Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1844-07-04
Letters from Abroad. No. X.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, Nov. S. 1s4.

FroM the City OF the Sultan within view n
the "Sublime Porte" in the town of Pera. amid
molly conglomeration of s'Franks" from all partz
the world, and speaking as many languages as mus
have formed good part of the confusion O
tongues at the tower OF Babel; within sound of The
muezzen, Tor call to prayer of the mussalman, anc
withal may say in the midst of sscty of the dead
(fcr an extensive Turkish cemetery is beneath oul
window, filled, as they all are, with forest of the
dark funeral cypress and an army of turbaned tomb
stones, cleaning like 'sheeted ghosts meath their
dark shadows) my letter from the east is address.
ed' We arrived here yesterday, but owing to in.
disposition am confined to the house TODAY by a
physicians order, consequently have seen nothing
except through the eyes of MIR. C. who has been
out with his friend MajorG. fear my letter from
Athens was not very interesting to the children,
containing description of antiquities which they
are yet too young to appreciate; but it may tend to
render ancient history hereafter more interesting to
know that their parents have been over the ground
once trodden by the Athenians, Spartans, Persians
and Macedonans Recently we have passed the
plains of Troy; have looked upon Mount Ida's
heights, and the mounds still towering in pyramid
al grandeur over the graves of Petrocles, of Ajax
and Achilles. omitted in my last from Athens to
describe the beautiful Albanian costume, of which
lean give you specimen in the dress worn by
our guide Antonio Nicolaiki (who is considered the
best ciceronian in Athens,) when he came to us in
his fete dress the day we left. On his head was a
high red cloth cap with large gold ornament on
the top OF the crown, from which hung blue tas-
sci of twisted silk cord, more than quarter of a
yard long, and thick in proportion. The cap comes
quite low in the forehead, beneath it CLEANS the
bright and sparkling eye of black, with the arched
brow and fierce mustache The snow white cam
brio shirt is worm Byron like-ts collar and front
thrown open to expose the throat and chest. Next
the wearer,) fastened across the breast with loose
braids, so as not to hide the Shirt and over this
jacket Of blue and usually this is covered with en-
brodery of braid Of the COLOR but this of to-
day was loaded with silver braid, mixed with the
bluewith great deal of taste. The sleeves are open
all the way down, with buttons and loops to fasten
them together just they like, which is generally
in the bend Of the elbow, leaving the loose white
sleeve OF the shirt free well as the dark svarthy
arm it exposes. The bottom of the sleeve is cut
pointed and hangs loose from the elbow, swinging
gracefully to and fro with every motion of the body
About the waist, which they pride themselves in
having very small, is found scarf of silk, cores
pondng in color to the rest of the dress -Antonios
was blue and white. This serves to conGAe the
frestenelle" "a skirt Of fine white cotton, extend
ing to the garter) made exceedingly full Antonio
said his contained IFS breadths and should think
it possible. They wear drawers of red or white
flannel or cotton, according to the season. These
are met at the knee by gaiter which meets the
red sharp pointed slipper, and below the knee the
gaiter is confined by crimson silk cord or braid,
wound round the leg till it forms band as broad
as the hand, and these CATERS are by no means the
least ornamental part of the dress, being covered
with embroidery of braid, and ornamented on the
calf with huge rosette in addition. To complete
the costume, they have ever in their hand string
of beads yard long, fastened together at the ends
which serve as play thing and to say their pray
ers by. Antonio's were of amber, and you may i'm
agne, If my description answers at all to the truth,
that he was as he thought himself irresistible. l
could not forbear expressing my admiration of his
dress and my strong desire to pack him up and send
him to America, to which he expressed his ready
will and strong desire to go, and seemed quite de-
lighted with the drift of my compliment The
picture cannot be complete till you have seen a
Grecian walk. They carry themselves as if all the
blood of their noble and warlike ancestors flowed
Of their loose flowing dress gives to their move
ments an indescribable grace. Grace is in every
limb, in every motion dignity and ease, even TO the
lowest cowherd with his goat skin covering the
same is remarkable, and you cannot but repeat your
renewed admiration Their king Ohio, with whom
Mr.. C. was much pleased, has the good sense to a.
dept the Albanian costume. ......
On our passage from Athens TO SYRIA we had for
our companion Greek gentleman to whom we
were introduced at Mr.. Benjamin's in Athens. He
had been educated in America, and was about nine
years old when the Revolution Of 21 began, and he
says he So thirteen times away from his home to
join his people to fight, and thirteen times was ia
ken by the car and sent home to his friends" till
they at last placed him in charge Of an American
captain and sent him to our country, where he was
educated by Mr.. Samuel G. Ward of New York, and
returned to his own country in 35, and is now the
Superintendent of Seminary at syria. and one Of
Electors sent from Syria to the Council at Gthens,
where he has been, well as to Macedonia, on po-