The Arkansas banner., 1850-10-15
FOREIGS COaRESPONDEsCE.
CoxsrAxr,xoFLE, Is4e.

hNNVs
 Centlemsn: Although much addicted 10 bigamy and bloodshed, the rHrks in other respects not dissipated people Drunkenness is very rass aBd gambling altogether unknown among them. They indulge in ao violent pleasures with them fife Is placid dream of pipes, Prayer, and stately visits to the harem. withoHt any of those petty settlements and snnoyances, triumphs aR&failures which coun- stitutc the happiness or misery of mora civilized men.
 Public amusements arc altogether Gknown, and even private entertainments never occur except at a wedding on some other grand occasion, when the men and womea regaled with profuse feet ing and bad music in different paris of the house. These formal feasts of and dnlness, Rnenli- vened by tho animating presence of woman-and cbattering assemblies of wOuIen which arc destitute of the sedatIye, sentnlentaltziRg effects of man- both sexes have the good taste to find exceedingly uninieresting, and retire early. At Dghl Cohstan- tinople, with it's eight hundred and nifty thousand inhabitants, presents mono Of those noisy aud bril-
 liant indications of wakeful dissipation which are met with in all the other great capitals of Europe and America. No hatryiHg cFowas tell oi theatres and concerts, no flashing carriages and flashing
 lamps snnouaee balls ana routs-all Is dark and quiet In it's narrow streets.
 With the setting sun, everything goes tc rest In CoDstautinople. The shops already closted, and all business has ccased the merchants aud mechan-
 cs collected in front of the eof,e-houses regaling themselves with the gratefu! ehi6ouk pre- vious 60 scattering to their various homes; the sturdy laborers, reclining upon the large leather pads used iu carrying burdens on their backs, arc enjoying their short pipes, which during tho day have remained concealed iu teir bosoms; troops of tired donkeys aud aded horses seen wearily jog ging their way houeward without their packs; large ffocks of daws wheeling their noisy light about the lofty fretowers in which they will soon go to rooSt; and every thing denotes approaching rest Tho sun sets, the deepened shadows of twilight gather in the narrow lanes, the mae=Eim's trenu-
 oas call Co prayers is heard from hundred nina. rets, and profound stiffness settles upon the mighty city None of those sou nds peculiar to large cities are heard but the constant bowling and barking Of the wild dogs that prowi about the streets remind you rather of some petty couE,ry village than ono of the greatest capitals ia the world. The gates are closed at seven o'clock All exit or entrance k de- ned; and man found in the street after Cark with out lantern Is at once arrested and placed in the guard house for the night. few stray citizens seen silently Hitting about the city with their long circular lanterns of waxed esmbric, which, as they are of the peculiaFilies of the East shall take the liberty of describing. Upon round tin plate k fixed a circaar frame of spiral wire about foot and half high; over this the cambric is stretched and attached at the other end to another correspo ndiug pInte, with hole in it for placing the candle in the socket of the lower one, The lantern folds up and draws out iike bellows or an accorieon, and gives a very fine light. and when not in use may be shut up aud placed ia the pocket In al places where people are compelled tO carry lanterns, -;he Turkish one would think be found improvement upon anything of the sort have seen elsewhere.
 Occasionally few Tnrks will meet during the evening at some neIghbor's iouse to doZe and smoke soeably together after the fatiguss of the day passed. bat generally each one sPens the short time before The hour for retiring in the bosom of his family if a Turkish harem uld bs called by that name. The exceedingly unfashionab,e hours of the ka bad fn Ina posed upon them by their religion of rising before day to perform their morning prayers and partly to rif0 -s'Utr~ssS~S -'--A- @f sh~ip This strange and in most respects, luxurious people, so far retain the primitive habits of their rowing. pro- datory life previous to the udng Of their present empire, that bedstead is convenience altogether l unknown among them. Their beds spread either upon the floor or the low divan which
 rounds three sides of the rooG and, during the day, | are done up into convenient bu ndles, if their owners might sti be called upon to place them ou the back of a camel and march at hours notice
 t Is strange tlia sensual people should continue 10 regard sleep rather necessity than a luxuTy. The merch ,nts aud mechanics ahlong the Turks ! compelled to display painful degree of activity l in transporting themselves from theft dwellings to
 their stores, but, in the of these here they sit all day long upon Their carpetsd counters, they display their passion for sedenlarv life, and their distasie for nything like unnecessary exer-
 ton. But Inc life oi the grandees, who able to indulge their ruling passion, Is one of undisturbed indolence. Most men n other ountries have some aim in life which varies in different individuals ! from the Oliest ambition to the most triva pur- suit; but still they must have something to excite
 their hopes and fears; something to occupy thought | But the wealthy Turk lives without an obect loo ndolent 10 louk 10 the past or the future he re- signs himself, with the mistaken philosophy of the fal4iist whatever the present brings, smokes ils 1 pipe, and allows Lhe wor1 10 ,sag it's own way l lie regards locomoton Us one ol the evils of ttts especially to hs shnnned. lie seorns exerton aitke of body and mind, and wonders how d European ia
 h,s can subject h.s legs to iaisaing prou1en
 ades for exercise, or hos ee ean Iind pleasure iu loading his bIans with tee heavy contents of dry books. Inc poet 0t other countries !inds beaute. lowering the thia eioads that curl above his head from segar, and even the most common place will indulge in pleasing reveries of future wealth or greatness whilst unor the soothing inhnencs of Inc weed; but our Turk because he finds sothiDg else 10 do that gives him so ttle trouble. No po- etc dreams fiji about hs dense brAn; golden reveries amuse his rrp0se. Dull and inactive, hos ! seenls io smoke as lac lives because he cannot help i Gentlemen oi elegant leisure, in al parts of the world, who consider Inc most honor orabIe occupation a Teproneh, and everything like business almost ! disgrace woaid discover great congenality among the Turks. If idleness be the of gen uity, tha rich Turk is ce.tainiy tho geateel Daa in ,hc world. for surely there is nothing iu animated nature, if we except the siOth, that indui Sts ln tcss NloNsut UT haHcteSSafy locotbOtLOu Turkish breakfast consists of countless pipes and unlimited number of tiny cups of eofiee which may be said to be continued until dinner
 which always comes off early The master of the house dimes with his " ife wives, for whom a separate meal Is prepared in il,e harem, they | deemed unworthy ,ie honor of sitting with their lord and master at tabio Immediately before ! dinner is announced, servant appears with water in silver eweg, siispcd very much hAe lofty, oa
 fashioned eotiae-pOt, bssia of the metal md a loug, handsomely embroidered napkin, which are
 which. taey cal wiih their fingers. is 2 very ne ! eessary opcTaion he basin has sort of strniner in the bottom, through which the water as il is poa red upoL the hands rans igto lower depart | ment. The guests aud Inc master of the house then squa, themselves the floor aroana the table, which consists of lo~ stand, two feet hsh, ssnneaateI by an enormous waiter. upon which are placed she dis.ied one at q time Ihr ict hand being devoted 10 ancean purposes ia never ussJ ia