The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-07-02

cohllileu thelr fambleS 20 that quarter We
very soon found that beyond these. n rood
deal of the old ianaticlsm and haired of
Christians remained, and that we could sci.
dom walk or ride about without being in
suited; and it was fear, sheer fear of conse-
Iquences, that saved us from actual assault.
The Turks were usually said to commit
more crimes during their Ramazan, than in
any other month of the year. It struck me.
however, that the common people in the
capital tasted with better humor now than
formerly
A new school Turk would tell me the
reason-it was because a great many of them
had emsncipated themselves from prejudice
and (secretly), broke tie Ramazan. 1t was
anomalous and very contrary to the spirit of
the Koran, but the Turkish ladies chose this
very month of Ramazan to show themselves
most abroad, or to make the greatest dis
play OF their charms and their splendor On
the afternoon of every Friday, their Sab
bath) the large, irregular, but at least open
square, near tile barracks and palaces and OF.
fees of the Seraskier Pasha, which stand
over In Constantinople on the site of pal
ace of tie Greeks of the lower empire, was
converted into a Hyde Park or Champs
Elysees, or Prado, the wives of the Pashas
and other grandees parading up and down,
and round and round, in arabus, telikes, kote-
bys, and (somc few in light, gay, and really
elegant open carriages, made chiefly at Vi
emma Although this open space was al
most the only part of ConstantinopIe where
a carriage could be driven at all, it was un-
even, rough, and dusty, the inequalities Civ
ing such rumbles and iolts as to try the
springs OF the carriage rather severely; for,
without counting children, each dame of
quality had generally two or three friends
with her, and Turkish danes of quality are
apt to be eH1bOnpojnt. 1t used to astonish
us how they packed themselves MP in those
vehicles, and how two small horses, and at
times but one, could drag them and the ve-
hlcIe over such road. Those who were
most ALA FrangG had their coachmen
seated before them on coach box or dri
wing seat; the more cautious made their dri-
yer walk on foot, holding the reins rather
short IN his two hands; but in either case
there was generally a man servant at either
side OF the carriage, to be prompt with his
assistance IN case of an upset. Beyond
snall's pace, or at most what the Italians
call Bishops pace--paSSa da Mo,,Stgnoye-
they never went, and certainly never could
go without exceeding great risk Of a catas-
trophe. The grandest Of the ladies were at
tended by a sworded man on horseback. be.
ing generally Nubian, of neutralised gen.
der, but insolent and fierce enough to look
at. These creatures very frequently be-
haved as if there were no Tanzimaut; nor
were the fellows trudging on foot by the
sides of the carriages remarkable for their
civillty to Rayahs or christian strangers.
The ladies of quality. particularly when
young, wore small thin yashmacs, made of
stuff as light aud transparent as the silken
gauze of old Cos; and while they affected
to conceal every feature except the ewes
they made an indecorous, brazen display of
their necks and breasts and, that the eve
might be the more surely and strongly attrac-
ted, they wore glittering diamonds on the
neck and bare bosom. | stop far short of
description of the length to which immodes.
ty was carried. Surely their husbands and
the Ouleman had better make them burn
their yashmachs, show their faces, and cover
that which ought not to be seen. In the
trim l have mentioned we saw pass and re.
pass before us the chief wives of half the
magnates of the empire, not excepting its
spiritual lords and ghostly fathers. The poor
Turks OF the capitol, who had got somewhat
accustomed to the spectacle, thought little of
it, or said it was Tanzimaut or destiny. But
the Osmanlees from the interior, or from the
Asiatic provinces, were struck all of heap.
Not one of these Asiatcs-if he returned
soon to his native district-but would re-
port that the prophets beard was defled in
the holy city, that the Osmanlees of Stam-
boul were all turning giaours, and their
women-worse.--Macfarlanes Turkey.
~ IN