The Arkansas banner., 1850-07-16
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE
CoNrrATfyoPIR l94e

utN0 RfopAfU0 b0H tue uB80Ey 800 tuatnuC9nC9 tn1k hss=. .rcs sss e =s S!i4s4 Sc@a she ResaheFas- It was something 10 stand alone in the recoection
 it was scene 10 which delighted memory will Oft recuF Id years to come, when the heart will always beat high with ths delicious emotions experienced in gaHing for the first lime old Stambou; yet its glOriss aFs:such as will aIwaysd defy description; and man who has fet them nsver appreciates 60 highly their spIendor when vainiy attempting to convey hts impressions tO another. Anybody may men- ton those walls of duzzling whiteness, which glassed in the wayeless bosom of the Golden Horn, and % beautifully contrast with the dark groves Of cypress. from which peep the pagoda- towers aud the eonfused mass of mimic domes, spires, aud gIitisring erescents which surround the seraglio point. Any one may speak of the Sublime Porte, whose long yellow freat and white piiasters stand conspicuously forth from neiahboring slope, and the most commonplace msn may describe the foaf royal mosques, commencing with St Sophia, which from foar different hills their vast domes and graceful mlnareis, as if upon the tops of the red- tiled houses and green trees that piled la pyra- midal mssses agaipst the hii-sides; but what poet caR convey an idea of their effect when all thess miuEle their gicriss in one sublime picture.
 From my boyish days have always longed to visit Constantipople. whose strangely eventlui his tory was to me full oi interest. 1t was the young shoot that sprung from Romsis greatness aud sap ped her power, for Coustantine himself prepar ed the ruin of his empire by buildiug hs ueS capital. Being 90 intimately associated in name and origin
 with the first christian Emperor. Cens.a ntople pos deep nie.est for the whole world of chrsii- aRity. apart from that power and splendor 1t at tained sfler the division Of the Empire. In Con- santnopIe the peFsscuted followers Of despised religion hrst te reared upon the ruins of demolished temples and overthrown idols; and here shrinking christianity first clothed in the power and majesty of . mighty Empire. But alas! how fallen in fortune-how changed in appearance is the once rival of Rome. From being the earliest seat of chrissnitythe centre of eiviiizrtion and refine
 ment-it has become the stronghold of the Moham- medan religion-the capital of semi bar barisns; and St Sophia--ihat desecrated throne Of the christian
 -the half ruiuous walls which still give Coustanli- nople tho title of 'Hhe we'll dsfeuded ciiy." and a few ,ottering columns all that remain to posterty of the pride of Constantine.
 was somewhat rndely awakened from my grand rsveFie by our steamers dropping anchor, and be- ing at surrounded by countless multitude of eaiques and other boats, whose shrieking owners,
 In their fierce struggle 10 reach the steamer abused and even msltrea,ed each other It was a strange and deafening scene of confusion. The light and graceful caiqaes, sharp at both ends, gaiy dauced upen the waves, beside the heavier yaw and barge, aud the caiquemen. In their picturesque costume their thin gauze shirts with large flowing sleves- their red caps, with the long blue tassel falling on one side-their full pants of snowy whiteuess, reaching to the knee and leaving their bare legs, like their brswny breasts. exposed to the sun shouted aud struggled with the more sturdy owners of the larger boats. The health officer, who at once boarded our steamer, having given us, after minute inspectio clean bill of health the noisy operation commenced of landing our ruFkish passengers, Who, during the latter portion of our voyage, In theS s9uattiug positions, were thick upon our decks as stamps in a new "clearng :" Each siothfut Turk laid aside his tarban and his outer garment, and commesced, not hurriedly. but if he were in esrnest, 10 gather up his various goods and chat,Iss. Huge bundles, live chickens women. children, and geese were unceremoniously seized aud cooiiy handed the boats side by the head the hess just they happeB ned 10 catch them. The live stock was instantly seized by rival boatmen. and after being jerked this way and that till the contest was decided, they were safely sowed away in the stern, and the boat put off Gradually we were left alone with thc drummers for the rival hotels, who were board with their cards and their pr0luse recommendations. looking as natural in lheir Earopean costumes as if had been still In Ohio. Oar baggage has been gathered up and we too have made the land.
 Gorgeous as had been the prospect presented from without. everything within the city was cramped aud uncomfor fortabie-very dirty and very picturesque. Most of the narrow streets. or rather alleys, were exceedingly rough and full of holes and mud. whilst others, that climbed the sleeJ hills more nearly rssemb!ed the rocky bed of some dry mountain torrent than we'll paved thoroughfare, intended for the accommodation of tender footed citizens in morocco slippers; and as to sidewalks they are entirely unknown here. The second sto- ries of the gloomy ylooking houses project like bal comics several feet the street and supported by slanting props, sometimes rudely ornamented, | which are inserted in the wall below All the win dows of these dismal mansions are provided with a wooden lattice almost as fine and close sieve which prevents the possibility of catching even the shadow of a female form il passes within.
 In the business portion of the city, the lower l stories of most of the houses are occupied by the shops of the diff rent trades, each one of which has t..;. -Il. universally are entirely open in front They are closed at night by heavy shutter hung hinges, ! which during the day is drawn up and suspeaded | from the projecting story sbovs. The floor Is suIi- ciently raised to serve al the same time couuter and Is sometimes entirely covered with mating. or else Is spread with smsli rug, upon which the | owner Of the establishment sqaas himssf patiently awaiting customers or, in most instances, assida- ousiy working at his trade. The articles for sale are rauged around tho walls of the small store and the purchaser in examining them stands ia the street, and bargains with the shopman, who with stick reaches down such things a. may be desired. without stirring from his seat. Gay and bright as the articles exposed for sale often are. the shops themselves, strangely in want of paint, have a d- apidatsd. totiering iook as f every instant threa tening the entire destruction of each petty merchant and his small wares. But this appearance of decay is but too much in accordance with the most that one sees In Constantlnople. e
 Both sides of the street are llned with long ranges of the different kind of shops and in passing yaar eyes and are assaisd by ali the sights and noises peculiar to the different handicrafts. h strollng through this busy scsns at first found it extremely difficult 10 realize that men, srrayed in such fantastic costumes were really engaged in the serious empoyments of life; and. happening la the quarter of the coopers to come old fellow earnestly hammering away at barrel. could scarcely believe that the serious individual Ia the big beard. ample tarban, aod flowing pants was re. ely man oi hoops aud stavss. The grotssque costumes of many of he artisans and the fact that each trade particular description of goods has it's own quarter assigned to 1t, present most curious aud novel scene to the stranger Bat although the chops for the sale of any particular article arc thas closely clustered together, the rvairy of the trade sppears to prOdocs none of those blckerings and disturbances which might under such circumstsn- ces be expected n christian country where streRg competition entsrs Into every pursuit Whilst lin- gering at one shop you are never importunsd by the owners of others. b1t the instant you tarn sG, dozen voices are heard, and ss many hands ssen
 temptinRiy holding up the desired article, and ea-