The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-06-23

n plgnt IN oLamO0ul
Let us drop in at the seragliO. The
tongue of Stamboul is thrust into the midst
of the waters of the Golden Horn, the
Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmora. 1t is
an oblong hill crowned with white walls,
domes and minarets, and hedged about
with groves of black, funeral Expresses.
Here stands the seraglio which was for fif-
teen centuries the abiding place of the
Ottoman Emperors 1t is now used only
on state occasions, and the palace, the
courts and the innumerable tenements that
cover the prOmontory-the ground plan of
the seraglio is nearly three miles in cir.
conference.-the battered, dusty and out
of repair.
The Sublime Porte is sngulary ugly
and anything but sublime. The buildings
that cluster about the several courts have
not, for the most part, the slightest pre-
tension to architectural beauty or even
dignity. The second court is fanked by a
row of nine kitchens, looking very much
like nine limekilns. They are domed, but
without chimneys, so the smoke passes out
through hole in the roof Here the Sui
tan and his court consumed annually forty
thousand oxen;and there were,daily brought
to the table two hundred sheep, one hun
dred lambs, ten calves, two hundred hens,
two hundred pairs of pullets, one hundred
pairs of pigeons, and fifty green geese.
The late Sultan Abdul Aziz was accus.
toned to feeding his family as bountifully,
and still he was not happy! In the sta.
bles by the water side thousand horses
were formally stalled; and among the can
non that sweep the sea and the mouth of
the Bosphorus is one huge old fellow at
whose hoarse voice Babylon surrendered to
Sultan Murad.
The chief attraction of the seraglo is
the treasury. Here, in chamber by no
means large, is gathered treasures such as
one reads of in tales of the genii. The
actual value of this store of Jewels is
almost beyond conception. Each Sultan
seeks to exceed his predecessor in the
richness of his additions to the collection,
and the result is dazzling but not very
impressive array Of theatrical-looking pro-
perties, that might just as we'll be made of
glass and tinsel-the effect upon the spec
tator would be as pleasing. Imagine to
yourself carpet crusted with pearls, many
OF them as large as sparrow eggs; n throne
of gold, frosted with pearls; draperies for
the horses ridden by the Sultan embroid
cred with pearls aud rubes; cradle coat
ed with precious stones, inlaid armor,
jeweled helmets, sword hilts-one of these
decorated with fifteen diamonds, each one
as large as the top of mans thumb
coffee trays Of ebony, with a double row of
enormous diamonds, set close together
pipe.stems, nargilehs, sword d-belts, caskets,
and bushels of necklaces of the most splen.
did description, heaped together in glass
show cases and flashing like fire flies in the
dark.
The most costly article in the treasury
Is tolet-table, of lapis lazuli and other
valuable material, richly inlaid with pre-
cious stones of every description. The
pillars that support the mirror are set
with diamonds, the stem and claws of the
table are covered with diamonds, emeralds,
rubies, carbuncles, ETC.; along the edge of
the table hangs a deep fringe of diamonds,
with immense solitaire tassels. The whole
is gorgeous-bore.
Multitudes Of attendants are stationed
through the apartment, and you may be
sure that you are never left for second
unobserved by these watchful guardians of
the treasure-house. What relief it is
to withdraw into the Kiosk of Bagdad,
the private library of the Sultan, sit with
in eight walls that close about you like the
exquisite panels of an ivory or tortoise-shell
fan, under dome of n rose-tint and gold
mosaic, and, shutting the doors of bronze,
inlaid with pearl; against the world to
think how pleasant a thing it is to be poor
but honest! On the shelves of the library
there are several codes brought from the
collection Of King Matthias Coryinus at
Buda, and there are dainty rolls and folios
of parchment laid away, each in its sepa-
rate case, and all looking very much as if
they were not often disturbed. From the
Kiosk of Bagdad it is pleasant to look
down into the deep Garden Of the Houris
sloping to the swift Bosphorous, and med
itate on the lights Of the harem that have
suddenly gone out forever quenehed in
that fatal food; but, thinking on the stiaed
cries and the Shiny shrouds dragged down
into the pitiless deep, it is still pleasanter
TO rise superior to the situation. fee the
custodian, aud thank heaven that YOU are
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