Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-06-22

moveless mass of cypress, varied by the
vast domains Of the palace, which occa-
sionally glittered through, or rose over
it. On the left was Scutari, one of the
suburbs on the Asiatic side. with its white
mosques: and as we drew nearer the
landing-place, large boats, with Turks of
all ranks and dresses, passed rapidly by.
We we're not aware of the tumults
and massacres of which Copstantinople
had been the scene. Ii was not safe for
European TO pass through Peru or Ga
Iata, without Jannizary On landing at
the latter suburb, we entered coffee
house; but the Turks, with impressive
gestures, warned us away. Not only
the soldiers, but all the popuIace, bore
arms: fhe very boys had their pistols
and attagban, and had learned 10 dip
their hands in blood Almost every day
some dreadful atrocity wac acted
1,here was no mercy for the Greek,
wherever discovered: no home could
shelter him, save the palaces of the am
bassadors. The windows of the lofty
apartment, where we lodged, looked
'o"n on cemetery, with its cypress
grove. AS soon as evening set in, the
firing OF muskets and pistols commenced
around it, and was kept up, at intervals,
through the night: this rendered il I'M
safe to walk there after sunset. or the
Greek boyars, or noblemen, scarcely one
now remains. Those who were not
slain 10 the tnmults have fled from their
homes, and left their families and pos
sessions at the mercy of the Turks.
The village OF Therapia, on the Bos-
phorus, was celebrated alike for the
beauty of its women, and the uncommon
loveliness OF its situation. 1t was lux.
ury to stranger, in the cool of evening,
to see the Greek ladies' and princesses
walking there, with their raven hair,
scarcely confined, and the rich veil turn
ed aside; their classic features and fine
forms harmonizing well with the exquis-
Ite scenery around bui now every path
is silent there, and their palaces are de-
serted
We set out early one morning. par
" of six, to make the tour of the walls
of Constanlinople. 1t was a very sultry
and cieudless day; but any fatigue would
have been repaid by such promenade.
The country,in the immediate neighbour
hood, it is in vain to attempt to describe.
These ancient walls have most noble
and venerable appearance they are
about Forty feet high in many parts, with
th'.r towers quite shrouded with ivy.
But 1t was in vain we attempted to dis
cover the place of the breach by which
the Turks entered. The whole circuit
OF the walls is eighteen miles; but the
line towards the sea is not so lofty. A.
bout-a mile off, on the plain, is the lofty
moend where Mahomoud planted his
standard, and first beheld the city and.
transported with its beauty, swore by the
Prophet never 10 stir thence till it was
bis own. 1t is directly opposite the gate
of Topheani, whence the unfortunate
Constantine made his last sally, and, De-
ing MORALLY wounded, was borne 10 a
shaded spot near by, where he expired.
There was an Armenian coffee-house
at this place, outside the wall: we en-
tered it, and soon felt the reality of orr
entail luxury. When exhausted by heat
and fatigue, to recline on soft cushions
by the side of fountain, 10 drink Ara
bian coffee or sherbet, and take the Ar
gille, where the smoke, after passing
through vase of water, comes cooled
through soft and curling tube to the
mouth; all this acts on the senses with a
powerful charm. We afterwards came
to the ruins of small Greek church,
lately destroyed, that had been held in
peculiar veneration, on account of some
sacred fish that had been preserved
there in pool, with infinite care. At
the storming Of the city by Mahomoud,
the wall near which this church stood
was considered impregnable. One of
the Greek priests was frying some FISH,
secure in his situation. On messen-
ger entering with the news that the
Turks were forcing their way in, Il
would as soon believe,' exclaimed the
lpriest, that this fish would leap out of
he pan, and swim about the room, as
such an impossible event. Strange to
}say, the thing actually happened; and
Fhese sacred fish were preserved, till
Eately, invielable; but they toe, have
fallen with their masters, before the
kacrilegious Turks.-While we were
fthere, two poo Greeks drew nigh, with
marks of the deepest reverence, and one
of them shed tears at the sight of the ru-
ins.-We then took boat and landed
not far from the Almeidan, or chief
square of the city here stands the
splendid mosque Of Sultan Mahmoud !;
but no European at that time was allow
ed to enter the mosques, and we could
only gaze on the outside of Saint Sophia.