The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-05-16


The following vivid pen picture is
from recently y-issucd work ou the East
ern capital 10 see tho population OF
/ Constantlnople il is we'll to go upon the
I floating bridge. about ouc.quartor ot "a
mile ia length, which extends from the
most advanced point of Galata 20 the
opposite shore VI the Golden Horn,
facing the great mosque ot the Sultana
Vahdc. Both shores are European ter
ritory hut the bridge may be said to
connect Asia 90 Europe because ~ STAN
houl there is nothing European save the
ground, and even the Christian suburbs
/ that crown il arr of Asiatic character and
color. The Golden Horn. which has
the look oi a river, separates two worlds,
like the ocean.
The news II events in Europe which
circulates in Galata aud Pern clearly and
miuutoly, and much discussed, arrives
ON the other shore confused and garhlcd,
/ like u distant echo the fame of great
men and great things IN the West Is
stopped hy that narrow water as 10y an
insupcRblc barrier and over that
bridge, where every day a hundrcd
] thousand people pass, not one idea
passes iu ten years.
Standing there one can see all Con
stantinoplo 80 10y in an hour. What
ever can he imagined that is most eN-
traVagant in type. costume and social
[ class may there be seen within the
space of twenty PAGES and ten minutes
/ of time. Behind u throng Of Turkish
porters who pass running, and bending
under enormous burdens. advances "a
/ sedan-chair, inlaid with ivory and
mother-oi pearl. aud bearing an Armen-
/ ian lady and al either side Of Il a
Beiouin wrapped in u white mantle and
Turk IN muslin turban and sky-h blue
Caftau. beside whom cAntcrs young
/ Greek gentleman followed by his drago-
man in embroidered vest. and "a Derylse
with his tall conicai hat and tunic Of
camels hair, who makes way for the
carriage Of European ambassador,
preceded by his running footman IN
gorgeous livery. All this is only seen
in a glimpse. and the next moment you
tiud Yourself in the midst Of crowd Of
T Persians, in pyramidal bonnets Of Astra-
kan fur, who are followed by Hebrew
in a long yellow coat, open al the sides !;
frowEy- headed Gypsy woman with her
child in "A bag at her back a Catholic
priest with breviary stan while IN the
midst of confused thrOng OF Greeks,
Turks and Armenlaus comes "a blg
eunuch on horseback, crying out, Lar
va make way . and preceding Turk
ish carriage, painted with flowers and
birds, and filled with the ladies ~ n
harem, dressed in green and violet, and
wrapped in large white wells behind a
sister OF charity from the hospital at
Pera, an African slave carrying monkey,
and professional story-teller in ia
uecromAncers habit. and what Is quite
natural, but appears strange 20 the new
conner. all these diverse people pass each
other without look ; and not one single
countenance wears a smile. The Alban-
ian in his white petticoat and with PTS
tolls in his sash, beside the Tartar dressed
in sheepskins the Turk. astride Of his
caparisoned ass, treads pOmpously two
long strings behind the ai-Of camels /:
jutant Of an imperial prince, mounted
upon his Arab steed, clatters cart
tilled with all the odd domestic rubbish
Of "A Turkish household the MOham-
me,lan woman a-foot, the veilei slave
woman, the Greek with her red cap and
her hair on her shoulders, the Maltese
hooded in her black GIidss,a, the He
brew woman dressed IN the antique
costume of India, the negress wrapped
in a many-colored shawl from Cairo, the
Armenian from Trebizoud, all veiled in
black like funeral apparition, are seen
[ in single file, as II placed there on pur-
pose 10 be contrasted with each other.
II is a changing mosaic OF races and
religions that Is composed and scattered
I continually with a rapidity that the eve
I can scarcely follow. IL ls amusing Ia
. look only at ths passing feet and see all
( the foot-coverings III the world 90 by,
/ from that Of Adam mp 10 the last fashion
/ in Parisian bOOts-yellow Turkish ba-
bouches, red Armenian. blue Greek and
black Jewish shoes; sandals, great boots
I from Turkestan, Albanian CATERS. low
cut slippers, leg-pieces Of many colors,
belonging 10 horsemen rom Asia Minor,
gold embroidered shoes, Spanish aipor-
AgdtOs, shoes OF satin, Of twine, Of rags,
OF wood, so many that while yuu look at
one you catch glimpse oi n hundred
more. One must be on the alert not TO
be jostled and overthrown at every step.
Now il is a water-carrier with a colured
Jar upon his back: now a Russian lady
on horseback; now squad of imperial
soldiers in Zouave dress, and stepping
as II to an assault; now a crew Of Armen-
ian porters, two and two, carrying on
their shoulders immense bars. from
which are suspended great bales OF mer-
chandise; and now throng of Turks
who dart from left to right Of the bridge
to embark in the steamers that lie there
There is tread Of many feet, a mur-
muring, a sound Of voices, gutteral
notes, aspirations, interjectionhl, incom-
prehensible and strange, among which
the few French or italian words that
reach the ear seem like luminous points
upon a black darkness. The figures
that most attract the eye in all this
crowd, are the Circassihns. who 90 in
groups Of three and five together, with
slow steps, big-bearded men Of terri
bic countenance, wearing bearskin caps
ike the old Napoleonic Guards. long
black caftans, daggers at their girdles
and silver cartridge-bo1es on their
breasts; real figures Of bauditti, who
look as il they had come 10 Constantine
pie TO sell daughter or sister-with
their hands imbued with Russian blood.
Then the Syrians, with robes in the form
Of Byzantine dalmatie, and their heads
enveloped in gold-striped handkerchiefs;
Bulgarians, dressed in coarse serge, and
caps encircled with fur; Georgians
in hats Of vanished leather, their tunics
bound rounl the waist with metal CIR
dies; Greeks from the Archipelago, COW
cred from head to foot with embroidery,
tassels and shining buttons.
From time TO time the crowd slackens
a little; but instantly other groups ad-
vance, waving with red caps and white
turbans, amid which the cylindrical
hats, umbrellas and pyramidal head
dresses OF Europeans, male and female,
seem TO float borne onward by that Mus
sulman torrent. 1t is amazing even 10
note the number of religions.
Words Of Wisdom.
Self-denial is a grand virtue
Every high aim lifts you above your