Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-05-14
From he London .NeW .Nontiiy -NagaEis,e.
CONSTANTINOPLE.

The Mosque was very PLAN; having taken our seats
in the gallery, waited for some time, while the
DervisItes were engaged ia drinking, as our guard,
captain OF the yauizarcs informed us, to exercise
themselves to 90 through the strange exhibition that
followed. young man of the order ,hen mount
cd IN Hight of steps without the door, and SUM-
monsd, in very loud and mournful voice, for near
~ halt an hour, the faithful to attend. The Der
wishes all entered and, ranged in long Iinc began
10 rockthcir bodies to fro in simultaneous move
>meik. But this motion soon became more rapid,
aud ALA and Mohammed, At FIRST pronounced in a
low aud sad tone, burst from ticr lips with violence
They then all threw oil their garmeuts, sprans
from the ground, and threw their arms furiousy a.
bout. As their ina sinatons became more heated,
stripped themselves nearly naked, othe foam
ed at the mouth; one two old men exhausted.
sunk on tho ground, aud the cries of God and the
Prnphct, ...is..; DC heard atar off.
TWAS Il singular spectacle IF enthusiasm and NV.
pocrisy combined; but what cnsued was more dis
CASTING, FOR they took redhot irons and applied them
TO their legs and feet, and other parts of their bodies
still howng out amidst their pain the name of the
Eternal, in whose honour they would have their Gre
dulous assembly believe, they suffered all this. a
great part of the Dervshes notorious libertines
and ptohigatcs, as the better informed Turks are
of,eu heard to call them. They consist of various
orders: some live in onastcries, others lead wan
dering life through different parts of the empire,
chiefly subsstins on the hospitality of the faithful
In the island of Cyprus met with 4 young Der
wise OF this kind his features fair and eerni-
nate, and his long hair fell in ringlets on his neck
and bosom; oh the latter he several pieces of
stained glass, fancifully disposed; his appearance
beokencd any thing but devotion Others are to
be seen rowing about with thick dishevced hair,
wild looks, and half naked; these profess poverty
and sci-denial. and are held most in reverence By
the people. Many of these men, however, are sim
cere teachers and examples of their religion, and
lead the lille of pilsrirs, fix on some secluded
spot, where they live abstemiousy, and repay with
their coansels the simple presents uf the people
The most eminent of them are termed Santons, and
have handsome monuments built on their graves in
the shade OF trees, which are ever after regarded
with peculiar vcneration.
The fast of Ratnadan ended few DAYS aro. AS
rgidly kept as that of the Jews: the Turk finds it
severe enough To remain from the next,
without q morscl; then coffee and his pipe arc in
deed his solacc, for these permitted. With what
tunultuous joy did the believers deport themselves
in a coffee -house not far from the English palace
They danced wildly in groups to the sound of the
guitar and tambour, embraced one another as they
Talked of the night near at hand when the first APP
pearancc of the new moon should announce that
Ramadan was over, and Beiram was begun. II
came at last ;-on that night, every miuarct of the
grand mosques was illumined from top 10 bottom
with innumerable rows OF Lamps. You could dis
tinguish those of Achmed, Sueeimanieh, and ST.
Sophia; II was peculiar and splendid sight, and the
vast city and its people seemed he huslcd in the
siess OF midnight waiting for the signal of fesiivi-
rets eagerly bent their looks catch the first glimpse
OF the new moon the moment it was perceived,
loud and joyful shouts, which spread Instantly all
over the city, announced that the hour of indul-
sence had come, and full compensation for all their
denials.
l, twas really pleasing to observe, the next day,
the looks of kindness and almost fraternai feeling
which they cast on each other. The poor man is
often seen at this period to take the hand and kiss
Inc cheek OF the rich and naughty, who returns the
saiesaton as 10 his equal, brother i'll the glorious
faith OF their Prophet an heir alike the privileges
OF his Paradise. Delight was pictured in every
countenance; every one put on his finest apparel
and the sound OF music heard on every side
mingled with songs in honor OF their religion. We
are too apt to divcst the Turks of domestic virtues
yet one cannot bur be stcuc' with their extreme
tondness for their children beautiful beings they Of
ten are, beyond those OF any other country IuI)a-
mascus, have many times stopped in the streets TO
gaze at children six or eight years of age whose ex
tremc loneliness II was impossible admire =
and afterwards in Trpolitza, | cannot forret how
the love oil Turkish lady to her two youngest
children, rsked the murder OF herself, her son and
daughter, and her most intimate friend. The popu-
latoh OF Constantinople has been much overrated :;
according to General Scbastianis caculat ionwhile
he was ambassador, it does not exceed four hundred
thousand; and the suburbs OF Pera Galata, Scuta-
ii, &c. with the line of VILLAGES along tho shores of
the Bosphorus, contain eight hundred thousand
more. considerable part of the ground the city
covers IS taken up with gudcns. The areas of the
mosques are generally planted with trees, and a
fountain, sometimes richly ornamcntcd, stands at
the entrance, for Turk seldom enters without first
washing his feet, laying aside his shoes he treads
an MS soft slippers. The solemnity of this pcope
at their devotions is very striking; whether in the
mosque or In tue open air, they appear entirely
stracted from all around; and you would think from
the expression of their features that the spirit and
the alike devoted to thi, sacred tutv
;hey are generally SILENT that the sound of AL
La, pronounced in low and humble tone is often
heard The mosques are in general unadorned and
thu architecture quite simple the name of God and
passages from the Koran are inscribed i'm gold let
tiers the walls lofty corridor goes ali round
the interior of the buildings the circular space in
the middle, where the pulpit of the Imaun stands,
is lighted By dome at the top The assembly
range themselves beneath the corridor on mats and
carpets the greater part of the time is occuter in
prayer.
The habits of an Oriental are vory simple the
absence of every kind OF public amuse and dis
sipation with his rigid adherence TO all the usages
o his fathers, makes one day the picture Of every
other. Turk of good condition rises with the sun:
and as he sleeps on soft cushions, dvesing himself
nut OF small part of his dress, il costs him little
trouble al the toilet. lie offers UP his PRAYER and
then breakfasts on cup of Coffee some swectmeats
aad the luxury Of his pipe. Perhaps lie will read
the Koran, or the glowing poetry of HaGz and Sadi
tor Il knowledge OF the Persian is the frequent ac-
tompis!incnt Of the upper ranks of both sexes lie
,en ORDERS lisArab horse, ind rides for two or three
hours, or exercises with the jerrd, and afterwards
dimes about midday highly seasoned piIayy
In the afternoon, the cofeehouses, where the East
ern story-ecrs resort, tvorite places of enter
idInncnt; seated in his cool kiosk, on the banks
Of toe Bosphorus, he yields TO lis useless but de-
iightful habit Of musiIg. But the decline of dav
brings the Turks highest joys; he then dimes on
variety Of seasoned dishes. his iced sefbet, cniovs
probably party Of his friends and afterwards Vi
Sis the HnrcIn. where his brlnrrh cl,ildrnr hr