The Arkansas banner., 1850-10-08

man from beneath the folds of a gashEaaek nd there man appeared equally interested. but in his eyes twinkIed ths thirst for gain. These ancient ind- viduals in the big turbans and boards were profes- sionaI letter writers, and petty lawyers who drew up contracts, and wrote agreements, &c.. for the lower classes, who were unable 10 write. thought what q romantic tale of love that dropping girl might even then be unfolding to that cold old man what ardent expressions of devotion she might be pouring forth for transcription to some insensible swnin: whilst her male neighbor might be equally absorbed in agreement as to the price of montous for the approaching festival of Bairam. The utter ignorance of the Turkish ladies to the of the pen renders thess public "wriiers" very important and highly confidential fuHetionaries in preparing their biets doux. which by the by always care fully euveloped in pesfu rag Of cotton or mus lin and wrapped round with about a yard of soft sealing wax. Really. these individuals are flooded with practice in the other we'll as the tender branch of their profession. Their !" offices " are small, and very airy, consisting of board, a mat and a lttIe box for paper, and here against the warm sunny wall they sit all day writing documents for the men, or composing love letters for the wo- men, Horses, men, and dogs sweep by them com biniug their clater and noise. and yet they handle tieir reeds and pens. with the same deberation, and proceed with as much dignity as if they wrote
 inthe most secluded spot.
 Mounting the horses, we commenced sliding, slipping, and stumbling through the rough streets, which, pext 10 walking through them, is the most ,lissgreeabe process ever experienced The horses being shod with round plates of iron, which cover the whole bottom Of the foot without any clamps at the heel to hold by the mystery 10 is that they get along at all. In the course of time, we issued from the gate of the massive wall, passed the sec- ond wall, and then parapet across a bridge which had once been drawbridge. l was astonished ut the extent of the walls Grand, lofty, and impress sive. they seemed strong even in their ruins. Far as the eye could reach, stretched the vast burying grou nds of ancient date. Their turbaned tomb stones leaned in heavy masses against each other CT were thicky scattered over the ground, scarcely any maintained their upright position, but you saw them in every angle of declension, from the per- pendcular to their lowly prostration. The ancient expresses looked blacker, and the general gloom was deeper than in the cemeteries, where the sary care devoted 10 nt interents contras- ted with the prevailing desolstion and neglect have never visited spot so lonely, disma,, and yet so near the busy hum of great city. On one hand those frowning walls now crumbling to decay those massive towers. now cracked and Gisman- ted which had braved the terrors of twenty -four seges-were still battling bravely in their unequal contests against time, and, though almost totterng still scorned to yield. And on the other those gloomy groves of cypress, that, since Constantino pie became Turkish city, have been the final res- ting place after death made you feel sad in 'gitnes sing their entire neglect, to think how soon the regard of the living ceases for the dead.
 l n viewing the ancient Notifications of Constan- tnople my surprise was not that their stren ngth had so often resisted beseging armies, but that it should have yielded at last to the Turks in the memorable siege of l4S3, without the use of cannon. A wide, deep fosse, once filled with water, but now peacea bly, cultivated in onion beds and pea patches, ex- tends the whole length of the walls this side - ilpon the opposite bank of the fosse is iow para pet wall, and after intervening space of some sixty feet the second wall, battlemented and streug thened by massive round towers which occur every one hundred yards. itself. Then there is another space about the width of the first, but elevated above 1t like falling terrace, that divides the second from the third and loftiest wall, which is of immen height and thickness and is strenth ened by strong square towers, every fifty yards along it. This vast work of the Greek Emperors is fast going to decay the walls are falling down. and huge cracks occur in the towers that, rent in twain, Seem threatening every moment to fall- Wild fig trees and stinted shrubs grow the ter. races; clinging ivy clothes these crumbling masses of former strength, as if jeaIously conceang the ravages time had made; and wild creepeFs graceful lv swing from the towers which were once the boast of the weII-defended city" The side of the triangular shaped city next the land, has, have said, its three waits but the other two, next the Bosphorus and Golden Horn, de ended by a single lofty wall, with high, square towers, which is in a state of much better preservation.
 At some three miles distance, on the other side of the sweet waters of the Golden Horn, is the Jew ish burying ground, whicn, as you approach it. resembles the ruins Of some great city, scatterei without order or arrangement along the hillside u the sides and over the tops Of several bleak hills the flat tombs are tckly strewn, with no enclosure to protect them from intrusion, with not tree to shade them from the sun. The tombs are flat, and sometimes surmounted by a small, snguary -sha- ped stone sarcophagus, covered with Hebrew n- scrptions and the appearance they present is most singular and most melancholy. Herds of goats were feeding amidst he furze, which grew rank and luxuriant among the graves; and even when stood amidst the tombs entirely were these evidences of a cemetery wanting, which generally appear in trees aud enclosures, could scarcely realize that this mass of scattered stone was the sacred dwelling place of the dead. The traces of heartess desecra ton, too, where everywhere visible, the saccophagi being tumbled from their positions and broken
 As we returned, VIC passed through the Jews quarter. Narrow were the streets, filthy aud
 miserable app ared the residences of this Persecu ted people, yet there a relief in seeing about the houses something like the life and animation of home. The prson-llke latlices were wanting-wo- men looked idly forth or busy worked in small parties at the windows; and though they were dis guised by a strange sort of head dress. yet their presence paasingiy disPelled the loneiinass and desolaton which reigned throughout the Turkish
 
 consists of an enormous cushion woru on the head something like a turban. and is covered with some shawl stuff Over this lofty bundle, as big as seve- ral bushels, is thrown white handkerchief, the corners of which are tied under the chin. The whole arrangement is very peculiar, aud gives most singular expression to the face and uanaia ral argeaess to the head.
 Nothing can be more dismal than those portions of Constantnopls which are exclusively devoted to private residences. The lower story always con sists of . rough, nnpainted stone wall, which has no windows, and is only broken by the large door loaded with bolts and bars that increase the prison house appearance of the place. The second story which projects and Is supported, as have before deserib.d, is always of wood. with ali its windows barred by the seive-like latces before mentioned. To increase the cheeress appearance Of the dirty. black stone wall below, these upper stories. origa- ally painted some sombrs color, are nearly always sadly in want of repairing and have Gingy, neg lected look. Nothing is more desolate in appear ance than deserted house; but . man in moving through the more private streets of ConstantiasSe might suppose, from the general desolsiion and gloom. that the plague had recently swept through
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