Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-03-24

CoNsTANTrSoPLE, TIE SuLTAS AND HIS
! TRooPs.-A correspondent Of the Newark
Daily Advertiser, writing from Constantine
pie on the 10th of January, says
Nothing has moro surprised us here than
,ho show Of commerce. the quantity of ship
ping, and the activity Of life in the harbor r.
Some 10000 caiqucs-richly lined boats with
such high, sharp prows that only half the
vessel appears to touch the water-aro con-
stantly shooting over the waters between the
| threo cites, to say nothing of the great awk-
ward ferry boats and ships steamers and
other salt water craft are every where seen
displaying French, English, Dutch, Greek and
Sardinian flags 1tisan Incompatible harbor {;
large enough for all the shipping in the world.
We had a favorable chance on Friday Of
seeing the Sultan (Ahdul Mciid) on his way
to and from mosque. His departure from the
seraglio palace Occupying the very point of
the peninsula, on which stands the city,
washed on all sides.) was announced by an
artillery salute, which brought out half the
population Three gilded caiques, each rowed
by 20 or 80 showily dressed oarsman, CON-
prised tho royal suit. The Sultan occupied
the middle one, sitting on green cloth under
green canopy, with four officers facing him.
On reaching his destination he was received
remaining in tho mosque half an hour, came
out and mounted caparlsoncd horse in the
midst of pressing crowds of officers, pachas,
eunuchs, &c. He was envcloped in a volu-
minous French broad cloth cloak, and his pale
face, nearly covered by flowing black beard,
was crowned with red cap, from which hung
a rich purple tassel
The TROOPS wear plain European uniform,
save the cap, and make a tolerable appear
ance. ! observe also that the French frock
coat is generally worn by the leading men,
One sees indeed in the streets of Pera and
Stamboul the costumes of all quarters Of the
globe multitudes of Europeans. Asiatics
Negroes and Moors-a strange mixture of the
stiff black Partisan chapeau with the jaunty
Eastern turban and Turkish fez--the unveiled
open faced beauties of France and Italy, in
termixed with the mufied heads and flowing
robes of the daughters of the prophet, whose
muslin chin cloths are usually as dirty as the
yellow faces they half conceal. Troops of
children are encountered at every turn, and
are treated with marked kindness and 80 for
that matter are the dogs, whose name is
legion.
Then there is scne.hing picturesque in the
wild ugliness of the steep narrow streets,
with their grotesque faces and jutting balco-
nies, as unlike anything else in the world as
the most ardent lover of contrasts could de-
sire.
There is not in all Europe more incongru-
Gus looking series of buildings than the Sc.
raglio, which the engravers have so sumptu-
ously endowed. The labyrinthian apartments
are deforned with cracked, old grotesqle
paintings, faded gidings, shabby cushions,
and tables, with here and there mirror
The harem was of course closed against us,
but we could see that its windows command
glorious views Of the Bosphorus. The i'm
mense kitchens Of the establishment were
opened to us, aud we occupied an hour in ex-
ploring their mysteries, in the midst of the
fumes of hundred furnaces and cauldrons.
and barrels of Apician luxuries But the ba.
zaars interested our curiosity much moro
than mosques and palaces. 10 an American
accustomed to the supple, insinuating address
OF our nimble shopmen, the solemn gravity
and cool Indifference of the proud Mussulman
tradesman seated, with his fragrant chibuuue,
en- permonencc, in the midst Of rich foreign
stores Of merchandise, is ineffably amusing
No pompous Dogberry ever assumed q haugh-
tier tone than he. Goods bear high price
at the least, and there is no standard, no
price-current. In the absence of all general
regulation, buyers and sellers are left to ma ke
the best bargains they can. Notwithstanding
their frequent intercourse With the CONNER
cial communities of Europe, these people are
still as devout followers as ever Of the
Prophet.