Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-12-01
The Turkish Baths

.
without attempting some description Of one
of my first adventures in Bucharest. with
sense of rrsiitude that am alive to tell the
tale One morning awokc aiter night Of
profound sleep, and rubbing my eyes. bciho't
myself that a hath would not be- amiss.
went firth io inquire for one. The Turkish
and walllchian baths are 10th plirooized
here, and ~ | had heard the latter highly cx.
iollcd, ! determined 10 test them. They are
situated in a disarrrrablc quarter n the city
called Icipsikani the building which in
closes them resembles an immense bcc.hivc
and ! walked three times around 1t without
finding tho entrance. A Kind " inp-door
was then discovered by the friend vho accom-.
. parted mo, similar to those by which cellars
are protected in country towns. Having rai,.
I'll H., We descended eight steps. and found
ourselves in the center n round hall, per-
h,rs hundred feet in circumference. Is
walls were of roso colorcJ marble. spotted
with blue, he pure white pa,cmrn, was also
~ marble, and the whole area was surround
81 vlth a hind NJ dt,11 comfortably cushion.
"a. The LIGHT dimuci by The thick yapoy
through which il passes, is only admitted by
q circular window, ab,ul foot iu diameter
n corca,c 1nl convex glass, inserted ln the
fccsiouc dome Th- is suppousd hy eight
rra mite rl'1r.. each crihcm containing tubes
through which Tho water Ola, many different
degrees ofhca, falls into The same number II
marble vases also discovered more than
Seven .lcercrs" stretched around apparently
in as profound slumbcr as is generally as.
cubod to those mythical reronacc,.
Utter silence rcIrned ovcr the luyurIon,
scene. and vas in1urnr of mvsrlf Il We
Ind not wNndrrcd INTO the Kingdom ol the
rr"mr,, when INV companion cl1ppcd his
h1,ls. and Immediately there appeared before
us,as il he bad sprung ou, Of the earth at,
our feet lulc figure, crooked as Esop,
hrsjcd Ike a hwn. and covered with the
mott curious h'hl'mrn's. Again appealed
to nyscIG with llr,lc rrosr-c, ola 'au.hc.
rrrl'. rflh.. WIS no, onc Of the rrnn of the
Thuslnl and One Nch',
"Si'an aslopm." said the strange figure,
CsIch being interpreted IS ! salute you,)
booi0r u.s odd l,'s am TO the guurl very
good humorrdly.
lIr now cllrrcl be m fsh'p,n haris. ,c.
camr1nyiug the motion with 4 churknar
sound. Two servant. answered hi, summon,
their skin were yellow arl iry q, r1r-hmcr,
their eyes rcrc du'l and deep set, they were
dressed hk- purrns,s. and appeared. hr,c,
strong, and Young enough tosusia'1 the char
lcr oar presence was sudie,on, ,Sp'ana-
lIun Of our wishes. aul vi,h'm word, uac
hand wls ali upon our n.,.l, col .a t..ius
ling We we're dr,r''cd Of every suc'c oi
clothing by ihr other. One Of ihrm then
placed wooden slippers. ahou, sz inrhc, In
height, upon our lcgr, while ,hc other wound
three or hour yard, of gray cloth shout our
forms, lurbaas completed our cluPncu, for
tho bath
We acre uov conducted 20 small arrhrI
closet. lhc temperature of which oas q little
. more than tcr.d The water flowed over lhr
warm pavement from cvefv side, anl escaped
%, % chnnncl in the wall We wm1rrJ here
bul about iwo minutes, ard were 'i~r taken
Co an apartment liulc larger than De frst,
archcI in he same manner, and lu'm-hrIw.i
three large sclllop shells. each supplied with
water sull warmer than the other from tube,
continually oyrrioving the recrpac',s, and
filling llc space with 50 cordcnsHg and Tc-
ne,nrnr In odor, that nearly f.n'ci.
At the end of ten minutes. Which appc1rcI
lIL, 80 many aces. one of llc servants orcn.
ed the door Of thrd apartment. larger than
either of,he tuo preceding ouc,. in the miIs,
oruhscb w7, thrust. w,,hnu, the .lI,htc.l
exclamation from our silent attendants. my
Communion al.p submitted with mlr,rlikr
compu,urc to the sane fate. Immediately
came To the conc'usron Mat ili. was a fnr.
nacs where people was burned alive. made
an effort ,oicmunslraic, but in vain. my voice
was lost In my throat, my knrcs irembled,my
head s"am,And sank down in utter helpless.
ness IN iew seconds ny chest d''a'ed and
natural respiration was resumed. ! opened
my eyes to ascertain my true Position. IN
the midst Of the apartment, which Vas vas,
amphihel'cr with 'aulled arches 80 ssilllal-