The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-12-05
Cur @lio.
Street Life in Smyrna.

mated and variegated during the day.
Although the native shops and shop-keep-
ers can not vie with those of Stamboul,
Cairo, or Damascus, having adopted
semi-European system Of trading and
displaying their wares Impractical by
their more Oriental brethren, in most
places the old system still prevails among
the Mussulman population and Christian
Eayahs, or Turkish subjects. The city of
Smyrna can boast Of extensive bazars on
the old-fashioned plan, considerable in
area, and comprising an infinite medley of
curious Eastern products and articles,
manufactured and otherwise. There you
can obtain the rare products of the native
hand-looms from Syria and Asia Minor
shawls and slippers Of small or great price,
costly amber mouth-pieces for pipes, and
richly chased silver pedestals for nargilehs
or water-pipes, many Of rare design and
very high price, together with inumerable
odd and useless objects fascinating to the
eye and heart Of collectors. Many of these
articles are jealousy hidden away appar-
emily from the sight of the public by the
dealer, who really seems to regret the
exhibition or sale Of them. The relief
experienced on entering these shady and
damp bazars, screened from the sun above
BY yaulted roof and sprinkled below,
while mimic streets run through and
traverse the whole extent at right angles,
with the little cooplike shops at teach side,
is very great after having encountered the
glare and dust Of the streets, especially at
midday. There, perched on their little
platforms in front Of their miniature shops,
you see, blandly smoking their nargilehs OF
chibouques, the sleepy-looking Turk, Arab
Syrian, Armenian, or Persian proprietor
who neither by word or look invites youI
custom. Rather, when you make full
stop before him aud solicit his attention
with gruut Of dissatisfaction he puts BY
his pipe and reluctantly rises to his feet
If you indicate business and are Of the
male persuasion, he may offer you pipe
and seat; for smoke is the usual pre-.
liminary Of a purchase Of negotiation.
One peculiarity which viii strike you in
these, as in all Eastern baxars, is that al
the shops exhibiting or selling the same
kind Of goods are alongside Of each other
and that a separate quarter of the bazaar il
assigned to each peculiar trade or business
thus putting the rival establishments cheek
by jowl with one another. Thus You
know exactly in what quarter Of the bazar
to find the especial article you may be in
search Of, which is very convenient fol
the buyer, and seems equally convenien,
to the seller, profoundly Indifferent t.
competition. As there is no fixed price
for any thing in these bazars, shopping il
very slow process, and game at which
two must play. In fact, the merchant il
disappointed If you pay him the price
he asks, aud do not consume considerable
time and diplomacy in beating him down
He really seems to relish the bargaining
more than the sale. 1t is equal to the
atrical performance to witness the bargain,
ing between native dealer and native pur-
chaser. The simulated indifference on
both sides, warming up into active and
almost hostile demonstrations as the con-
flict proceeds; the repeated retiring in dis
gust Of the purchaser, only to return and
the pretended putting away of the article
by the proprietor, with his eyes ever on
the retreating purchaser, ready to summon
him back if he really means to 60. The
livliness Of these dramatic entertainments,
which frequently consume hours for the
purchase of an article worth less than a
shilling, ii is impossible to describe. For
time is commodity on which no store is
set and to which no value seems attached
throughout the East, whore more time is
wasted in saving few copper paras on a
purchase than the thrifty West would
spare for as many gold coins. In these
bazars you see many curious specimens Of
Eastern work, as well as the rich shawls,
spices and jewels of the East, all Of which
valuables are secured at night by the
primitive protection of shutter put up
against the little booth containing them,
supervised by a native police, which it is
mockery to call by that name, and whose
somnolenee is only surpassed by their ca
pacity for smoking the soothing weed.
Yet robberies are almost unheard Of or uu-
known, outdoor brigandage taking the
place Of all other shapes of felonious ap-
preparation. Ia fact, the honesty of the
people, and the inffequency of theft either
on large or small scale among a people
} the majority OF whom are SO wretchedly
poor, is a.curious feature of life in Smyr-
ma, as in other Eastern cities.
The streets present the peculiarities Of
Eastern life in the presence of the camel
and the donkey, the chief bearers Of bur
dens in all Eastern towns, the moro aris-
tocratic horse being chiefly reserved for
the saddle, and bearing pasha or function;
airy on his velvet-embroidercd saddle,
which, like his bridle-reins, is often richly
incrusted with gems. The long snake-liks
neck and head Of the camel, with his com.
planning grunt, are seen and heard above
the surging crowd as he heavss his un
gainly bulk along; and the sharp cry Of
the donkey-driyer pierces through the Ba
! ble-like din Of other sounds. For Eastern
| etreefe are aver uoisv and n;In4na rnv.,