of Sultan Mahmoud at Topphannè is greatly enhanced in beauty -by the splendid fountain and clock-house which he has built on either -side of the entrance; and whose gilded lattice-work, and paintings in -arabesque are truly Oriental in their taste; this small but elegant -mosque is also remarkable for the gilt spires of its minarets, and the -stately flight of marble steps by which it is approached. - -The ruins of a mosque still remain in Constantinople which was -overthrown by an earthquake, wherein the tomb of the Sultan by whom it -was built, was covered with a slab of red marble, said to have been the -identical stone on which our Saviour was stretched on his descent from -the cross, embalmed, and prepared for the sepulchre! - -All the principal mosques are surrounded, and partially overshadowed, by -ancient and stately trees, that, in many cases, appear to be coeval with -the edifice, and through whose leafy screen portions of the white -building gleam out in strong relief; and these are dominated in their -turn by the arrowy minarets, which, springing from a dense mass of -foliage, cut sharply against the clear sky, and heighten the beauty of -the picture. - -I have seldom spent a morning of more absorbing interest than that which -I passed among the Mosques of Constantinople. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - - - Antiquities of Constantinople—Ismäel Effendi—The - Atmeidan—The Obelisk—The Delphic Tripod—The Column of - Constantine—The Tchernberlè Tasch—The Cistern of the Thousand - and One Columns—The Boudroum—The Roman - Dungeons—Yèrè-Batan-Seraï—The Lost Traveller—Extent of the - Cistern—Aqueduct of Justinian—Palace of Constantine—Tomb of - Heraclius—The Seven Towers—An Ambassador in Search of - Truth—Tortures of the Prison—A Legend of the Seven Towers. - -The antiquities of Constantinople are few in number; and when the -by-past fortunes of Byzantium are taken into consideration, not -remarkably interesting. I shall consequently say little upon the -subject, and the rather that more competent writers than myself have -already described them; and that these reliques of departed centuries -are not calculated to be treated _a tutto volo di penna_. But, as it is -impossible to pass them over altogether in silence, I shall merely -endeavour to describe their nature and the effect which they produced -upon myself. - -Perhaps the most curious remain of by-gone days now existing, and -certainly that which is the least known, is _Yèrè-Batan-Seraï_, -literally the “Swallowed up Palace,” anciently called _Philoxmos_. I -had heard much of this extraordinary old Roman work, but we had -repeatedly failed in our attempts to visit it, from the fact of its -opening into the court of a Turkish house, whose owner was not always -willing to submit to the intrusion of strangers. - -We were not, however, fated to leave Constantinople without effecting -our purpose; which we ultimately accomplished through the medium of one -of the Sultan’s Physicians, who provided us with such attendance as -insured our success. Ismäel Effendi, Surgeon-in-chief of the Anatomical -School attached to the Seraï Bournou, volunteered to become our escort, -and we gladly availed ourselves of his kindness. He was a fine, -vivacious, intelligent young man, endowed with an energy and mobility -perfectly Greek, combined with that gentle and quiet courtesy so -essentially Turkish: and we were, furthermore, accompanied by one of his -friends, who spoke the French language with tolerable fluency; and a -soldier of the Palace Guard, to prevent our collision with the -passers-by; a precaution which the rapid and virulent spread of the -Plague had rendered essentially necessary. - -We first directed our steps to the Atmeidan, or Place of Horses, the -ancient race-course of the Romans; in which stands a handsome Egyptian -obelisk of red granite, placed there by Theodosius, and resting upon a -pedestal of white marble, whereon are coarsely represented his -victories in very ill-executed _alto relievo_. The obelisk is sixty feet -in height, and elaborately ornamented with hieroglyphics. - -Near it are the remains of the Delphic Tripod; the brazen heads of the -serpents are wanting; and it is asserted that one of them was struck off -by Sultan Akhmet at a single blow of his scimitar. - -[Illustration: COLUMN OF CONSTANTINE. TRIPOD. EGYPTIAN OBELISK.] - -The Turks are extremely jealous of this interesting remain, as they have -a tradition that, when it is either destroyed or displaced, -Constantinople will fall once more into the hands and under the power of -the Christians; and so universal is this superstition, that a pretty -little girl of about eight years of age, who saw us examining it, -approached us, and said earnestly; “You may look, but you cannot buy -this with all your gold, for it is our talisman, and you are Franks and -Infidels.” - -About one hundred paces beyond the Tripod, the lofty monument of -Constantine, denuded of the coating of metal by which its coarse masonry -is said to have been once concealed, rears its head ninety feet from the -earth; and appears, from its immense height and small circumference, -superadded to the apparently careless and insecure manner in which the -stones are put together, to stand erect only by a miracle. - -But far more curious than either of these is the _Tchernberlè Tasch_, or -Burnt Pillar, situated at a short distance from the Tower of the -Seraskier. It was originally brought by Constantine from the Temple of -Apollo, at Rome, and was placed upon an hexagonal pedestal, within which -were built up several portions of the Holy Cross; whence the small -square in which it stood became a place of prayer. When first -transported to Constantinople, it was surmounted by a statue of the God, -from the chisel of Phidias, of which the head was surrounded by a halo. -But the conqueror appropriated the figure, and caused to be inscribed -beneath it, “The Justice of the Sun to the Illustrious Constantine.” - -The destruction of the statue is diversely explained by different -writers. Genaro Esquilichi declares it to have been destroyed by a -thunderbolt; Anna de Comnena asserts that it was overthrown by a strong -southerly wind during the reign of Alexius de Comnena, and that it -killed several persons in its fall; while other authors mention that it -was merely mutilated by the first accident, and utterly ruined by the -second. The pedestal bears an inscription now nearly obliterated, which -may be thus rendered from the original Greek: - - “O Christ, Master and Protector of the World, - I dedicate to Thee this City, subject to Thee; - And the Sceptre, and the Empire of Rome. - Guard the City, and protect it from all evil.” - -The pillar is ninety feet in height, and the pedestal measures thirty -feet at its base; it has suffered severely from fire as well as from -time, and a strong wire-work has been carefully erected about it to -prevent its falling to pieces, as it is rent and riven in every -direction. It is to be deplored that this interesting relic is built in -on all sides by unsightly houses. - -From the _Tchernberlè Tasch_ we proceeded to visit a cistern called by -the Turks _Bin-Vebir-Direg_, or the “Thousand and One,” in allusion to -the number of columns that support it. It is an immense subterranean, of -which the roof is in reality sustained by three hundred and thirty-six -pillars of coarse marble, each formed of two or more blocks. - -These pillars are now buried to one-third of their height in the earth, -the water-courses having been turned, and the cistern dried up, for the -purpose of receiving the rubbish which was flung out when the -foundations of St. Sophia were laid. It is now occupied by silk-winders, -and they have become so accustomed to the sight of visiters that they -scarcely suffer you to descend the first flight of steps before they all -quit their wheels, and begin shouting for _backschish_. The channel worn -in the stone by the passage of the water that once flowed into the -cistern is distinguishable on three different sides of the subterranean, -which is lit by narrow grated windows level with the roof; and the -echoes, prolonged and flung back by the vaulted recesses, have a sound -so hollow and supernatural that they appear like the distant mutterings -of fiends. - -As we were about to quit _Bin-Vebir-Direg_, one of the silk-spinners -informed us that there was another smaller _Boudroum_, or subterranean -in the neighbourhood, to which he offered to conduct us; honestly -admitting, at the same time, that the atmosphere that we should breathe -there was so unwholesome that few persons ventured to indulge their -curiosity by descending into it. Thither we accordingly went, and the -less reluctantly as we ascertained by the way that this also had been -converted into a spinning establishment, where fifty or sixty persons -were constantly employed. - -A short walk over the rubbish of an ancient fire brought us to the -narrow door of this second subterranean. And we had not descended a -dozen steps, ere we were perfectly convinced of the accuracy of the -information given to us by the guide. Each felt as though a wet garment -had suddenly been wound about him; and the appearance of the miserable -beings who were turning the cotton wheels, sufficiently demonstrated the -unhealthiness of the atmosphere; they were all deadly white, and looked -like a society of recuscitated corpses. We had heard a confusion of -voices from the moment that we approached the neighbourhood of -_Bin-Vebir-Direg_, but all was silence within the _Boudroum_ where we -now found ourselves; while the blended curiosity and astonishment with -which every eye was turned upon us, was a convincing proof that the -unfortunates who tenanted it were little used to the sight of strangers. - -Immediately that we had descended into the vault, they simultaneously -desired us to keep in continual motion during our stay, alleging that -the exercise consequent on their occupation was their only preservative -against destruction; and confirming the truth of their statement by the -melancholy tale of a man who had come a few weeks previously to visit -one of their company, and who remained quietly smoking upon his mat for -several hours, after which he was seized with lethargy, and died. - -As the lower orders of Orientals universally believe every Frank to be, -if not actually a Physician by profession, at least perfectly conversant -with the “healing art,” a group of the pallid wretches by whom we were -surrounded immediately began to apply to my father for advice and -assistance; when the good-natured Ismäel Effendi volunteered to -prescribe for them, and listened with the greatest patience to a list of -ailments, engendered by the fetid atmosphere, and quite beyond the reach -of medicine. - -This cistern, although of considerably less extent than -_Bin-Vebir-Direg_, being supported only by one and thirty pillars, is -nevertheless infinitely handsomer, as the columns are at least thrice -the circumference of the “Thousand and One,” and uncovered to their -base; two only are imperfect; and the _coup-dœil_ from mid-way of the -stone stair is most imposing. - -On emerging from this dim and vapour-freighted vault, we inquired of the -guide whom we had retained, whether he could direct us to any other -object of interest in that quarter of the city; when, after some -hesitation, allured by the promise held out to him of a liberal -_backschish_, he at length admitted that there was a _Boudroum_ about -half a mile from thence, which was but little known, and into which no -Frank had ever been admitted. Then followed a host of assurances of the -danger that he incurred by pointing it out to us, and of which we -readily understood the motive; and, after receiving a second promise of -reward, he ultimately led the way through one or two narrow streets; -when passing under a large doorway, we found ourselves in a dilapidated -Khan, where a dozen old men were seated on low stools, winding silk. -Here our conductor procured lights, after which he preceded us down a -flight of steps, terminating in a second door, whence a short stair -descended into an extensive vault, supported by eight double arches of -solid masonry, as perfect as though they had only been completed on the -previous day. - -Traversing this vault, we entered a second, perfectly dark, of which the -outer wall was strengthened by four large pillars. At the extreme end of -this inner subterranean, we found a flight of ruined stone steps, which -we ascended with some difficulty, and, on arriving at the summit of the -stair, discovered that we were standing in a dilapidated Roman dungeon. - -From this point several other cells branched off in different -directions. The entrance of one, which appeared to be a _cachot forcé_, -was so blocked by the masses of stone that had fallen from the roof, -that we were unable to penetrate into it; but on the other side we -passed into a range of dungeons, of which the partition walls, at least -a foot in thickness, had been torn down. The iron rings by which the -prisoners had been chained, still remained, as did also the sleeping -places hollowed in the masonry; but the most curious and frightful -feature of the locality was a water-course, which, passing along the -entire line of cells, emptied itself into a small dungeon, situated -under the arched vault that I have already described, and thus offered a -ready mean of destruction to the oppressor, and a dreadful and hopeless -death to the captive. - -I was sincerely glad to leave this gloomy remain of by-past power, and -to breathe once more the pure air of Heaven, on my way to -_Yèrè-Batan-Seraï_, where we arrived after a long and very fatiguing -walk. After a little hesitation, the door of the Turkish house to which -I have elsewhere alluded was opened to us, and, passing through the -great entrance hall, we traversed the courtyard, and descending a steep -slope of slippery earth, found ourselves at the opening of the dim -mysterious Palace of Waters. - -The roof of this immense cistern, of which the extent is unknown, is -supported, like that of _Bin-Vebir-Direg_, by marble columns, distant -about ten feet from each other, but each formed from a single block; the -capitals are elaborately wrought, and in one instance the entire pillar -is covered with sculptured ornaments. - -At the period of our visit, Constantinople had been long suffering from -drought, and the water in the cistern was consequently much lower than -usual, a circumstance that greatly tended to augment the stateliness of -its effect. There was formerly a boat upon it, but it has been destroyed -in consequence of the numerous accidents to which it gave rise. - -The Kiära of the Effendi who owned the house, had accompanied us to the -vault; and he mentioned two adventures connected with it that had taken -place within his own knowledge, and which he related to us as having -both occurred to Englishmen. - -The first and the saddest was the tale of a young traveller, who about -six years ago arrived at Constantinople, and in his tour of the capital, -obtained permission to see the _Yèrè Batan Seraï_. The boat was then -upon the water; and, not satisfied with gazing on the wonders of the -place from land, he sprang into the little skiff, and accompanied by the -boatman who was accustomed to row the family in the immediate vicinity -of the opening, he pushed off, after having received a warning not to -be guilty of the imprudence of advancing so far into the interior as to -lose sight of the light of day. This warning he was unhappy enough to -disregard. Those who stood watching his progress remarked that he had -provided himself with a lamp, and they again shouted to him to beware: -but the wretched man was bent upon his purpose; and having, as it is -supposed, induced the boatman, by the promise of a heavy reward, to -comply with his wish, the flame of the lamp became rapidly fainter and -fainter, and at length disappeared altogether from the sight of those -who were left behind; and who remained at their station anxiously -awaiting its return. But they lingered in vain—they had looked their -last upon the unfortunates who had so lately parted from them in the -full rush of life and hope—the boat came no more—and it is presumed -that those within it, having bewildered themselves among the columns, -became unable to retrace their way, and perished miserably by famine. - -I should have mentioned that the spot on which we stood was not the -proper entrance to the cistern, of whose existence and situation they -are even now ignorant, but an opening formed by the failure of several -of the pillars, by which accident the roof fell in, and disclosed the -water-vault beneath. - -Another similar but less extensive failure of the extraordinary fabric -in a yard near the Sublime Porte betrayed its extent in that direction; -a third took place in the immediate neighbourhood of St. Sophia; and a -fourth within the walls of the Record Office; thus affording an -assurance that the cistern extended for several leagues beneath the -city. Further than this the Constantinopolitan authorities cannot throw -any light on its dimensions; and, as far as I was individually -concerned, I am not quite sure that this fact did not increase the -interest of the locality—the mysterious distance into which man is -forbidden to penetrate—the long lines of columns deepening in tint, and -diminishing in their proportions as they recede—the sober twilight that -softens every object—and the dreamy stillness that lords it over this -singular Water Palace, which the voice of man can awaken for a brief -space into long-drawn and unearthly echoes, that sweep onward into the -darkness, and ere they are quite lost to the ear, appear to shape -themselves into words: all combined to invest the spot with an awful and -thrilling character, which, to an imaginative mind, were assuredly more -than an equivalent for the privilege of determining its limits. - -The second local anecdote related to us by the Kiära was that of an -Englishman, who, only a few months previous to our visit, had requested -permission to make use of the little boat that had replaced the one in -which the traveller, to whom I have already alluded, had been lost. Many -objections were started; and the fate of his unfortunate countryman was -insisted upon as the reason of the refusal; but on his repeated promises -of prudence, the old Effendi at length consented to his wish; and having -lighted a couple of torches, and affixed them to the stern of the boat, -the traveller drew out a large quantity of strong twine, which he made -fast to one of the pillars, leaving the ball to unwind itself as he -proceeded. - -As no one could be found who was willing to accompany him, he started -alone; and hour after hour went by without sign of his return; until, as -the fourth hour was on the eve of completion, the flame of the torches -lit up the distance, and was reflected back by the gleaming columns. The -wanderer sprang from the boat chilled and exhausted; and, in answer to -the inquiries of those about him, he stated that he had progressed for -two hours in a straight line, but that he had seen nothing more than -what they looked upon themselves—the vaulted roof above his head, the -water beneath his feet, and a wilderness of pillars rising on all sides, -and losing themselves in the darkness. - -This second adventure so alarmed the worthy old Osmanli to whom the boat -belonged, that he caused it to be immediately destroyed; and visitors -are now compelled to content themselves with a partial view of -_Yèrè-Batan-Seraï_ from the ruined opening. - -Marcian’s Column, called by the Turks _Kestachi_, which is situated in -the garden of a Turkish house near the gate of Adrianople, is a splendid -remain, of which the capital is supported by four magnificent eagles. -The hexagonal pedestal is ornamented with wreaths of oak leaves, and the -height of the shaft is nearly eighty feet. - -Of the remains of the Aqueduct of Justinian I have already spoken; and -hundreds of beautiful and graceful columns, and thousands of sculptured -fragments, are to be seen intermingled with the masonry of the city -walls. - -The ancient Palace of Constantine, vulgarly named the Palace of -Belisarius, stands in that quarter of the city called Balata, a -corruption of _Balati_, “the gate of the palace.” It is impossible to -visit this curious ruin with any pleasure, as it has been given up to -the needy Jews, who have established within its walls a species of -pauper barrack, redolent of filth. It is of considerable extent, and -principally remarkable for the curious arrangement of its brick-work; -there are, however, the remains of a handsome doorway, and outworks of -great strength. - -About ten days before I left the country, some workmen, employed in -digging the foundation of an outbuilding at the Arsenal, brought to -light a handsome sarcophagus of red marble, containing the bodies of -Heraclius, a Greek Emperor, who flourished during the reign of Mahomet, -and his consort. The two figures representing the Imperial pair are -nearly perfect. That of the Emperor holds in one hand a globe, and with -the other grasps a sceptre; while the Empress is represented with her -crown resting upon her open palm. At their feet are the busts of two -worthies, supposed to be portraits of celebrated warriors, but the -inscriptions beneath them are nearly obliterated. - -Immediately that the identity of the occupants of this lordly tomb was -ascertained, orders were given that an iron railing, breast-high, should -be erected to protect the relic from injury, the Turks having a -tradition that Heraclius died a Mahomedan. The fact is, however, more -than doubtful; although it is well known that Mahomet sent him an -invitation to abjure Christianity, and to become a True Believer; but, -at the period of this occurrence, Heraclius was bowed by years, and sunk -in sensual enjoyments. Anxious to evade a war with Mahomet, whose -successes were then at their height, he despatched an ambiguous reply to -the message, and died ere he had given the Musselmauns reason to -suspect the real motive of his supineness. Hence the Turks claimed the -sarcophagus of Heraclius as the tomb of a True Believer; and a marble -mausoleum is to be built over it, similar to those which contain the -ashes of the Sultans. - -[Illustration: Miss Pardoe del. - -Day & Haghe Lith^{rs}. to the King. - -THE SEVEN TOWERS. - -_Pub^d. by H. Colburn, 13 G^t. Marlborough S^t._] - -The Seven Towers—that celebrated prison of which the very name is a -spell of power—are rapidly crumbling to decay, but must continue to be -among the most interesting of the antiquities of Constantinople, as long -as one stone remains upon another. - -Although situated in a populous part of the city, this fortress is, -nevertheless, an isolated building; and four of the towers to which it -owes its name are destroyed, but of those that still exist, one contains -the apartments originally appropriated to state prisoners, and is also -the residence of the Military Commandant and the officers of the -garrison. When it ceased to be a state prison for attainted Turks, the -fortress of the Seven Towers was exclusively reserved for the reception -of the Russian Ambassadors, on the occasion of any misunderstanding -between the Ottoman and Muscovite courts; and it is almost a ludicrous -fact that, during the reign of Mustapha III., His Excellency Count -Obrescoff, representative of Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress of all -the Russias, not only suffered an imprisonment of three years in this -fortress, but actually passed several days at the bottom of a dry well, -into which it was the Sublime pleasure of the Sultan to cause him to be -lowered. - -If His Highness acted upon the impression that the Muscovite Minister -would succeed during his subterranean sojourn in discovering the moral -deity who is said to be concealed therein, there is every reason, from -existing circumstances, to believe that the experiment was a failure, or -that she declined being withdrawn from her retreat. - -Instruments of torture—racks, wheels, and oubliettes—are rife within -this place of gloom and horror. One chasm, upon whose brink you stand, -is called the “Well of Blood,” and is said to have overflowed its margin -with the ensanguined stream which was once warm with life—a small -court, designated the “Place of Heads,” is pointed out as having been -cumbered with the slain, until the revolting pile was of sufficient -height to enable the spectator to look out from its summit upon the -waves of the glittering Propontis; and more than one stone tunnel is -shown, into which the wretched captive was condemned to crawl upon his -hands and knees, and there left to die of famine. - -But I shall pass by these tales of terror, to narrate a Legend of the -Seven Towers, less known than the objects which are exhibited to every -visiter, and more calculated to interest the reader. - -On the declaration of war with Russia made by the Turks in 1786, Baron -Bulhakoff, the Russian Minister, despite his representation that the -imprisonment of the Muscovite Ambassadors on such occasions had been -abolished by treaty, was, nevertheless, sent to the Seven Towers by -order of Codza Youssouf Pasha, the Grand Vèzir, with the assurance that -treaties were very good things in a time of peace, but mere waste paper -in the event of war. The discomfited Ambassador was, however, treated -with great civility, and was even permitted to select such members of -the Legation as he desired should bear him company during his captivity; -strict orders being given to the Commandant of the castle to accede to -every request of his prisoner which did not tend to compromise his -safety; and upon his complaining of the accommodations of the Tower, he -was moreover permitted to erect a kiosk on the walls of the fortress, -whence he had a magnificent view of the Sea of Marmora and its -glittering islands, and to construct a spacious and handsome apartment -within the Tower itself. - -I have already stated that the Commandant was lodged beneath the same -roof as his prisoner; but I have yet to tell that he had an only -daughter, so young, and so lovely, that she might have taken her stand -between the two Houri who wait at the portal of Paradise to beckon the -Faithful across its threshold, without seeming less beautiful than they. -Fifteen springs had with their delicate breathings opened the petals of -the roses since the birth of Rèchèdi[7] Hanoum, and she had far -out-bloomed the brightest blossoms of the fairest of seasons. Her voice, -when it was poured forth in song, came through the lattices of her -casement like the tones of a distant mandolin sweeping over the waters -of the still sea—when you looked upon her, it was as though you looked -upon a rose; and when you listened, you seemed to listen to the -nightingale. - -Rèchèdi Hanoum had never yet poured the scented sherbet in the garden of -flowers. Her young heart was as free as the breeze that came to her brow -from the blue bosom of the Propontis; and when she heard that a -Muscovite Giaour was about to become an inmate of the Tower, she only -trembled, for she knew that he was the enemy of her country. - -Terror was, however, soon succeeded by curiosity. Only a few weeks after -the compulsatory domestication of the Ambassador at the Seven Towers, -his kiosk was completed; and from her closed casements the young Hanoum -could see all that passed in the vast apartment of the prisoner. - -Her first glance at the dreaded Infidel was transient; but soon she took -another, and a longer look; and curiosity was, in its turn, succeeded by -sympathy. The Russian prisoner was the handsomest man on whom her eye -had ever rested, and it was not thus that she had pictured to herself -the dreaded Muscovite. He was unhappy too, for in his solitary moments -he paced the floor with hurried and unequal steps, like one who is -grappling with some painful memory; and at times sat sadly, with his -head pillowed on his hand, and his fingers wreathed amid the wavy hair -which encircled his brow; looking so mournful, and above all so -fascinating, that the fair Rèchèdi at last began to weep as she clung to -her lattice, with her gaze riveted upon him; and to find more happiness -in those tears, than in all the simple pleasures that had hitherto -formed the charm of her existence. - -Little did the young Hanoum suspect that she loved the Giaour. She never -dreamt of passion; but, with all the generous anxiety of innocence, -unconscious that a warmer feeling than that of mere pity urged her to -the effort, she began to muse upon the means of diminishing the -irksomeness of a captivity which she was incapable of terminating. The -first, the most natural impulse led her to sweep her hands across the -chords of her Zebec; and as she remarked the start of agreeable surprise -with which the sound was greeted by the courtly prisoner, her young -heart bounded with joy, and the wild song gushed forth in a burst of -sweetness which chained the attention of the captive, and afforded to -the delighted girl the opportunity of a long, long look, that more than -repaid her for her minstrelsy. - -During the evening she watched to ascertain whether a repetition of her -song would be expected, and she did not watch in vain; for more than -once the Russian noble leant from his casement, and seemed to listen; -but he came not there alone; one of his companions in captivity was -beside him; and Rèchèdi Hanoum, although she guessed not wherefore, had -suddenly become jealous of her minstrelsy, and would not exhibit it -before a third person. - -On the morrow, an equally graceful, and equally successful effort whiled -the prisoner for a time from his sorrows. A cluster of roses, woven -together with a tress of bright dark hair, was flung from the casement -of the young beauty, at a moment when the back of the stranger was -turned towards her. It fell at his feet, and was secured and pressed to -his lips, with a respectful courtesy that quickened the pulses of the -donor; but not a glimpse of the fair girl accompanied the gift; and it -seemed as though the Baron had suspected wherefore, for ere long he was -alone in his apartment; and, when he had dismissed his attendants, he -once more advanced to the window, and glanced anxiously towards the -jealous lattices by which it was overlooked. - -There was a slight motion perceptible behind the screen; a white hand -waved a greeting; and the imprisoned noble bent forward to obtain a -nearer view of its fair owner. For a moment Rèchèdi Hanoum stood -motionless, terrified at the excess of her own temerity; but there was a -more powerful feeling at her heart than fear; and in the next, she -forced away her prison-bars for an instant; and, with the telltale hand -pressed upon her bosom, stood revealed to her enraptured neighbour. - -From that day the young beauty allowed herself to betray to the captive -her interest in his sorrows; she did more; she admitted that she shared -them; and ere long there was not an hour throughout the day in which the -thoughts of Rèchèdi Hanoum were not dwelling on the handsome prisoner. - -Thus were things situated during two long years, when the death of the -reigning Sultan, at the termination of that period, induced the -Ambassadors of England and France to demand from his successor, Selim -III., the liberty of the Russian Minister. The request was refused, for -the war was not yet terminated; and the new Sovereign required no better -pretext for disregarding the representations of the European -Ambassadors, than the continuation of hostilities between the two -countries. But Selim had other and more secret reasons for thus -peremptorily negativing their prayer; and it will be seen in the suite -that they did not arise from personal dislike to the captive Muscovite. - -Like Haroun Alraschid of Arabian memory, the new Sultan, during the -first weeks of his reign, amused himself by nocturnal wanderings about -the streets of the city in disguise; attended by the subsequently famous -Hussèin, his first and favourite body-page; and immediately that he had -refused compliance with the demand of the Ambassadors, he resolved on -paying an _incognito_ visit to his prisoner at the Seven Towers. As soon -as twilight had fallen like a mantle over the gilded glories of -Stamboul, he accordingly set forth; and having discovered himself to the -Commandant, and enjoined him to secresy, he entered the anti-chamber of -the Baron, where he found one of his suite, to whom he expressed his -desire to have an interview with the captive Ambassador. - -The individual to whom the Sultan had addressed himself recognised him -at once; but, without betraying that he did so, contented himself with -expressing his regret that he was unable to comply with the request of -his visitor, the orders of the Sultan being peremptory, that the Baron -should hold no intercourse with any one beyond the walls of the -fortress. - -On receiving this answer, Selim replied gaily that the Sultan need never -be informed of the circumstance; and that, being a near relation of the -Commandant, and having obtained his permission to have a few minutes’ -conversation with the prisoner, he trusted that he should not encounter -any obstacle either on the part of the Baron himself, or on that of his -friends. - -The Dragoman, with affected reluctance, quitted the room, to ascertain, -as he asserted, the determination of His Excellency, but in reality to -inform him of the Imperial masquerade; and in five minutes more the -disguised Sultan and his favourite were ushered into the apartment of -the Ambassador. - -After some inconsequent conversation, Selim inquired how the Baron had -contrived to divert the weary hours of his captivity; and was answered -that he had endeavoured to lighten them by books, and by gazing out upon -the Sea of Marmora from his kiosk. Bulhakoff sighed as he made the -reply, and remembered how much more they had been brightened by the -affection of the fair Rèchèdi Hanoum; and he almost felt as though he -were an ingrate that he did not add her smiles and her solicitude to the -list of his prison-blessings. - -“The same volume and the same kiosk cannot please for ever;” said the -Sultan with a smile; “and you would not, doubtlessly, be sorry to -exchange your books against the conversation of your fellow-men; nor -your view of the blue Propontis for one more novel. A prison is but a -prison at the best, even though you may be locked up with all the -courtesy in the world. But your captivity is not likely to endure much -longer. _Shekiur Allah!_—Praise be to God—I am intimately acquainted -with the Sultan’s favourite; and I know that, had not the meddling -ministers of England and France sought to drive the new sovereign into -an act of justice, which he had resolved to perform from inclination, -you would have been, ere this, at liberty. Do not therefore be induced -to lend yourself or your countenance to any intrigue that they may make -to liberate you, and which will only tend to exasperate His Highness; -but wait patiently for another month, and at its expiration you will be -set free, and restored to your country.” - -“I trust that you may prove a true prophet—” said the Baron; and his -visitors shortly afterwards departed. - -The days wore on; the month was almost at an end, and yet the captive -noble had never ventured to breathe to the fair girl who loved him the -probability of his liberation. He shrank from the task almost with -trembling, for he felt that even to him the parting would be a bitter -one—even to him, although he was about to recover liberty, and country, -and friends. What, then, would it be to her? to “his caged bird,” as he -had often fondly called her—who knew no joy save in his presence—no -liberty save that of loving him! As the twilight fell sadly over the -sea, and the tall trees of the prison-garden grew dark and gloomy in the -sinking light, he remembered how ardently they had both watched for that -still hour, soon to be one of tenfold bitterness to the forsaken Rèchèdi -Hanoum; and there were moments in which he almost wished that she had -never loved him. - -But the hour of trial came at last. Selim had redeemed his word, and -Bulhakoff was free. His companions in captivity would fain have quitted -the fortress within the hour; but the liberated prisoner lingered. He -gave no reason for his delay; he offered no explanation of his motives; -he simply announced his resolution not to quit the Tower until the -morrow; and then he shut himself into his chamber, and passed there -several of the most bitter hours of his captivity. - -Once more twilight lay long upon the waters—the time of tryst was -come—the last which the beautiful young Hanoum was ever to keep with -her lover. She had long forgotten the possibility of his liberation; and -when she stole from her chamber to the shadow of the tall cypresses that -had so often witnessed their meeting, her heart bounded like her step. -But no fond smile welcomed her coming—no reproach, more dear than -praise, murmured against her tardiness—Bulhakoff was leaning his head -against the tree beside which he stood, and the young beauty had clasped -within her own the chill and listless hand that hung at his side, ere -with a painful start he awakened from his reverie. - -The interview was short; but brief as was its duration it had taught the -wretched girl that for her there was no future save one of misery. She -did not weep—her burning eyeballs were too hot for tears. She _could_ -not weep, for the drops of anguish would have dimmed the image of him -whom she had loved, and was about to lose. She made no reply to the -withering tidings he had brought, for what had words to do with such a -grief as her’s? She was like one who dreamt a fearful dream; and when -she turned away to regain her chamber, she walked with a firm step, for -her heart was broken; and she had nothing now left to do but to veil -from her lover the extent of her own anguish, lest she should add to the -bitterness of his. - -The morrow came. The Baron turned a long, soul-centered look-towards the -lattices of his young love, and quitted her for ever; and, ere many -weeks were spent, the same group of cypresses which had overshadowed the -trysting-place of Rèchèdi Hanoum gloomed above her grave. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - - - Balouclè—The New Church—Delightful Road—Eyoub—The - Cemetery—The Rebel’s Grave—The Mosque of Blood—The Hill of - Graves—The Seven Towers—The Palace of Belisarius—The City - Walls—Easter Festivities—The Turkish Araba—The Armenian - Carriage—Travellers—Turkish - Women—Seridjhes—Persians—Irregular Troops—The Plain of - Balouclè—Laughable Mistake—Extraordinary Discretion—The - Church of Balouclè—The Holy Well—Absurd Tradition—The Chapel - Vault—Enthusiasm of the Greeks—A Pleasant Draught—Greek - Substitute for a Bell—Violent Storm. - -Our next expedition was to Balouclè, where the Greeks have recently -built a small, but elegant church, upon the spot once occupied by a very -spacious edifice, which had gone to ruin. The ride, though long and -somewhat fatiguing, was most delightful; the road leading us across the -hills, to the fair Valley of the Sweet Waters, along the banks of the -sparkling Barbyses, past the Imperial kiosks; and onward to the -beautiful village of Eyoub, the stronghold of the Constantinopolitan -Turks, wherein they allow no Giaour to reside; and the marble floor of -whose thrice-holy mosque no infidel foot has ever trodden. - -The situation of Eyoub is eminently picturesque. It is backed by -gently-swelling hills, clothed with trees, where the delicate acacia and -the majestic maple are mingled with the scented lime and the dark and -rigid cypress, whose blended shadows fall over a thousand graves, and -turn away the sunlight from the lettered tombs of many a lordly -Musselmaun. Eyoub possesses also a melancholy interest from the fact, -that in its beautiful cemetery stands the rude mausoleum of the rebel -Ali of Tepeleni who revolted in Albania, wherein are deposited the heads -of himself, his three sons, and his grandson. Nor is this all; for a -small mosque, almost buried amid tall trees, may be distinguished at the -point where the main street sweeps downward to the water’s edge, whose -modest minaret is painted a dull red from its base to its spire, and -which bears the thrilling designation of the “Mosque of Blood.” - -I have elsewhere mentioned that the Osmanlis do not permit their temples -to be desecrated by the admission of the dead beneath their roofs; and -this humble pile earned its awful appellation at the siege of -Constantinople, when its doors were forced by the combatants, and its -narrow floor cumbered with slain. Since that period, its single minaret -has been painted as I have described; and it possesses an additional -interest from its vicinity to the bleak, naked, treeless hill, whereon -were interred all the True Believers who perished at that memorable -period, and whose ashes still remain undisturbed. - -Nothing can be more romantic than the appearance of the Seven Towers, -the remains of the Palace of Belisarius, and the crumbling walls of the -city, extending along the whole line of road to Balouclè, like a -succession of ruined castles; and overtopped by forest trees, whose -bright foliage forms a striking contrast from the grey and mouldering -rampart. At intervals, towers thickly overgrown with ivy, and tottering -to their fall, raise their fantastic outline against the sky; while the -moat is in many places entirely concealed by the wild fig trees, and the -dense underwood, that have sprung in wild luxuriance from the rich soil. - -At the period of our visit, the Easter festivities were at their height, -and the road was covered with groups of travellers, all hurrying towards -the same point. There was the gilded araba of the Turkish lady, with its -covering of crimson cloth, and its carved lattices; followed by a -mounted negro. Then came the bullock-carriage of an Armenian family, -gaily painted and cushioned, its oxen half covered with worsted tassels -and finery, and glittering about the head with foil and gold leaf; while -a long curved stick, extending backward from each yoke as far as the -carriage, was painted in stripes of blue and yellow, and adorned with -pendent tassels of coloured worsted. Both animals wore their charm -against the Evil Eye; and the whole equipage was sufficiently -well-appointed to have done honour to the harem of a Pasha, while the -bright dark eyes and delicate hands of its occupants would have been an -equal triumph for his taste. But at the first glance you saw that the -carriage was not that of a Turk, for the painted hoops were plainly -covered by a white awning, the symbol of the _raïah_. The haughty -Osmanli has reserved to himself the privilege of seating his wives -beneath draperies of crimson, blue, or purple, fringed with gold; while -the Armenian, the Greek, and the Jew, when making use of this popular -conveyance, are obliged to content themselves with a simple awning of -white linen. Here galloped a reckless Greek, urging his good hack to the -top of its speed; there moved along a stately Turk, with the hand of his -groom resting on the flank of his well-fed horse, and his pipe-bearer -walking five paces behind him. Now it was a party of Franks, booted, -spurred, and looking in silent scorn upon the incongruous trappings of -the natives, and now a group of foot-passengers, walking at a pace which -I never saw equalled in England. - -As we approached Balouclè, the features of the scene became still more -striking. The low wall that skirted the road was covered with Turkish -women, squatted upon their rugs and carpets, with the arabas in which -they had travelled ranged along behind them. Seridjhes were walking -droves of horses to and fro, and waiting for customers to hire them; -travelling merchants were retailing yahourt and mohalibè to the hungry -and the weary; Bulgarians were playing their awkward antics to attract -the attention of the idle, and the piastres of the profuse; and the halt -and the blind were seated by the wayside, to invoke the paras of the -charitable. Parties of Persians, with large white turbans, silken robes, -and eyes as black as midnight, were walking their well-trained horses -through the crowd; and a detachment of the Irregular Troops, with their -jester at their head, in a cap made of sheepskin, adorned with three -fox-tails, and a vest of undressed leather, drove back the people on -either side, as they made their way through the throng with a sort of -short run. They had precisely the appearance of banditti, each being -dressed and armed according to his own means or fancy; while their huge -mustachioes, and the elf locks that escaped from beneath their turbans, -added to the ferocious character of their aspect. - -The plain on which the Church is situated is thickly wooded in its -immediate neighbourhood, and on this occasion was covered with a dense -crowd of merry human beings. The same amusements as I have described at -the Armenian festival were in full career; but the heavy meaningless -dance of the Champs des Morts was here exchanged for the graceful -romaïka, which was going forward in every direction. - -For every other female whom I saw on the ground, I remarked at least a -hundred and fifty Turkish women; and the astonishment excited by the -appearance of the Greek lady by whom I was accompanied, and myself among -these latter, was most amusing. As the greater number of them had never -before seen a Frank lady on horseback, they concluded that we had each -lost a leg; and the “Mashallahs!” with which they contemplated our -gaiety were innumerable. But as a Turkish woman never scruples to -address a stranger in the street; and as our being actually crippled was -a matter of uncertainty; they were resolved to satisfy their minds on -this very important point; and several of them accordingly addressed -themselves to the gentlemen of our party, in order to resolve the doubt; -exclaiming with an energy worthy of the occasion: “For the love of God, -tell us if your wives have lost a leg, or not!” - -When they had been assured to the contrary, their next conclusion was -still more amusing. It was clear that none but rope-dancers could -balance themselves upon the back of a horse without having one leg on -either side of the saddle—ergo, we were collectively, ladies and -gentlemen, the identical party of rope-dancers, whom the Sultan had -engaged for the marriage festivities of his Imperial daughter: and so -perfectly convinced were they of their own sagacity on this second -occasion, that I am only surprised that they had sufficient discretion -to refrain from requesting us to give them a specimen of our abilities. - -The Church of Balouclè stands in the centre of an enclosed court, within -which are also situated the houses of the priests. A handsome flight of -stone steps leads downward to the portal; and, as you cross the -threshold, the interior of the edifice produces on you the effect of -something that has sprung into existence at the touch of an enchanter’s -wand. It looks as though it were built of porcelain, all is so fresh and -so glittering. It is entirely lined with white and gold, and the paint -upon the walls is so highly varnished, that you can scarcely distinguish -it from the polished marble that composes the screen of the sanctuary; -the latticed gallery of the women is fancifully decorated and gilt; and -the elegant pulpit is shaped like an inverted minaret. - -But the principal attraction of the Church of Balouclè, and that which -lends to it its distinguishing character of sanctity, is the Holy Well, -dedicated to the Virgin, which, on the occasion of all high festivals, -is opened for the benefit and edification of the pious. Situated in a -vault immediately beneath the chancel, protected by a balustrade of -marble, and lighted by the lamp that is constantly burning before the -shrine of the Madonna, rises the spring whose holy and healing qualities -are matter of devout belief with the Greeks; and in which the lower -orders of the people gravely assert that fish are to be seen swimming -about, cooked on one side and crude on the other. - -This somewhat extraordinary circumstance is accounted for by a variety -of legends; the most comprehensible of the whole being that which -affirms that, some holy man or woman having been refused food on this -very spot, when on a pilgrimage to a shrine of the Virgin, situated in -the neighbourhood, the well-disposed fish, whose pious self-immolation -has been thus immortalised, sprang from the waters of the spring, and -flung themselves upon the heated ashes of the fire, whereon the churlish -host, who refused help to the weary and wayworn pilgrims, had just -prepared his own meal. How the travellers were induced to refrain from -the savoury repast; and how the fish contrived to return to the stream -after being well cooked on one side, the legend sayeth not; and those -who are inclined to doubt the fact of their present existence had -better make a descent into the vault on the occasion of an Easter -festival; and, should they still continue sceptical, after the scene -which they will then and there witness, nothing that I can say will -awaken their faith. - -After having duly flung a few piastres upon the salver held by the -priest who guarded the door; and protected on either side by a -gentleman, to secure me from the pressure of the crowd, I commenced my -slippery descent into the subterranean chapel. The stone steps were -running with water, spilt by the eager motions of those who were bearing -it away; nor was this all, for, as they handed it to each other over the -heads of such as chanced to obstruct their passage, an occasional shower -fell upon us from above, whose holiness by no means sufficed to -counteract its chill. - -When I gained the chapel, and paused to take breath, a most singular -scene presented itself. The narrow space was cumbered with individuals, -who were shouting, struggling, and even fighting their way, to the -margin of the Well: an image of the Virgin tricked out in gold and -embroidery, before which burned the lamp that lit up the subterranean, -gleamed out in vain from a niche opposite to the spring: the very piety -of her votaries had induced them to turn their backs upon her; and I -believe that mine was the only eye which rested upon her altar. - -Some, who had succeeded in filling the vessels which they had brought -with them, were standing bare-headed, throwing the cold stream over -their shaven crowns: others, who had suffered from lameness, were -emptying their earthen jars upon their feet; some were pouring it down -their chests, and others again down their throats. - -By the strenuous endeavours of my friends, and the assistance of a -sickly-looking priest who was collecting paras among the crowd, I -succeeded in obtaining a draught of the water; and, whether it arose -from the stream having been thickened by the dipping in of so many -vessels, or that the half fried fish imparted to it a disagreeable -flavour of the charcoal ashes; or, again, that it was really and simply -of very indifferent quality, I cannot take upon me to decide; while I am -quite competent to declare that I never swallowed a more unsatisfactory -beverage, and that nothing less than a very painful thirst would have -induced me to venture upon a second trial. - -On escaping from the subterranean, (and it was really an escape)! I went -to examine the machine which in all the principal Greek churches acts as -the substitute for a bell, whose use is not permitted by the Turks. It -is a very inartificial instrument, being merely a bar of iron resting -lightly between two perpendicular pieces of timber, which, on being -struck with a short bar of cypress-wood, emits a clear ringing sound, -that may be heard to a considerable distance. In the smaller churches -two sticks are beaten together, but this signal avails only when the -congregation is nestled near the walls of the temple. - -Having secured the water that they had taken so much trouble to obtain, -the enthusiastic and light-hearted Greeks were pouring out of the chapel -as we returned; and ere we could mount our horses many of them had -already joined the dancers, and were engaged in winding through the -graceful mazes of the romaïka, while others were busied in filling their -chibouks in the neighbourhood of the coffee-tents. - -A mass of heavy vapours, rising up against the wind, and arraying -themselves like a host about to do battle, warned us not to linger long -at so considerable a distance from home; and, profiting by the -intimation of a coming storm, we started off at a gallop, to the -increased astonishment of the Turkish women, who were still clustering -like bees upon the wall. But our speed availed us nothing: we had not -cleared the hills above Kahaitchana when the enemy was upon us; and a -tempest of blended hail, rain, and wind bore us company for the -remainder of the journey; and thus we were fairly drenched ere we -reached Pera, notwithstanding our offerings at the shrine of the Virgin, -and our pilgrimage to the Holy Well. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - - - Figurative Gratitude of the Seraskier Pasha—Eastern - Hyperbole—Reminiscences of Past Years—A Vision - Realized—Strong Contrasts—The Marriage Fêtes—Popular - Excitement—Crowded Streets—The Auspicious Day—Extravagant - Expectations—The Great Cemetery—Dolma Batchè—The Grand - Armoury—Turkish Women—Tents of the Pashas—The - Bosphorus—Preparations—Invocation—The Illuminated - Bosphorus—A Stretch of Fancy—A Painful Recollection—Natural - Beauties of the Bosphorus—The Grave-Yard—Evening - Amusements—Well Conducted Population. - -In a letter of thanks recently addressed by the Seraskier Pasha to the -Sultan, in acknowledgment of some honour conferred upon him by his -Imperial Master, he exclaims in an affected burst of enthusiastic -gratitude:—“Your Sublime favour has been as a southern sun piercing -even to the remote corner of my insignificance. Had I all the forest -boughs of the Universe for pens, and the condensed stars of Heaven for a -page whereon to inscribe your bounties, I should still lack both space -and means to record them!” - -Even in this style should he or she who undertakes to become their -chronicler, shape the periods in which are detailed the marriage -festivities of the Princess Mihirmàh. The pen should be tipped with -diamond-dust, and the paper powdered with seed-pearl. All the hyperboles -of the Arabian story-tellers should be heaped together, as the colours -of the rainbow are piled upon the clouds which pillow the setting sun; -and, as the gorgeous tail of the peacock serves to withdraw the eye from -its coarse and ungainly feet, so should the glowing sentences that -dilate on the glories of the show, veil from the vision of the reader -the paltry details that would tend to dissolve the enchantment. - -How often have I hung entranced over the sparkling pages of the “Hundred -and One Nights.” How little did I ever expect to see them brought into -action. When a mere girl, I remember once to have laid the volume on my -knees; and, with my head pillowed on my hand, and my eyes closed, to -have attempted to bring clearly before my mental vision the Caravan of -the Merchand Abdullah, when he departed in search of the Valley of -Diamonds. - -Years have since passed over me, and that gorgeous description is no -longer a mere dream. I have looked upon its realization—I have seen the -flashing of the jewels in the sunshine—the prancing of the steeds -impatient of a rider—the rolling of the fifty chariots—the gathering -of the throng of princes—the eunuchs and the horsemen—winding their -way over hill and through valley, under a sky of turquoise, along the -bank of a clear stream; and within sight of a sea whose shore was -studded with palaces, and upon whose blue bosom a fleet of stately ships -were riding at anchor within an arrow’s flight of land. - -But I have also seen more than this. I have seen not only the machinery -at work, but the wheels that worked it; not only the brilliant effect, -but the combination of paltry means used to produce it—the blending of -the magnificent and the _mesquin_—a thousand minute details, -unimportant in themselves, and yet operating so powerfully on the -imagination, that they clipped the wings of Fancy, and wrung the wand -from the grasp of the Enchanter. - -There is no consistency, no keeping, in Oriental splendour. The Pasha, -with the diamond on his breast, is generally attended by a running -footman who is slip-shod; and the Sultana, whose araba is veiled by a -covering of crimson and gold, not infrequently figures in pantaloons of -furniture chintz, and an antery of printed cotton. The same startling -contrasts meet you at every step: and tourists and historians pass them -over, because they destroy the continuity of their narrations, and the -rounding of their periods; and yet they are as characteristic of the -people as the chibouk or the turban, and therefore equally worthy of -record. - -The Fêtes were to continue for eight days—the diamond was to be -shivered into fragments, and thus divided into many portions without -sacrificing its lustre. All the population of Constantinople was in a -ferment—the charshees had yielded up their glittering store of gold and -silver stuffs—the diamond-merchants had exhausted themselves in elegant -conceits—the confectioners had realized the fabled garden of -enchantment visited by Aladdin in his search for the magic lamp, and the -candied fruits peeped from amid their sugary cases, like masses of -precious ore, and clusters of jewels—the silk-bazar of Broussa was a -waste—the environs of Pera resembled a scattered camp—the heights -around the valley of Dolma Batchè were guarded by mounted -troops—provisions of every description trebled their price: and one -vessel, laden with a hundred and fifty thousand fowls for the market of -Constantinople, which arrived from the Archipelago, was secured for the -exclusive use of the Sultan’s kitchen. - -Pashas were daily pouring in from the provinces—tribute was flung into -the yawning coffers of the state—audiences of congratulation kept the -Imperial Palace in a constant whirl—and the streets of the city were -thronged with a motley crowd, either invited thither by the -authorities, or attracted by the hope of profit. Bulgarians, in parties -of three or four, impeded the progress of every respectable passenger -who would fain have threaded his way among them unmolested; and by dint -of stunning him with their discordant instruments, and intruding -themselves upon his path to exhibit their coarse and ungainly dances, -wrung from him by their sturdy perseverance a donation whose impulse was -certainly not one of charity. Bohemian gipsies, some of them so lovely -that they seemed formed to command the prosperity which they subtly -promised to others, were bestowing palaces and power on every side at -the slender price of a few paras. Arabian tumblers, turned loose for the -first time in the streets of a great capital, and appearing scarcely -able to keep their feet upon the solid earth, jostled you at every -corner. Persian rope-dancers stalked gravely and solemnly along, with -large white turbans, and flowing robes. Bedouin jugglers were grouped in -coffee-shops and smoking-booths, awaiting the moment when their services -would be required; and bewildering the sober brains of the surrounding -Turks with loud vauntings of the feats with which they proposed to -delight his Sublime Highness, and to astonish his people. Altogether, -Constantinople resembled a human kaleidoscope, whose forms and features -varied at every turn; and even those who, like myself, had no immediate -interest in the festival, caught a portion of the popular excitement, -and became anxious for the period of its celebration. - -At length, the auspicious morning dawned which the Court Astrologer had -declared to herald happiness to the Princess; and all Stamboul had -crossed the Bosphorus with the rising sun to share in the Imperial -festivities. - -Long before mid-day Pera also was a desert: the stream of life had -flowed in one sole direction, and every avenue leading to Dolma Batchè -was thronged with human beings, anxious and excited, and yet scarcely -knowing what they anticipated. The marriage festival had been the one -engrossing subject of discourse and speculation for so many months—such -extravagant suggestions had been hazarded, and such wild assertions had -been made, that the imagination of the crowd had run riot; and, had the -fountains poured forth liquid ore, and the heavens themselves rained -diamond-dust, I am not sure that such events would have caused any -extraordinary manifestation of astonishment, from the mass of spectators -who had clustered themselves like bees in the neighbourhood of the -palace. - -The Great Cemetery looked as though every grave had given up its dead; -there was scarcely space to pass among the crowd which thronged it. -Dancing, smoking, and gambling for sugarplums, (the only stake that a -Turk ever hazards on a game of chance) divided the attention of the -loiterers, with swings, round-abouts, and mohalibè merchants. Pillauf -and kibaubs were preparing in every direction for the refreshment of the -hungry; and tinted and perfumed sherbets, carefully guarded from the -sun, were whiling in their turn the weary and the warm to pause on their -onward path, and indulge in their tempting freshness. - -The tents were flaunting their bright colours in the sunshine; the -smoking booths were filled with guests; the little wooden kiosk on the -edge of the height was unapproachable; the long line of wall surrounding -the Artillery Barrack was, as usual on all festive occasions, covered -with Turkish women; and the whole space beneath was instinct with life -and motion. - -From the point of the hill above the sea the land shoots sharply down -into the valley of Dolma Batchè, clothed with fruit trees, whose -perfumed blossoms, then in the height of their beauty, were emptying -their tinted chalices, on the air. The road leading to the Palace is cut -along the side of the declivity, forming on its upper edge a lofty ridge -which was fringed throughout its whole length with tents; in the -distance rose the Military College, spanning the crest of the hill like -a diadem; with the gilded and glittering crescent that crowns the dome -of its mosque flashing in the sunshine. On the right hand the view was -bounded by the dense forest of cypresses rising above the tombs of the -Turkish cemetery, which swept darkly downwards to the Bosphorus that was -laughing in its loveliness, and reflecting on its waveless bosom the -lovely height of Scutari which hemmed in the landscape. And as the eye -wandered onward along the channel, it took in the dusky shore of Asia, -with its kiosk-crowned and forest-clad mountains; until the line was -lost in the gradually failing purple, that blent itself at last with the -horizon. - -Immediately beneath the hill, and close upon the shore, stands the -Palace of Dolma Batchè, with its walls of many tints, and its fantastic -irregularity of outline; while behind its spacious gardens, sloping -gently upward, and clothed with turf, rises a stretch of land which was -now crowded with Turkish women. Nothing could be more picturesque than -their appearance: the nature of the ground having enabled them to -arrange themselves amphitheatrically, and from thence to command an -uninterrupted view of the esplanade in front of the Grand Armoury, which -is enclosed on its opposite side by a raised terrace, along whose edge -were pitched the tents of the Pashas. There must have been at least five -hundred women clustered together on that one small stretch of land; and -in the distance it presented precisely the appearance of a meadow -covered with daisies, with here and there a corn-poppy flaunting in the -midst; the white yashmacs and red umbrellas lending themselves readily -to the illusion. - -The tents of the Pashas were many of them very magnificent: the Grand -Vèzir’s was hung with crimson velvet, richly embroidered; while that of -Achmet Pasha was lined with green satin, and fringed with gold; and the -whole were richly carpeted, and surrounded by handsome sofas. The -reception-marquee, in which the Sultan was to entertain a party of -guests daily, was situated in the rear of those that I have just -described: and the kitchen, ingeniously fitted up with stoves, dressers, -and tables, hewn in the hill-side, was tenanted by five hundred cooks. - -The Bosphorus was crowded with caïques, almost as countless as its -ripple; and immediately in front of the Palace, and nearly in the centre -of the stream, were anchored two rafts, supporting small fortified -castles, whence the fireworks were to be displayed. - -A survey of these different preparations proved to be the principal -amusement of the day, as the rope-dancing on the Esplanade of the -Armoury was not sufficiently attractive to detain any individual less -indolent than a Turkish woman; and consequently, after having completed -our tour of observation, we returned to Pera in order to repose -ourselves, and to prepare for the magnificent spectacle that awaited us -in the evening. - -And now, ye Spirits of Fire, who guard the subterranean flames which are -only suffered to flash forth at intervals from the crater of some fierce -volcano—Ye, whose brows are girt with rays of many-coloured radiance, -whose loins are cinctured by the lightning, and whose garments are of -the tint which hangs like a drapery over the cineritious remnants of a -conflagrated city—Ye, who must have left your vapoury palaces, and -bowed your flame-crowned heads upon your gleaming wings, in blighted -pride to see your lordliest pageants overmatched—lend me a pen of fire, -drawn from the pinion of your bravest sprite, and fashioned with an -unwrought diamond; for thus only can I record the glorious scene that -burst upon me, as, at the close of day, I stood upon a height above the -channel, when a festive people had recorded their participation in the -gladness of their Monarch, in characters of fire. - -The moon rode high in Heaven, but her beam looked pale and sickly, as it -faded before the brighter light with which men had made night glorious; -while the stars seemed but fading sparks, that had been emitted by the -stupendous line of fire girdling the Bosphorus—It was a spectacle of -enchantment! - -Not an outline could be traced of any of the lordly piles which fringe -the coast. The summit of the Asian shore was dimly perceptible, as it -cut sharply against the clear deep blue of the horizon; but there was no -intrusive object of mortal creation for the every day necessities of -life, to recall the wandering fancy back to earth. Nothing can be -conceived more beautiful than the whole scene. A range of palaces of the -most fantastic forms, wrought in fire, and seeming to be poized upon the -waves, along which they threw their gleaming shadows, stretched far as -the eye could reach. Portals of variegated light—terraces of burnished -gold, or of beaten silver—groves of forest trees, whose leaves were -emeralds—fruits, heaped in stately vases, each one a priceless -gem—altars, upon which burnt flames of liquid metal—pavilions of -crystal—and halls, lined with columns of sapphire, and lighted by domes -of carbuncles, were among the objects that appeared to have sprung up -from the depths of the ocean, and to be now riding upon its bosom. - -The sensation which this gorgeous scene produced upon me, for the first -few moments, was almost painful. I deemed myself thralled—I doubted my -own identity—I almost expected the earth to fail beneath my feet, for -earth had no share in the spectacle on which I looked—I saw boats -passing and repassing over a lake of molten silver—I saw palaces of -fire based upon its surface, and heaving with its undulations—a marine -monster, whose eyes were dazzling, and whose nostrils vomited forth -flames that shot high into the air, wound its slow way among the gliding -barks, and none heeded its vicinity—I beheld huge dark masses covered -with stars of light, which were reflected in the stream beneath, looking -like rocky craters that would shortly burst, and cast forth the -imprisoned fires—carriages and horses, guided by spectral hands, -followed over the same cold clear surface—and suddenly, with a hissing -sound which startled me from my reverie, and a burst of light almost -blinding, up sprang a cluster of fiery serpents into the pure ether, -mocking the pale moon with their transient brilliancy, and then falling -back in starry showers. - -The dream of fancy was dispelled at once:—A handful of rockets sufficed -to arouse me from one of the wildest visions in which I ever remember to -have indulged—for I no sooner saw them run shimmering along the sky, -than I sickened at the memory of the frightful catastrophe which -attended their preparation; when eighty-four miserable human beings fell -victims to the explosion of the powder-room of the manufactory. My -enthusiasm was at an end: but my admiration of the magnificent scene, -amid which I stood, continued unabated; the channel of the Bosphorus, -beautiful under all circumstances, and at all times, offered facilities, -and enhanced effects, in an exhibition like that on which I looked, that -cannot probably be exceeded in the world; and I felt at once that, even -had man done less, nature would still have made the pageant peerless. - -We at length turned reluctantly away from the City of Fire on which we -had been so long looking; and, threading among the tents that occupied -the crest of the hill, we passed out through the fair of the Great -Cemetery. Every booth was thronged. In one, a set of Fantoccini were -performing their miniature drama; in another, an Improvvisatore was -regaling a circle of listeners with a gesticulation and volubility which -appeared to excite great admiration in his auditors; while in a third, a -trio of Bohemian minstrels, squatted upon a mat, were accompanying their -wild recitative by a few chords struck almost at random upon their -mandolins. - -In the distance, a wreath of lamps defined the outline of the Military -College; while lower in the valley gleamed out the costly chandeliers -which lit up the tents of the Pashas. The hills were sprinkled over with -lights; the terrace at the extremity of the palace was a wall of fire; -and the scene was all life and gladness. Crowds thronged the narrow -road; but not a sound of discord, not a word uttered in menace or in -defiance, escaped from the lips of a single individual; all were -tranquil, orderly, and well conducted; the sole aim of each was -amusement; and this great eastern mob, amounting to between forty and -fifty thousand persons, collected together from all the surrounding -country, from the heart of a great city, and from the shores of two -different quarters of the earth, appeared to act from one common -impulse, and to have one common interest. - -It is questionable whether such a fact as this could be recorded of any -other country. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - - - Repetition—The Esplanade—The Kiosk and the Pavilion—A Short - Cut—Dense Crowd—A Friend at Court—Curious _Coup d’Œil_—The - Arena—The Orchestra—First Act of the Comedy—Disgusting - Exhibition—The Birth of the Ballet—Dancing Boys—Second Act - of the Drama—Insult to the Turkish Women—The Provost - Marshal—Yusuf Pasha, the Traitor—Clemency of the - Sultan—Forbearance of an Oriental Mob—Renewal of the - Ballet—Last Act of the Drama—Theatrical - Decorations—Watch-dogs and Chinese—Procession of the - Trades—Frank Merchants—Thieves and Judges—Bedouin - Tumblers—Fondness of the Pashas for Dancing—The Wise Men of - the East. - -It were worse than idle to follow the daily progress of the Fêtes. It -were but to weary the reader with repetitions, or to delude him with -fictions; for the same actors being engaged during the whole of the -festival, only varied their exhibitions sufficiently to emancipate -themselves from the reproach of actual repetition. So monotonous, -indeed, did I find the second representation I was induced to witness, -that I never ventured upon a third. - -I have already mentioned that the Esplanade of the Grand Armoury had -been selected as one of the spots upon which the sports were to take -place; but I learnt from an individual who had possessed himself of the -important secret, that the principal performers were to exhibit on a -piece of land situated between the palace walls, and the kiosk in which -the Pashas did the honours to the dinner-guests of the Sultan, after the -termination of their repast; while a garden Pavilion, whose windows -opened upon this space, was to be tenanted by his Sublime Highness, his -Imperial daughters, the Sultana, their mother, and half a dozen of the -most favoured ladies of the harem, who, from the painted lattices, could -look forth upon the scene. - -This arrangement sufficiently attested the superiority of the situation; -and, accordingly, avoiding the crowd of the Champs des Morts, and the -thronged descent into the valley, we drove across the hills beyond the -Military College; and then, skirting the height above Dolma Batchè, -suddenly descended almost under the walls of the Palace. But the chosen -spot was surrounded by guards, and the crowd were clustered densely in -their rear; so densely, indeed, that the _arabadjhe_ declared our -further progress to be altogether impracticable. - -From this dilemma we were fortunately extricated by an officer of Achmet -Pasha’s household; who, perceiving the difficulty, hastened to remove -it, which he effected in no very gentle manner by striking the -individuals who impeded our passage right and left with the flat of his -sword, until he established us immediately behind the line of military. - -The performances had not yet commenced, and I had consequently time to -contemplate the animated scene before me. On my right was the kiosk, -whose wide casements were crowded with Pashas; on my left the Garden -Pavilion, which had the honour of screening from the gaze of the vulgar -the Brother of the Sun and his train of attendant beauties; behind me -rose the hill whose summit was covered with the tents of the Imperial -suite, and whose rise was occupied by a crowd of Turkish females; and -before me stretched the Bosphorus. A small opening, leading down from -the arena towards the shore, was occupied by a detachment of military: -and beneath the windows of the kiosk, mats had been spread for about a -hundred women, who were comfortably established under the long shadows -of the building. - -At the other extremity of the circle, thirteen Jews, seated -crescent-wise, were playing upon tambourines; while as many more, -squatted in their rear, were each beating upon a sort of coarse drum, -whose only attribute was noise; and the time to be observed by the -musicians was regulated by an individual, with a venerable white beard -and a staff of office. This head-splitting orchestra continued to -accompany the whole performance, with very slight intervals of rest; and -was quite in keeping with the remainder of the exhibition. - -Not the slightest effort had been made to level the piece of land thus -converted into a temporary theatre, and which was stony and uneven to a -degree that must have disconcerted any individuals less philosophical -than those who were to exhibit their histrionic and terpsichorean -talents before the Ottoman Emperor and his August Court. In fact, the -whole of the scenic preparations were conducted in so primitive a manner -that you saw at once no deceit was intended, and that, if you suffered -yourself to be led away by the incidents of the drama, you would not be -deluded thereto by any effort of the actors. - -The first arrival upon the scene was that of four ragged personages, -apparently intended to represent the street porters who ply for hire -about the quays and markets; and these interesting individuals sustained -a long and animated conversation, setting forth the dull condition of -the Queen of Cities, in which neither feast nor festival had been held -since the Baïram. Their lamentations at length attracted the attention -of a fifth loiterer of the same class, who, joining the group, gave a -new tone to the subject by announcing the approaching marriage of the -High and Peerless Princess Mihirmàh—the daughter of His Sublime -Highness Mahmoud the Powerful, the Emperor of the East, and Conqueror of -the World! - -The intelligence was received with enthusiasm, and the new comer was -encouraged to proceed with his narration; in which he accordingly set -forth not only the beauties and virtues of the Imperial Bride, and the -high and endearing qualities of her affianced husband, but also gave a -_catalogue raisonné_ of all the sports and ceremonies which were to be -observed on the happy occasion of her nuptials; and it is only fair to -believe that he did so with some address, as a murmur of admiration ran -through the crowd who were devouring his discourse. - -After asserting that the whole universe had been taxed to produce -novelties worthy of the illustrious event, he proposed to exhibit to his -companions an ingenious machine that had been imported from Europe, and -which was to be exhibited by a friend of his own. Hereupon, a sort of -buffoon was introduced, attended by two men, who fixed a swing with a -lattice seat between two slight wooden frames, which they were obliged -to support during the remainder of the scene. - -One by one, the respectable worthies whom I have attempted to describe -were seated in the swing, and rocked gently backwards and forwards by -the proprietor of the show; and during this time an old Jew, with a long -white beard and tattered garments, followed by a deformed and hideous -dwarf, joined himself to the party, but at a sufficient distance to -indicate that he was conscious of his unworthiness to intrude upon their -notice. - -A mischievous whim suddenly prompted the hilarious Mussulmauns to make -the quailing dwarf a party in their pastime, and they accordingly placed -him in the swing, and amused themselves for a time with his abortive -attempts to escape; but, wearying of the jest, they agreed to replace -him by his master; and, despite the prayers and terror of the hoary Jew, -they compelled him to occupy the crazy seat, which, failing beneath his -weight, precipitated him to the ground, where, falling upon his head, he -remained apparently lifeless. - -At this period of the performance, half a score of the members of the -orchestra left their places, and walked demurely out of the ring, in -order to swell the crowd which shortly afterwards advanced to raise the -body of the murdered man, and convey him away to burial. - -Nothing can be conceived more disgusting than the scene that followed; -all the actors being actually Jews, selected from the very dregs of the -people, and compelled to exhibit the degradation of their social state -for the amusement of their task-masters. A wretched bier, borne by four -men, was brought forward, on which the supposed corpse was flung with a -haste and indecency betokening strong alarm; and it was about to -disappear with its loathsome freight, when its passage was obstructed by -a party of police, who, occupying the centre of the path along which it -was passing, and remaining erect on its approach, were supposed to -awaken in the bosoms of the bearers one of the strongest superstitions -of the Jews of Turkey; who, when they are carrying a body to the grave -that is met by a Christian or a Mahommedan who refuses to bend down and -pass under the bier, consider the corpse so contaminated by the contact -as to be without the pale of salvation; and, setting down the body under -this impression on the spot where the encounter has taken place, they -abandon it to the tender mercies of the local authorities. - -This wretched and revolting superstition was enacted by the degraded -wretches who were hired on the present occasion to expose the abjectness -of their people, with all the painful exactness which could delude the -spectator into the belief that he beheld a scene of actual and -unpremeditated horror. A distracted wife tore off her turban, and -plucked out handfuls of her dishevelled hair; the body was rolled over -into the dust: a scuffle ensued between the Jewish rabble and the armed -kavasses, in which a few blows were given that appeared to fall more -heavily than was altogether necessary to the effect of the scene; and -the Jew, recovering from his trance amid the shouting and yelling of -the combatants, was borne off in triumph by his tribe, with a wild -chorus that terminated the first act of the drama! - -At intervals, the disgust which this hateful exhibition tended to excite -in my bosom was relieved by the arrival of some tardy Pasha, attended by -a train of domestics; who, entering the arena by the passage to which I -have already alluded as opening from the shoreward side of the -enclosure, guided his richly caparisoned steed, whose housings were -bright with gems and embroidery, through the motley throng of actors; -while his diamond star glittered in the sunshine, and his gold-wrought -sword-belt and jewelled weapon-hilt flashed back the light that glanced -upon them. - -My pen wearies of its office, as I pursue the detail of the morning’s -performance; but I compel myself to the task, in order to convey to my -readers an accurate idea of the Turkish drama—for this coarse, -revolting, and aimless exhibition, whose description I have commenced, -is the highest effort that the histrionic art has yet made in Turkey; -and I am bound to add that the effect which it produced upon the -spectators was one of unequivocal gratification. - -The retreat of the Jewish party was succeeded by the arrival of a group -of ballet dancers, consisting of about a score of youths from fourteen -to twenty years of age, dressed in a rich costume of satin, fringed and -ribbed with gold, varying in colour, according to the fancy of the -wearer. They all wore their own long hair, curled in ringlets, and -floating about their shoulders; and their appearance was so extremely -disagreeable, notwithstanding the splendour of their costume, that I was -surprised to learn that they all belonged to the Sultan, or to different -wealthy Pashas, who take so much delight in seeing them dance as to keep -several constantly in their pay. - -As I had been assured that the whole of the exhibition remained -precisely similar to the scenic amusements of the ancient Romans, I -contemplated it with more patience than I should otherwise have been -able to exert: for I soon discovered that the dancing was quite upon a -par with the dramatic portion of the entertainment. If that upon which I -now looked were indeed the germ whence sprang the most graceful and the -most elegant of all the movements of which the human form is -susceptible—if this were indeed the birth of the Ballet—then is it a -fair child that may truly blush for its parentage: for the exhibition -was coarse, monotonous, and wearisome, nor did it possess one redeeming -attribute. An unceasing circuit of the enclosure—a wreathing of arms -and handkerchiefs—an affected inclination of the head first to the one -side, and then to the other—a beating of feet upon the earth, and a -succession of prostrations before the Pashas, appeared to be the extent -of talent of which the dancers were capable; and the only variation that -I was able to discover was an increase of speed, which rendered the -heavy movements of the exhibitors only the more conspicuous. The very -appearance, moreover, of this party of petticoated and long-haired -youths was revolting to my English ideas: and, despite the acclamations -with which they were liberally greeted, I felt glad when they made their -parting obeisance, and gave place to the second series of performers. - -A Turk, fèzed and coated, next entered upon the scene—a sort of -Oriental Jacques, melancholy and gentlemanlike, who told a tale of -blighted love, and consequent sadness; at whose termination he was -accosted by the buffoon, who in his turn delivered a panegyric on the -loveliness of the veiled beauties of Stamboul, which however failed in -its effect upon the slighted suitor; who, with sundry contortions, and -wringings of the hands, professed his inability ever to love again. - -The buffoon, resolved, as it appeared, to make trial of his constancy; -or outraged at the affectation of so anti-Turkish a display of -sensibility, shortly withdrew; and returned accompanied by three of the -Ballet dancers, disguised as females, and wearing the _yashmac_ and the -_feridjhe_. Of course, curiosity succeeded to indifference, and passion -to curiosity; and a scene of love-making ensued, that consisted of -attempts to induce the ladies to unveil; experiments with the swing, -which occasionally broke down to the great amusement of the spectators; -and energetic asseverations on the one part and the other. - -During the scene, the principal dancer, who personated the attractive -fair-one, displayed considerable talent in his part; the _feridjhe_ was -thrown aside; and those Franks who were present, and who could not -necessarily hope to gain even a glimpse of a Turkish female in the -costume of the harem, had here an excellent opportunity of forming an -idea of their appearance; and not only of their appearance, but of their -manners also, for the resemblance was perfect; and, to render the -ridicule still more complete, the dress was that of the last Palace -adoption—the antery and trowsers, wedded to the wadded silk jacket and -_gigot_ sleeves! - -In the course of the performance, he danced the dance of the harem, with -a degree of skill that few of the female dancers ever attain; and which -elicited great applause from the audience; and, had the exhibition -ended here, it would have been rather absurd than revolting; but the -jealous Musselmauns, who veil the casements of their harems with -lattices, and the faces of their women with _yashmacs_, sat not only -quietly but admiringly by, while all, and probably more than all, the -secrets of the interior were laid bare, and caricatured for the -amusement of the vulgar. There could not have been a high-minded Turkish -woman present, who did not blush at least as deeply for her husband as -for herself; and not a pure-hearted female of any nation, who did not -feel more contempt for the instigators of the insult than for its -objects. - -Not one of the least extraordinary portions of the day’s performances -was enacted by a young Pasha, recently promoted to that distinguished -rank, with the additional titles of General, and Provost-Marshal of the -Ottoman armies. This very heavy and coarse-looking individual, who was -formerly Commandant of the Military College in its days of neglect and -utter uselessness, is the son of Yusuf Pasha, the treacherous Chief who -sold Varna to the Russians, and escaped into the Northern States, where -he remained secure, until the kind-hearted Nicholas had wrung his pardon -from the betrayed Sultan; who in his plenitude of mercy not only forgave -the crime of his false servant, but rewarded his affected penitence -with the Pashalik of Belgrade, which he now enjoys. - -Mustapha Pasha, his son, figured on the occasion of the Fêtes with a -diamond star upon his breast, and grasping a whip bound with gold wire, -and furnished with a long lash, which he laid about the heads and -shoulders of the mob with a most lavish hand, whenever they advanced an -inch or two beyond their allotted boundary. I confess that I could not -help smiling as I pictured to myself the reception which His Highness -Mustapha Pasha, General of Brigade, and Provost Marshal of the Ottoman -Armies, would have received from a sturdy English mob, when they felt -his long whip among them! I suspect that his labours would have been -brief, and his office not altogether a safe one. - -Could I have disengaged my carriage from the crowd, I should at once -have retired, perfectly satisfied with the specimen I had obtained of -the Turkish taste in theatricals; but the arabas were standing four -deep, and pressed upon from behind by a dense mob; and I was -consequently compelled to remain a patient spectator of the whole -performance. Intrigues with Greek serving-men, domestic quarrels ending -in blows, and similarly well-conceived incidents, filled up the canvass, -until the end of the second act, when a fresh set of ballet dancers, -amounting to nearly one hundred, and clad in the beautiful old Greek -dress, entered, and made their bow to the Pashas. - -During their performance, which was similar to that of the first party, -although less gracefully executed, a new feature was added to the -exhibition. An attempt at side scenes was evident, though I confess that -for the first few minutes I was at a loss to imagine the intention of -the very primitive machinery that was introduced. A couple of frames, -similar to those on which linen is dried in England, were placed on a -line about twenty feet apart, while, in the centre, a low railing of -about six feet in length divided the distance. A poor old wretch, with a -rope about his neck, was then tied to each frame, and made to squat down -upon his hands and knees, to represent a watch-dog; and some green -almonds were scattered about him for his food. - -These miserable individuals, whose hired and voluntary degradation made -me heart-sick, were both of them old men, whose beards were grey, and -whose age should have exempted them from such an office as their -necessities had induced them to fulfil. Beside these were placed two -youths dressed as Chinese, with long braids hanging down their backs, -and feather fans in their hands; not very unlike the figures which adorn -the old china in the cabinet of an antiquary. Next came forward a -procession composed of all the trades of Constantinople, from the Jew -who vends fried fish at the corners of the streets, to the Frank -merchant, who, when he closes his office, becomes one of the -“Exclusives” of Pera. - -Of course, the Frank was very roughly handled. His hat was struck off, -and made a football for all the ragamuffins by whom he was surrounded; -and the comments which were uttered alike upon his costume and his -country were by no means courteous or conciliatory. But it could -scarcely be expected that more delicacy would be observed towards a -Frank than had been shown to the women of the country; and, this -specimen of bad taste apart, the procession was the best point of the -performance; as the individuals who composed it appeared to have been -principally “taken in the fact,” and forced upon the scene; thus -affording faithful rather than flattering representations of their -several callings. - -When the procession moved off, the serious business of the drama was -resumed; the three females re-entered on the scene, accompanied by their -mother, and a Greek serving-man, laden with their parasols and -essence-bottles; and followed by two thieves, who concealed themselves -behind the Chinese statues, for such I found that the two quaint figures -who had so quietly walked to their places were intended to represent. -After a vast deal of absurd grimace and buffoonery, rugs were spread in -front of the low railing, and the four females and the Greek servant -seated themselves, to listen to a tale told by the old woman. - -While they were thus engaged, the melancholy Jacques of the previous act -stole upon their privacy, when an absurd exhibition of screaming and -fainting took place; during which the two thieves contrived, without any -attempt at self-concealment, to possess themselves of the cachemires and -handkerchiefs of the ladies, and, moving a few paces apart, they began -to divide the spoil; when the buffoon, in his turn, prowling about the -neighbourhood, discovered the theft, and, raising a hue and cry, at -which the dogs were let loose by the party, hastened during the -confusion to seize upon the booty of the robbers. The outcry attracted -the attention of the Cadi, who entered, accompanied by his attendants, -to ascertain the cause of the tumult; when the ladies, with tears and -shrieks, declared the amount of their losses, and demanded justice. - -Of course the good taste which had made a jest of the feelings of their -allies, and the morals of their women, would not permit the Turkish -comedians to spare their judges; and accordingly the Cadi was a huge -caricature of humanity, with spectacles as large as saucers, and a -beard of sheep skin. A hurried trial ensued, in which, while the Cadi -was ogling the females, the buffoon was making himself merry at the -expense of the Cadi; the executioner with his bastinado, and the clerk -with his ink-horn and parchment, were both forthcoming; and the drama -ended by the capture of the thieves, and the restoration of the stolen -property! - -A confused dance, accompanied by the wild, shrill chanting of the -dancers, which I can compare to nothing but the orgies of a troop of -Bacchantes, succeeded the departure of the actors, and the whole arena -appeared in motion. The drums and tambourines gave out their loudest -discord; gold and silver glittered in the sunshine; arms were tossed in -the air; the long tresses of the performers floated on the wind; and I -was delighted when the appearance of a troop of Bedouin Arabs, summoned -to Stamboul expressly for the occasion, possessed themselves of the open -space to exhibit their feats of strength and address. They were -magnificently attired in coloured satins, and formed a very curious -group; but their accomplishments would scarcely have secured for them an -engagement in a respectable English booth. It was altogether pitiable. - -When I at length contrived to escape from the crowd, I left a party of -the dancing boys performing their evolutions in the Kiosk of the -Pashas. Their Highnesses had not yet had a surfeit of the senseless -pastime; and the youths were reaping a golden harvest. - -The days are gone by in which people were wont to talk of the “Wise Men -of the East.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - - - Succession of Banquets—The Chèïk Islam and the - Clergy—Sectarian Prejudices—The Military Staff—The Naval - Chiefs—The Imperial Household—The Pashas—The Grand - Vizier—Magnificent Procession—Night Scene on the - Bosphorus—The Palace of the Seraskier Pasha—Palace of Azmè - Sultane—Midnight Serenade—Pretty Truants—The Shore of - Asia—Ambassadorial Banquet—War Dance—Beautiful Effects of - Light. - -One of the most characteristic features of the marriage festivities was -the succession of banquets given by the Sultan to the different high -personages, belonging to, or connected with, his Empire. - -The first day was sacred to the Clergy, and the procession was a most -interesting one. At its head walked the Chèïk Islam, with the golden -circlet about his brow, and his graceful robes of white cachemire -falling around him in heavy folds; a party of the principal Imams -followed. Then came the High Chief of the Turning Dervishes, with his -lofty hat of white felt folded about with a shawl of the sacred green, -and shrouded in his ample mantle. Other sects of Dervishes succeeded; -and after them came Hadjis from the Holy Shrine of Mahomet—Emirs with -their voluminous white turbans—and Fakirs from the far East. A short -space behind advanced the Greek Patriarch, with his jewelled crown, and -robes of embroidered satin; supported by a group of prelates. Following -close upon his steps, next moved forward the Armenian Archbishop, -similarly attended, and gorgeously attired; and as he advanced, he made -way for the Jewish Hahām-bachi, or Grand Rabbi, with his flowing -beard and inlaid crosier; a throng of Rabbis were in his train; and -altogether the scene was one of a most interesting character. - -On the arrival of these holy men at the banquetting tent, a delicate -difficulty presented itself. The heads of the Greek and Armenian -churches resolutely refused to sit at table with, or to eat from the -same dish as, their Israelitish companion; while the Jew, on his side, -declared the utter impossibility of his partaking of the same food as -that eaten by his Christian brethren. The stately Chèïk Islam, -meanwhile, was sitting by in uninterested silence; wondering, in the -tolerance of his own heart and creed, why men serving the same God -should not “dip with each other in the dish.” - -The difficulty was at length surmounted; for, as the Jewish law did not -permit the Hahām-bachi to partake of flesh that had not been -slaughtered by one of his own tribe, there was nothing left for him but -a dinner of cheese and salad, which was accordingly spread on a -side-table; while the scrupulous Christian prelates, who had refused the -companionship of the representative of the ancient religion, seated -themselves quietly on either side of the High Priest of Mahomet, and -made an excellent dinner. The honours were done by four of the principal -Pashas; and, at the close of the repast, the party adjourned to the -kiosk to which I have already made reference, in order to enjoy the -flight of the rockets, and the fairy wonders of the illuminated -Bosphorus. - -To the church succeeded the army; and on the morrow Achmet Pasha, and -the principal Officers of the Staff, were the invited guests. - -The magnificent shipping in the harbour next gave up its chiefs; and -again Achmet Pasha, as temporary High Admiral, headed the board. - -On the fourth day, all the members of the Imperial Household were -feasted in their turn; and, on the fifth, came the princely train of -Pashas. - -The Grand Vèzer rode first on a magnificent white Arabian, whose -housings were wrought with gold and seed-pearl. His bridle-rein was -richly worked with coloured silks; and his golden stirrups were finely -chased. His sword-hilt blazed with diamonds: and the brilliant order -that he wore upon his breast burnt in the sunlight; fifteen servants on -foot surrounded his horse. - -He was followed by the four newly-elected Vèzirs: the -Oumouri-Mulkiènaziri, or Minister of the Interior; the -Oumouri-Karidjiè-Naziri, or Minister of the Exterior; the Minister of -Military Finance: and the Lord High Comptroller of the Mint; by the -Seraskier Pasha, the Generallissimo of the Imperial Armies, the Grand -Master of the Artillery, and a crowd of out-dwelling Pashas, who had -been summoned by the Sultan to assist at the festival. - -I never witnessed a more magnificent or profuse display of diamonds, and -embroidery; of proud steeds, and glittering parade. The crowd of running -footmen—the trampling of impatient chargers—the clashing of jewelled -weapons against the gilded stirrups—the noise, the hurry, and the -glare, baffle all description; and when at length the princely train had -disappeared within the tent, and the grooms were leading away the -splendid animals, who, freed from the control of a rider, were rearing -and prancing among the crowd, I felt like one suddenly awakened from a -gorgeous dream, and had only a severe headache left, to convince me that -I had really been a spectator of the splendid scene. - -In the evening, well furred and cloaked, we descended to the pier of -Topphannè; and having secured one of the large caïques that ply to the -islands, we stepped on board; and, rowing out into the middle of the -channel, contemplated at our ease the wonders which surrounded us. From -the centre of the stream, the whole mass of waters appeared to be -girdled with fire; the shore was wrapt in darkness, and the edifices of -light seemed to lift themselves almost to the clouds. I can conceive -nothing finer of its kind; and we continued almost motionless where we -had first paused, our caïque heaving gently upon the bosom of the blue -waters; until a large flight of rockets gave us a momentary view of the -surrounding shores; but, above all, of the surface of the channel. - -If I had been surprised at the density of the crowd on shore, I was -tenfold more so at the floating throng which had almost choked up the -passage of the Bosphorus. Every light and manageable craft that could be -made available, was astir that night, from the caïque of the Pasha, to -the little, round, tub-like boat of the Archipelagon trader; while the -countless white yashmacs of the women gleamed out in the light of the -rockets like a dense ridge of surf, as you approached nearer to the edge -of the shore; a circumstance which was readily accounted for by the fact -that no Turkish female is allowed to walk the streets after eight -o’clock at night, and that this was consequently their only method of -witnessing the illuminations. - -Having contemplated the general effect from a distance, we with some -difficulty made our way through the caïques which were closely wedged -together opposite the Palace of Dolma Batchè, just in time to escape one -of the magnificent explosions produced by the Greek fires, that were -blazing up out of the water in every direction, and which burst not five -yards from our boat. - -Of all the illuminations, that of the Seraskier Pasha, taken -individually, was by far the most brilliant. The whole _façade_ of the -palace was one blaze of light; and, in lieu of the oil by which the -lamps were filled in every other instance, he had fed the flame with -some ardent spirit, which gave to it the fitful tint and the flashing -brilliancy of diamonds. A magnificent screen in arabesques, on the -opposite coast, at the small summer palace of Scutari, was the next most -attractive object of the Bosphorus. But it is only as a whole that such -a pageant should be judged; and all those who looked upon the one which -I have attempted to describe, will doubtlessly concede that it was a -spectacle of beauty which has probably never been exceeded. - -We made our way slowly, but without much difficulty, along the European -shore, until we reached the Palace of Azmè Sultane; but for a while -after we had gained that point all further progress was impossible. -There must have been many hundred caïques wedged together in front of -her terrace, and not less than fifty of them contained musicians. We had -intended to disembark at the palace steps, and to pay a visit to Nazip -Hanoum, but were obliged to abandon the idea, as we became instantly -aware that the thing was impracticable. We therefore remained quietly in -our boat, under the bright light of the magnificent screen upon whose -surface coloured lamps were intermixed with orange boughs and exotic -flowers. The terrace was crowded; and I saw more than one light and -fairy figure, that even the feridjhe failed wholly to conceal, which -looked as though its owner should rather have been peering through the -slender lattices, than from beneath the shade of a yashmac; but the -occasion was so rife with excitement, and the voices from the caïques -were so enticing, that doubtlessly more than one fair Dilaram and Leyla -played truant that evening after the prescribed hour. - -Having at length contrived to make our way through this crowd of -worshippers, for such they must have been, we left the Palace far behind -us in a few minutes, and escaped from the noise and even danger which -were the present characteristics of its vicinity. Our sturdy boatmen, -bending to their oars, soon brought us opposite to the dwelling of the -bride, whose whole extent was bright with festooned fires; but my spirit -had begun to weary with the perpetual glare, and I rejoiced when we -struck out once more into the middle of the channel, and running under -the shore of Asia, whose infrequent lights at this point of the stream -rather relieved than pained the eye, left far behind us the clamorous -merriment of the crowd. We had the moon high above us; the pale and -placid moon, which had for many nights been mocked by a radiance more -dazzling than her own; while the myriad stars that were twinkling their -silver eyes as if in wonder at the scene beneath them, were reflected in -the clear water as in a mirror. It was a heavenly night; and as we -glided slowly along under the Asian mountains, the song of a hundred -nightingales came to us from the groves and gardens of the coast. - -The transition was extraordinary; and, after the excitement, the hurry, -and the exertion of the previous day, the quiet of the hour fell upon me -like a happy dream; and I remember that I shed tears as I lay back upon -my cushions, and looked upwards to the calm moon, and listened to the -thrilling melody of the midnight woods, and felt the soft wind fanning -the hair upon my brow; but they were tears in which there was no -bitterness; an outpouring of the wearied spirit that relieved its -weight; and when we once more became entangled in the floating crowd, -and dashed forward into the blinding light of the fire-girt Palaces, the -heart-laugh which went ringing over the ripple might sometimes have been -traced to me. - -The mere worldling will sneer at this admission; but those whose -misfortune it is to feel deeply will understand the seeming -inconsistency. - -The sixth day was fixed upon for the Ambassadorial Banquet, where the -representatives of the Mighty Ones of the Earth were to feast together -at the board of the Brother of the Sun, and Emperor of the World. A -table, well-appointed in the European style, had been prepared; and the -banquetting tent was neatly fitted up with draperies and mirrors. - -In the evening a new and distinct feature was added to the -entertainments, by the introduction in the outer court of the Palace of -a raised platform, on which a score of performers, clad in half armour, -attempted a species of war-dance to the light of a dozen bonfires, which -flashed and faded by turns; now revealing the glittering costume of the -struggling and straggling combatants, and now enveloping them in a cloud -of dense black smoke, as impenetrable as the waves of Erebus. The whole -thing was a failure; and the only charm attendant on the exhibition, was -the singular transition of light and shade that played over the surface -of the painted palace, and which produced effects almost magical; now -touching the lofty portal with a golden gleam, and then fading away into -a faint green, caught from the leafy boughs which fed the fires. - -The Turks are decidedly not a dancing nation. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - - - Monotonous Entertainments—Bridal Preparations—Common - Interest—Appearance of the Surrounding Country—Ride to - Arnautkeui—Sight-loving Ladies—Glances and - Greetings—Pictorial Grouping—The Procession—The Trousseau—A - Steeple-Chase. - -Thus far all had been monotonous from its constant repetition; the same -dramas had been enacted, the same lamps had been lighted, and the same -banquets had been prepared; but the seventh day was the eve of the -Imperial marriage, on which the _trousseau_ of the bride was to be borne -in state from the Palace of Dolma Batchè, to her own glittering Seraï on -the Bosphorus. The period was arrived when her slaves, on withdrawing -her from the bath, were to braid her long tresses with threads of gold, -and strings of pearl, and to stain the palms of her hands and the soles -of her feet with henna. - -At an early hour the streets of Pera were crowded with arabas and -saddle-horses; and my own eager little chesnut was neighing out his -impatience under my window before eight o’clock. It was a glorious -morning, bright and sunny, without a cloud; and, as I sprang into my -saddle, I felt that this was a day on which the Fates had resolved to -weave a white thread into the web of my existence. - -All the three hundred thousand persons said to have been collected in -Constantinople on the occasion of the Imperial marriage, must have been -beside our path that morning! I never before beheld such a gathering of -human beings. There had been divided interests during the previous days -of festival: different points of attraction, which had wrenched asunder -the mighty mass of mortality, and fashioned it into divers portions; but -on the present occasion, men’s minds were all bent upon one object; and -this community of purpose had collected them together in one vast -multitude. - -The road was guarded by armed sentinels; and about an arrow’s flight -from the Military College, on the line from Dolma Batchè to the Palace -of the Princess, a handsome tent had been pitched for the Ambassadors, -which was already thronged. Every rising ground was occupied as far as -the eye could reach; and the outline of the road along which the -procession was to pass, was marked by clusters of females, seated so -closely together that from a short distance they appeared to form one -compact body. Behind these were ranged lines of arabas, filled with -Turkish, Greek, and Armenian ladies; while on the open space beyond, -horsemen galloped to and fro; pedestrians, who had been too tardy to -secure advantageous places, straggled from spot to spot, in the hope of -establishing themselves among some knot of friends; and water-venders, -with their long-necked earthen jars and crystal goblets, passed from one -party to another, disposing, at an usurious interest, of their tempting -merchandize. - -As there was no sign of the procession when we reached the Ambassadorial -tent, we resolved to canter on to Arnautkeui, and amuse ourselves by a -survey of the wayside groups; and a most interesting ride it was. As the -Turkish women generally, on any occasion which takes them from their -homes at an early hour, profit by the circumstance to remain in the open -air all day, none of our party were surprised at the well-organized -arrangements that were making on all sides. The whole line of road from -Dolma Batchè to the kiosk above the Palace of Arnautkeui was edged with -spectators; and wherever a tree afforded the means of doing so, shawls -and rugs had been stretched against the sun, producing a very cheerful -and pretty effect. The number of Turkish females collected together on -this occasion may be imagined when I state that a friend of mine, on -whose veracity I have the most perfect reliance, assured me that he -knew it to be a fact, that several of these sight-loving ladies had -actually sold the tiles off the roofs of their houses, in order to raise -money enough to enable them to hire an araba for the last two days of -the Festival! - -Nor was this all; for a still more startling fact came to my knowledge -from so authentic a source that I state it without hesitation. A Turkish -female in a respectable station of society, having in vain importuned -her husband for the means of witnessing the festivities in a manner -suited to her rank, and receiving for an answer the assurance that he -was unable to comply with her request; finding that she had no hope of -success save through her own ingenuity, set herself to work to devise -some expedient by which she might raise the necessary sum; and having -taken into her confidence a favourite slave who was to accompany her in -the event of any fortunate discovery, it was at length decided between -them that she should sell her son, a fine little boy of about five years -of age. No sooner said than done; she adjusted her yashmac and feridjhe, -took her child by the hand, and, followed by her attendant, proceeded to -the house of a slave merchant, where the bargain was soon made, and the -sum of three thousand piastres given in exchange for the little -Musselmaun! - -The astonishment of the husband may be conceived, when on the morrow he -saw his wife seated in an araba in the midst of a bevy of her fair -friends, without being able to discover how she had contrived to secure -a carriage at so expensive a period. He demanded an explanation in vain; -and it was not until he inquired for his child, and detected a -mysterious confusion in the manner of his wife, that a suspicion of the -fact flashed upon him. He insisted on hearing the truth; and when he at -length learnt it, he hurried like a madman to the slave-merchant, and -demanded back his boy; but the dealer in human beings had no expensive -sympathies; and he only answered the agonized intreaties of the father, -by asserting his willingness to deliver up the child when the money -which he had given for him was repaid. The wretched parent had it not to -give; and finding that his misery produced no effect upon the -slave-merchant, he hurried in his anguish to the Seraskier, who, having -heard the tale, summoned to his presence the mother, the child, and the -merchant; and after having ascertained that the fact was precisely as it -had been stated to him, he expressed to the former his horror of the -unnatural deed of which she had been guilty, and received for answer -that she had acted under the firm conviction that her husband had merely -refused to supply her with money from an impulse of avarice; and that, -being devoted to his child, he would immediately purchase him back. The -apology, poor as it was, was admitted; and the Seraskier, finding that -the father really did not possess the means of recovering his boy, -generously paid the price of his liberty, and restored him to his -parents; only cautioning the mother not to attempt a second sale of the -same description, as, in the event of such an occurrence, she should -herself be her child’s ransom. - -Hear this, ye Englishwomen, who have been accustomed to believe that the -Turkish females are always under lock and key—Hear this: and then -imagine to what a pitch they carry their love of dissipation and -expense. - -Not the least amusing part of the ride was the multitude of recognitions -and salutations consequent upon our progress through the crowd. Here a -veiled lady greeted us from her gilded araba; and there a laughing Greek -saluted us from beneath his wayside tent. On one side, we were joined by -a rival party of mounted Franks; and on the other we were beckoned aside -by some pretty friend, who was seated under the shade of a cluster of -overhanging branches. - -Had there been nothing further to anticipate, the mere sight of the -great congregation of human beings collected together that morning, -would of itself have been a highly interesting spectacle. - -Probably in no other country upon earth can you encounter such groups as -you do in Turkey; they always appear as though they had been arranged by -an artist; and I find myself on every occasion just about to describe -them, when I remember that I have already done so more than once; and am -compelled, however reluctantly, to forego the inclination. - -Having reached the crest of the hill above Arnautkeui, we turned our -horses’ heads once more towards Dolma Batchè; and had almost reached the -Palace when the sound of a military band came cheerfully on the wind, -and we were obliged to gallop off, in order to secure an elevated -station whence we could conveniently witness the passage of the -procession. - -We were fortunate enough to possess ourselves of a spot of ground that -overhung the road, along which we reined up our horses in line, and -awaited the arrival of the pageant. - -The Band led the way, playing the Sultan’s Grand March upon their wind -instruments, and the military followed in good order; it was a squadron -of the _élite_ of the Turkish Army, the Cavalry of the Imperial Guard, -whose several troops are distinguished by the different colour of their -horses. I counted four negro officers as they passed us. - -The Troops were succeeded by fifty Field Officers, the General Staff of -the Empire, well mounted and attended; and they, in their turn, gave -place to twenty Great Officers of the Imperial Household. With these -individuals commenced the interest and Orientalism of the spectacle; the -flashing diamonds upon their breasts and hands, and the glittering -housings of their horses, relieving the monotonous slowness with which -they progressed. This splendid train was followed by fourteen led mules, -laden with packages, covered with the gold and silver stuffs of Broussa, -and secured upon the animals with cords of silk. The packages contained -the velvet and satin mattresses intended for the harem of the Princess, -and all the minor articles necessary to her household; which are -supplied by the Sultan, even to the feather-brush that beats aside the -flies from the dinner-table. - -Next came twelve beautiful white mules, magnificently housed, and led by -pages dressed in a scarlet uniform: a present to the Princess from her -Imperial Father. - -Nine carriages of silver net-work, roofed and draperied with coloured -silk, each drawn by four bay horses, followed next in line; and through -the transparent lattices glittered the costly sofa-furniture of tissue -and embroidery; the velvet cushions, and the golden fringes which were -to adorn the saloons of the bridal Palace. - -After these came three open droskys, with pages running at the -bridle-rein of the superb leaders, who seemed impatient of the pace at -which they travelled, and scattered the foam from their mouths as they -champed their embossed bits; and these were overlaid with cloths of -crimson velvet fringed with gold, on which was displayed a collection of -richly-chased silver plate. - -Then followed five other carriages, drawn like the foregoing by four -stately horses, containing trunks covered with coloured velvets and gold -and silver stuffs, and clamped and hinged with wrought silver, laden -with the linen of the Imperial Bride. - -Next came forward what, at the first glance, seen as it was through the -cloud of dust raised by the carriages, seemed to be a moving tulip-bed, -extending far as the eye could reach. Nor was the illusion an -overstrained one; for this portion of the procession proved to be a -train of one hundred and fifty men, each attended by a page, and bearing -upon his head a basket of wicker-work, covered with gold tissue, and -surmounted by a raised dome of coloured gauze, decorated with bunches of -artificial flowers. Beneath these transparent screens might be seen the -toilette of the young Princess; her golden ewers, and jewel-studded -basins—her diamond-covered essence-boxes, and gemmed water-vases—her -glittering porcelain, her emerald-mounted hair-brushes—and all the -costly gauds which litter so magnificently the chambers of the great. -Golden cages, filled with stuffed birds—inlaid caskets, heavy with -perfumes—musical instruments, rich with laboured gold and -jewels—salvers, upheaped with gold coins—and ten thousand brilliant -toys, if not without a name, yet almost without a use, followed in their -turn; and then came pyramids of sweetmeats, glittering like fruits which -had suddenly been hardened into gems; and trays of shawls, each one a -fortune in itself, enveloped separately in wrappers of coloured gauze, -tied with long loops of ribbon. - -But the most gorgeous display was yet to come; embroidered handkerchiefs -whose gold and silver threads were mingled with silks of many hues, and -whose texture was almost as impalpable as the gossamer—jackets of -velvet worked on the sleeves and breasts with precious stones—trowsers -sprinkled with stars of gold and silver—anteries of white silk, wrought -with coloured jewels—robes of satin powdered with seed-pearl—slippers -as diminutive as that of Cinderella, fringed with floss silk, and -powdered with rubies; and finally, sixteen bearers, balancing upon their -heads cages of silver wire, resting on cushions of crimson velvet, -whereon were displayed the bridal diamonds. The sunshine was flashing on -them as they passed us, and at times it was impossible to look upon -them. - -It seemed as though the trees of the Seraï must have dropped diamonds, -to supply the profusion of the Imperial Father. It is impossible to -describe them—the diadems and bracelets, the necklaces and wreaths, the -rings and clasps: suffice it that every female article of dress or -ornament, for which this costly stone could be made available, was here -in its magnificence; and assuredly the gifts of the Queen of Sheba to -King Solomon must have sunk into insignificance before the bridal -_trousseau_ of the Princess Mihirmàh—“The Glory of the Moon!” - -Forty mounted negroes appointed to her household followed, like demons -of darkness, on the footsteps of the flashing treasure which I have just -described; and I can safely declare that I never beheld so hideous an -assemblage of human beings. The diamonds were quite secure, I should -imagine, from all depredators, under the charge of these frightful -guardians—these gnomes, gloating over the produce of the “dark gold -mines,” where no light could intrude in which they might mirror their -own ugliness; and His Sublime Highness, or rather his Master of the -Ceremonies, appeared to have been of the same opinion; for although a -guard preceded the procession, none followed it; and the termination of -the pageant came so abruptly upon me after its greatest splendour, that -I felt as though some accident had detained the remaining actors in the -show, and that something more must follow; but as, after the lapse of a -moment, I discovered that all was really over, there was nothing for it -but a steeple chase “over bank, bush, and briar,” in order to get once -more in advance of the procession, and thus secure a second view. - -On this we accordingly determined; and after a gallop over ploughed -fields, and a few leaps over sundry intervening fences and ditches, we -found ourselves on the height above Arnautkeui, just as the gorgeous -train was beginning to descend the hill. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - - - The Bridal Day—Ceremony of Acceptance—The Crowd—The Kislar - Agha and the Court Astrologer—Order of the Procession—The - Russian Coach—The Pasha and the Attachés—The Seraskier—Wives - of the Pashas—The Sultan and the Georgian Slave. - -The morrow was the bridal day, when the fortunate Saïd Pasha was to -receive his Imperial Bride beneath his own roof, and to look upon her -for the first time. As yet he had not had even a glimpse of her through -her yashmac, their only interview having taken place on his arrival from -the Dardanelles, when he had been summoned to the palace to throw -himself at her feet, and to return thanks for the honour she was about -to confer upon him. This interview, if such indeed a meeting may be -termed in which one of the parties only has a sight of the other, is one -of the ceremonies _à la rigeur_ in the Imperial marriages of the East. - -The bridegroom elect is led into a room, at whose upper extremity a door -stands ajar; and behind this sits the lady splendidly habited, and -surrounded by a train of slaves. A small portion of her embroidered -antery is suffered to pass the opening of the door; and a side lattice, -veiled with thin gauze, enables her to take a view of her suitor as he -approaches; which he does slowly, and upon his knees, the whole length -of the apartment. On arriving near the “Door of Light” that conceals the -Princess, he thrice bows his forehead to the earth, ere he ventures to -implore a ratification of his hopes. The officious Kislar Agha replies -for the bride; and after a second prostration, the Pasha returns thanks -“in a neat speech;” and with the permission of the same personage, he -then raises to his lips the hem of the Imperial garment, and retires in -the same humble posture in which he entered. - -The _on dit_ at the Palace whispered the disappointment of the bride on -the present occasion, that the choice of her Imperial father had not -fallen on Mustapha Pasha of Adrianople, whom she had once seen by -accident, and by whose personal beauty she had been much attracted. It -is, nevertheless, possible that this glimpse of her destined bridegroom -reconciled her to her destiny; for, as it is the appearance only to -which Turkish females generally attach any importance in their husbands, -the young Pasha of the Dardanelles could safely compete with all his -rivals, being really a very handsome and intelligent-looking person. - -Had I not known that such a thing was altogether impossible, I should -have said, when I pulled up my panting horse on the height above the -palace, that the same groups occupied the same spots where I had seen -them on the previous day. The scene did not appear to have altered in a -single feature. I saw the same smiling faces, and received the same -kindly greetings; laughed at the same dirty, stupid-looking sentinels, -and bought a cool draught from the same water-vender for a twenty para -piece; and, altogether, I had some difficulty in persuading myself that -I had really talked politics with a hot-headed Englishman, theology with -a Greek Papas, and nonsense with a Sardinian Secretary, and moreover had -slept through a long night, since I last stood upon that sunny hill, and -looked far and wide upon the same wilderness of human beings. - -The procession of the preceding day had been announced to start from -Dolma Batchè at eight o’clock, but the mid-day muezzin had been called -from the minarets, ere the first trumpeter issued from the portal. -Profiting, therefore, by our experience, we partook of a quiet breakfast -on the present occasion, ere we sped to the scene of action; and we had -judged rightly in so doing, for we were yet considerably in advance of -the bridal train. Nevertheless, it is certain that the baggage-mules and -the treasure-carriages required more time to prepare them for the -journey than the Imperial Bride, and her attendant train of ladies; for -the Kislar Agha was yet girding on his sword with all the quiet -precision of a man who has no cause for haste, when a negro of the Seraï -rushed into the apartment, and startled him with the intelligence that -her Highness was not only ready to start, but actually in the Great -Saloon of the Harem, waiting for him to precede her to her carriage. At -this announcement the portly personage suffered his weapon to fall from -his hands; and tossing his arms above his head, he filled the apartment -with his outcries. - -“Who has done this? Who has insidiously counselled this haste? Where is -the traitor who would destroy the Imperial Daughter of our noble Sultan? -(May his beard be white!) It yet wants ten minutes of the time appointed -by the astrologer—the lucky moment is not come—and until it arrives, -she shall not set her foot without the palace, were it ten times her -bridal day.” - -At length, however, the auspicious moment really did arrive, when the -Kislar Agha was himself the first to hasten the departure of the -Princess. The procession was the very triumph of mystery. All the -high-born beauties of Stamboul were to pass us by, and we were only to -imagine the loveliness on which we were to have no opportunity of -looking. The Sultan’s Band opened the march, and executed with great -precision a piece of martial music, composed for the occasion by their -talented leader Donizetti; a regiment of cavalry followed, and was -succeeded in its turn by a gorgeous train of Pashas, among whom rode the -bridegroom; and then came the European carriage of the Sultan, drawn by -four bay horses, each led by a page in a scarlet and gold uniform. This -was succeeded by the Imperial State Coach, of silver gilt, the raised -cornice above the roof inlaid with cornelians, agates, and jaspers, the -magnificent gift of the Emperor of Russia to his Turkish ally—the -gilded lattices, through which gleamed the jealous curtains of -rose-coloured silk, were closely shut; and the Imperial Bride was the -sole tenant of the costly vehicle. This carriage, which was drawn by six -stately horses from the personal stud of the Autocrat, was followed by -that in which the Princess had been accustomed to drive on state -occasions; the windows were thrown back, and the curtains undrawn—it -was empty. Next came the Sultana-Mother, the Princess Salihè, and the -younger sister of the bride, a sweet-looking girl of eleven or twelve -years of age, who sat beside her veiled relatives in a heavy head-dress -of black velvet, overcharged with diamonds; but whose fair young face -laughed out in loveliness beneath the hideous disfigurement. These were -succeeded by a second Russian carriage, drawn by four horses similar to -those in the State Coach, an offering of Russian policy to Achmet Pasha, -whose Buyuk Hanoum was within, attended by three female slaves. - -The train amounted in all to forty-seven carriages and four; many of -them tenanted by five and even six individuals, whose coquettishly -arranged yashmacs afforded at times something more than a glimpse of -their fair faces; a fact of which the negro guard appeared so well -aware, that on some suggestion from one of them to a Pasha, who rode -immediately in front of the Imperial carriage, on the second apparition -of our party by the wayside, (which, _soit dit en passant_, must have -been sufficiently attractive to the veiled beauties, being principally -composed of _attachés_ to the different embassies), His Excellency -addressed himself to me in very tolerable French, and told me that, -although I was individually at liberty to accompany the procession to -the Palace-gates if I wished to do so, he must request that the -gentlemen would not attempt to advance further. But the prohibition was -more readily uttered than obeyed; and we only just waited for a first -glimpse of the fifty negroes who formed the rear-guard, ere we were off -again, as fast as our generous horses would carry us. - -And well should we have been repaid when we pulled up mid-way of the -steep descent leading to the Palace, had it only been by the spectacle -of the wily old Seraskier, who rode beside the window of the State -Coach, in a state of admirably got-up agitation; first shouting to the -troop of attendants who hung on to the wheels, like a man in the last -agony; and then modulating his voice to the extremest gentleness of -which it was susceptible, to implore of the Imperial Bride not to -imagine that there existed the slightest danger; half the fuss that he -was making meanwhile, being more than sufficient to satisfy her that she -was on the eve of being hurled over the precipice. - -On her arrival in the Court of the Palace, Saïd Pasha, on his knees -beside the carriage, received her in his arms, and carried her into the -Great Saloon of the Harem; the ladies of the Court, who had the -_entrée_, followed in succession; the golden gates were closed: and the -excluded had nothing more to do than to shake the dust from their -garments—and truly it was about an inch thick—to swallow a glass of -iced lemonade in the saddle, and to gallop back, under a burning sun, to -their respective homes. - -Each Pasha, on the occasion of an Imperial marriage, sends on a stated -day his Buyuk Hanoum, or principal wife, to the Palace, attended by two -slaves, to congratulate the Princess on her approaching nuptials; and -these are the ladies who subsequently form the reception circle at her -new home. At the visit of felicitation, when the Sultan receives them on -the part of his august daughter, they are presented by the munificent -sovereign with an antery, jacket, and trowsers of rich stuff, a pair of -embroidered slippers, and a diamond ring; the same articles, but fitted -in value to their station, being bestowed also on their attendants. In -this magnificent costume they are expected to appear on the bridal day; -and on their departure from the Presence, they place their own gifts in -the hands of the Kislar Agha, which are always of the extremest richness -that the means of the Pasha will permit. - -An amusing anecdote is connected with this ceremony, which, being -authentic, I may as well relate. The Imperial Presentation negatives the -necessity of yashmacs, and thus Sultan Mahmoud enjoys the exclusive -privilege of forming a judgment on the taste of his Pashas. On the -marriage of the Princess Salihè, the Reiss Effendi forwarded to the -Imperial Presence the mother of his sons, a lady to whom nature had not -originally been lavish of her gifts, and who had subsequently lost an -eye during an attack of plague. His Sublime Highness was observed to -fidget upon his sofa as the presentation took place, but the Buyuk -Hanoum was received with all the honours due to the exalted rank of her -husband, and departed laden with the rich gifts of Imperial generosity. - -On the morrow, however, a caïque impelled by three rowers, and freighted -with a closely veiled female under the guard of a party of the negroes -of the Seraï, pushed off from the Palace of Dolma Batchè, and ran -alongside the terrace of that of the minister; when the lady was landed, -and, on being conducted into the presence of the Reiss Effendi, her veil -was withdrawn, and she proved to be a lovely Georgian slave of about -sixteen years of age, in all the first burst of her young beauty—a -present to the noble from his Imperial Master, accompanied by a command, -that should another occasion occur in which the wives of the Pashas were -required to appear before the Sultan, the Reiss Effendi would cause the -dark-eyed Georgian to act as the representative of a lady, whose age and -infirmities must render all court ceremonials extremely irksome to her -feelings. - -Of course, the lovely slave was one of the bridal train of the Princess -Mihirmàh! - - - - -CHAPTER XXX - - - A New Rejoicing—Processions—Change in the Valley—The - Odalique’s Grave—The Palace of Eyoub—The State - Apartments—Return to Pera. - -A couple of days of rest succeeded to the marriage festivities, and -during that time all the tents which had fringed the height above Dolma -Batchè were transferred to the Valley of the Sweet Waters, whither they -were followed by the tumblers, rope-dancers, and jugglers, who had -delighted the crowd in the purlieus of the Imperial Palace. A new -rejoicing to succeed the bridal fètes; the two younger sons of the -Sultan, and eight thousand children, belonging to every class of the -Turkish population, from the Pashas to the charcoal-venders of the -metropolis and its vicinity, were to be circumcised with much pomp at -Kahaitchana. A temporary building, shaped like a crescent, and capable -of containing the whole number, had been erected above the upper kiosk, -and near the border of the stream, across which a new bridge had been -thrown; the pavilion was lined throughout with rich hangings, and well -cushioned, and presented a very gay and pretty appearance. - -The Sultan entertained the Imperial Family at his Palace on the -Barbyses; the Pashas gave daily dinners in their tents; and there was -not an araba in Constantinople or Pera that was not in requisition. - -After passing to Eyoub in our caïque, we hired a close araba, in which -we drove to the valley. The scene was a very animated one; lines of -coffee-tents clung to the sides of the heights; groups of women, seated -on their mats, were scattered over the greensward; itinerant -fruit-merchants wandered to and fro, with their strawberries neatly -arranged in small baskets wreathed with oak leaves, and their cherries -heaped in pyramids; mohalibè and yahourt were to be seen on all sides: -the little fountains of the sherbet-venders were tinkling like distant -sheep-bells; and, high above the heads of the crowd, a rope-dancer was -balancing himself in mid-air, with his crimson satin vestment flaring in -the hot sunshine. - -One pretty feature in the scene was the constant succession of -scholastic processions; each mosque sending its little troop, headed by -an Imam, to parade the valley, and to chant a prayer for the -preservation of the Sultan’s sons; after which all the children of the -Turkish, Greek, Armenian, Catholic, and Jewish schools, accompanied by -their masters, passed before the Sultan, and shared in the festivities, -to which they had been especially invited. Nor was the appearance of the -Turkish children who assisted at the ceremony less interesting; as they -all, save those belonging to the more distinguished families, who wore a -vast quantity of gold embroidery about their coats and fèzes, were -dressed in a kind of uniform, provided for them by the Sultan; and had -their long hair plaited in innumerable braids, and woven together with -gold threads, sometimes to a quarter of a yard in breadth. - -For the first hour I was exceedingly amused. The Barbyses was alive with -caïques—the air was loud with music and laughter—the greensward was -crowded with arabas and idlers; and every shady tree had a colony -beneath its boughs. But I soon wearied of the coil and confusion by -which I was surrounded; the green, fresh, quiet valley had lost all its -charm; I could scarcely recognize my favourite spots; nor was it until -the close of twilight, when the illuminated glories of the port flashed -out like a circle of fire in the distance, that I became reconciled. The -moon silvered over the rippling river; the nightingales were loud in the -Palace gardens; a million of twinkling stars were relieving the deep -blue of the summer sky; while here and there erections of many-coloured -light rose flashing out amid the leafy boughs of the crowd-invaded glen. -Pashas came and went in their noiseless caïques; dulcimers and -tambourines deadened at times the music of the night bird; and the low -wind, which heaved the elastic branches of the water willow, and came -sighing along the ripple of the sweet river, rendered the valley by -night a scene of enchantment. - -I wandered to the grave of the Odalique: the moonlight was resting upon -the record-stone; and a nightingale, seated amid the branches of the -overhanging tree, was breathing out its song of mournful melody: it was -far away from the idle throng of revellers, and I was weak enough to be -glad that it was so. - -The night was so lovely that we dismissed our araba, and determined on -returning in a caïque as far as the Palace of Eyoub, where I had been -invited by the Princess Azmè to pass the night; but, on arriving there, -we found that the Sultana and the principal ladies of her household had -been detained by the Sultan, and would not return until the following -day. - -As, however, I was fearful that the opportunity of seeing this palace -might not recur, from the fact that the Princess never inhabits it save -on occasions of festival at Kahaitchana, when she profits by its -vicinity to the valley, I availed myself of the offer of the -house-steward to show me over the state apartments, which are entirely -unfurnished, but in themselves extremely magnificent. The screen of -light that extended along the whole front of the building cast its glare -through the unshuttered windows, and was reflected back by the gilded -walls and glittering cornices. The decorations throughout are heavy, but -of the greatest richness, and by far the most Oriental in their -character, of any that I had yet seen. The palace was built by Sultan -Selim, and its situation is beautiful. What was formerly the -reception-room of that unfortunate Sovereign, is entirely lined with -gilding, the walls being niched, and overhung with stalactited cornices -similar to those which decorate many of our old cathedral tombs; and the -weight of this elaborate ornament is relieved by a ceiling of faint -blue, sprinkled with silver stars. But the absence of furniture, and the -vast extent of the building, gave an air of desolation and discomfort to -its whole appearance, which even the well-matted and curtained rooms -that had been temporarily fitted-up for the use of the Sultana’s harem -failed to overcome: and, consequently, when I had satisfied my -curiosity, I pleaded the absence of Her Highness, and those individuals -of her suite with whom I was acquainted, as my apology for not availing -myself of her flattering invitation; and, reentering-our caïque, we -dashed out into the centre of the port; and after contemplating for a -time its temporary glories, were landed at the Echelle des Morts, and, -passing along beneath the moon-touched and sighing cypresses of the -grave-yard, soon found ourselves at Pera. - - - - - FOOTNOTES: - - [1] As an example of the morals of the Greek clergy, it may not - be impertinent to mention that this house was bequeathed by the - Archbishop of Dercon, who died a few months ago at Therapia, to - Hesterine, _la dame de ses pensées_. - - [2] Signifying mistress, or lady. - - [3] Mihirmàh, the glory of the moon. - - [4] The fact of the Patriarch being not only the head of the - church, but also the chief magistrate of his nation, will - account for the proximity of the prison to the Episcopal - Palace. - - [5] I am aware that I may here be taxed with an anachronism, - and reminded that in the days of Mahomet the use of tobacco was - altogether unknown in Turkey; but I, nevertheless, maintain my - position, being perfectly convinced that the Hourii would now - beckon in vain to a paradise of which the chibouk did not form - a feature. - - [6] The height of the mosque to the summit of the dome is 185 - French feet; the dome itself, from the gallery to the leads, - 47, and its diameter, 54. - - [7] Mignionette. - - - END OF VOL I. - - LONDON: - F. 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