New-York daily tribune., 1856-04-25
THE EUXJNE AND THE BOSPHORUs.

Happy was ] when the hour Of my departure for
Constsntinople arrived. In the Turkish Khan,
where the Faithful repOsed .perpendcularly by
day and horizontally by night had smoked away
precious days in the most listles5 etnnOgraphlcal
obseryation-spent whole nights in the most active
chronological pursuits. Ibrahim, the Khau-k keeper
was paragon Of honesty and gOOd-nature He
really seemed sad when paid hun for the sleep
afforded by the most unyieding of mats the un-
numbered cups of black coffee, and pipe-ioads OF
fragrant Latakieh and Tombakieh aud the slipping
of few extra piasters silly into the hand of tho
good Mussulman for the excellence of his loag
cbibouques and snaky nargilehs, gave pee lliar
unction to his parting benedictlon.
Happy ndescribaby happy was to leave that
rendezvous of ali the villany and wretchedness
following in the track of war; asi embark on the
French steamer living at anchor in the Ofing. The
wheels soon began to reyolye, aud the black mon
ster wound her way with difficulty through the
feet of transports and then turned her PROV
toward the BOsphorus. The fortresses and
MOSQUES of Varna were soon shut out from view,
and the tent-crOwned summit of the promOntory
of Galata gradually sank beneath the sea, but the
high blufs along tne coast, hnu tuc uIeIaut Dai-
kans, were in sight all the afternoon.
For the first time in my life felt myself really
Oh classic ground, and my thoughts were as light
and buOyant as the trembling moisture OF the
Poptic wave True had seen where the Roman
triremes approached the shores of Britain; had
visited regions once ruled by men of consular
rank, and traversed provinces dotted with Roman
camps and cities, but the dlmped waves OF tue
Euxine had yielded to the prov of the ArgO, while
the expedition of Caesar and the period OF Roman
conquest seemed as of yesterday compared 10 the
fabulous age Of the ArgOnauts or to the later time
when the shores of the EuIiBe were studded with
colonies founded by persons who had leit the cities
Of Greece for the enjoyment OF greater liberty or
in consequence of false predictions of the Oracles
Steaming down the ancient MGsan Coast, hrst
felt myself surrounded by the myths and solidar-
tiles Of antiquity.
For several hours the EuXine was calm and
smooth as n mirror. But before sundOwn the
neecy clouds gathered into dark iestoons, huge,
nebulOus masses collected around the suulinlts oi
the Balkans, as frOwnng warriors assemble around
their chiefs and then took up their stately, aerial
march, trumpeted by thunders and heralded by
vivid lightnings. The first breath of the tempest
lust rutlled the surface of the sea the rlpples
curled into waves weaving their erisped smiles as
If in scornful defiance, and in q short time We
could have justly quoted the lines of Byron
There. not sea the traveller e'er puies in
ILIOws up more dangerous bfehAch 'u-u inc huhl"o
The night closed in with storm, and | retired be.
low TO study the strange scenes and characters
among which was thrown.
The steamer ID not only triumph of civiliEa.
lion, but is in the East of its chief agents and
promoters 1t will, with other causes at work
ultimately regenerate the Orient. Ill NJ II been ln-
troduced a century ago, before the Ottoman En-
pire reached the last stage of dissolution, there
would now be hope for the Osmanhs. The steamer
brings people together, keeps them together, and
compels them 10 learn of each other. The decks
of the Enpkrate exhibit little IaOsaics OF nation
alities and arabesQue costumes. simple wan
derer from the estern World, and apparently
the only traveller on board | find clustered around
NE, as if by enchantment, not only the denizens
Of civilized Europe, but the dusky children Of
Africa and the wild sons Of the nomadie nations
Of Central Asia. Strange sight It's, and remark
able proof that the preudices Of race and country
are gradually wearing away to see Turkish soldiers
mingled with the Horse Guards, Tarcomans and
Arabs iostled by Germans and Ang -Ssxons,
and French ladies' elbowing their way through a
crowd OF vailed Moslems specters. Our ances-
tors may have separated from each other at the dis
person of Babel. We speak different languages
and have different sympathes but the twenty-five
hours passage from Nsrns 10 Constantnople Will
unay yoidably give us new impressions. In the
social as in the sidereal system. bodies cannot
come near each other without silently exertlng a
reciprocal influence.
The majority Of the passengers are sick aud
wounded soldiers from the Crimea on their way ts
the hospitals OF Scutari and COnstantnOpe, or re-
turning 10 their natise land. They are ragged,
emaciated and dOwncast Poor fellows! pebeisn
nothngs in the Titanic conflicts OF Kings and races
What mockery to them the pride and pomp OF
glorious wal" and how cruel Its bloody clrcum
stance They belong 10 the fourth class Of pas
seDgers, and most OF them have TO remain all nse'
Oh the wsrd deck, exposed TO the pitiess storm
The third class lis made up of Turks aud Armenl'
ans, who occupy half OF the hurrcane-deck and are
protected overhead by \ canvas awning.
The Turk en- roydgani is Snd of q large retlnue o.
servants. Ii his hsrem be in process OF transport
alton, he also carries an Incredible quantity o.
baggage for sleeping and culinary purposes. Tns
Ottoman is independent of the steamer which
transports him. even for the water he drinks and
the hre that ignites his tobacco. Except IN The
hurry OF departure, he minges but little with the
crowd on board. Spreading his blanket on tbC
square feet allotted him, he sQuSts upon the same
cross-egged and cross armed, and remains rela
tiyely motioneSs during the voyage blow high ol
low in sunshine or IN storm. The limited space
on the deck OF the Esphr&s renders the carryin,
out of the hsrem principle somewhat difficult
The female sex 10 much the same the world over
in the mode of maintaining their rights, and judg
ing from the hurried accentuauon, ses-SIckner
and promiscuous bedellOwship have seriously dis
turbed the usual eQuanniity of Eastern manners.
The first and second cabins are occupied by Ia
Ssh. French and Turkish officers OF the highe
class. The two'former associate but little VIII
each other. One would indeed suppose frou
their Jealous remarks, that the sons OF Eng ans
and France were fighting face to face instead o
shoulder TO shoulder in this great crusade IN tht