Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-12-22
Dark Arches under COnstantinOpIe.
oR TUE SuvTAN,s prEucp

Dark Arches under COnstantinOpIe.
OR, THE sULTAN's REFUGE.
When Russia, as now appears almost inevitable,
marches 10 the gates Of Constantinople, the struggle
will be fierce and proracted. Under the banner Of
the Prophet, the Turks will fight valianty. They
Will oppose the fiercest ianaclsm the discipline
of a ioea skilul as rugged. And who can doubt
the result! However, should the enemy approach
Constantinople, that city might be defended 10 an
Indefinite perlod-lhat is, supposing the fleets of
France and England kept The communications bv
sea open and uninerupted-for the walls of Con.
slanInople are considered very good. Those on the
land side have double range twenty feet from each
other, and are defended by fiat bottomed ditch
some twenty five ieel broad The ouer wall which
is about twelve feet high, is defended by two nun.
dred aud fifty strong The inner wall Is about
twenty ee high, with towers similar to those OF the
outer. Military slraiegsts consider that # all these
points were we'll fortified, and the sea approaches
kept clear OF Tie enemy, Consantinople might be
defended against any force which the power Of Rus.
STA cnud bling agunsl ii. But surprising the civ
was reduced 10 the last extremity, ii might still be
despea tey defended. The population would he
destroyed, but the military could hold out un.iI The
famine swept them away. For he storage Of pro.
visions, the wonderful vaults OF CuGstantinope sun
ply ample convenience. One OF Them affords album
dance OF pure fresh walern fact, it is subterra-
mean reservoir.
most remd kable monuments OF old Cons; antinople
They were built by the Greeks cisterns, and were
always Kept iul, in case OF siege. Through the
gect Of the Turks, many Of them are much de-
caSed, and some are who'll, blocked up, SO that their
positions unknown. There is one vault called
''ihe palace OF the one thousand and one pillars,'
which the Turks allow strangers TO inspect. The
entrance 10 it Is IRON the centre OF the city, down
barrow hut substantial and well preserved stone
staircase. instead OF being a clsiern filled with an
Immense body Of wafer, 1t is occupied AS silk FAC
oiy Ii Is about ~ eet deep, and The roof is about
6 feet from the surface of the street. This vault
extends over about an acre Of ground. But the
greatest curiosity the vault which still exists as
cIstern. This vault the Turks guard with The create
est eaiousy-very few, even OF those who live above
it, being aware Of its precise locality. Il is sub.
terranean lake, extending under many streets, and
the former has an arched roof, supported by three
hundred and thirty six pillars Of solid marble An
English gentleman, who was fortunate enough 10
obtain access to it, has supplied with very ami
mated description OF lis appearance. He says:
SHAVING learned that there was a reservoir in the
city, in good preservation, and still partially full OF
water, made many inqun les respecting il, but all
IN valn' AT length, meeting friend whose long
residence in Constantnople had afforded him the
means OF knowing more than / could do about it,
asked HIM II the account of The existence of the re-
servoir correct"
Perfectly so, said he; though never have
seen it, -
"Expressing earnest wish 10 behold it, he told
me that, with large bride, he thought he could OBJ.
tam Inc permlssun--ior he was acquainted with an
old Tux whose house was said to cover one of The
openings into it. readily agreed 10 give the re-
CURED douceur, and he arranged TO call the next
mornings if successful The following morning, nv
friend came with the news of his success. Aler
passing through several streets, we reached the up-
per part OF the city and entered an old looking house
q uarp ivadh u T,,.It ,;sb
BILE beard, whose dress betokened neither very prea,
wealth. nor very great cleanliness. After being IN.
vIted TO take coffee and pipe, which we accepted
my friend serv as an interpreter to the few words
OF conversation that passed between us--our host
informed US that he was ready 10 show US the way
TO the subterTanean palace"
"We proceeded to The inner court OF the hpuse
and turning sharp TO the right, we're ushered INTO
snIall room, the floor Of which was lew cps be.
low the service OF the ground Here the guide pro
vided two torches, and putting one INTO my bands
aud CARRYING the other himself, proceeded 10 aise
SOFT Of Trap door, and bidding us to follow him, be-
gan to descend NV friend immediately stepped
down after him, and brought up he real Alter
descending thirty steps more, Of a strong stone
Staircase we felt sure, from the cold dampness of The
air, that we were in the immediate vicinity Of wa
ter. Our surmlses were soon verified by the Turk,
who WAS step or two lower than either of US,
calling Ia NY friend 10 take his torch while he nm.
staircase. step or two lower, and amid innumer.
able columns, rising neyery hand, we dscerued the
water cleaning under the light Of our icEchesp
1--WE we're soon seated in the boat, and the Turk
equippog himself with small pair of sculs showed
rs of. The splash Of the chain that had moored
the boat, as IT fell heavily INTO The water, echoed
throughout the vauted cavern never shall forget
the ieelrng Of 5e~ ldermeDt that Tor the first Jew
moments crept over me. Rows OF MAJ BILE columns
seemed to rise endlessIy, while their polished sur
iaces gFiened IN the i0ch light. The eastern dress
OF our guide, his flowing beard, the dismal silence
oil this strange place, nnbroken save y the padding
OF the boat, aud the cleaning OF our uuenithly
llRbts, made me Ihak Of The peei's desciipion Of
the Sly glan ierryman. After time began TO louk
round mule Aiten,iveiy. The columns are Of marble.
many Of Them with CDriulhiaD capuas, though We
saw some OF The cYmpose aud others o The Doric
ordtr. some ielhned all the sharpness Of their
exquisite hush, while others seemtd to he under.
going dlhpdalIon from the hand u Time"
They appeared to me TO be The spOs Of more
than one temple, apprOpi lated by imperial builders
10 this use We looked for an inpcription b,,
could nowhere find one. The roof seemed in ex
cellent condition, aud appeared be 6iepn or TWEEN.
" feet above the surface Of he water Unlike most
other guides, ours was by no means communicative
and only by dint Of questioning him, could we learn
anything IRON him. He said the water was un-
iathOmabe, and II was as II always had been.' L
ain Of opinion there was from twelve 10 fifteen feet
uep'h OF water ~ The cslern. II extends under
several streets, and from the darkness aud gloom
which envelopes II, lie area seems Of great extent.
II may well be called lake. After padding 10 one
extremity, which we found 10 cOpsirt Of wall faced
with blocks Of marble, and reaching uearly across
in the opposite direction, guide in spite Of al
our entreay, determined 10 ascend. We coud learn
nothing Of the mode by which The water Gnds en-
ifance--Inosl likely by some underground course.
aud oblans egress 10 a similar manner. We al
length reached The staircase, and, much against our
will were compelled to leave this wonderful els.
tern, which we would gladly still iurlher have ex.
porcd."
The reluctance Of the Turks to allow these UNDER
ground reservoirs 10 be explored, probably ari.ea
from the fact, that u their courses we're known they
would Disclose many entrances the ciiy and 90 ia.
cililsie The admisrl ola foe. Another reason may
be given The Turks are excessively superstiiiuus.
They believe 10 ghosts. goblins and demons, and
fancy that The powers Of darkness and destruction