Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-11-24

TO give the required doucier, and he ar
ranged TO call the mex, morning, il sue
cessful. The following morning my
friend came with the news of his success
After passing through several streets, WI
reached tie uppef part of the city, ant
entered an old looking house. Viewer
received by an aged Turk, with ven
cradle beard, whose dress betokened nei
,her very great wealth. nor very grea
cleanliness, After being invited to take
coffee and pipe, which We accepted
my friend serving as interpreter TO the
few words of conversation that passed
between us-our host informed Us he
was ready 10 show us the way to the
subterranean palace.
1--WE proceeded 10 the inner court ol
the house, and turning sharp to the right
were ushered into small room, The floor
Of which was few steps below the sur.
face of the ground. Here the guide pro.
vided two torches. and putting one iu,o
my hands, and carrying the other him
sell, proceeded 10 raise sort o. trap.
door, and bidding us follow him, began
to descend. My friend Immediately
stepped down after him, aud brough,
up the rear. After descending thirty or
more steps, of strong stone staircase,
We fels sure, from the cold dampness ol
the air, that we were in the immediate
vicinity of water. Our surmises were
soon verified by the Turk (who was a
step or two lower thar either of usl as K.
ing my friend to take his torch, while he
unmoored light boat that was fastened
TO The winding staircase. A step or two
lower, and amid iGnumerable columns,
rising on every hand, we discerned The
water cleaning under The light of our
( torches.
ave were soon seated in the boat,
and the Turk, equipping himself with a
small pair of sculls, showed US off. The
splash Of the chain that had moored the
boat, as il fell heavily into the water,
echoed throughout the vaulted cavern
shall never forget the feelings of be
wilderment that for the first few mo-
ments crept over me. Rows of marble
columns seemed to rise endlesslv, while
their polished services glistened in the
,orchlight. The eastern dress of our
guide, his flowing beard, the dismal ST.
lence OF this strange place, broken only
by the padding of The boat. and the bril-
liant cleaning Of our unearthly lights,
made me think of the poets description
OF the stygian ferryman. After time
l began to look around more at,enlively
The columns are o! marble: many OF
them with Corinthian capitals, though
we saw some of the com apostle, and 9th
ers of the Daric order. Some retained
all the sharpness of their exquisite finish
and others seem to be undergoing dilapi-
da!ion from the hand of time.
"They appeared TO me to be the spoils
OF more than one temple, appropriated
by imperial builders 10 this use. We
looked for an in scription, but could no.
where find one. The roof seemed in
excellent condition, and appeared to be
fifteen or twenty feet above the surface
of The water. Unlike most otter guides
ours was by no means communicative
and only by dint Of questioning him
could we learn anything from him.
He said 'the water was unfathomable
and it was as II always had been! am
OF opinion that there was from twelve to
fifteen feet depth of water in the els.
tern. lt extends under several streets
and from the darkness and gloom which
envelopes 1t, its arena seems of great ex.
tent. Ii NAV well be called lake. Af
ter padding about to one extremity
which we found TO consist of wall fac.
ed with blocks of marble, and reaching
nearly across it in the opposite direction
our guide,'in spite Of ali our entreaty
determined to ascend. We could learn
nothing of the mode by which the wa
ter finds entrance-most likely by some
underground course. and obtains egress
in similar manner. We a, length ar.
rived at the staircase, and much agains
our will. were compelled to leave ,hi.
wonderful clstern, which we would glad
ly still further have explored"
The reluctance of the Turks to allow
these underground reservoirs to be ex
plored. probably arises from the fac,
that if their courses were known they
would disclose many entrances TO the
city, and so facilitate the admission of q
foe. Another reason may be given.-
The Turks are excessively superslirious
They believe in ghosts, goblins, and de
mons, and fancy tina, the powers of dark
ness and destruction take up their abode
in places like these subterranean retreats
The traditions of the cruellies perpetra
ted on the Greeks in these artificial cav
erns have not yet died away; and wher
we add that these excavations have bee
used by the Turks for the most delesta
BILE purposes, we shall be at no loss tc
account for the rigid reserve they main
tain upon the subject. They have serv
ed the purposes of revenge, intrigue anc
political necessity. The father of tht
present Sultan once found The one above
described very useful.
Selim had been de,hroned and :m2ris
oned by the Janissaries, and Mustaphs
Nv reigned in his stead. This arrange
ment did moi at all suit Baracter-a gen
eral who marched to Constan.inopIe a
| The head Of fnrty thnnsond man H..