National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-06-26
LIFE ~ TURKEY.
The bridge Of boats mt the Golden Horn
The Sultan's Fire Department.

The bridge Of boats mt the Golden Horn
The sultan's Fire Department.
Somehow one always gets back to the Bridge
OF Boats ut the mouth Of the Golden Horn,
and perhaps there is nothing hereabouts that
Is so delightful and whose interest Is 50 con-
tinuous. II the Styx were bridged one might
expect to find 1t no more crowded than this
thoroughfarc, and doubt II a more motley
crew can be gathered together oven though Il
were personally conducted by Charon. know
that the costumes are bcwildering; that one
need never 20 farther TO look for faces or figures;
that the Ark, when 1t grounded on Mount
Ararat and poured forth Its miscellaneous crew,
could hardly have surpassed this Bridge OF
Boats in the infinite variety of its species.
Men and beasts travel together here. The
way Is lined with those itinennt Baars
that spread themselves at your feet and be-
guile you, but the next moment they are rolled
together again and borne away on the shoulders
OF the merchant who doesn't seem In the least
In earnest when he asks you to purchase his
wares. The fire brigade of this inhammable
city Is better than nothing, for 1t shows a
willingness on the part of the authorities to
afford the pOpulace cheap and perfectly
harmless amusement.
ConstantinOple is always in flames 1t has
several times attracted tho attention and the
sympathy of the world in consequence of the
extent of the suffering. have wondered what
means are taken to arrest the progress of
so dangerous an element In community that
Is perfectly at the mercy of 1t. Lounging on
the bridge one day, listening to the delightful
chant of pair Of sherbet-sellers who went off
every two minutes like musical clock, look
ing ut the spectacular pOpulace crOwding to
ana fr0, l heard an unusual commOtiOn
and saw that charge of haf-naked
infantry was cutting an avenue through the
dense crowd. Then came fve-and twenty
lusty fellows who bore above their heads In
triumph small box-its size might have beeu
two by four and q couple of feet deep-with a
garden hose pump attached. II IL were the
Ark of the Covenant being hurried away to the
mountains 1t could hardly have created more
sensation In the bosom OF the Constantinopoi.
tan. The ten tribes leaped for Joy; all the
nations sang together. | joined the chorus,
for it was impossible not to be infected by such
universal enthusiasm.
On came another and another, and yet an
other caravan, bearing its trophy aloft, and
shouting the battle-cry of something which |
was unable to interpret. II seemed to me
that hundreds Of these machines were hurried
over the bridge. Some of them were return
ing at moderate pace long before the process
sion was over. The companies salutcd one an
other in great glee, and the enthusiasm of the
hour was In no wise abated.
! asked what was the meaning of this ex-
trOrdinary demonstration. II might have
been u race of tho youths of Turkey, or happy
souls bearing tribute to the happy Sultan Of
the unhappy Empire, but it was not. 1t was
only the fire department of Constantinople on
active duty; and the wonder is that there is a
sole survivor capable of telling the tale or
solitary stone left standing upon tho hills of
the BOsphOrus.-C W. St0ddard, IN he Sun
Francisco Chronicle.