New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-19

tha cbongas ~ the pamut baskets of peaches
melons and cucumbers iostled against trays
of green walnuts or roasted pumpkih
seeds OF peanuts. or tubs OF ice cream ana
the bearers of each had u special cry OF COM
uendaton to deliver in laundering tones close 70
the ear of any foreigner who might be available.
Hurdy. gurdies and hand-organs hired by the hour
by enterpfising coffee houses ground out IN endless
reostiton the denominations Of their thin repertoire
AT one place was a coffee house flied with members
of some local fire company-strong, muscular fellows
dressed in white with gay kerchiefs wound around
their heads. They had private band Of their
own. The instruments were ~ two small henri
spherical drums laid across the operators knee and
nlaved upon with pats OF thick leather; "
large iar of resonant earthernware In which the
hottie had been supplanted by drum-head upon
which the musician beat with both hands; l3)
aaglolet of native constru cton and oil most pene-
trating tone. and ~ French horn. Tins ex-
traordiuary band would play few bars OF n minor
strain with great vivacity of movement ana plenty
OF volume in the resulting sound. Ihen the ihbuu-
ments would cease, and young fellow In "nito
bag trowsers, and fez cap set on the pack Vi niS
head, would sing wailIng loveditty 10 the same
minor tbeme rendered IN the slo west possible move
ment and with an effect on the crowd quite COM
parable TO that produced by Brgnoi In his palmiest
DAVIS In another place thousand people packed
in a large garden by the roadside, were SHINING
narghii6s or slipping coffee aud iced sherbets WINE
their souls were entranced by the performance oil
dozen vociferous singers who accompanied their
own voices with violin and guitar on band-staho
in the centre. Half dozen theatres were
in full blast where Turkish TRANSACTIONS Oh
French plays were being rendered by tho cele-
brated Armenian troupe of Monsieur Dikran ana
Madam oiselle Heranoush, admittance anu io
cents" or bv some equally celebrated troupe OIL
some other nationality performing tor an equally
reasonable remuneration. In one place the stIrac
tion was grand combination OF the solar system by
electric light; a world-renowned acrobat, and
jugger of Incompatible ability. And so Moslem
Constantlnople was consOling Itselfthis night Tor
all the main of the rigorous fast by day This same
thing Is repeated every night during the month OF
fasting At midnight when we withdrew from the
street, there was yet sign vt diminutiJn OF en-
thusiasm The Ramazan IS terrible FAST, but IL
has its carnival repeated constantly throughout its
duration. A, In other departments OF the Moslein
system, the precepts for repI ession OF the carna
man stand In close iuxtapostlon with PROVISIONS
which recognize the Irrepressible character oil the
Three matters particularly attracted my attention
during this nights stroll through tho turkish
streets In the first place, there was an almost alb
solnte absence of the Christian element OF the
nopuIaiIon from the crowd OF pieasuTe-seekero;
I doubt not that the region. its Inhabitants and
these uightly reves are alike unknown TO the mass
OF the people of civilized Pera. la the second place
the crowd was utterly gUod-natured. turing
Christian festivals in this city patrols CT troops
have 20 walk the streets continually to check
disorder. the fact that MOslenis In such pubic
gatherings cannot use liquor probably accounts for
the absence of any visible police force on thls occa-
sion And finally, the cost OF this uoroarlous enjoy
ment liz ridiculuusiy small with tho mass oil the
people man NAV sit at his chosen spot for hours
ana not spend more than cents. Coffee costs
cent. a ndrghiB. or water pipe. cent Ice cream
or 2 cents etc. OF course. II a European attempts
TO disslpate on this basis he wall be asked three or
four prices for everything, AID If he grumbles wli
be told that gentleman OF his standing ought 10
ba ashamed TO pay less than cents for his coffee:
But the Common people get their run and a good
deal OF II for very little money. 4.
By l2 o'clock we were glad enough 70 return 10
the boEse of our host. Here we fOund the TO
ception room converted into a bed room Tor us.
A small heap Of cotton mattresses had oeen laiu on
the floor for each guest; and thick comforter
It'll tb, upper sheet of the bed sewed 10 lts unusr
surface was folded back across the foot oil eacn
bed. In those curious contriyances we were lam
TO essay TO rest while the family went down STAIRS
TO eat another great dinner IN provision OF the
rapid az proach of the hour that must seal then ips
| to food or drink until another sun bad set
Ii is Only fair to say, however, that Ola hnu rigi
| Moslems do not countenance the feastng anO
revery of the Rsmazan nights Ihsy say thsl I'm, ,ne
real intent of the faT has been perverte1 Oy .he
Turks who are far from the original purity 9f the
faith This very likely true. for before slept
clear voice rang out from n neighpoiing mInn,e'
with the " Ors of the IeIFVid psalm Inc psaiii,
| was evidently designed for time when men Wouiu
| not I've found revealing at this hour OF the night.
The clash Of dishes below the stairs sounded odaiy
| enough wnen mnglng with these solemn words
40 Mighty God u, Glorious Godl Thou dost
not slumber nor Sleep Wonderful the watch yhieh
| Tnou cost keep while Thy servants sleep ~
! people Of God o, slumberlng servants OF God
| How long will your eyes be heavy with sleep How
! long will YOU forget that God is yet awake How
can Won sleep sinco your God still waits the long
| night throughi Awake from sleep. be up aud
! prsiser But the invitation Of the plous Ola
| Moslem on tho minsret was quickly drowned D}
an outburst OF doggerel from the street.
"Red lips so near,
The way IL clear.
There's TO chidei
Sweet lips, come near,
There's more fear
When you've tried"
| The singers IN the street were also Moslens In
| good and regular standing The combination o
| these two songs this holy day hints pretty cor
rec.y at the state IN Constantinople, OF the reis
ion in which tho Empire rests.