Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-06-24

about which the imagination loves to linger.
Yours, Sincerely, E. K.
<s<-
For the Advertiser.
From DUB OCCASIONAL EUROPEAN coRREs-
P0NDENT.
CoNsrAsrINopLE, May 20, 1857.
DEAR S1R.-You see that I am still out of Christ
endom, still beyond the region of beavers and
boots, of pettcoats bust'es and bonnets, of hacks
and almost of roads and stores. No bell calls the
weekly worshippers to the shrine, but three times
every day sepulchral voice is heard abovesthe
house tops and the domes of the Mosques, like a
long vail coming from the depths Of the air, pro-
claiming that man must die and be judged, and
that even while living he stands in need of holy
council and comfort The strength of the religi-
ous feeling forms striking feature in the charac-
ter Of the people here. It is the month Ramazan
the month of fasting and prayer-and it is i'm
possible not to be vvidly impressed with the great
difference between its observance and that of
Lent. The law Of the great Prophet commands
that true believers shal not touch food, nor drink
0~'
to the going down of the same, during this month";
and they obey almost to a man. had two Turks
rowing me the other day for eight hours. stopped
to take something to eat, and offered my Turks
after ten hours of waking fast, anything they
might wish, ard they refused with promptness
which prevented me from renewing my invitation
But whenever people are strongly and honestly
convinced of the truth of their religion, they are
naturally intolerant This you see at every turn.
It is with the greatest difficulty that you can gain
admittance into the Mosques, and when once ad-
mitted you can easily perceive by the expression
Of the quarchans that they consider it sacriege
Last Friday was tiptoeing at the door OF a
Mosque into which the Sultan had just entered
descendant Of the Prophet was standing by with
green turban and bare legs, and seeing mo, his
face darkened into a scowl, and be looked as If
he could have sprung upon mo and strangled me-
The next minute hcseemed to recollect the impos-
sibiity of crushing even an infdel in this sum-
mary way, and his expression changed into dcs-
pair. He motioned me to enter, with gestures
that said, it is over with US and our religion-go
in desecrate the holy place, and trample upon the
aith-we suffer such things now. I could not re-
press smile at the excitement which my presence
seemed to cause him. His countenance immedi-
atey resumed itsferocious expression; he snatched
at the saber of one of the officers in attendance,
and when he was not suffered to take it, he gave
himself up to violent gesticulatons signifying his
hate and scorn, and that the more proper way OF
expressing these would DO by cutting my throat.
This man was evidently from the interior, where
are millions to whom these same feelings, are, or
would be, if chance offered, laws of action.
They tell me there is a man in Damascus in an
official position, who by his holy life has acquired
the reputation of saint, and so great is the re-
spect displayed for him whenever he walks in the
streets the people all kneel down before him.
hundred other instances like this, which meet the
traveller at every step even in Constantinope with
its European inhabitants and European trade, show
that religious influence is still strongest in that re-
gion of the earth which has been the birth place
of 80 many and such powerful creeds; and that
hero more than elsewhere, it may still be looked
to, as motive power for producing regeneration
or revolution I went as I have said to sec the
Sultan go into the Mosque. The cry of the
"Muezzin," as you know is sounded from the
minaret at II M. precisely, but the rich and pow
erful for the most part are liberal if not lax in
their religious observances, and the good Osmanlis
had been groaning and condoling with one another
over the decline of their religion, (Which they
said would be no better than the Christian in the
next generation,) for full hour and half before
the Sultan, mounted on his grey Arabian mare, his
appearance through the handsome marble Corin-
THAN gateway that leads from the palace. This
gateway is little smaller than the arch Of Ira
jan, which it much resembles, except that there
are no bas reliefs and it is richly decorated with
Arabesque mouldings The gates themselves are Of
guided bronze, and would probably have been more
than load even for Samson. Two circular wings
which curve out from the portal are terminated by
two small square chambers. In the one on the
right the imperial officers of the guard to the num-
Der of about 80 were collected in that on the left
Pashas were in waiting The latter had arrived
On foot with their attendants. Among them saw
the famous Omar Pasha, a man rather above mid
die size, aud of wiry build. His head is small
and the quick motion Of his eye, his smile equally
rapid, and certain freedom andnonchalance about
his gait give him an air of good natured daring
Resched is small Jewish looking chunky fellow
with grizzly beard. Bonhomme and certain
diplomatic acuteness are mingled in his expression
saw him day or two before getting into his
steam yacht. lie was then accompanied by his
fool, large square built square featured, grey
headed Turk, whose whole bearing was irresista-
bly, comic The fellow is dumb, and he and the
Grand Vizer were cracking their jokes together Oh
their fingers.
The Sultan, as have said, made his exit from
the gate. At first be seemed deadly pale, but this
was somewhat lessened' as he approached, and
saw before me man Of medium statue, about %
years of age, apparently, with dark hair and bcard'
both cut close. He looked like one who had been
shattered by some violent nervous excitement; as
if he were completely worn out; and is decidedly
the most used up Monarch in appearance that l
have seem There was some stoldity too in his
bearing, but his hand treinbled as he smoothed
down his dress, and when his eye met mine as it
did once or twice, be turned it away with precip-
itation that rendered you almost as uneasy Us the
steady stony gaze of Louis Napoleon. He was
dressed in loose black pantaloons, and long black
slouch surtout, the collar and wristbands of which
were embroidered with diamonds. His eofuge