The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-07-14

shaped ike canoe, only very sharp al the fore end
and much deeper and broader at the other, They
are highly ornamented with carving inside and
kept IN the most perfect order Ii is necessary to
be extremely cautious in entering them, as they
float like an egg shell, and would easily upset They
are propelled by one two, or three men, according
TO their size, with pair OF small oars each, which
are handsomely turned and have a large swell in
side, near the hand, to counterbalance the palm
outside; they glide along with grea, rapidily and
are managed with great dexteriy After taking
look al The ieet from our boat, we went to the
Navy Yard To see Mr.. Reeves, the architect, who
promised 10 procure an order from the Capudan
Pacha tor us to visit them. But as preparations
were being made Tor visit from the Sultan, it was
not procured until the day of our departure, when
we assigned 1t over TO OF our English friends
Mr. Reeves is bnildlng large war steamer of hand
some model
The next day we crossed the Golden Horn 10
Constantnople, and after long walk through the
streets, filled with shops and artizans at work at their
various occupations, we arrived at the slave mar
ket, large building, with rooms looking towards
court in the centre. The whole of these apart
ments were occupied by almsst exclusively
black. slaves, most of whom wore n white
covering over part OF the face, 10 show
that 'hey were damaged goods, and were TO
be re-sold tor misconduct. After re-crossing the
HON, we went TO the religious ceremonies of
the dancing or waltzing Dervshes. The building
Is OF an octagon form, and there was convenient
position appropriated 10 Christians After perform
ing tor about halt an hour the usual prosrations of
the Alahometans. with the face toward Mecca, and
occasionally repeating aloud the usual fervent and
plous eScuatlons of that truly religious people, such
as " Allah akoar," nc, the party consisting Of
abon; twenty men, dressed in sort of loose frock,
with high white felt hats, shaped like an inverted
garden tower-por, threw off their coaks and after
first passing slowly and bowling both sides of the
Superlor's seat which he had vacated to lead them
they began whirllng round with their eyes nearly
closed and arms extended, for about ten fifteen
minutes, with great speed and regularity, ard with
out coming IN collision, until the eyes OF the specta
H. l..
marching around the room two or three times, bow
ing as before, the whining was repeated until at a
given signal all stopped simultaneously and facing
the centre OF the room without lall This fanatica
nonsense was continued about an hour. Their
frocks from the waist TO the floor formed perfect
cones, from the violent rotary melton. There was
a sort of orchestra, consisting of kind of drum
and reed pipes and some voices to accompany the
dancers, although not SO much 10 my taste as the
Italian Opera established here, which is, however.
quite inferior TO that at Smyrna.
However extraordinary this mode of worship
may appear, 1t was nothing when compared with
what we saw day or two aiterward at Scutari, on
the opposite side OF the Bosphorus, at the convent
of Howling Dervlshcs Previous to the ceremonies
we looh ed through the immense cemetery of Scu.
tart, which being in Asia, is revered as more sacred
ground than Europe, and has received the remains
OF millions from the opposite shore. At both the
birth and death of Moslem, cypress tree is plant
ed at his grave and consequently there are miles of
these gloomy but stately trees We here observed
a monument much more lofty and grand than the
others by which it was surrounded, and learned that
il was the spot where the favorte horse of Sultan
Sem was burned. Having entered the church, we
various instruments of torture hanging around
the walls, such as chain scourges, pointed irons
&c, which were used for self-pnishmen by these
fanatics, by running them in their flesh, and some
times red hot, through their cheeks, until prohibited
by the orders OF government. After various ceye-
MONIES they arranged themselves around the sides
of the room, very closely together and moved their
bodies backward and forward with great violence,
their heads shaking about on their shoulders IN such
manner that it was wonderful they did not drop
of This shaking and violent agitation OF the body
was continued alternately in standing and sitting
position, to a bowling and granting noise, made by
the whole party, but perfectly III unison, until it
reached double quick time. At this period, many
of them became ravlng mad from the agitation the
brains had undergone their faces became purple,
the persplraton poured from them, and they dashed
their heads with the greatest violence the floor.
The individual who gave the hardest thump sup
pose considered the most inspired by the spirit.
When any of them fell into convnIsive fit, those
who had ken less active part in the proceedings
stretched them on the floor and prevented them
from doing themselves any further injury. There
were several boys IN the party going through the
same evoutoas The whole scene was admirably
calculated 10 convey an idea OF a mad.house, and
was beyond doubt the most extraordinary instance
of mental or regi ous deluson ever Witnessed
There were two who were evidently wags in their
way, and although they did full share of work,
were occasionally laughing, and had come for
frohc beyond doubt Notwithstanding these ex-
ceptlons, must do the Turks the justice to say, that
as far as my observation extends they are the most
lous people IN the world, prostrating themselves IN
prayer three times day, the deck of a steamer,
on the road side, or wherever they may be, and toll
lowing the preceps OF their religion so closely that
dishonesty is almost unknown among them
Touching the instances OF fanatcsm Just mentioned,
It Is useless TO blind ourselves to exhibitions scarcely
less ridiculous among some of the professors Of
Christianity and with regard To their intolerance,
which Is fast wearing away, Christians being admit
ted IN all the mosques but one IN Constantnople 1t
sprobable that there Is an equal degree of that feel
ing toward certain persuasIons by majority of the
members of our own religion, and perhaps a more
cordial hate among some Of the sects of which it is
composed.
The mosque in which Christians are forbidden to
enter is called Egoub, and is situated at the upper
end of the Golden Horn, near which we saw some
splendid tombs and monuments of the royal family,
although from the proiusion of gold and coors
with which they covered as well as the
elaborate carvings, they had none of that solemnity
which we consider as essential TO place of repose
for the dead. The Sutans consider the same dis
play essential in the grave that which characte-
rises their movements on earth. We had an OPP
porunlty OF witnessing gorgeous scene of Eastern
magnllicence on the occasion of the Sultans visit
ing the mosl in state. The selected was situated
on the shore of the Bosphorus and we had fine
view of hts departure from it. The barque in
which he went had canopies with crimson velvet
curtains and sofas, and were propelled by 26 oars.
A band of music struck UP on his discriminating and
eI!'oarhlnB NJ uie mosque, anu Tue sh!s vi wal,
which were covered with flags fired salute on his
leaving and reaching the palace. He was attended
BY all the dgnitaries of state in the barges which
followed. The Sultan's name is Abdul Medjid,
and he is good-looking young man. of about 20
years of age.
We then crossed to Constantinople, and went to
see the subterranean reservoir of Jeri Batam Serial
very ancient work OF great strength with massive
arches, extending under large portion of the city,
and filed with wafer brought by the aqueduct OF
Vaurs, which Is very substantial and lofty, and
sruced on double arches. We then went TO the
Hippodrome now public square, in which there is
an obelisk of Egyptian granite, about fifty feet
which from an inscription appears to lave beef,
placed there by the Emperor Theodosius Not far
off is broken spiral bronze column, about twelve
feet high and eighteen inches diameter, called the
Bronze Serpens, and no doubt the one brought by
Constantine from Delphi The heads have been
broken off and carried away Beyond this, there is
an imitation obelisk of mason work in a vcrv d,n;