The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1850-07-12


ed the State pride by compelling them 10 yield
up the elegant costume Of their country for the
tight, ungainIy dress Of the Europeans, yet they
still eat with their fingers, and will fold their
feet under them in the rich damask arm chairs,
which the passion for everything European has
introduced among them.
| can butdeeply lament that civilization should
always commence its advances by polishing
away those pecularties of Dress which afford
so much more delight to the transient traveller
than the comparatively slight distinctions OF Ian.
guage and customs. In travelling through Ger
many, where the manners and customs OF the
county too nearly resembled those Of my own to
afford much novelty, and where The historical as
socations did not possess that thrilling interest
which hang about those of England and France,
longed for the East, where the novelty ane
agnificence OF Oriental costumes were to as
sail me at every turn and keep up the most de-
lighted excitement. ] need not say how sadly
was disappointed Yet, as | said in the begin
ming. everything here is new, though lacking in
the spIendor expected. For there is something
novel and amusing even 10 the somewhat gro
tesque coats and breeches of the high Turkish
functionaries. And in motley crowds who ill
! the streets one moi unfrequently sees some old
merchant, well to do in the wCrld, who yet re-
cards every improvement as Innovation and de-
spises all change as crime, whose long open me
riEo robe, which is always blue, purple or red,
for the street, gracefully floats in the breeze.
An ample turban, OF purest white. lends greater
dignity to his brow. His beard, of venerable
length and snowy whiteness: falls over his neat
" braided vest his red, sharptoed slippers are
met BY his enormously full pants ofscariet cloth,
whose heavy folds wonld give something OF i'm
portance 10 the most diminuliye o! legs, and he
disdainfuliy stalks along amidst the servlle lm>
| itators of the hated Franks, as superior IN APP
pearancp as some ancient and elegant obelIsk to
the miserable mnd huts with which The moderns
have surrounded it. But even he wears girdle
of strong silk instead Of the expensive shawl OF
other days. TIE brass instrument for carving
pen and ink has usurped the place in his belt OF
the silver. mounted arms. His vest is SIMPLY
| braided, not embroided with goId and his
garments are cloth and merno instead OF silk
| 1t would be as well TO say something here oil
/ genuine Turkish pants, for there are few things
we deem so familiar of which we have more err
roneous ideas. This peculiar Oriental garment
| is wholly innocent or anything in the shape OF
/ legs. however ample. but consists Of one im>
mensely wide bag with couple Of holes at each
lower corner Tor The feet, Through these afer-
lures tile wearer thrasts his feet, and by means
Of a drawstring gathers his especially vide gar
ment about his waist into the amplest and most
imposing folds that gracefully fall from his hips.
and give dignity to the whole person. But. as
complicated as the pants appear wheno on. nothing.
can be mere simple than their style OF "cnt.
When spread out, tnpy more nearly resemble
couple of rich bed-quilts seWed together on three
sides than anything else | can compare them TO
-ior the most ordinary pants are some six or
seven feet wide, and when stretched present
perfectly regular, nbong (square). Those por-
tions which are expected to fall by tile side OF
each leg and the apertures for the feet are often
very handsomely braided or embroidered, for IN
this style Of work the Turks still greatly excel.
By the BY, a turban consists simply Of long
piece of gauze or of shawl which is twisted in
10 roll and twined about the red cap. the ends
being tucked under TO secure them. lthas no
connection whatever, as always supposed, with
the cap, and can be taken off and untwisted
at pleasure. A linen cap is worn under the tar
bouche, and is frequently changed TO preserve
that cleanliness for which the Mussulmans arc
famous. Many yards Of silk are frequently worn
in girde, as nothing is thought to give more
imposing appearance to the person than fuR
waist
In stroAg contrast with oar portly Turk, the
slender Persian, in his high tonical cap Of fine
black fur and his floating garments Of sombre
hue, rapidly strides through the crowd The
; brawny Crcassan, arrayed in his long coat of
brown uoo'en, whose breast is garnshed by his
ivory mounted cartridges ranged in rows, and
his pointed cap of tanned eathar having broad
band OF shaggy fur running around it, which
hangs over his eyes in a somewhat savage style !.
is often seen idng along amidst the hurryng
, | II 6 (sroaE- c0'diars apd
ters who tramp along as if life had some object.
The Armenians and the Greeks resident in Con-
stantinople have almost universally adopted the.
, ordinary pantaoons and the long straigh -coared
coat, which is nearly assimflate with the Euro
pean dress. except the red cap which is still re-
tanned. The cap worn by the Greeks Is some
! what longer than that of the Turks, and sight
" falls upon one side by the weight of the iassel.
But although many OF the Turks have adopted
:, the same fashion in only retaining the tGfb6nche,
vet they can always be readily distinguished
from the other two races by their mnch fairer
cnmplexions lnthe uniform ofthe soldiers even
: closer imitation Of the European is indulged in,
but whether il is that Turkish tailors have not
vet discovered the knack of cutting European
clothes, or whether the Turkish limbs were ne
Y yer designed for tight breeches, know hot, yet
it is certain there blue jackets never tit, and that
their white pantaloons always look as It they had
been made for somebody else. The poor fellows,
I who are nearly always bow-legged, which ac-
: count for by their sitting so much in the Turk
II ish style with their legs doubled under them.
: seem conscious of the sorry figure they cut and
invariably appear restless and i'll at ease in their
L awkwardy cut garments. Their cloth jackets
: are simply ornamented with AIRED collar and Goa-
: be row of odfashioned brass bul!etbuttons, and
e the only distinction in head dres is that their red
Il skulLcap or tarbouche has, in addition to the
q large blue tasse on top, round brass plate. which
is worn by both officers and men. The officers
l. wear very blue frock COATS the breasts of which
! are covered by profusion OF black braidng, and
e always have their sabres By their sides.
y The baglike pants OF the porters and laborers
q reach only to the knee, leaving their muscular
: legs entirely bare; although each one wears the
u awkward red morocco shoes peculiar 10 the Turks
! Their loose jackets and pants, of heavy brown
= cloth, are universally ornamented by stripes o
y J blue or red, which are shaped into flowers ant
IS other fanciful designs, displaying the Orienta
Z passion among all orders for embroidery ant
u coarse as are the materials of these humble cos
tunes there is in them much of the graceful an(
: picturesque. Every man among them, however
= poor, seems TO consider himself unworthy of be-
= ing Mussulman, without the natlonel turban