66 of the vessel, and gathered round us, appearing to regard our expressions of delight with great satisfaction, pointing with their fingers and saying, Buono, buono. We continued close in shore, and passed a small palace of the Sultan; saw the celebrated Seven Towers over the trees, and stood on within a stone's throw of the gardens and houses of the metropolis. These last on a near approach appeared mean wooden edifices, but their shape is picturesque, and the green trees, the numerous domes, with their gilded crescents and the tall spiry minarets, present à scene of true oriental grandeur. Straight before us on the opposite shore stood Scutari, presently the mouth of the Bosphorus, with the blue winding canal, its banks covered with white edifices and green trees, appeared in sight; then Galata, Pera and Tophana, crowning the opposite points. We stood in close to the gardens and walls of the Seraglio, in very deep water. In front extended a long row of fir-trees, and crowning the summit of a slight rising ground, embowered in a forest of trees, rose the irregular buildings and the numerous domes of the Seraglio. The tints of the foliage surpassed any thing I ever saw, varying from the dark gloomy green of the tall tapering cypress, to the lightest shade of the mulberry and the willow. All was silent and solitary in those well guarded and secluded precincts, except the merry chirping of the birds, who, revelling in their wild liberty, seemed to mock the unfortunate prisoners languishing in the prime of youth and beauty, in cold neglect and unnatural deprivations. But it was on turning the Seraglio point that the "Queen of the East" burst upon us in all her imposing grandeur of situation. Before us appeared the long winding water, called "the Harbor of Perami," separating Galata from Constantinople, covered with superb vessels of war, merchant ships, and innumerable elegant caiques, darting about in different directions. Then came the whole northern side of Constantinople with its marble mosques, vast domes and clusters of white minarets standing out against the sky, and gilded crescents glittering high in the air. We passed the palace of the Sultan, and anchored in the harbor of Perami, in sixteen fathoms. I am facing Constantinople;-before me, on the left is the Seraglio point, with the palace and seraglio, crowning an eminence whose sides are shaded with majestic cypresses, and the luxuriant foliage of all sorts of trees; behind, rise the leaden domes of St. Sophia, with their shining crescents, and four tall white marble minarets. Further to the right, is the superb marble mosque of Sultan Achmet with its six lofty minarets, each encircled with three galleries; then to the right, crowning the same ridge, comes the Solimanieh, or Mosque of Sultan Soliman, constructed entirely of white marble, and adorned with elegant minarets. The mosques of Sultan Mahomet and Sultan Selim, with various others, all on the rising ground which encircles me in front, and behind these in the distance the gilded crescents of Sultan Bajazet. The sloping shores of the harbor are covered with houses surrounded by green trees; on my right, extends the broad piece of water called the Harbor of Perami, the "Golden Horn," its greatest breadth is about a mile, and it extends six or eight miles inland, curving slightly; on its banks are situated the dock-yard of the Grand Signior, and several majestic line of battle ships float upon its bosom, with hundreds of merchant vessels of all shapes and sizes, from the awkward high stern of the Turk to the most improved models of European naval architecture. Turning my back on Constantinople, I face Galata, and the extensive dark cypress groves of the Turkish cemeteries rise gloomily behind the shipping, the minarets and the towers. The numerous houses of Galata, Pera, and Tophana extend from the top of the hills down to the sea, and far away over the water is seen Scutari, with its mosques, cemeteries and barracks, and the banks of the Bosphorus, covered with houses, trees, gardens and vineyards. The sun is just sinking behind the western hills, the voice of the muezzin is heard from the minarets, calling the people to evening prayer, a long melodious chaunt; crowds of light, elegant caiques, filled with the gayest costumes, dart through the waters, and the whole scene possesses a novelty and striking beauty, quite equal to the most glowing description. We descended into a light, clean, elegant wherry, rowed by a fine muscular fellow, in a very picturesque dress, and soon found ourselves at the landing-place at Galata; here the magic of the scene was entirely dissipated, and we entered a dirty, dingy street, amid a crowd of people of all nations, over stones and holes, and filth, and through crowds of snarling, barking dogs. We were accompanied by a set of "hamals" or porters, and had a man with a stick to make way through Turks, Armenians, and Jews, all in their respective costumes, intermixed with the Frank population, composed of a dozen different nations. After trotting up the hill, we entered Pera and traversed the best street, in which were some tolerably decent houses, and here and there the pretty face of a Frank girl at a window. Turning to the left, we came to the top of a hill by an immense Turkish cemetery, and enjoyed a magnificent view of Constantinople, and the whole of the Golden Horn filled with shipping. By nightfall, we were comfortably located in the house of an Armenian, who gave us three excellent rooms, looking over the tall cypresses of the cemetery on one side, and into the garden of the British ambassador on the other. CHAPTER VII. CONSTANTINOPLE.-BOATS.-GRAND SIGNIOR.STATE PRO CESSION.SOLDIERS.-DOGS.-BAZAARS.-WOMEN.-COOK SHOP.-MADHOUSE.-MADMEN.-JANISSARY AGA'S TOWER. -SCENERY.-SLAVE MARKET.-GEORGIAN SLAVE.-TURK ISH LADIES' CARRIAGE. He went to mosque in state, and said his He left to his vizier all state affairs, prayers And show'd but little royal curiosity. BYRON. MAY 29th.-Immediately after breakfast we hurried down to the waterside, and hired a kirlangishe or "swallow boat," with two rowers. These are the most beautiful boats I ever saw, sharp as a needle, bow and stern. They hold two persons, and are constructed of beautiful wood, something like lance wood, richly carved, ornamented and carpeted." Caution is requisite on entering them, as they are very light and easily upset. The costume of the rowers, especially of those in the private boats, is most elegant; the head is shaved with the exception of a tall high tuft or plume of hair left to grow on the very top. They are habited in voluminous cotton trousers and a white silk shirt, with loose flowing sleeves reaching a little below the elbow, and hanging down for a foot or a foot and a half; in cool weather they have a scarlet or green habit wound round the body, which, contrasted with the white silk sleeves, has a very gay appearance. Many of them are very fine fellows, with tall, dark, sun-burnt foreheads, but it is impossible to give you an idea of the extraordinary style and character that the tuft gives them. Having placed ourselves in the boat with the dragoman squatted below, we darted off into the waters, telling them to row quickly to the valley of the Sweet Waters, as the Grand Signior was going in state to the mosque. Cautiously our rowers turned their heads from side to side, shouting to the numerous kirlangishes which swept rapidly by, and warning them of our approach. It is, indeed, necessary to be cautious, as the sharp points projecting from the bow would pierce through any boat with which they came in contact. We were advancing up the harbor of Perami, or Golden Horn; on our left rose Constantinople, with its mosques, minarets and towers; on our right a vast cemetery, shaded with innumerable cypress trees, extended from the suburbs of Galata, to the navy yard, in front of which floated several superb vessels of war, with the golden crescent glittering proudly on a red flag at the stern. We passed the palace of the Capitana Bey, or second admiral of the Turkish navy, a small palace of the Sultan, and the artillery barracks, a large good looking building, with an extensive terrace in front, covered with several field-pieces. Morad Bey, one of the admirals of the Turkish navy, swept rapidly past us in a beautiful boat, with ten rowers, and several great Turks in blue frock coats and scarlet caps, the new regulation dress of the Sultan, every now and then glided along; gradually the boats became thinner, the houses became more scattered, and, after rowing about five miles, we were leaving Constantinople behind us. Houses and green trees studded the left shore, and behind rose a lofty hill, covered with a Turkish cemetery and tall cypresses. On our left were some gardens, and at the gates were several boats filled with officers in uniform. In a short time we arrived at a small palace, the residence of the Sultan's sister, landed on a small quay, and presented ourselves to a group of officers, dressed in blue frock coats, scarlet caps and blue tassels; by them we were politely ushered into a large open space bordered by trees, with the palace on one side of it; here the troops were drawn up in line, with two bands of music. Arabian horses decked in superb trappings were in attendance. The bridles were co vered with jewels set in gold, and the scarlet saddle-cloths were embroidered with flowers worked with pearls. In the centre of each flower glittered a diamond, and the massy Turkish stirrups, either gilded or of solid gold, were most superb in appearance. Groups of officers were standing about in different directions. A flourish of trumpets drew all eyes to the door of the palace, where stood the descendant of the prophet, habited in a blue cloak cut in the European fashion, with an upright collar embroidered with gold and jewels; a tall scarlet cap, with a blue tassel, occupied the place of the handsome turban. All the officers seemed in a fright; they ran here and there, in a great hurry-one rushed up to us, first told us to stand in one place, then to get behind a screen of boardsand then scampered away as if he had been crazy. The bands struck up a lively air, the Sultan mounted, and rode on preceded by several officers, neither looking to the right or left, very grave and very dignified, apparently not condescending to notice any thing, but in fact sufficiently observant. A long, handsome, jet black beard fell upon his breast; he had rather a good face, and was much younger looking than I expected. The moment that he passed, there was a great mounting and plunging of horses, and clouds of dust; some companies of infantry filed off after him, and we were about hastening to the boat to go down to the mosque, when an officer came up in great haste to our dragoman, and demanded who we were" Travellers." "Of what nation?"-"English," and immediately hurried off again. We were afterwards told, that the most trifling thing failed not to attract the observation of the Sultan, and that if any thing excited his curiosity he satisfied it immediately. We walked onwards a few hundred yards, to the base of the hill; the whole road by which the Sultan was to pass was lined with infantry two deep; on the right of the road extended a cemetery, and under the shade of the cypress trees were crowds of Turkish women. The Turks saluted him by touching their foreheads and breasts, and the band of each regiment struck up as he passed. But it was altogether a sorry royal procession; the military, of which there were not less than 10 or 15,000, had a miserable appearance; the officers were quite a caricature upon the name. What a contrast is there between a Turk in his proper dress, and a Turk in Frank costume. Among the whole line of sol |