The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-07-12

THE SULTANS s DAUGHTERS AS BRIDES-SEZI-
BEH suLTANA TAKEN TO HER NEW HOME.
[Constantinoplc June 81 corresToudcnce Of the Lon
don Times.
On Thursday last the first part of the
nuptial .fetes ended with the solemn pro-
eession of Nezibeh Sultana to her new abode.
where her houstGu had already preceded
her on Monday last. Both ceremonies were
extremely curious, more especially the
taking home of the bride, as il afforded one
OF the few opportunities OF casting glance
on the internal life of the Imperial Serari
and its time honored customs. The sight
became doubly interesting from the circum-
stance that the Bosphorus was the scene on
which 1t was displayed. Not only did this
enhance the beauty OF the ceremony. but IL
made il much more public than it would
have been otherwise. When the MARRIAGE
cortece goes by lsd it is formed inside
the gates, and those outside see only the
string of carriages.
The ceremony was announccd for the hour
of noon, but long before that time, the part
Of the BosPhGges III frqRt qe Of Of the isAessiial siI
and description, from the stately five-oarcd,
with its crew in Brussa silk shirts, down TO
the most modest single-oared boats, with
q rag for a carpet and jew for boatman.
Before the waiting rooms, which are sepa-
rated by courtyard Transformed into "a
garden, from the palace Itself the boats of
all the pillars of the State We're drawn up
/ in line waiting for their masters. These
/ latter perform in the marriages Of Sultanas
/ the part which in common marriages be-
longs to the friends of the bridegroom,
while the female portion of their families
paid their homage TO the bride in the ha-
rem. Ths palace showed no great signs Of
preparation. All the range of the apart
ments for males and the State apartments
looked as dead and deserted as usual; only
at the gilt iron gate which leads to the ha-
rem symptoms of life were visible. The pas
sage leading down from the portico to the
gate was enclosed by a high screen of red
cloth, and the steps covered with gorgeous
carpets, on which gaudily dressed slave
children were disporting themselves. A
few palace servants carrying trays tied up
in colored gauze along the quay towards
the caiques, some eunnchs in gilt uniforms
making themselves busy, and now and then
a white faced palace dignitary trying to look
active, were all that appeared. But if there
seemed little life in the palace, so much the
more was outside. The quay, usually SO
gray and dismal, looked like the gay par
terre of garden; crowds of Turkish womer
in all the colors of the rainbow, were try
ing TO settle down, forgetting, in their ca
gerness of sight seeing, their inborn orienta
: dignity, and chattering, quarrelling, ant
: pushing about like any lively Europeal
!, crowd.
At one o'clock, the Indispensable salute Q
: cannon announced the beginning of tn
t, proceedings. One by one the high official
!, entered their boats passing the palac
. they stopped at some distance from il, wait
:, ing for the appearance of the bride, an
ready to head the cortege. By degrees, III
palace boats approached and moore
D along the quay, leaving the place of homo
L before the gate to the splendid State boat
n destined for the Sultana, and immediatel
l. before it another, similar, but not so ricl
:, r for the Kislar Aga, who has to deliver oy'
the bride to her future husband The Su
st tana's boat was painted white, with ricl
= ly gilt carvings along the bulwarks, al
T. rose colored oars, likewise relieved wit
q gold ornaments. In the afterpart of it
2 beautiful little cabin all gold and pale blu
with glittering Venetian blinds, was cree
be cd. A faint sound Of song, the usual ma
riage ditty, heralded the approach of q
: bride; the children disappeared the sc
'; wants formed row and the procession bega
=. First came, supported by two blacks, q
ck KiSlar Aga, who is at the head of the who
female department of the palace, al
Il plays a prominent part ON all such
ON ON casicns- After him the mother Of the bri
md gorgeouSly dressed in pink satin ferigC
PHI likewise supported by two blacks, one
m. them holding large pink umbrella ei
broidered in silver over her head She "
followed by the younger brothers and sist,
of the bride, each of them accompanied
their mothers and their suits of ladies a
blacks. When these had passed and TAX
J. their seats in the boats the red screen
IS- spread out and drawn down to the door
led led the little cabin, so as to conceal the br
'ro- from profans eyes. In spite of these p
ash cautions, before she descended the fight
y steps, one could catch a glance of her as
.N' came out covered with rose colored '
- from head to foot and followed by q host
lept ladies and children of the palace who acco
!. panied her, singing the monotcnous m