Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-01-25
SELECI MISCELLANY
DARK ARCHES ulDER CONSIAATllOPLi;
F., Or, she sultan.s EscGuyc.

UdNh hNUuED UAULN LII,
. sHa, Or, ,tlie Smltan'si Refuge. &
When Russia, as now, appears almost ineyita-
Bile, marches to the gates OF Constantinople, the
struggiemill be fierce and protracted. Under the
banner OF the prophet, the Turks will fight val
iantly, They will oppose the fercest fanaticsm
to the discipline of foe as skillful as rugged
And who can doubt the result! However, should
the snemy approach Constantinople, the city might
be defended to an indefinite period--that is, sup
posing the fleets Of France and England kept the
communication by sea open and unn;c.ruptet; for
the walls Of Constantinoplc are considered very
good. Those on the land side have double range,
twenty-five feet broad. The outer wall, which is
about twelve feet high, is defended by two hundred
Qnd fifty strong towers. The inner wall is about
twenty feet high, with towers similar to those Of
the outef Military strateges consider that if all
these points were we'll fortified, and the sea ap-
proaches kept clear Of the enemy, Constantinoplc
might be defended against any force which the
power Of Russia could bring against it, But sup
posing the city was reduced to the last extremity,
hmight still be desperately defended. The pop
Mlaton would be destroyed, but the military could
= hold out until famine swept them away, for the
rage Of provisions, the wonderlulva vaults of Con-
stantinople supply ample convenience. One OF
them affords abundance of pure fresh water--in
fact, It is a subterrancan reservoir, ,,t re,.
ia The vast underground ediiices rahk among the
most remarkable monuments ofoll Constantine
pie. They were built by the Greeks, as cisterns,
ahd were always kept foil in cases Of siege
Through the neglect Of the Turks, many Of them
afe much deeayed, and some are wholly blocked
up, so that their positions use unknown. There
ID one vault called "the palace of the thousand and
one pillars which the Turks allow strangers to
inspect The entrance to it is from the centre Of
the city, down narrow but substantial ard we'll
preserved stone staircase.
Instead Of being cisteru filed with an i'm
.inense body of water, it is occupied as silk fac
tory! 1t Is about thirty feet deep, aud the roof is
about six feet from the surface of the street. This
vanlt axtends over about an acre of ground. But
the greatest curiosity is the vault wLich still ex-
ists as cstcrn. This vault the Turks regard with
thsgreatest Jealousy few, even OF those who.
live tbout It, being aware Of the precise locality.
It's subterrancan lake, extending under many
streets, and the former has All arched roof, sup
ported by three hundred and thirty-six pillars of
solid marble. An English gentleman, who was
fortunate to obtain access to it, has supplied us
with avery animated description of its appearance.
Hesays: -.
fsI hot thaVa a1yyoon
voir in the city, in good preservation, and still
partially full of water, made many inquiries re-
specting it, but all In vain At length, meeting a
friend whose long residence in Copstantinople had
afforded him the means of knowing more than !
csp3 GSsabeut it, Easked him if the account the
existencesof the reservoir was correct ~,
Expressing On earnest wish TO behold it he told
me that, with large bribe, he thought he would
obtain me permission-for he acquainted with
M old Turk whose house was said to cover one of
The openings into it. readily agreed to give the
required douceur and he arranged to call the next
morning, if successful I The following morning,
my friend came with the news of his success. AT
ter passing through verai Streets we reached the
pppor part Of the city and entered on old looking
hspse. We were received by an aged Turk, with
asVenerable beard, whose dress betokened neither
very great wealth, nor very great cleanliness. =
ANerbeilg invited to take coffee and pipe, which
was accepted-my friend serving as Interpreter 70
ihefewWoids of conversation that passed between
,is4-out hest informed us he was ready to show us
the way to the subteranean pdlacc I, .,I =. y, 4
1--WE proceeded to the court Of the house, and
turning sharp to the right. werc ushered into
small room, the door of which wasa,few steps be-
low the Lsurface of the ground.I Here the guide
provided two torches, and putting one into my
hands, and carrying the other himself, proceedet
"a raise sort Of trap-aoor, and bidding US follow
him, began to descend. a My friend immediatel,
stepped down after him; and Tbroughtup the rear
Aftsf descending thirty steps OF more, Of 3 strong
stone staircase. We ltsure, from the cold damp
mess Of The air, that We were in the immediate VI
.cinity of!water. Our snEmises were soonyeriiie
bythe Turk (who was aistep or two lower thai
tithsfo ofns) callneto ly friend u take his torch
xblls " snuIsoorsd !. light boat thst was iaattsps