Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-11-12
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CoNsIAxrINoPLE AErl.

ing to The different traders are kept large Por-
tico projects in front under which, and IN front Oh
each chamber, is low platform, similar 20 'loSe ~
New Orleans where the merciless slaye-dealer SITS
and dozes oyer his coffee and pipe. In time oil war
the markets are filed with eaptives, but even in
this season of universal peace, the Nubians do not
constitute the only beings ofrafic. The Franks
is not permitted at the present day TO the white
slaves except by particular favor, but have been
assured by those living here that the custom is still
in vouge, and that the wealthy Turk repairs as of
old to the market with his weil-flled purse, and
agrees with the Commissioner, for stated sum, to
prostitute the daughters of the most illustrous am
lies of Georgia, Circassian, or the provinces.
From the slave market, we visited the Palace of
the Grand Vizer, situated near the great Fire
Tower of StambouL The building is quite extern
sive, on the European plan, but presents nothing
extraordinary either nits external or internal APP
pearance Near the Palace in Adrianople street
still stands the celebrated Burnt Column 1t is
about fifty feet in height but SO much shattered
and blackened by the frequent fires in the neigh
borhood that it is impossible to make much out
of it Upon close inspection | discovered that 1T
was made Of povphyry stones, the jolntures hid
with copper rings. 1t is thought that Constantne's
Statue stood on it By its Inscription it appears
that it was erected by the Emperor Manuel Com
menes Not far from this column are the Csterns
o.. Constantine now called Bnderick or the thous-
and and one columns and IerebatdR Serdi the SUBJ
terranean palace, in which number of half-naked
palIid wretches are employed in twisting silk by
the light of torches. Returning to Pera, we stop
ped to examine the Cdiques on the Golden Horn.
They are the wineries of Constantinople, and the
number that ply on the waters is said to be about
ninety thousand, and are hired like hackny coaches
in other cities. They are formed of thin plank of
beechwood, neatly finished and deliberately sculptur-
ed The elegance of their construction, the extreme
lightness of the material out of which they are
m ade, and the dextery Of the Oarsmen, cause them
to skim over the smooth surface of the Horn with
great swiftness. They have no seats, the passen-
gers sit on rugs in the bottom and are required to
remain perfectly steady to prevent being turned
over. They are always to be found waiting for
hire during the day at the points oflanding.
While crossing the Horn examined the bridges
that connect Stamboul with Pera. They made
ofboats placed certain distances apart with locks
for vessels TO pass through, and precisely the
same form in structure to those the Rhine, which
described infinitely in previous letter. Just
above the bridges are the shp-yards, and the
strength of the Turkish navy where number of
enormous vessels may be seen waiting for war
They are too large for service, badly equipped, and
fit only to be looked at and rdiculed by foreigners
In an action with such powers as France, England
or the United States, the Turkish navy would be
as nothing but to the nations in the region of this
city it appears to be something grand, magnificent
and terrible. Some of the Turkish vessels would
reflect credit upon any country, if their people
derstood how to manage them. These vessels were
constructed by American ship-builders, and it is to
be regretted that they so poorly manned. From
the Horn we assembled the high hill upon which
Pera is situated to the College of the Dancing Der
wishes The room in which they dance is circular,
and the floor quite smooth. Before entering we
were required to take off our shoes The chief
man. or Priest was seated in the Turkish fashion,
in place apart from the rest who were arranged in
a circle around the room. The head dress of the
Priest was of green the color Of the Prophet and
the dancers wore a tall brown hat, shaped like a
cone and without any brim. Their dress was
something like the ladies wear i'll country hav-
ing very full skirts, and made of dark brown ma
terial The dance is nothing more than a monoto-
nous turning on the heels with their arms extend
I'd like children playing: They go at it with great
and continue turning until they fall on
he floor perfectly exhausted and drunk.
Leaving the College we walked through the ,
principal street of Pera (Which is entirely Euro
oean) to the Barracks, near the Sultan's new pal
ace. Here we several thousand soldiers re-
viewed by the principal officer, and Twas some
what surprised to see how well they handled the
nusket The Sultan has great many English and |
french officers in his service, who teach his soldiers
he tactics of modern Improvement nearly as well
8 can be seen among the nations of Europe. One
hing you may lie sure Of and that is, the courage
f the Turks Fear is not in the Koran. and if they
10 not come ont victorious it must be attributed to
ONE other cause.
The Saltans new palace is not yetcompleted.-
{ is constructed of white marble, and promises to
e the most magnificent palace of modern construc-
ION. 1t is situated on the European shore of the
Iosphorus, and viii describe it to YOU more min
tely in my next number.
Yours, &c, TENNEsSEAS
VIEW OF THE BATTLE FIELD.
Although we have not the full returns of the diff
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