Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-11-27
DESCRIPTION OF CONsTANTINoPLE.
Bu ~. p. W,IIie-


/ round the City Hall, remove their fronts
pile up al their goods on saelves facing
the street; cover the whole with roof
and metamorphose your trim clerks into
bearded, turbanned, and solemn old mus
sulmeD, smooth Jews, and calpat ked anc
rosy Armenians, & you will have some
thing like the grand bazaar Of Constan
tinople. You can scarcely get an idea
Of it, without having been there. 1t i,
city under cover. You walk all day
and day after day, from one street to a,
mother, winding and turning, and trudg
ing up hill and down, and never go Out
Of doors. The Roof is as high as those
Of our three story houses, and the din
light so favorable to shop keepers, comes
struggling down through the sky lights
never cleaned except by the rains ofhea.
{ ven.
sStrolling through the bazaar is an
endless amusement. 1t is slow work
for The streets are as crowded as church
aisle after service and pushed aside one
moment by bevy of Turkish ladies'
shutting along In their yellow slippers,
muffled to the eyes, the next by fai
slave carrying a child, again by kervas
armed to the teeth, and clearing the way
for some coming dignitary, you find
your emily policy is to draw in your ell
"nows, and suffer the molly crowd to
shove you about at their ple asure.
Each shop in this world oftraffic may
be about two yards wide. The owner
sits cross legged Gu the broad counter
below, the height of chair from the
ground, and hands you all you want
without stirring from his seat. One
broad bench or counter runs the length
Of the street, and the different shops are
only divided by the slight partition OF
the shelves. The purchaser seats him.
self on the counter, to be out of the
way of the crowd, and the shopman
spreads out his goods on his knees, new
er condescending 10 open his lips except
to tell you the price. If he exclaims
''bono" or "calo,' (he only word a real
Turk ever knows Of any other language,)
he is stared at by his neighbors as man
would be in Broadway who should break
out with an Italian brapura. Ten to one
while you are examining his goods, the
bearded trader creeps through the hole
leading to his kennel of dormitory in
the rear, washes himself and returns to
his counter, where, spreading his sacred
carpet in the direction Of Mecca, he goes
through his prayers and prostrations,
perfectly unconscious Of your presence,
or that Of the passing crowd. NJ voca-
ton interferes with his religious duty.
Five times day, if he were running
from the plague, the mussulman would
find time for prayers.
The Frank purchaser attracts great
deal Of curiosity. As he points to an
embroidered handkerchief, or a rich
shawl, or pair Of gold worked slippers,
Turkish ladies Of the first rank, gather.
ing their yashmaeks securely over their
faces, stop close to his side, not minding
if they push him little to get nearer
/. to the dearest article. Feeling not the
least timidity, except for their faces,
these true children Of Eve. examine the
goods in barter, watch the strangers
countenance, and If he takes off his
glove, or pulls out his purse, takes it up
and look at it without ever saying "by
your leave" Their curiosity often ex-
tends to your dress, and they put out their
little henna-stained fingers and pass them
over the sleeve Of your coat with CUR
Cling expression of admiration tits fine
ness, OF if you have rings or watch.
guard they lift your hand or pull out
your watch with no kind Of scruple.
have met With several instances Of this
in the course Of my rambles. But day
or two ago, found myself rather more
than usual subject Of curiosity. Twas
alone in the street of embroidered hand
kerchiefs, (every minute article has its
peculiar BAZAAR and wishing to look al
seine Of uncommon beauty, l called one
Of the many Jews always near stran.
ger, to turn penny by interpreting fol
him, and was soon up to the elbows in
goods that would tempt female angel
out Of paradise. Twas selecting one
for purchase, woman pumped down
upon the seat beside me, and fixed her
great, black, unwirking eyes upon my