The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-03-14

Blessed Virgin. But l fear at this late
date it would be impossible to ascertain
the truth.
After passing the Gates of Bliss,
where are situated the dwellings of the
Izlar Aga, the chief of the black eunuch:
we come to the. Daril Seeded, or the
Garden of Delight, in which are clus-
tered the numerous gilded kiosks with
their gilt latticed easements Appropriated
to the Harem and young princes of the
Imperial house.
The principal building for the odal-
isques of the Seraglio contains long
saloon nearly three hundred and fifty
feet in length, and about sixty feet in
width, partitioned off in small apart
ments for the numerous inmates. Di-
vans are ranged around the walls,
upon which the favored beauties of the
Sultan repose, varying in number from
two hundred to three hundred. There
is nothing remarkable or oriental In its
appearance, the walls are painted in the
Moorish fashion and covered with small
French mirrors and gaudily- colored en-
cravings The tales SO frequently told
and SO currently believed of the Sultan
throwing the handkerchief to the fair
competitors for his favor is, as far as I
can ascertain, a pure inven tion.
Overlooking the Bcsphorus is range
of buildings which from the summer re
treat of the Imperial beauties, and
where, concealed behind the lattice COW
cred windows, they enjoy the varied and
changing scenes constantly passing upon
its waters. Near the Pasha's gate, up
on the harbor, is an iron door, now rusty
upon its hinges, pointed out as the one
through which those frail beauties who
were no longer pleasing to their Inlperi-
al lover were thrown, envelopcd in a
sack, into the dark and rapid current of
the Bosphorus.
Among the numerous buildings with
which the gardens are filed, and which
have been built to crafty the caprice Of
the different sultans, perhaps there is
none mere picturesque and beautiful
than the gilded marble kiosk, suppor-
ted by twelve spiral pillars of green mar
BILE, and covered with delicately made
lattice work, where the Sultan occasion
ally repairs to overlook the port and
enjoy the sweet breezes of the Mermora.
The most striking feature of all of them
is their surprising orientalisu1, but they
possess none of the splender an magnif-
cence of European palaces; the gardens
are large and well arranged, filed with
bright and fragrant flowers and spark
ling fountains,- and shaded by luxuriant
trees, where during the residence of the
Sultan in the Seragio, the Imperial
beauties are occasionally suffered to en-
joy themselves.
1 am told that many relies, not only
of ancient Byzantium, but of the once
beautiful city of the Constantines, lie
buried beneath the buildings of the Sc
raglio, which the jealousy of the Turk
will not suffer to be molested that late
ly, while some repairs were being made
upon On Imperial kiosk, several exquis-
itely carved porphory sarcophagi were
discovered and Immediately covered up
Since the accession of the present
Sultan the Seraglio has been deserted
and it is owing to this that visitors are
enabledto explore the grounds and build
ings, which in former days no Frank was
ever suffered to enter. But its glo.
ries and it's beauties, like everything else
in Constantinopie, are fast falling into
decay, aud the day is not far distant
when we may, upon visiting this once ia
nous and favorite palace of the great
Mchammed exclaim with him as he en-.
tered the desolate mansion of the last ot
the Contantines /" The spider has wo
ven his web in the Imperial Palace, and
the owl has sung her watch-song on the
towers of Afrasiah."
Since my last letter the allied armies
before Sebastopol, so completely be-
numbed by their suferings, have made
no. offensive movement. The lombard
ment, has entirely ceased, and the troop:
are engaged in strengthening their in
trenehmepts, and repairing the road from
Balaklava to the camp, which had been
rendered impossible by the constant
rains. The additional siege guns which
had been sent out since the battle of Ink.
ernan still remained at Balaklava, owing
to the inability to transport them to the
trenches.z The loops were suffering
nuchefrom cold, and so destitute have
they been of wood, that they have beer
using the wooden houses lately sent out
and even the handles of the siege tool;
for fuel, to cook their provisions. All
accounts concur in representing then
condition as most wretched and misera-
bic.
The Russians, however, have beer
more active, they have made two sue
cessful sorties against the English anc
French camps in which they spiked sew,
eral guns and captured quite number o.
prisoners. A large number of the Bal
tie artillerymen had arrived and were
daily adding to the almost impregnablt
Notifications, and mounting large addi
tional number of guns. This they were
enabled to DO unmolested, as the enemy
had entirely ceased their fire. The corp.
under General Leprandi encamped it
the rear of the English position is alsc
strongly fortifying itself in an intrench
ed camp. Twenty-six thousand Russian
reenforcements had passed PerekoI
since the 18th.
We begin to see and feel the effects
of the war, not only by the enormous
price of provisions, but also in the grea
disorder which pervades the whole coun
try. So changed has this place beeom,
with in the last two months that l cal
scarcely believe it to be the quiet anC
peaceable city found when first ar
rived. Since the arrival here of tn,
greater portion of the combined fleets
and the larger number of invalid sol
diers, nothing but riot and disorder pre-
walls The Turkish police, never yer.
efficient, through fear have become ut
terly worthless, and suffer the drunken