Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-05-26
Rambles in Constantinople.
From tic Noie Bool. Of an 1merican in IVr-
key IN AiM Mydid's Tine.

houses. closely packed, anJ Of dinsy pink
color, rising on steep hills on both sides Of The
Bosphorus, with .hc domes and minarcts OF
mosques Of dirty gray sicoo intersPe1sed.-
I At the southern end, 90 the Asatic side, was q
long disuscd scraslio Of a former Sultan, sur
rounded by very tail and pointed ccdars, which
oontrastcl picturcsquely with itSseycral dones
Myself and luggage wcro taken ashore in
caiquc IN acquaintance landed from another
calquo at the samo time No Custom House
officers troubled u.s. Darc-lcgGcd Turks. in
basey brceches, ily jackets, ond red fcz caps,
took our valiscs, nnd VIC tTampcd towards 40
hotel The slightly fTcQuonted street, near the
water, was Of the width Of Nassau street, with
out its sidewalks, and not paved. II slopcd
toward the middle, and was steep. Presently
cobbo stones were found. Tho traditional
dogs Of Constantiuoplo next hove in sight, din
gy, prick cared, aud ili-fcd bruics. They sro
the city scayengors, aud on reaching 10y bod
room in the hotel saw several dogs beneath
my window feeding on garbage.
The long street had passed through TO reach
the hotel was not popuous. \ domod stone
building, dotted with bulls eyes for windows,
was pointed ont as bath establishment The
,wauging of a striugdd instrument, and thc
discordant, nasal tones Of singer cnticcd me
into a coffee house The singer was turban-
cd Turk, md several other Turks in turbans
and robes sat cross-cggcd on platform smok-
/ ing nargilchs Ii was dFcary little room,
neat, but without pictures or other ornamental
/ tion. like all Turkish cafes Coffee in very
small cups strong, and with neither milk nor
sugar, was handed 20 the smokers from time
/ TO time. Water carriers, shculdering pig skins
/ full Of water miscellaneous Turks pallid
Armenian 10 long black coat and indcscrib-
able hat; a rcd-haircl Circassan and pale
Afghan, both with long coats and a row Of piS-
tolls and knives in their girllcs, were The only
noticeable objects on tho route, excepting a
veiled OLD woman, with hair died yellow, who
sat begging on a doorstep.
The hotel was in Tho most populous street Of
the city. On going out into the street found
an Armenian funeral A smiling old lady, In
a green silk dress, with her glazed eyes wide
open, and big wafer on her lips, was on
bier, preceded aud followed by n procession.
After il passed, female Turkey lockcd in all
] 1 6 10th in
carriages The wells Of the old arc thick but
( those Of thc young arc Of the thinnes. gnuzo
/ They arc doubled across the mouth, nose, and
forehead, leaving tho eyes and eyebrows bare.
These latter arc archcl by an application Of
black paint, and the cyclashes arc tingcd, Civ
ing the eye all added lustre The ycils closely
cnyelop tho head, aud are white. No man
ever addresses a Turkish woman in the street
The carriages used by Turkish ladies are
sometimes Of mingled blue and carninc
decorated with gold, but often Of sober
black or green lightly touched with crimson.
! Often they have four horses, and cunuch guards.
both white and black, ride in front, at back,
and on the side. They arc the only men who
/ have access TO harcm, except The lord and
master or his sons, who restrict themselves
solely to visiting their mothers and sistcn.-
/ With their more or less numerous siepmothcrs
/ they hold no conversation. Women arc rare
ly alone In carriages Usually there are four.
II oso riding are for the most part wives or
odalsqucs Of the Sultan or Of rich officials,
and in shopping they seldom Glight. Goods
arc exhibited TO them 10 their carriages by the
Greek or Armenian clCr Ks, whom they arc per-
mttcd by their husbands 10 question in re-
gard 10 ihc articles, OF to givo or6crs b. IN
presence Of the guards, who stand on both
slcs Of tho carriage door. Any attempt q.
llirlatlon or general talk would bo quickly fc-
ported, either by the guards OF their compan-
Tors IN tho vehicle. They aTc Crcossans or
GeoIgians, ,.and many among them are almost
foe SMILES Of our beautiful American girls
A. tho cni u the principal street 10 tic
Pera section Of Cons,antinople Is cemetery
The graves arc headed by small whltc marble
monuments, abou, four feet high, topped by
.urbans Of different colots II Ia 10 cemeteries
that Turks repair for theiI picnics, II sucb
can be calcl. a Turk sits s0lemnly With
several women and children, aud holds 10
communication with ary one else. Every one
has carpet on which to squat, cfoss-leggej,
aud cataJles are indulsel in Tho women
chatter, bu. tie Turk smokes and says but
little. Groups Of male Turks sit around,
smoking on carpets The limbs Of q grown
Turk are nearly always handy, owing TO the
constant habit Of sitting cfoss-icsged.
From tie cemetery strollcd iuto bazaar
and in scquestered street tufued repeatedly
70 contemplate very pretty girl, walking be-
tween two midde-agcl maifons. The young
lady suileI, but the mstfons broke out into
Kisses and exc!ama,ious Of "Glaour, the term
Of opproLrium applied to a Christian. There
are fe@ shops % the European model in the
city. Purchases are chi.fy made 10 ibe ba-
zaars, which arc in very narrow streets. Tie
shops have stalls IN front, with awnings, AID
are open to the street Some Of the goods are
on shelves 10 tie stall, and tie dealer sits
smoking On a counter between them aud tie
bystaudct. happened to look somewhat il
tenty at pretty woman who was making
nurcbascg and the two Turks in charge Il the