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

Is placed IN large guilt letters, the cy-
pher of the Suliain It is fanked by two
deep inches, in. which, in former days
were placed, in, silver dishes, the heads
of political offenders, their crimes being
written on tablets placed above them.-
Though it was built by Mohammed II,
it has nothing, save its extreme orien-
tai appearance, that would mark it S
the chief place of the Eastern Empire.
When the sultans inhabited tbs Sc
raglio, this gate was guarded by sixty
Cadidjis, armed with slight white wands;
now a few ill-dEessed soldiers and
eunuchs lounge about it, smoking the eE-
erlasting S1ti5Oqaic.
After passing the Sublime Porte,
called by the Turks Ba6a I!atnaajin'
we entered the first court of the Sc
raglio, hut SO little has it to Recommend
it, that my highly wrought anticipations
of oriental ,splendor were sadly damp
ened. It consists of large, oblong
square, fanked by meaI-looking build
ings, and used as infrmaries and bake
houses. On the left is the ancient
church of ST. Irene, built by Constan-
tine the Great, now converted into an
arsenal, and containing, as 1 was inform
ed, many of the war machines used by
the Greeks in the defense of their capi-
tai, as well as specimens of the arms
of the Crusaders under Godfrey de
Boulogue. Near the arsenal is the
mint, conducted principally by foreign
ers under the direction of the Armenian
Serofs, where the miserable money of
the Empire is coined.
Opposite the Sublime Porte stands
the Orta Kapou, forming the entrance
to the second court. This is about three
hundred and twenty yards in length,
and, with its green sward interspersed
with luxuriant trees and pretty foun-
tains, presents a singular contrast to
the one that we had just lift. From it
fine view of the lower grounds of the
Seraglio which shelye to the water is
obtained. 1t is one that ever charms
and upon which the visitor loves to
dwell The pointed spires of the light
aud graceful kiosks, and the needle
shaped minarets, and the bright cupo-
las of the mosques pceping out from the
green foliage, presents truly a novel
and oriental picture worthy the pencil
of an artist.
This gate is celebrated for the many
executions that have taken place near it.
Beneath the arch is door leading to
the apartments of the Djallat Odoussi
or executioner,+ where in former days
the suspected Graud Yiziers were tenn
porariIy confined Here, if exiled,
their fate was made known to them if
condemned to die, their sentence was
Immediately fulfilled by the executioner
and Yafta, proclaimimg their crimes,
was affixed to the walls These were
written in golden letters upon conical-
shaped scroll. The heads of the Pashas
that were executed there were stuck
upon a row of iron spikes placed above
the gateway. Near the Orta Kapou
| formerly stood the immense stone NOR
tar in which the earlier sultans caused
the Muftis who had displeased them to
be pounded to death. This cruel Gus
tom was adopted in order to avoid the
injunctions of the Koran from spilling
the holy blood of the spiritual superior
of the Mohammedan religion. 1t was
here, too, previous to the reforms of
Mahmoud, that the ambassadors of
Christian courts, who desired to be
presented to the Sultan, were obliged to
alight from their horses and to await un-
til it plcases the Light of the Sun "
to send for them and shed his rays upon
their infdle countenance.
Within this court on the left, is the
treasury Of the Sultan, and small
stable for his horses, for he alone is al
| lowed to pass the gate mounted. a
long row of low buildings upon the right
surmounted with small domes covered
with lead, serves as the kitchen for the
numerous inmates of this miniature city
and the amount they consume may be
imagined when it is said forty thousand
oxen alone are annually provided. In
front of the kitchens the Janissaries
were formerly fed with piloff, and the
larger the amonnt they consumed the
surer sign was it of their contentment
with the sultains.
Following walk, shaded by sypress
we reached the celebrated Divan, once
the seat of the Turkish government. 1t
is a large, low building, sumounted
with tower covered with leadland
crowned with a gilt sphere. 1t is
wainscoted and gilded after the Moor
ish fashion. 1t was here the Grand vi
zier, seated upon "a raised diyan, held
his court of Justice. A golden lattice
behind it concealed the SULTAN from the
| gaze of the giaour ambassadors, when
they we're allowed an audience. Now
he receives the foreign ministers as any
| other European potentate.
A building of Saracanic style of ar.
| Il. 4ho In, oil
rich in manuscripts.
Passing on to the fourth court we are
shown the building Chasuer, called the
Kiosk of Bagdad containing the jewels
of the Constantines and the extraordi
nary treasures of the Sultan though
much fear from the scarcity now existing
in the Empire they have long since beer
expended. Near this is the Kercha
Cheryf Odass, or the Saloon of the No
bic Garment containing the yeneratec
rope, banner and relics of the Prophet
and which is vested by the Sultan and
the dienitaries of the Empire with sc
much pomp and ceremony on the ff
teenth of the Ramazan. They are pre-
served in chests of gold and silver, anc
strictly guarded. Some assert thai
these relics of the Prophet were former
IIy Christian. That the staff is the same
with WHICH Moses performed his mira
cIes IN the wilderness. That the sancti
fed banner, an object ofsuch veneratior
to the Mnssulman, and only unfurled II
times of great distress, is the same
Which Constantine received from Heay
en- wben he became Christian, th'