The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-03-07
For the Hillsborough Recorder.

country are turned towards the cast,
watching the progress of the great
struggle in the Crimea, perhaps 4 lit
tie information with regard to the man
ncrs and customs Of the nation in whose
behalf the Allies pretend to be fight
ing, may not be uninteresting to your
readers, especially as the source from
which il is obtained is perfectly relia-
hlc.
We had quite an entertaining lee
ture on Turkish manners and customs
to-day, from Rev. Thos. p. Johnson,
a graduate Of the University, who has
been Iasboring as missionary among
the Turks and Armenians for the last
twenty years. He resided for a num-
Der Of years at Trebizond, the first
place Of safety which the immortal
Ten thousand reached after their
celebrated retreat.
The lecturer supposes Us to land at
Smyrna, on visit to Asia Minor. The
first thing that strikes US is the great
number Of boats that surround the yes-
sci. manned by redcapped hoatmcn,
clamoring for passengers. You get
into one Of these boats and are rowed
ashore, where the boatman demands
a most exorbitant price for his services.
If you Offer him reasonable compen-
sation lie will at first refuse it; just
walk Oft. however, as if you don't in.
tend to pay him at all, anil lie will fol-
low you up and be very willing to take
whatever you otler him.
The boatmen at Smyrna are usually
Greeks. BY their intercourse with En-
glisll and American sailors they have
picked up little English; they are
not at all proficient. however, in any
part Of our language except the oaths,
WHICH they pour out in torrents on all
occasions. BY the way, English and
/ Americans are celebrated the world
over for their profanity; in France they
20 by the universal name Of "Gud-
damns." But our language is en-
ployed mare honorably than in the
quarrels Of boatmen. II is considered
agreataccomplishment among the high
er classes, who are very fond Of show :
ing their knowledge Of il. OF course
they frequently make ludicrous mis-
takes; for example, a dandy meeting
an American lady in the street, and
wishing to be very polite said. "Good
bye, sir y
| After landing, custom house off
Ger examines your baggage to see tina
you have no smnggled goods. II yol
neglect to pay him the usual present
he will follow you up and be as trouble
some as the boatmen. The custom
house officers receive no fixed salary
but live by means Of these presents
which they never Tail to exact.
The Turkish government farms il.
revenues altogether, because homes
men cannot be found to collect then
in the ordinary way. Such is the inilu
cnce Of despotism upon public morals
The next nuisance To which the ira
weller il subjected, is d crowd Of por
tiers, who throng around him, demand
|, ing his baggage more approximately.
possible, than the same class in thi
country. The Porter las a large pack
! saddle on his back, weighing twenty
five Or thirty pounds; he gets dow
upon lis knees to receive his burden
and then rising slowly. truIges of wit
it wherever YOU wish. After deposit
ing ii, lie annoys yon as much abou
bis pay a. the buatmcn and custom
! house officers.
The almost entire absence Of wheg
vehicles renders these porters a yer
numerous and important class. The
! are employed entirely to transpol
Y merchandise from the harbor TO VAR
: Gus parts of tie city. Mr.. Johnson
! opinion Of them may be Judged froi
!. the fact that he always deemed il
{ misfortune to b. obligel 10 employ
! pnrter, and considered the camel
Y much more respectable parsonage. 4
!, was before mentioned, wheel vehicle
i are seldom used. Ynu sometimes sC
\ ladies riding through tie streets in o,
y carts; occasionally in rude Wagon
I drawn by horses; what we would ca
y carriage il thing unknown in As
lc Minor.
Io Onc might suppose that a city fr,
u from the everlasting rumbling of dra
. and Omnibnses would Be . quiet plar
T. but such il Ear from being the cas
&c According to Mr.. Johnson, a rurkii
r market i about az much Of Babel
~ ans other place IN the face of the cart
y Most &c tie noise is made by portcl
BIC wrangling with each other or will, III,
lls employers. A man will sametin
u. hear burst uf most impassinncd q
pc qucnee, such was Mr.. Juhnsun's {
rr pression,-accompanied by violent u
on ticulation, and upun inqnring the eal
will find il 10 be matter of lew cci
between merchant aud lis custom
lie On one occasion Mr.. i. heard such
I. uproar near the Bazaar that he Il
bic nuscd IN insurrccti0n, Or rcsnrfect
ia = tk1 ItWeI0 ratt II EaI NaEnu ~ 4