Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-09-26

From Sketches Of Turkey. by an 'dme''can.J
DINNER WITH TURKISH GRANDEES.
1t is not often that the stranger in Turkey has
an opportunity of witnessing the interior OF
Turkish family, and 1t was therefore win MIN
gled feelings Of pleasure and curiosity ,nat we
accepted an invitation to dine with the REFS u.
man Bey one of the chief officers about the court
of Constantnople. He is the naval commander
of the port, and his rank is that OF admiral I'D te
navy. Ia company with two OF our countrymeh'
we presented ourselves at his palace al SIX I'D tue
evening" and we're introduced between Two long
lines of richly dressed domestlcs into the receP.
ton room, where his excelency awaited our arr.
val. The room was hung round with pictures "i
horses, battles, aud among Others the portrait Oh
the Empress Of Russia. The mention vt pictures
reminds US that none are more frequent IN lur-
kew than those vile coored French prints emblem
aical of the four quarters of the globe In these,
of course, America figures with her feathers,
bow and CULVER; and hence, the idea has been
adopted that we, as Americans, must necessarily
wear these ornaments and arms. friend who
has lust returned IRON Russia informs me, that
at Moscow he was asked IN large circle, where
he was introduced as an American, to put on his
real dress, and appear there next evening with
his paint feathers and arrows.
| Amnng the novelties in the apartment, which
| our host appeared to regard with cOmplacency,
was an English oil cloth in lieu of the mats which
| are universally used. Chairs too were placed
| in various parts Of the room. AS soon as the
customary eivlllties had been exchanged, the pipe
aud cnttee followed The pipes were masnt
cent, and of the real diplomatic size, being at
| least six feet IN length. We have already alln
| dpd to Turkish coffee, which has been alterna-
| ,elv ,il,fied and commended. 1t i. exceeding
| ly strong. and is served up with the grounds
ithout sugar or cream. An English traveller
TSandysI about century ago. after mInutelv
describing the Turkish process of making what
he most uuorlh"graphically spells ccDa, sravely
inquiries Whether it be not that black broth
which was in use among the Lacedamrnians. -
With regard to the Turkish coffee it may be
sa,d, h t after some j, tine becomes palatable and
when used in small quantities, and Tor the same
purpose that II is employed here, il Is an agree
able and refreshing beverage. The Turks never
use it as meal. but simply to sweeten their
mouths after smoking. Taken in this way, it is
far better than our weak infusion. which, By
courtesy alone has obtained the name Of coffee. -
| After some conversation with our host, who
speaks little Italian, we we're uSherrd into the
| next room, where we found the dinner served in
as handsome style as II has ever been our lot TO
witness IN Europe or America. The knives.
| forks and plates Of English manufacture.
and OF the most costly kind; the table was set
of bv cut glass Of exquisite workmanship -
| French vines ut the most delicate flavor made
their appearance. and in short, nothing was
wanting to satiSIy even the fa,ildlousnesS Of an
English exclusive. We should hardly nave sup
posed ourselves 10 Turkey, mad 1t II not been tor
the venerable boards IF some oI our nelshbors.
and the armed and scarlet dressed attendants
who stood behind our chars
| We took our seats without any ceremony or
pre- arranged order, and afer preliminary whet
with rakee as an Appellee. proceeded to do jus.
! tlce TO the good thing. before ia. Soup. h'h.
roasted turkeys jorp's Of mat. SC. were seve
! rally introduced and dis, used IN the most ortho
dnx aud unexceptioDab!e order. 1t wa, not until
We had made hearty meal, that We were appri,
zed thai our labnrs had only begun. According
to the custom of the country, there were onl>
some thirty or forty dishes in reserve, all OF
which must at least be tasted. in order to do no.
nor to our host Ii was practical illustration
Of the old saw, g. to kill with Kindness" but as
there was no escape, We braced ourselves tor the
task. The same savage custun prevails IN some
remote parts of our own country. regret to say,
and under even a more hOrrid shape. We still
remember with loathing and disgust an occasion
OF this kind, in which our efforts TO be civil near.
| " cost US our Lille. Our worthy hostess had sue.
ceehed IN heapng on our plate motley mixture
of meat, vegetables, and sauce OF such prodigiuus
dimensions. that we fear TO name them. lest we
should be suspected of exaggeration We may,
however, mention, that could not feed from
its summit, without arising from our chair, and
to attack the TANKS of this artificial mound might
have caused the whole TO topple down headIong
and bury us-in premature grave. Thanks to
the organization OF the societies for the suppress
sion Of vice, these enormitIes are now rarely per.
perated. Turkish practice offers few Of these
Inconvenience; for, provided one merely tastes
a dish II is sufficient. but many of them were so
exquisite, that We should have been pleased with
an opportunity Of discussing them as whole
meal. They were all new to us, and many Of
them exceedingly savoury,-one in particular
seemed worthy Of brevet d'ImPortation into our
hemisphere. Itappears in the shape of an i'm.
| IN on so custard and ou,e ifa macmillan ovcaitont