Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-01-19
CLARKsBURG WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10th, ls5s

he Asiatic shore, and soon found our
selves sailing in company with him in the
tdirection of the Sultan's palace. That
j reached, we landed on the marble quay
in the presence of TWO files of soldiery
who formed the outer guards of the pa
lace. We were then conducted by an of
ficer through marble court, and between
two other rows of soldiers into the re-
ception room, where by the guidance OF
the master of ceremonies, we seated our
selves on the diyans, which here, as in
almost every Turkish house, run around
three sides of the room. We were ar
ranged vis-a-vis with the German Lega-
ton, whose chief had also come to take
leave of His Imperial Majesty. On ac-
count of our number and the style of our
uniform, we made quite a formidable ap-
pearance, and when l looked on both
sides of me, 1 felt quite proud of the fine
picture our little Republican party pre-
sented at the court of the descendants of
the Ottomans.
A few minutes after we were seated, a
troop of pipe bearers, their number cor
responding with our own, defiled into the
room, each bearing the eternal pipe
They moved towards us with measured
steps and dignity, and with one hand
pressed against their breast, with the 9TH
| er presented to each of us an amber and
jeweled mouth-pieee pipe, and then re-
treated, with their faces directed as much
as possible towards us, until completely
out of the room. This was all done with
the utmost precision and regularity and
though there were over dozen OF us all
served at the same time, our long pipes
stretching out on the floor, forming STUN
bling blocks to less experienced persons,
and though each attendant walked back
wards, there was no coming in contact ell
, ther with each other or the pipe. We
were struck with the richness oft the mouth
pieces. They were all composed of the
! finest amber, which is itself quite costly !;
but the great quantity of sparkling gems
which adorned them battles all description.
Row after low of diam onds, of rubbies,
of sapphires, &c, made up their glitter
ing beauty. Lieutenant Winwright, of
New York, who happened ito be seated
next to me, and who by the way, is a gen.
tleman of much good taste and Judge
ment, and myself, calculated the value of
the mouthpieces through which we
smoked, and we concluded that each one
could not be worth less than $4,000
But some were far richer than ours, whose
value | should not like to state, for fear l
| might be charged with exaggeratIon.-
/ There appeared to be profusion oil them,
for Notwithstanding each of our party was
served, the German Legation was also
provided with them, and we must hence
conclude that there is sufficiency on
hand to supply any number of embassies
that may happen to seek an interview
with his Highness on one and the same
day.
The tobacco had very delicate flavor,
and | should think on account of its plea
santness and the magnificent mouth-piece
through which it was whitfield, that the
most rigidly abstcmious persons in the
world would have been induced to take a
/ few puffs. Just to think of glorious in
| halation of the finest tobacco of Turkey
! through transparent amber and rings of
diamonds worth thousands of dollars =
Formerly it was the custom when one
Turkish dignity visited another, to have
pipes brought out for him, and those ac
companying as friends, but as this was a
very expensive fashion, involving the ne
cessity of keeping great number Of
pipes, it is now almost abandoned, and
each guest, if he be man of any conse-
quence, takes his own pipes and pipe
bearers with him. 1t is really amusing
to see Turkish grandee galloping along
on horseback, with his train of attendants
pursuing him on foot, conspicuous among
whom are pipe-bearers. Of course it is
not expected of the Franks to carry the
! 7cAi60uk with them, and hence provision
is always made for them.
After enjoying our pipes for brief
! time, another relay of servants marched
into the room, bearing small cups placed
in magnificent sarfs, which wed with the
andre mouth-pieces in the richness of
their material and adornments, and serv-
ed us with the most delicious coffee,
which article the Turks excel in making.
The smoking, the drinking of coffee and
sherbert, and some friendly chatting in
French with the master of ceremonies,
having been gone through with, a mes
senger made his appearance, announcing
that his Imperial Majesty was ready to
receive us. Rising and following him,
we crossed over a court paved with gra-
vel mosaic, and mounting the marble
steps, passed into the grand door of the
palace, which was guarded on either side
by Turkish soldiers. Here the faithful
dof their shoes and replace them with
slippers, as it would be the height of sac
rilege to mar the marble or oak panneled
floors of the palace, wherein dwells the
90 shadow of God on earth," with the
heavy foot-coverings of the street. But
we infdels were spared that trouble, and
planted our calfskins and patentleathers,
highly polished floors of the Imperial