New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-12
AN ADVENTURER IN ASSYRIA...L
20 of The N. Y. Tribune.


DIARBEKR KooRDIsTAN, November 26, 1853.
Very little did / imagine that I'D sometime be
squating dipan, in the ancient Amida, writing TO
The TRIBUNE in Persian ink using knee as table, and
smoking morgk meanwhile. So It's however I'm
on my way to explore the old buried cities of BabyOna
and Assyria those giant shadOwy empires which loom
ap 30 dim and vast in Bible history, very DnOtherea
and Megatherea of ebracsl lore. Asfor why do this
my readers will not be curious, but enough to say that
have before had year in Italy and after that lOnged
for my freedom again, and now have found it. Jove
DO thanked grim responsibility, chimney-pot hats,
neck cohs razors houserent and taxes are left be-
hind Since the 9TH of this month I've not encounter
I'd chair, table or pair OF sheets n0cturnaily ana
except for the purposes of lavation and eacatchng
I've not undressed My home is chiefly the saddle;
] am rapidly unlearning all belief in furniture, and
other small items Of our civilization Where, ask,
is the necessity for four-post bed carpet
stretched upon n boarded shelf mud floor and
thick padded slk-lined coverd suffice my dormitOry
requirements which articles also form admirable
seat-whereore what need Of ingeniOusy fashioned,
four-legged perch, denomnated chair For chiffon
iers and chests Of drawers-pooh! Don't inches in
wall answer every purpose And fireplace with all
its supplementary hardware in the shape OF poker,
tongs and shovel becomes gigantic absurdity-a pre-
tentiOus nuisance, when cOntrasted with the simple
expedent Of lighted brazier placed, when required,
in the center Of the ROOM and removed at pleasure.
Windows have yet feeble belief n-especiay when
it rains. Knives and forks wholly ignore, as apper
tanning to my cooks department. eat with my I'm
gers like one of the Faithful washing before and after
the transaction and-yes, do use spoon for soup!
Let me Il foresee this will be horribly discursive,
unmethodical sort of letter. but can't help IT'D ven
ture the detail of dinner of which have even now
exclusively partaken at the residence OF Christian
Turk, kind of European agent here I've just sent
my rman terrible piece OF paper about four feet
long, which threatens everybody with everything if
they don't do all you want to the Pasha here, to 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 the
medium of the interpreter as to the probability Of war,
French and English assistance to Turkey, &c-n re-
turn vouchsang the information that Lord Aberdeen
il "a dog-may his fathers grave be deflsd!" and
that il is well known that his aforesaid Lordshp has
received a barrel full Of Russian gold. I didn't think
itworth while to contradict either assertion. Finally
he complimeuted me by taking my nargle, drawing
Whit or two, returning it to me and retiring Idid
little reading and scrbblng then walked about hoping
10 aay the appetite provoked by twelve hours gaop
after a meager breakfast. Moorhad 'my servant"
tells me they re preparing my dinner, and at length
tray appears and is placed at my feet 1t contains,
ye gods four small plates of sweetmeas, and bottle
of arak (sniseed) After some dismal musing stirred
hole in the midst Of one Of the former, or couldn't
eat 'em;) and they were removed. The tehi-
banqae (ppe Of consOlation,) appropriately follow
ed and then a washing basin, SO formed that
no waeris visible, only apace for SOAP The liquid ee-
ment ia poured your hands by servant This over
and the cold panged napkin which has been lying on
your knees used towel, the tray again appears,
aud an extra carpet placed beneath the stand which
now supports II. On it, as before are four Liputian
plates containing chiefly rice and an island of sweet
bread poultice floating in sea OF weak milk. Cheese
and melons follow; then a repetition of hsnd-washing,
and the whole entertainment concludes with the bub-
bling naree, accompanied BY minute cup of coffee,
made Turkish fashion, with the grounds in It and held
In an open 6ligreeworked egg cup. There's an east
ern dinner for you For breakfast you'll probably get
posched eggs, nfDi;esimal doses Of boiled mutton,
with gsugar omeettes and cheese lavatien Of the
hands before and after using them coffee and the pipe
n usual The sweetmeats, am happy to ind, only
precede dinner. Different tobaccos are used IN the
fchibouque and nargie-the latter water pipe, with
bong snake tube is supplied with damp uncut tobacco;
the former hrecut Turkish. In neither case is the
mouhpiece placed within, but only to the lips and the
nareile cannot be pulled at but inhaled, as II were.
being first drawn into the lungs AT first this Is unen-
durable, but you get to like it in time.
But to speak little of the house in which am tenn
porarily abiding: from the invariably filthy Turkish
streets you enter upon courtyard, from which q
staircase leads TO the mems apartments. door into
another court affords, prevents, entrance Gas the
case NAV be, to the harem, which may contain one
wife or 6tyit 10 simply the portion Of the house de-
voted 10 the females Of the family" Round this court
ward above runs projecting gallery, and from thence
the various apartments are entered shoes or slippers
heng left on the thresholds. They have carpeted
6oors with cushions for reclining on, inches In the
ais 10 serve as cupboarts and sort Of sdeooard to
Seposit sleepipg contriyances during the day. Out
.ide 10 sunny, but cool and over the dwarf ralns