The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-05-23
The Cemeteries Of Constantinople.

The largest and most interesting Is
the cemetery of Scutari, on the Asiatlc
side OF the BosphOrus. This cemetery
Is over three miles in length. The
cypress trees, tall and slender, like the
minarets attached to the mosques, being
thlckly planted, and the tombstones oc-
cupying in some places almost every
foot of ground, render it rather diff
cult matter for a person to wend his
way through the fields of dead except
over the main paths; and nothing can
excel the startling effect of the dark
mingled view you have, as far as the
vision extends, of tOmbs and cypress
trees. Many of the tombstopes are
capped with turbans, the ample and
painted folds of which resemble so
much the real article that, in hurried
glance through the champs deS morris,
you would fancy itcrowded with vener-
able Moslems, who are standing as sen
tlnels over the graves of departed
friends.
The inscriptions, as well as the orna-
mental designs, are in relief and gen
orally gilded. Many of the marble
slabs are painted gaudy color, their
bright hues affOrding a strange contrast
with the cypress gloomy shade. Some
are carved and gilded with much ele-
gance and good taste, but as general
thing they do not present an appear
ance that corresponds with our ideas of
beauty. Only occasionally you see
them surrounded and protected by any
Kind of enclosure; but those at Eyoub,
up the Golden Hour, are first walled in,
and then screened by fine wire-work
that rises like an arbOr above theH.
These are really beautiful, and are the
tombs of distinguished characters.
Notwithstanding the superstitious
nature of the orientals, they appear to
have no particular dread of being near
the buried dead. On the contrary, the
cemeteries are among the favorite
haunts of the Turkish females. have
seen those bordering its shores filled
with Turkish women, who, wrapped
III their gaily-colored ''ferighees" and
white ''yushmacks, formed many a
picturesque group. There, with naught
but the grass-covered earth, or the cold
marble slab as carpet or divan, wilt
they while away many an hour, chat
ting, smoking. partaking of refresh
ments, surveying themselves in small
mirrors, or watching the countless,
varied and Interesting objects passing
before them, on land and water, as well
as the frolicsome evolutions of their
gaily dressed children, of whom, espe-
clally the boys, they appear to be cx-
cessively proud.
The tombs of the females are simply
distinguished by rose-branch being
carved on them, and the style of the
turDan surmounting those of the males
denotes the rank of the departed. The
stones designating the graves of the
once formidable and bloody Janizaries
are clearly distinguishable by their
being decapitated, their turbaned heads
being struck off by the populace stimuli
taneously with and soon after the de-
Structlon of that sanguinary band.
AS the Turk, the Armenian, the Jew,
and the Frank has each his particular
quarter to reside in, so has each his
separate and distinct section to be
buried in. The tall and gloomy cypress
ana the turbanded stones are peculiarly
Mahomedan-a horizontal position of
the latter, with rude deyices carved OH
them, showing the trade or profession
OF the deceased; circular holes for the
birds to slake their thirst in, after re-
freshing rains, characterize the Arme-
Man; simple marble slabs, lying flat
on the ground, denote the Jewish bury
ing grounds, whilst those of the French
exhibit the usual features of a Christian
place of interment. On account of the
Mahomedans believing that at some
future day European Turkey, with its
beautiful capital, will pass into the
hands of the "Giaour," they prefer
being buried in Asiatic soil. Hence
the immensity of the great cemetery of
Scutari, in which lie in eternal repose
as many bodies as would correspond
with three or four times the present
popul'tion Of Constantinople.