Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-11-22

INTERPRETING for him, and was soon up 10 Inc ei-
bow in goods that would tempt female anger
out of Paradise. Asl was selecting one Tor pur
chase, a woman pumped down upon the seat
beside me, and fixed her great, black, unwink-
ing eyes upon my face, while an Abyssinlan
slave and another white woman, both appaI-
emily her dependents, stood respectfully al her
back. A small Turquoise ring (the faVorlte color
in Turkey first attracted her attention. She
took up my hand, and turned it over in her soit,
fat fingers, and dropped it again without saying
word. | looked at my interpreter, out ne
seemed to think it nothing extraordinary, ana
went on with my bargain. Presently my me
eyed friend pulled me by the sleeve, and as
leaned toward her rubbed her forehnger very
Quickly over my cheek looking at me lntenty
all the while. was little DISTURBED win lne
ladies' familiarity, and asked my Jew wnat sue
wanted found that my rubicund complexion
was something uncommon among these darh
skinned orentals. and she wished to satisfy her
selfthat was not painted! concluded my pur-
chase, and putting the parcel into my pocket
did my prettieSt at an oriental salaam, out 10
my modification, the lady only gathered up her
vashmack and looked surprised out OF her great
eyes at my freedom My Constantnople friends
inform me that am to lay no JUNCTION to my
SOUP from her notice, such liberties being not at
all particular. The husband eXacts from his
half dozen wives only the concealment of their
faces and they have no other idea ofimproprle-
ty in public.
In the centre Of the bazaar, occupying about
as much space as the body of the City Hall in
New York, is what is called the bezeStein. You
deccnd into it from four directions by massive
gates, which are shut, and all persons excluded,
except between and II of the forenoon. This
is the core of ConSantinople-th soul and cl-
tadel of orentaliSm 1t is devoted 10 the sale OF
arms and to costly articles only. The roof is
oftier and the light more dim than in the outer
baZaars and the merchants who occupy its
stalls are old and of established credit. Here
are subjects for the pehcil! If you can take your
eye from those Damascus sabres with their jew
elled hits and costly scab5ards, or from those
gemmed daggers and guns inlaid with silver and
gold, cast glance along that dim avenue and
see what range there is Of glorious old gray
boards with their snowy turbans! These are
the Turks of the old regime, before Sultan Nah.
mould disigured himself with coat like a dog
of christian" and broke in upon the customs
of the orient These are your opium eaters,
who smoke even in their sleep, and would not
touch wine if il were handed them by Hours!
These are your fataliSts who would scarce take
the trouble to get out Of the way Of a lion and
who are as certain of the miracle Of Mahomet's
coffin as of the length of the pipe, or Of the
quality of the tobacco OF Shraz!
| have spent many an hour In the beZeSteln,
| sleeping my fancy in its rich orientalism, and
sometimes trying to make purchase for myself
| or others. 1t is curious to see with what perfect
Indifference these old cross legs attend to lthe
| wishes ola Christian. was idling round one day
with an English traveller, whom had known
in Italy, when a Persian robe of singular beauty
hanging on one of the stalls arrested my COM
panion's attention. He had with him his Turk
sh dragoman, and the old merchant Was
smoking and looking right at us, we pointed to
the dress over his head, and the interpreter ask
ed to see it, The mussulman smoked calmly
on taking no more notice of US than OF the
white clouds curling through his beard. He
might have sat for Michael Angeles Moses
Thin pale, calm, and of statue-lke repose of
countenance and posture, with large old FASH
Toned turban, and curling beard half mingled
with gray, his neck bare, and his fine bust en-
veloped in the flowing and bright colored Ora
perry of the east-I bad never seen more ma
jeStc figure. He evidently did not wish TO have
any thing to do with us. AT last took out my
snuff-boX, and addressing him with etfend'
the Turkish title of courtesy, laid my hand on
my breast and offered him pinch. Tobacco
in this unaccuStomed shape is luxury here,
and the amber mouthpece emerged from his
mustache and putting his three fingers into my
box, he said .pekkhen the Turkish ejaculation
of approval. He then made room for us on his
carpet, and with cloth measure took the robe
from its nail, and spread 1t before us. My
friend bought it unhestatingly for a dressing
gown, and we spent an hour in looking at
shawls, of prices perfectly startling, arms, cha
Ices for incense spotless amber for pipes, pearls,
bracelets of the time of Sultan Sem, and an
endless variety of" things rich and rare" The
closing of the bezesten gates interrupted our
agreeable employment, and our Old friend gave
us the parting salaam very cordially for Turk.
| have been there frequently since, and never
pass without offering my snuff-box, and taking
Whit or two from his pipe, which cannot re-
fuse, though it is not out of his mouth, except
when offered to friend, from sunrise till mid
night.
pIrS,v pon\,Sr