Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-04-05
visit 10 the sernslio Palace.


To Visit the mosques and the Seraglio Pal
ace 6rman or permit must be had from the
government, and that is to be paid for roundly.
An officer or two must attend with his sword
and staff, and they must be fed WE'LL Then
at every mosques and other sacred place you
visit there are servants TO be fed, and if party
get through the days excursion for forty dol
lars they do very well. Mr.. Brown, the Dra-
CONAN of the United States Legation, kindly
procured for us frman and sent his own
cevasse to lead us. The government sent an
other, so that We were well provided with an
escort. Several ladies joined our party, and
added largely to the pleasure of that delightful
and interesting day.
Where the Golden Horn sets up from the
Bosphorus the old city Of Byzantium stood,
and Mohammed H. selected this unrivalled
site for his palace, and laid out the grounds,
and prepared residence that had no equal in
the eastern world. Armed sentinels admitted
us by the great pavilion, which is called the
Porte-a gate, and from this the Ottoman EN-
pire takes its name. Fifty men are the usual
guard at this door. We were at once in the
midst of vast courtyard, (the whole palace
grounds are three miles in circuit) and passing
across it we were conducted into the palace.
A fight of stairs brought us to the audience
chamber, wide apartment, carpeted and sur
rounded with rich divan. The throne room
was furnished with chairs and sofas, showing a
conformity to western customs.
Another and other chamber, and we en-.
tered the Sutan's bath--luxuriously fitted up,
but without some of the contrivances for com
fort which poorer people enjoy. A brass bar
across door we we're passing, told us, or at
least the guides informed us, that this was the
entrance to the harem. No proiane foot may
cross the threshold. No man but the husband
is allowed TO enter the Turks apartments for
his wives. But long gallery opening near,
was now entered, hung on one side with en-
cravings, chiefly of Napoleon's battles; and on
the other side row of windows looked out on
the court. This is the hall in which the hun
dred and fifty wives of the Sultan are daily
assembled for the amusement Of their common
lord. Here each of sbS-. ssey bvr
art to win his favor; and it is said that he
drops his handkerchief at the feet of the one
who has been the most successful.
Through this hall we we're led along to the
private armory Of the Sultan and while admir-.
ing the pistols, swords, dirks, yataghans, cine
tres, sabres, &c. of the elegant workmanship,
adorned with gold and precious stones, my at
tention was called to an adjoining apartment,
the Sultan's bedchamber. Two janizaries with
bayoneted guns stood before the open door,
and permitted me to look in, but not enter. 1t
was reported among the company in the other
room, that gentlemen we're not allowed to go
in; and the ladies presuming on their privi-
lege, FASTENED to step in, but the crossed guns
of the guards brought them to sudden halt
on the threshold. We could see the magnif-
cent couch and its gold and crimson damask
canopy, and the sumptuous furniture of the
chamber, where the most uneasy man in the
Turkish 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 a
| crown
In the gardens of the palace, and near the
waters edge, are many beautiful but small
cottages, which from time to time have been
erected at the desire Of one or another of the
Sultan's favorite wives. Fitted up according
TO the taste of each fair inmate, we could see
in the low windows that open on the walks
that they were very elegant and very oriental.
The Sultan has the range of them all, as cages
in which his pet birds are confined. And then