New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-12
An ADVENTURER IN ASSYRLi...L
Corr,sporderce Of The N. Y. Tribune


DnRBEKIR. KoORDrsTAN, November %, 1853.
Very little did / ever imagine that I'd sometime De
squatting on a dram, in the ancient Amda writing TO
The TRBUNE in Persian ink, using my Knee as table ana
smoking a n0rgW meanwhile. So It's however I'm
on my way to explore the old buried cities OF Baoylonia
and Assyra those giant, shadOwy empires which loom
ND so dim and vast in Bible history very Dinotherea
and Mcgatherea of ebracal lore. As for why DO ths
INV readers will not be curious, but eaOugh 70 say that
have before had year in Italy and after that onged
for nv freedom again. and now have found it. Jove
be thanked, grim respectability, chimney'pot hats
neck clohs razors hOuserent and taxes are let DE-
hind Since the 9TH Of this month I've not encounter
ed a chair table or pair OF sheets nocturnahy' anu
exccpt tor the purposes OF layaOn and neacatchlng
I've not undressed. Ny home is chiefly the saddle;
| IN rapidly unearning all belief in furniture, and
other small items of our civilization Where, asa
is the necessity for four-post bed carpet
stretched upon n boar ded shelf mud hoor and
thick padded, sk-lined covcrd suffice my dormitory
reagirements which articles also form an admirable
seatwhereore what need OF an ingen0uSiy lashioned
tour.leQged perch, denomnated chair FOR chliOn-
icTs ana chests of drawers-pooh! Don niches III
wall answer every purpose And fireplace with nil
its supplementary hardware in the shape OF poker,
tonas and shovel becomes gigantic absuroty-a pre-
tentious nuisance when contrasted with the slmPe
expedent of lighted brazer placed, when required,
i'm The center of the rOOm and removed at pleasure
Windows Ibave vet feeble belief especially when
il rains Knives and forks wholly ignore, as apper-
tanning 10 my cooks department. eat with my M
gers ike OF the Faithful, washing before and after
the transaction, aGd-yes, do use spoon Tor soup
Let Inc II foresee this will be horribly dscurslye,
nnmethodical sort Of letter but cant help IT'D ven
tnre the detail of a dinner of which have even now
exclusiy ely partsken at the residence OF christian
Turk q hind Of European agent here I've just sent
my 6rmGn, Ga terrible piece OF paper about oGr ieet
long which threatens everybody with everything II
they don't do all you want 10 the Pasha here, 10 ASK
his advice about certain matters. My host little man
with large fez, and beard to match, has been smoking
pipe with me, and inquirng extensively through Tue
medium Of the interpreter, as to the Prooao'y Oh "ar
French and English assistance 20 Turkey, &c-n re-
turn youchssfng the information that Lord Aberdeen
is "a dog-may his fathers grave be dehl'd: ana
that il is well known that his aforesaid LordshiP mas
received barrel full Of Russian gold. diun thiih
il worth while TO contradict either assertion flhsy
he compimented Inc by taking my nargle, drawing
Whit or two returning il to me and retiring. dd
little reading ard scribbng then walked about hoping
10 allay the appetite provoked by twelve hours ga0p
after meager breakfast Moorhad, my servant,
tells me iney re preparing my dinner ana az iengtn
tray appears, and is placed at my feet IL contains,
70 .od. four small plates of sweetmeats and oottie
If arsk aniseedO After some dismal hiusing sIiieu
hole in The midst of one of the former ttor eoadq
eat em:) and they were removed. Inc 'e"-
baHque (pipe OF cOnsolaton,l appropriately iollow
ed and then d washing basin, 50 formed mat
no wateris visible only place for soap Ihe Liquid ele
ment is poured over your hands by servant Inis over
and the dspangled napkin which has been lying on
YOUR knees used towel, the tray again appears,
and an extra carpet is placed beneath the stand "hcn
now supports it. On IT, as before, are our Lilpuliah
pates containing chiefly rice and island OF sweet
bread poultice floating in asea OF weak milk Cheese
and melons follow; then a repetition OF hand "asnhg'
and the whole entertainment concludes Win inc ouo-
bling nareile accompanied by minute cup oil Gomez,
made Turkish fashion, with the grounds IN IT, ana heid
in an opep fgree-work egg cup. There's an east
ern dinner for YOU For breakfast you'll Prooaoly get
posched eggs inhnitesimal doses OF boiled mutton,
with eggsugar Omeletes and cheese ia'atioh VI lne
hands before and after using them Gomez ana tne pipe,
as usual The sweetlneats, am happy to ma, cniy
nrecede dinner Different tObaccos are used Id the
tebibouaue and nargile-the latter water pipe with
long snake tube, is supplied win damp uncut oeaceo
the former fre.cut Turkish. In neither ease inc
outhpiece placed within but only TO the lp ana the
marble cannot be pulled at but inhaled, as It were,
being fret drawn into the lungs AT rst THIS Is unen
durable but you get TO ike II in time.
But TO speak little of the house in which an tenn
porsrily abidirg from the invariably hithy turkish
streets YOU enter upon q courtyard, from when
staircase leads 10 the mems apartments door INTO
another court affords, prevents. entrance as the
case NAV be- TO the harem, which may contain one
wife or ffty-it 10 simply the portion OF the house DE-
voted 10 the females of the family Round 'hs court
ward above runs projecting gallery, and from thence
The various APARTMENTS entered shoes or slPPers
beiug left on the thresholds. They have carPeted
aoors with cushions for reclining on, inches IN the
walls 70 serve cupboards and sort OF sideooala 70
deposit sleeping contrvances during the d1y. GUY
side is sunny, but COOL and over the dwarf raiiing
can look down upon asphy fountain 'hat don
play. And that's about all.
Nv ride thither from tsamson where, for tune, l
parted with the companions of my journey showed
NE some OF the andest scenery have ever cast eyes
upon. Mountains, sometimes rising 5,Ooo ieet ABOVE
te seas level clothed with countless acres OF undis-
,bd timber. aso vast untitled though fertile. plains,
abandoned to prolific crops OF weeds. There are no
roads worthy OF the name, and scarcely any cultivation
For beauty and pieuresqueness this country s as tine
as Switzerland or Itay and I'm seeags TO think that