Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-05-03


body of men, asthey circled around their i'm
peria' master, II very peculiar and imposing
appearance II was coudiess and very
sultr} dag, aa;i their splendid arms that gilt
tered III tao san, contrasted strongly with
Ike spO':eSs hue OF their dresses. Each of
these men seemed to have been selected for
ms beauty, and they were certainly, to the
eye, noble fellows, though in close or des-
perate charge the ruder Dclhis would pro-
badly have beat them, for they were not
muscular or sinewy, but their full and iicshy
figures bore too much the character Of the
indolent and monotonous life sthe CIien-
tails. The Sultan Mahmoud, on horseback.
IN the midst of these men, was striking OBJ
lect: the pay which they receive, and the pc
GUITAR marks OF favor their master often be-
slows OH thom, render them peculiarly dcvo-
ted to his reason. They as well as the red
guards, had no part in the late re-
volt, but assisted with zeal in the destruction
OF their refractory comrades. 1t was sin
Esunr thing to see on this field so many Of
these men, the naughty janissarics, who were
not long after doomed to perish. OF the
many thousands on the ground, very tcy,
probably escaped. However cruel and
deSpotc the measure that was melted them,
their cup was certainly full and overfiowinr.
Inc history OF these lawless troops would
present rs dark, fierce, and bloody picture
Us mat OF the Pr,ttorlan guards of Rome,
whom they so closely resemble Should
they meet i'll the gardens of the Prophet.
whether they untime!y sent by hecatolnbs.
the many Sultans they have de;hroned and
put TO death, the many yiziers whose heads
{ have been thrown at their feet merely at
their call, reminding them of the countless
insults and slaughter they have made IN
me einPlFc--thc eternal groves and rushing
rivers, and lovely flowers, will hardly avoid be-
coming scene OF upro@r instead Of luxury
and love
Not far from the white guards stood a bo-
! dy OF men, little inferior to them ia appear
ancc, but less splenddIy accoutred-the red
guard. The entire ofthcir ilabilimcnts. t1r
ban, & c. were oftI,is color. They were rrt
however, SO tavorite body of men, or so
much trusted around the royal pcrs, as the
former. Not War-worn or veteran counto-
nance was TO be seen i'll either body. The
music vas sounded; and the fierce and wild
CRIES rung through the field, which are al
ways raised during the progress of the game
OF the dJerti; the display OF horsemaDshjp
was beautiful. The Sultan at last elismoun
ted, and went into small kiosgue or sum-
nier-house, built Of light materials for the
occasion, ana open IN front; here he reclincd
on splendid diyan, with two or three only
OF his iavorlte officers, and boheid, perfectly
at has ease, the army of troops, and the pro
gress ct the game. He was here shaded
from the su;try rays OF the sun, which fell in
fcnSely Oh n! the rest Of the field We fc!
'acm extremely oppressive, but the host OF
oTientais, who stood or sat on the groued.
seemed 20 care very iittlc about thc heat.
The whole scene vas a mere minicry OF war.
II ni, ,tr<t H.,
with all their sPiendor anst accoutremcnts
locked not like men tit for the horrid front Of
war, OF who would stand Il stern contest with
Determined troops. Their smooth, hand
some countcnanccs Qor they were mostly
young mcn) and spotiess dresses, would
have better Graced az ai:cicnt procession Of
fTocian youths and maidCnS to the hill of
the Acropolis, than hot and carnacc-coyer
ed field
The form ttiIeir weapons, and even the
weapons themselves, are not terrible; the
long ataghan is Il kind Of half sabre, that
would be annihiIa;cd by cut ola dragoon's
sword, The rich Ilandgar is of little use in bat
tie, AMI the bayonet they will not have re-
course 10 Their master; probably thinks
them an inyincibIe body: but The numerous
Janlsaares, who have since been sIarnl,tcred
were, III point q bodily strength and icrocity.
lhc hoWcr OF the Turkish troops; unruIy and
ungoTcrnahle fhcy were, but their slaughter
and dispersion IS an ircparab!e loss to the
empire. Ollc.- have paused 20 admire their
noble figures, the symmetry of their limbs.
the arm bare to the shoulder, the naked. no.
bic chest, the fearless though Iawlcss look
these, TOO. were veterans, at least a large pro-
portion Of iheIn-mcn who would FIGHT to
the last III the field, and had rooted zeal
olisy ior the honour Of the Ottoman arms.
lIrt they arc gone-and long will it be ere
the Sultan can raise body OF men to supply
their loss. Gould these men have sub
nltted to ihc discipline, and adopted the Eu-
foP@nn tactics, the result would have been
Europe has never seen. not e.
ven when the fierce Soraccn issued forth
from The interior Of Asia, more terrible or
formidable body of mcD than these ianissa-
rics, whose number was one hundred thou
sand, would have boon. About two hours az