The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-05-04
Ertracf from cnrnes's Letters from

The East
AS | sat one afternoon beneath tie
Por'Ieo of the Palace of the Janr7a-
rIes IN Constantinoplc. two Greeks
~ superior class. " ere brought In
under guard. II Was impossible
rot to be moved at surh scene.
They We're both elderly men; and
as they walked With a 6rm sten.
theT looks we're placid and resi- ~
cd. Their fate was inevitable 4:
/ their retreat was discovered. aud
they were torn from their families to
due. Indeed II VAS singular II oh
serve the resignation approaching
to apathy. which the Greeks IN e.
neral met their fate. One uufortu-
nate man bad made lis escape , bnt
so strong WAS his desire after "A R.w
WEEKS to see is family again, that
he vcntuIed back. The very even
Ing "l his return he Was discovered
~ Galata aud dragged forth. The
Greck knelt down. folded hiq arms
on his breast TRANQUILITY and With
Out ANY change of feature, and was
instantly shot. passed by the b.
dy OF this man twire afterwards. the
Turks az WAS their frequent lrac-
tlce after bcheading. had fixed the
head between the knees ia an up
right position, so that its CHASTITY as
peCt was sure 10 meet the eve Of the
passenger. The mus Sclmeu certain
~ excel all other people in their
deAtcrlty in taking of the head at
one blow. Afterwards. at SMYRNA,
went early one morning to the cx
rcntInn Of 25 Greeks. who we're nut
to death III this way with little pain.
bnt the scene was closed before ar
rived ut the spot, where the bodies
were then lylng in a heap. 1t was
truly shocking To see how cheap hu-
man life was held. The women
were better off in this respect woe
to those who had any beauty they
always found their way to the ha.
rems OF the Turks. IN become their
slaves and mistrcssseS; white the
PLAIN ones were cared nothing about.
A young and very lovely Greek was
offered for sale by an \ rmeniau mer-
chant at Constanrinoplc for twenty
thousand piastres, (about six hun
dred pounds One of the Pashas
owed linn that sum, aud sent him
this lady. who had become his cap
tive. as payment, with directions
that he must sell her for the full a
mount. The sex were, indeed, sal
ly degraded at this period.-At tie
stormng of hivaly. d Greek tow
on the coast of Asia Minor, the
Turks having put all the men to
the sword, aud secured the few beau
ties for their seraglins. sold the rest
of the women, for hity piaetres, OF
thirty shiIlings, apiece.
II several Of the warehouses Of
the English merchants at Smyrna.
/ tie ladies were crow ded together.
of all kinds. ranks ages, and charms,
too happy 10 escape the hands of the
true believers, never daring to quit
their retreats and supplied with food
by the generosity OF their protectors.
But to return to StanIboul. How
entire a change from the freedom 4
gaicty of France, which he had 50
lately left The women You meet have
most rcpuIsive appearance ; huge
cloak hangs down to their feet, aud
thick white veil covers the upper
part of the face the palIid hue Of
the small part exposed, with the dark
eyes pecring earnestly over the
veil, gives them just the appearance
Of corpses.
Love can have little power on the
minds Of people among Whom the
free association Of the sexes. or the
knowledge of each other is forbid by
custom. For ambition. OF the rest
less desire to rise IN the world, whe-
ther to riches or fame. rhe Turk Ger
tainly cares less than any other be
ing. The pride of family, or the
trouble ofsQs'aniisVA. Affects him
little. there being no orders Of noblll-
! ty among them. Give him his Arab
horses, his splendid arms, his pipe
and coffee, his seat in the shade.aud
the Turk is generally coutented with
the state which Alta has assigned
him. The pleasures al the table
have few charms for him, fpr no o.
Their nation can equal their temper
Lan1.n II taiile- HuL hla ilInl. Ms rn-