Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-08-21

- a.
his friend in Boston. The writer unior.
tuuateIy died by the plague, on his pas.
sage from AleXaniria, in Egypt, to Con.
stantinople, in Grecian vessel.
lBos.on Pa.ri0..
no. 81
The city Of Smyrna is of great eyreD,
and IFS population very numerous. bu, a,
the Turks keep no record OF births or
deaf 5, il would be impossible 10 ascertain
the number. have heard j; stated, from
one hundred and fifty thousand 10 two hun.
DIRE | thousand.
Ali the Europeans are indscriminately
la Franks and occupy, with few excer.
tins one street bearing their name il !,
= out I 5 feet wide, unusually spacious for
is country, and eXIen S nearly one half
OF the length OF the city, The fronts Of
their hous, s are protected by ponderous
gates, secured at night with locks and
chains, and from the back part 10 the bay
terraces, forming the roofs If magazines q,
merchandise, serve as walks, whence they
have full view Of the harbour, shipping
and surrounding country.
Consu!s representing countries having
Ambassadors at Constantinople, are al.
lowed cert in number of Jsnissaries, some
oil whom are generally found sitting al Their
gates, invariably smoking, with their belt,
SO overloaded with swords, daggeH and
piso's, that The object intended in Carrying
them, appears lost.
When any difficulty takes place between
the Franks of any nation, and the Turks,
tie case is always leii for the Consul De.
els ron, and is senera ly settled harmOniCr;.
y As for our coun,rymen, not having any
ambas ador At the Porte, and without which
a consul would not be recognised in any
other port of Turkey, they remain al lhe
mercy Of the natives, who, thank God, an
not disposed to injure any one! am how.
ever, informed. that the Captain PGdl
has taken the Americans under his pruet.
ton: why, cannot ascertain, but presume
it arises from his observing the eyideut
increase of cur comh cree in the Levant
seas
hat part of the city inhabited by Arus.
mans and Greeks, is built extremely CON.
pact-the houses are all OF wood. painted
in the most ridiculous manner; and a, they
are generally three stories in height, pro.
jccting over each other, the upper apart.
ments of opposite buildings nearly meet
leaving but small! space for the light 10
penetrate into crooked streets about sn
feet wide, having gutter OF mud in the
middle.
Progressing little from the centre Of
business to that part where the Turks re.
side, the streets become wider and cleaner
and some of the houses belonging TO the
wealthy people are very large and decent.
ly OrnameDted on the outside by paintings,
but the windows lacing the streets are gene
rally closed, particularly those belonging
To the apartments OF the women, called lbe
Harum. They, however, have an oppoI.
tunity of seeing those who pass, without
being seen, having small holes bored
through their shutters.
Most ofthe merchandise for sale is placed
on the outside of the shops. as is the custom
throughout the East; and as the people have
but little idea OF taste or regularity, you
frequently see warehouses containing East
India, Persian and European manufactures,
situated between butchers shop andl
bake house, the oven of the latter, and
dead animals contained in the former; eI.
posed 10 The streets.
The frequent oblutions Of the Turks do.
ring the day, particularly before prayer
have rendered fountains, which are gene.
rally considered objects Of luxury, ab:O.
lutely Necessary: and they are found 10
most Of the Bazars, Khsns, and principal
streets-one OF them has been supplied
with snow from reservoirs in the mountains
for many years, large amount having been
left by Turk at his death for that purpose;
and the man whose duty it is TO replenIsh
it, takes particular pains 10 invite strangers,
as they pass, TO partake ofits waters.