, 1870-05-29

~
Paaha appesred and waved, with bis right
hand, in most courteous naanno1, indlc1tln8
for me- to take my seat on the red s1lx o1Sa9
on his right side. After hATlnG o1chaneed
TIE preliminary eonye5ssea13n ha AZ f4oass ~ bnss
tbree or fouz zines, on which young bcauti-
ful negro boy appeared. Tho Minister told
him in Turkish to bring acaiooo&a, which nosns
. long Turkish pipe, snd two cups Of coffee:
sSest 10 Of hosniIst4 !s Afer
few minutes, the little negro appeared with
tile ordered articles, aud presented mo Sill
yer cup, In the form Of IN egg, ip which
he poured the delicious Mocha That was the |
drsf time in my life that I was obliged to eat
my coffee, for the TURKS prep.re their coffee
cate it, They put neither sugar nor milk in it.
After lis E1cellency hAd inquired the object
Of my travels in Persia, Dokhtra, ETC., he dis
nlrscd me In most courteous manner, prom
ising me, At the same time, his protection in
the zutnre In quitting The apartment ot All
tary OF State FOR Foreign Arairs) in the corri-
dor. As Was recommended 10 him also, helm
vlted me to follow him to his cabinet arrived
there. the sano ceremonies OF chibook and
coffee we're repeated After ten minutes
of conversation, an old Turkish General, with
tered. Abcr Enendi rose and received him
with tho words: s'Sale1n Aleiikun.r which
eignifea Peace be with thee" the old gem
eral answered "Aleiikum 6alem," "pcace bo
with thee," Aleo. Aiter wliie they began
Turkish conversation, Of which only under
stood The words. which were partly Arabian
and partly PersiAn, for At that time had not
studied the Ta1tar dialect.
TURKISH MOSQUE.
After having left the cabinet OF Aber EfTendi,
I went down one staircase, to Eco the mosque,
which is attached to the Sublime Porto. This
mosque il no more than common large
apartment, Will carpets On the floor, and
q kind OF altar erected in the direction
Of Mecca and Medina. What surprised
me on this occasion were the religious cercmo-
huge Turk, with immensely large shoulders, to
take OF my boots, and leave them at tho door
Of the mosque, took of my hat, and was
immediately told to put it on again. turned
my head near the window, and WAS directly
told TO put it in tho direction Of Mecca
Turks, felt myself rathcr huIninatea; but! I
fell back On my philosophy, aud thought II I
obcycd patiently might learn something in
teresting Of the m.nness, customs, and re-
Igion OF these people. But was not little
ss1spziseal, when I saN some of d.. those = hnge s.
rection OF Mecca, touching with their foreheads
the ground, and then standing mp again, elevat-
ing tho two aims to heaven and haIloWi1g ont
with . profound base voice "Aash Allah,
Al.sh Alshr-"My God, my God" Tho
Turks OF Constsntinop1e are Of pure Tartar
large shouldefs, strong bresat and deep base
voices. Ny honorable readers may imagine
to themselves how I, Is European, who had
never seen Tnrkah life, felt at that time, when
those huge Turks cried out "A1ssh Allah,"
and we're stirling their bes.as, with . great
turn to Per1a, or the so-caled Europeou part
OF Constantinople, my guido led me- BY
new rosd, xhero I passed By 5
on the top Of tho spiro Of tho mosque
singing md crying aloud, '.Alfsh, Allah I" and
como prayers Of the Koran I ask my Arme-
nian guide, who spoke Italisn, what this signi-
| fes, and he told me- az this was Friday, tho
Sabbath Of the Turks, this derrish or priest,
scene appeared to me ridiculous, as the people
| In the street kept their stores open, business
paa going on, and nobody cared lg about
tho fiallooing Of the priest. II appeared to me-
great contrast with the fanaticism Of the
Mosque l had left at the Sublime Porte.
| TIE SULTAN.
Tho following Friday went to see tho pro-
ccssion OF tho Sultan to the 1mperia, Mosque.
I was already, At 9 o'clock In the mornipg, at
the appointed rendezvous, whero met with
i n1ssian gentleman, who camo for tho ssme
purpose ! came to the Serial, OF tho now
i
in order to get good place or stand. As no
I stranger neglccts to sec the Calf, or the So
called d. scendant OF MaAouet, on his procca
zion to the Imperial Mosqne on Friday, 30 my
readers can think what q crowd OF strangers
aad peoplo we're assembled together on that
| marched ont Of the palace on = beautiful Ara
| bian horse, covered with gilded saddle md
other beautiful silk and golden embroidcries.
He was accompanied by several Ministers aud
Grand pashae, III shining with gold and en-
broidery, and the whole procession had
m imposing and majestic aspect. Tbs Islam
1sts regard their Sultan not only as their chief
Of religion. but also as q higher being, pre-
scented to them by destiny, OF By the direct
viii Of God. As soon as the Sultan appeared
bowed their foreheads in tho direction Of
Mecca and elevated their hands to heaven, cry.
| inc, "3Iash-Auah, Maah-A11nh az long as
| they could breath. After this they recitci
come prayers from the Koran, for the long lifs
and prosperity ct their chlef. As t1 the lmpe1aa penn
am obliged to conclude the description Of this
ceremony, but shall present TO your resder
eune sketches On the wives aud harens Of th
Sultan have been told by high official Turk
tlsatthe Sultan has seven regular Wives Of whic
eral bareus in the city and On the shores Q
the Dosphorus. Iparticula1ly hsd occasion t
sec the outsidc Of one OF the greatest hsroms
which lies near the Bospho1as, in the old pas
, ! OF Constantinople. Here are more than
hundred beautiful Circassian girls, from 10
ye.a q aSe AZ these arc m broasls s Lee iro.
Al very high priccs., These k.rens ar
, watched, according to Oriental manners
, | with the greatest jealousy and severity
, ! The apartments sud doors are watched
4 n.unetous eunuchs Of tall and handsome slze
, No man can entor the harems Of the Sultan
q not even Lis own brother. With regard to til
j court etiquette Of tho Sultan, I may Bay ths
= IL il perhaps The seyereet in the world. NJ
! body can gain admittanee to the Sultan With
4 | out being introduced by the Grand Vixsel
Fuad Pasha Che died lately. Even Ali Pash,
the Minister Of Foreign Affairs, caupot reac
I the Sultan without the introduction OF ii
b Grnnh Tizier. Since intriguing at court is pr
;. vented for gentlemen BY these severe formal
ties, the Foreign Ambassadors avail then
a selves OF the help Of Their wives. Tho Eur
| pean ladies' of distinction eau easily gain ~
: 14ittanco to the Su1tanA- For instance, II Il
/ French Ambassador has to communicate
! secret project to tho Sultan witho1
naM ssnns aa5h,ng asss the about V'f b. sei se
"a "a his wife to ask private audience Of the ST
= tana, in order to communicate 1t to her. II
Sultana will then present tho project to Il
:, Sultan. and tho whole will remain secret,
!, Having been At Constantinople about fl
u in Stamboul. This Young gentlemen had
4 highly cultivated mind, and spoke French pt
" fectlr. He told me that lie had been
70 attacte at tue Turkish Legation in Paris
~ ~ several years. In this refined and polish
Ffunch capital he Aad had the opportunits
cultivAting European literature and socie
"a honetan fanatcism and superstition.
# soon became friends, and went on calm ost
l.. ings in little to7t on the beautiful waters
1d tue Dosphorus.