The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1878-01-02

i tIooPsstToul tlle ASlaIlc sittes
/ Revefting back to 547, years before iii,
| Christian era5 when war Of con
-9aest w3s belag sHaged by haaias
King Of Persia, against the Tbracians ant
Scythiaus, people occupying a country
which is now called Bulgaria, we find
that he passed, at the above period, over
this narrow part OF the "Thracian
Straits" by bridges Of boats; an army
100000 men. These associations bring
before us three distinct periods of the
#orla's and n1ari's histoty-frst, that Of
the batbarous and idelatrous times of the
ancient Greeks, Persian5 and Scythians;
secondly, of the Christianity of the
Greeks Of the lower Empire; and thirdly,
of the reign of Islamism.
From the Hellespont to the Edx!ne,
any spot on which the eye dwelIs is rich
iu classic lore. Along the ancient wall
Of " old Stamboul" can be beheld the
fate ofa lost and almost forgotten empire.
Seraglio Point and Chalcedon point the
thoughts far back to rich and powerful
Byzantiun. Where the Christian once
worshiped in his magnificent church ofSt.
Sophia the voice of the muezain n6Tf
calls the Moslem to prayer, and minarets
rise up Tar beyond the loftiest domes of
the past Christian races.
In Stamboul is a spacious public
square called the hippodrome or horse
course, where during the Greek empire,
public races took place. It contains ali
Egyptian obelisk, the Delphia Tripod,
and column built up OF stones in the
second and third centuries of the Chris.
tian era. The obelisk carries us back to
more remote period of mans history.
An inscription which still exists on it,
as fresh as when engraved on its granite
surface in hieroglyphics, states that it
was fashioned into its present shane
1,736 years before the Christian era and
457 years before the entrance of Abraham
into Egypt, under the reign of Pharoah
Moeris, during which the Jews emigrsted
into Egypt.
The inscription is instructive in re-
ligious point Of view, and is an invocation
to one Of the Egyptian gods named
Phta Sakaris. it is as follows: 90,
thou guardian sun, just and vigilant sun,
continuator Of life, give power and di-
vine wisdom to the gentle king, guide
his mind SO that he may be active and
just in all things. Sublime wisdom,
give to him the principle Of thy essence,
give to him the principle Of light, SO that
he may collect its fruits during his
earthly career. 0, great and vigilant
sun Of justice, vouChsaie to grant his
request"
There are many Saracenic relics pre-
served at Censtantinople. Tie old Greek
church of ST, Irene is now used as an
armory. 1t is one of the few Greek
churches that have not been converted
into mosque. Here are Saracenic armor,
composed Of helmets, richly worked in
gold aud carved with Arabic Inscriptions,
mostly verses Of the Koran, shirts of
mail, equally rich vizors, battle-axes,
shields, lantes, etc.
The old Seraglio buildings are of
Moorish or SaraceniC architecture. In
one end OF them is kept, sacred from tfe
sight Of all, even Mussulmans, the holy
standard Of the prophet. In the ancient
treasury of the sultan are many objects
of Ottoman antiquity, such as an ancient
throne, used as late as the first years OF
the reign of Mohmoud Ii. It is large
and massive dais, supported on four col
umns, each richly studded with Jewels.
The room in which it stands is small and
dark. European ambassadors were here
received in audience by the sultans, after
having, By their commands, been pre-.
viously washed fed and clothed, so as to
be rendered fit for such an honor.
At one time whole nations feared the
dread commands which emanated from
this same throne. What change has
been effected from The first reformatory
measures of Mahmoud IL down to the
present time, in Turkeyi The throne is
now deserted; the Sultans of this day
use no throne at all; ambassadors are
ushered into the presence of the Sultan
in his modern palaces ON the Bosporus,
without any ordeal other than that pre-
scribed by the usages Of their respective
courts
Where heathen temples and Greek
churches once stood, are now the mag
nifcent royal structures of the present
age, defended BY ironclad frigates and
monitors, bristling with the largest can
non of modern construction. With civ
iiization, the sUltans have lost most of
their barba1ic splendor and prestige.
The famous corps of the janizaries have
given place to the zouayes, the lancers,
The artillery and cavalry Of the present
Limes, and the progressive spirit of the
age il slowly but surely efftcting such
changes amongst the Ottonans as will,
before the lapse Of many decades, make
hem assirlilate, in every respect. the
most enlightened and highly civilized
European people.
1t may surprise someof our readers to
earn that there is regular American
,ollege at Constantinople endowed and
ounded few years since By Mr. @. r.
Roberts, a wealthy merchant Of New
York. It isa very extensive and elegant
trueture, occupying one Of the most
eminenees on the T,uropean
l.