Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-21


from Smyrna. Islands are on the RICH
most of the way. Mytilene is passed an(
then TenedOs, where the Greeks hlf
when they pretended that the Jig was up
and Helen and Paris would be allowed Il
live in peace if their consciences wOulC
allow item. The Trojans did not know
much about keeping out pickets or tht
trick of the Greeks would have beer
found out. The Dardanelles were ther
entered, and we are in sight of Europe
again. Ga the right lies the spot where
stood dear old Troy, on whose sad fate
every school boy who knows his lesson:
weeps. Old Priam and Hector have
always excited my warmest sympathies.
To think so brave aman as Hector should
be dragged around the walls and Their
sold like steer, and ali because young
Paris took it in his head to love pretty
young lady the wife of another man. B1;
school boys who have to read Virgil and
Homer generally entertain different
feeling about the matter. The ground on
which Troy stood is low and clear to the
waters edge. The Greeks had all the
advantage in the way of position. After
leaving Troy, the spot where Leander
used TO swim cross is passed. The place
is about mile in width. Byron per-
formed the same feat. Some of my
party wanted to try their hand, but the
day was too cool and the ship was in q
hurry. For me the fate of those who
had tried it before was quite enough to
prevent my wanting to go down to pos
terty in the same manner. Leander went
to live among the sharks and corals, and
Lord Byron caught shaking fit whic h
lasted no one knows how long. l don't
want to be drowned or have the ague
either, all for nothing, if I can help il, and
l think can in all such cases as this.
Some where here King Xerxes got into
bad hun2or, and thrashed the Hellespont
because it did not want him to trouble
the Greeks. 1t need not to have cared
even if it had seen into the future.
Every dog has his day. Xerxes thrashed
the sea, and the Greeks did the same for
him, only more SO. Soon Constantinople
is seen and fairer sight than is this city
when looked upon from the sea of Mar
mora is rarely the lot of mortals to be-
hold. Damascus far off is more agreea-
ble--at least to me to see, because of the
effect caused by the trees, fields, and
gardens, but Constantinople is quite good
enough to behold. There are a few
notifications required after it has been
entered. 1t has its dogs and dirt. Sew.
eral days were pleasantly spent here
There are few side walks and the days
are peaceful How queer that there are
no sewers or police arrangements in one
of the greatest capitals in the world. But
the Turks, like the Arabs, depend ON for
eignerS for everything of civilized ma
ture. The dogs are the only scavengers.
There is a good corps of them on duty, as
/ counted seventeen in one small inclO-
sure. The women here conceal their
faces carefully, for the Turks are more
particular on this score than the Arabs.
1t is rare thing to see woman spoken
to in the streets, and then with fear and
on the part of both parties
Men are afraid to speak, in public, to
their own wives for fear a mistake may
get them into trouble. A happy state of
affairs this. | once knew a young lady
who complained of the young men talk
ing too much to her. | will advise her to
find her lover, as Turkish lady, in Con-
The three towns of
Sentari and Pera are
all included nnder the one name Con-
Stamboul is the old Byzan-
tium, and is inhabited almost exclusively
by Turks and Arabs. Pera is the town
of the foreigners. In Sentari are govern
ment houses and natives. Much improv-
ment is being made in the buildings,
squares and streets. Some of them re-
semble those in Paris. Going abroad
has had good effect on the Sultan. The
Bazaars are immensely rich and well
But the owners are greater
on the gradual descent business as they go
higher, than the BaZaarmen of Damascus.
For an article l was asked IS francs,
l gave IS. The jewelry stores are the
finest | have seen anywhere and the work
is beautiful. There mercantilei places
furnish a scene for study, found no
where else. Days could be spent in them;
to be appreciated they must be seen.
Many of the mosques are magnificent.
The tidy, slender, graceful minarets add
much to their appearance. That of st.
Sophia is most talked of, because of its
history, and some of its columns, it hav-
ing been a Christian church, but Soliman's
Is much more beautiful. Every thing is
turned around in St. Sophia's, so as
to enable the worshipers to look toward
the east while at prayers. | heard q
priest explaining the Koran which he did
in decidedly preacher-like manner. His
gestures were emphatic, his voice clear
and earnest; as to the earnestness of the
l can't say. Near Soliman's
is the old slave market but empty now,
as slaves are no longer sold here. In
there lisa market which visited.
There were several women, no men. The
women were black and good looking-the
price $500 in gold. They seemed defect
ed and miserable. Their owner was lying
in one of the rooms in which they were
confined.
The Cemeteries run right into the diff
ferent quarters of the city. They are very
striking and beautiful, except where the
stones have fallen down. Families are
buried on top of each other in the same
grave, as mentioned before. The graves
are very thick, hence, there is no telling
how numerous are the occupants of these
cities of the dead. Generally,
turbans cut from stone mark the place of
noted men. The mausoleum of the father
of the present Sultan is splendid affair,
almost equal to that of Napoleon Bonaparte
at Paris. 1t is circular building of fine
marble. The ceiling is richly decorated.
A costly piece of tapestry with figures and
inscriptions worked in gold and silver is
spread on the tomb. 4 feZ with a star
set with diamonds is spread over the tomb.
This Sultan originated the fez now uniyer-
sally worn in the East. His mother and
some of his wives are buried beside him
in splendid tombs.
In Cairo l discovered a little in the ex-
travagance of the Pasha. Here l stuck
my hands deep in my pockets aud held my
peace. The case was too much for me.
The Sultan has eighteen magnificent pala-
ces and it was whispered to me that he is
the happy husband of Is, 600 wives, but that
is doing him injustice, say 1900. At a
certain feast which occur yearly, his moth
er presents him with new wife, young,
blooming and beautiful. He selects for
himself during the meantime. l was anx-
ious to visit the seragliO, but was hushed
up, for IT is dangerous for man to talk of
such a thing. The last Sultan concerned
himself only about women; the present one