The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-02-01


hands, and carrying the other himscl
proceeded to raise II sort of n trap doo
aud bidding US follow him. began to dc
srcnd. My friend Immediately stcppe
down after him, and | brought up tn
rear. After descending thirty steps q
more, Of a strong staircase, VIC felt sure
from the cold dampness of the air, tha
we wcro in the immediate vicinity G
water. Our surmisc was soon verife
by the Turk (who was a step or tw
lower than either of us) calling to m
friend to take the light while he unmoor
cd Light boat that was fastened to th
winding staircase. a step or two low
cr, and amid innumerable columns, risin,
on every hand, we discerned the waite
cleaning under the light of our torches
We were soon seated in the boat an,
the Turk cquipping himself with pail
of sculls, showed us off. The splash o
the chain that had moorcd the boat, a,
it fell heavily into the water, echoct
throughout the vaulted cavern. shal
never forget the bcwildcrment that for
the first few minutes crcpt over me-
Rows Of marble columns seemed to rise
cndlcssly, while their polished surface.
glistcncd in the torch light. The east
ern dress of our guide, the flowing
beard. the dismal silence of this strange
place, unbrokcn save by the padding Of
the boat, aud the cleaning of our un.
earthly lights. made me think of the
poets description of the Stygian ferry
man. After time began to look u
round more attentively The columns
are of marble many Of them with Cor
inthian capitals, though VIC saw some Of
the composite, and others of the Doric
order Some retained all the sharpness
Of their exquisite finish, others seemed
to be undergoing dilapidaton from the
hand of Time.
They appeared to me to be the spoils
Of more than one temple appropriated
by imperial builders to this use We
looked for an inscription, but could no
where find one The roof seemed in ex-
cclent condition, and appeared to be ff-
teen or twenty feet above the surface of
the water Unlike most other guides.
ours was by no means communicative.
and only by dint Of questioning him.
could we learn anything from him. lie
said "thc water was unfathomablc, and
it was as it always had been" ! am of
the opinion there were from twelve to
fifteen feet depth ofw in the cistcrn.
1t extended under several streets, and
from the darkness and gloom which cn.
velopes it, its area seems Of great cx.
tent. i may well be called lake. Af-
ter padding one extremity, which we
found to consist vf wall faced with
blocks of marble, and reaching nearly
across it in the opposite directions, our
guide, in spite Of all our entrcaty, de
tcrmincl to ascend We could learn
nothing of the mode by which the water
finds entrancc-most likely by some
underground course, and obtain. ogress
in similar manner. We at length
reached the staircase, and, much against
our will, were compelled to leave this
wonderful cistern, which we would glad
ly still further have explored"
The reluctance of the Turks to allow
these underground reservoirs to be ex-
plorcd, probably arises from the fact,
that if their courses were known, they
would disclose many entrances to the
city, and so facilitate the admission of Il
foe Another reason may be given. The
Turks are excessively superstitious,-
They believe in ghosts, goblius, and de-
mons and farcy that the powers of dark.
ness and destruction take up their abode
in places like these subtcrraucar retreats.
The traditions of the cruelties pcrpetrat-
ed on the Greeks, in these artificial cav
erns have not yet died away; and we may
add that these excavations have been
used by the Turks for the most detesta-
bic purposes of revenge, intrigue, and
political necessity. The father of the
present Sultan found ths one above dc,
scribcd very useful.
Sclim had been dethroned and impris.
oncd by the Janissaries, aud Mustapha
". rcigncd in his stead. This arrange.
ment did not at all suit Baractier-a
general who marched to Constantinople
at the head of forty thousand men.
Having obtained possession of the capi-
tai, he hastcned to the scraglio. but
found the gates closed, and every prep
alton for determined defence. The
general, disappointed but not intimidat-
cd, gave orders for an immediate as.
sault. The contest lasted only short
time, but the interval was fatal to Selm
On the sound of the frs, shot, tho ennis
sarics of the Sultan were dispatched to-
the apartments of Selim, whom, ,notwiih
standing he was at his devotions, they
strangled. From the murder of Selim
the cxecutioners proceeded to the apart
ments of Mahmoud, the younger son Of
Abdulhaimid, and the only remaining
prince of the blood royal. There wa.
still hope for the Sultan, in the eventual
death of his brother. Selim was ne
more the audacious Daractcr himself
would respect the last of the Ottoman
race. The mutes rushed into the cham
Der of the confined prince, but lie wa.
1 no where to be found. To the fond fl
deity of slave he was indebted for hi,
life. At the moment that Baractier haC
rushed into the palace, Mahmoud, wht
had been concealed in the furnace of /
bath, guided by the slaves,w was cautious
ly threading some subterranean passages
until they gained an opening or recess il
the wall, from which opened a door tina
concealed a fight of steps. The slav,
had brought torch with him, and a
he held it alvft the future Sultan gazet
in some trepidation on mass of darkll
flowing water
whittier wouldst thou conduct me7
he demanded
To life and a thronoln answered tn