Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-03-31
Visit to the seragIio Palace.

SisAe 10 tno SeTdSuO faldCe.
To visit the mosques and the Seraglio Palace, a
frman, or permit, must be had from the govern
ment and that is to be paid for roundly An off,
Ger or two must attend with his sword and staff,
and they must be feed WELL Then at every mosque,
and other sacred place you VISIT there are servants
to be feed and if party get through the days
excursion for forty dollars, they do very well. Mr.
Brown, the Dragoman Of the United States Lega-
ton, kindly procured for us frman, and sent his
own cevasse to lead u.s. The government sent an
other, so that we were well provided with an es-
cort. Several ladies joined our party, and added
largely to the pleasures of that delightful and in
teresting day.
Where the Golden Horn sets up from the Bos-
phorus the old city of Byzantium stood, and Mo-
manned ii selected this unrivalled site for his pal
ace, and laid out the grounds, and prepared a
residence that had no equal in the eastern world
Armed sentinels admitted us by the great payil-
ion which is called the Porte-a gate, and from
this the Ottoman Empire takes its name. Fifty
men are the usual guard at this door. We were
at once In the midst of vast court yard-(the
whole palace grounds are three miles in circuit y
and passing across it, we were conducted into the
palace. fight of stairs brought us to the audi
ence chamber, wide apartment, carpeted and
surrounded with rich divan. The throne room
was furnished with chairs and sofas, showing
conformity TO western customs
Another and another chamber and we entered
the Sultans bath-luxuriously fitted UP, but with
out some Of the contrivances for comfort which
poorer people enjoy. A brass bar across door
We were passing, told US, at least the guides in
formed u.s. that this was the entrance TO the harem
No profane foot may cross that Threshold. No man
but the husband is allowed to enter the Turks
apartment for his wives. But long gallery open
ing near, now entered hung on one side with
engravings chiefly Of Napoleons battles-and ON
the other side row Of win lows looked out on the
court. This is the hall in which the hundred and
fifty wives of the Sultan daily assembled for the
amusement Of their common lord. Here each one
may exert her art to win bis favor-and IL Is said
that he drops his handkerchief at the feet Of the
one who has been the most successful.
Through the hall, we were led along TO the pri-
yate armory Of the Sultan, and while admiring the
pistols, swords, dirks, yatagans cmeters sabres,
&C., of elegant workmanship, adorned with gold
and precious stones, my attention was called TO
adjoining apartment, the Sultans bedchamber.
Two janizaries, with bayonetcd 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 were not allowed
10 60 in; and the ladies, presumng their priv.
lege hastened TO step in, but the crossed guns OF
the guards brought them TO a sudden halt on the
Threshold We could see the magnificent couch
and It's gold and crimson damask canopy, and the
sumptuous furniture Of the chamber where the
sought in vain for sleep, that comes unwooed to
him who earns IL with the sweat Of his brow, and
does not wear crown.
In the gardens Of the palace and near the wa
ter's edge, are many beautiful but small cottages,
which, from time TO time have been erected at
the desire OF or another Of the Sultans favor
ite 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 we're very elegant
and very Oriental The Sultan has the range Of
them all, as cages in which his pet birds are con-
fined. And then we gathered some flowers, for
in the last Of December the were In full bloom
in the open air. and everything fresh and green
as May. Underneath the palace was the kitchen,
and fires going as IL an amy we're TO be fed from
the great ranges and furnaces on which the dinner
was even now cooking Some Of the pastry was
served to us, and proved to be excellent, though
we did eat II In the kitchen.
Won Hammer says that there are nine several
Kitchens, and that 10000 oxen are yearly killed
there and cooked, 200 sheep daily, 100 lambs or
goats, and $50 fowls. But the Sultan does not
reside in the Seraglio; he Is at one of his many
palaces along the Bosphorus and the cooking now
in process was merely for the rctainers Of the pal
ace His future residence viii be in the marble
palace on the Bosphorus
thousand horses stsndlin the royal stables
which we passed on our way out and the har-
ness and trappings covered with jewery, are dis
played IN room over the stalls.
II required an hour to look through the old ar
mory, containing one Of the rarest and richest col
lectons Of helmets, greayes, breast plates in the
form Of stars, guns Of strange patterns in use
before locks were invented and instruments Of war
now obsolete, but terribly effective in their day,
and very curious now The stacks Of arms, all
ready Tor use, we're fast diminishing by the daily
demand Tor the war; and probably some Of the
poor fellows that came on the steamer with me,
were oy this time equipped from this armory, and
marching 70 the field. In the gallery was coIlec-
ton OF the lannon's swords Of successive sultsns.
from the splendid Damascus blade Of Mohammed
III. Here, too, are the keys Of all the cities Of
Turkey, mounted with gold, and deposited In token
Of their feslty TO the Porte. For days one might
be amused and instructed among these extraordi-
nary gatherings Of ancient and modern times
Primss 7fapels IN Europe and the East
L.. l. L - a IL