The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-10-29

PORTRAIT OF THE SULTAN. DIR. Walsh,
i'll his Narrative of Journey from Constqn-
ttRopts TO England, has male repeated al
lusions to the reigning sovereign of the
Turks, and from his work we compile the
following account. Mahomed is a man lit
tie past the prime, but still in the vigor of
life. He succeeded his imbece brother,
Mustapha, in the year 1908 When he
moulted the throne the Russians were at
war with the Turks and it was at the mo-
ment when the latter were retreating from
the positions they held at our last advices.
The new Sultan began at once to display
the energy Of his character. He set up the
standard of the prophet at large plain two
miles from Constantinople, and issued
Haiti Sheriff, that all Mussulmen should
rally round it. He thus assembled large
army, but after some severe conflicts with
the Russians, both parties were induced to
come to an accommodation in 1912, the
Turks being obliged to relinquish consid-
erahle territory. The Sultan resembles
Peter the Great in many points of charac
ter; the same determination in undertake
ing, the same energy in pursuing, and the
same relentless rigor in executing, any pur-
pose: like Peter he found the domineering
OF his pr9torlan guards no longer tolerable
and as Peter rid himself of his Streitzes,
SO Mahomed determined to dispose of his
Janissaries. Finding they revoIted at his
attempt to introduce the European disci-
pline, he caused them, to the number OF
10000, to be surrounded by his other troops.
and slaughtered. lie is MAN we'll versed
J in oriental literature, writes and under
stands Arabic we'll and his Haiti Sherifs.
which he always dictates, and sometimes
| writes with his hand, ire admired for their
style and composition. He is not man of
morose or cruel disposition in his own
| family: on the contrary, he has several
children. TO whom he is atfeutonately at
tached ar,l in his ordinary intercourse in
private life is urbane and affable. His pub
| lie conduct, however, has been marked by
extraordinary fierceness and unrelentinu
| rigor. even to the Turks themselves; and
! in this he has shown Il disregard to human
| life. and not Il strict adherence to human
obligations. But whatever his conduct has
been to his own subjects, to those Of other
nations he has afforded the most lnviolable
protection. lie has discontinued the bar
I harous practice Of his predecessors, in send-
| ing ambassadors to the Seven Towers; in
stead of which, whenever they disagree
and are disposed to depart, he affords them
every facility, and those of their nation who
| pleuse tn remain are in security. 1t is hut
| Justice to the Sultan to say that his moder-
alton and good faith have afforded exam
Dies which Christian nations in Europe
might be proud to follow. The Turks OBJ
tanned possession of Constantinople under
Mahomet, and they are firmly persuaded
they shall lose it under a Mahomet,- and
that Mahomet is the present reigning Sui
tan. This impression is confirmed by an
cient prophecies which are current among
them. He is the last of the male race OF
Mahomet of an age fit to reign; and it is to
this circumstance be is indebted for his in
violability.--.M Y. Jour. Of Commerce.
I CHINESE CUsToMs. In the month of
| April, generally about the 5th, the ISing-
ming term occurs. Tsingming denotes pure
and splendid. This is the season when all
persons, throughout the empire, whether
rich or poor, repair to the Hills, or Iumuli
of their ancestors, to worship.
The rich collect all their kindred to nc
company them, on these occasions. They
kill victims, prepare fruits, cakes, and wine,
/ in the greatest variety and abundance /;
erect booth on the hills, provide candles,
incense, gold and silver puper, suits of
clothes, red and white slips Of paper, &c.
&C.; and assemble by hundreds to sweep
the tombs, and returf them. They then