Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-03-31


To visit the mosques aud the Scrnglo Palace
tirman or permit must be had from the govern
ment, and that is to be paid for roundly. An
officer or two must attend with his sword and
stnh nnd they must be fed we'll. Then at every
mosque and other sncrrd place you visit there
are servants TO be feed; if pnrty get through
the days excursion for forty dollars they do
very we'll Mr.. Brown, the Drngoman of the
United States Legation, kindly procured for us
iirinnn aud sent his own ccvasse to lead us
The Government sent another, so TINT we were
well provided with an escort. Several Indies
joined our party and added largely to the pleas
urc of thnt delightful aud interesting day.
Whore the Golden Horn sets mp from the Bos-
phofus tho old city of Byznntium stood, and Mo-
manned ii. selected Il is unrvalled site for his
palaeo, and lnid out the grounds, and prepared
residence that had no cqnnl in the Eastern
world. Arm ID sentincls admitted us by tho
great pavilion, which, is called the Potie-a gate,
and from this the Ottoman Empire takes its
name. Fifty mon are the usual guard ut this
door. We wero at once in tho midst of vast
court yard, tthe whole palace grounds nre three
miles ia crculD and passing accrnss II we were
conducted into the palace. A flight of stairs
brought us totho audience chamber, ,nwide apart
meut, carpeted and surrounded with rich dvun.
The throne room was furnished with chairs and
sofas. showing conformity io Western customs
Another and another chamber, and we entered
the Sultnn's bnth, lnxurlously hitcdup, but with
out some of the cuntrivnuccs for comfort which
poorer people ENJOY. A brass bar across n door
we were passing, told MS, or at lcast the guides
informed us, that this was the entrance to the
harem. No prolane foot may cross TINT thresh
old No man but the husband Is allowed 10 enter
the Turks apartments for his wives. But IA long
cutlery opening near, wns now entered. hung on
one side with engravings chiefly OF Napocon's
battles; and on the other side, n row of windows
=. = q. l.I I,nI
the hundred and fifty wives of tho Sultan are
daily assembled for the amusement If their com
mon lord. Here cach one of them may exert her
art to win his favor and IL is said that he drops
bis handkerchief at tho feet of the one who has
been most successful.
Through this hall we were led along to the pri-
vate armory of the Sultan, and while admlring
the pistols, swords, drks, yatnghans. cmeters,
sabres, etc. ofelegnnt workmanship, adorned with
gold and precious stones, my attention was called
to an adjoining apartment the Sultan's bedcham-
ber. Two ianiZuries with bayonefed guns stood
before the open door, aud permitted me to look in,
but not enter. II was reported among the com
pany in the other room that gentlemen were not
dHowed to go in and the ladies presumng on
their privilege, FASTENED TO step in, but the
crossed guns OF the guards b1 ought them to sud
den halt on the threshold. We could the mug
niiicent couch and its gold and crimson damask
canopy, and the sumptuous furniture of the cnam-
ber whore the most uneasy man in the Turk sh
empire has often sought in vain for sleep, that
comes unwoed to him who earns it with the sweat
of his brow, and does not wear n crown.
In the gardens of the palace, and near the wa
ter's edge, many beautiful but small cottages,
which from time TO time have been erected at the
desire of one or another of the Sutans favore
wives. Fitted up according to the taste of each
fair inmate, we could see in the low windows that
open on the walks TINT they were very elegant
and very oriental. The Sultan has the range of
them all, a. cages in which his pet birds are con
| tiLe And then gathered soma flowers. for
| in the last of December the roses were in full
bloom in the open air, and every thing was fresh
and green May. Underneath the palace was
the kitchen, and fires going as if an army were to
| be fed from the great ges and furnaces on
| which the dinner was even now cooking Some
ofthe pastry was served to us. and proved to be
excellent though we did eat it in the kitchen
Won Hammer says that there are nine several
kitchens and that forty thousand oxens are year
ly killed here and cooked, 200 sheep daily. loO