The daily critic., 1890-11-12
nlSH HOLIDAY IN C0gSrHgTI0PLE
When the Commander of the Faithful
Performs His Devotions.
BOT FEW ARE PERMITTED TO SEE Bin.
Tie Procession from The Great Gate Of
The Palace to the Mosq1s--A
"Giaour's' Description,

the Sultan goes to mosque in state, and
il is granted to a few to behold, from
a chosen vantage point, the counte.
nance of the commander Of the faith.
full. Such a privilege is not TO be un.
derestimated for 1t Is not often that His
Majesty shows himself in public; and
his devoted subjects for the most part
content themselves with rendering him
the homage which human nature at all
times Is ready to accord with invisible
duties. The calm aud dignifed child
of Islam Is satisfied with the mere
knowledge Of the existence Of the Pad
ishah, bis lord and master. In things
temporal and spiritual. But lis other
wise with the inquisitive and irrepressl-
BILE Giaour. He Graves for ocular dem
onstration, for personal inspection Of
dignitles, and never Is so happy as
when feasting his eyes on the ipsissima
corpora of august sOvereigns. fhe has
been broughtup in monarchical Europe
he may perhaps be able to keep his
feelings under some restraint, but If he
halls from the Democratic West he
often can set no bounds 10 his appetite
for royalty. IL becomes consuming
passion, which leaves him no option
but TO obey its behesis. And though
in this respect my instincts are decidedly
Mahometan, says James d. Bourchier,
writing from Constantinople, / never.
theless, on this occasion, felt as keenly
DESTROYS of beholding crowned head
as the most Republican Of our Ameri-
can cousins, for although there may be
many thrones. principallties and pow
ers, there is but one Khalif. on Pad
ishah, one shadow Of God. one refuge
Of the world And so / fastened TO
provide myself with credentials en-
aiding me TO behold this illusirious per.
sonage.
A card from one Of the foreign am
bassadors admits the privileged specta-
tor to the kiosk, whence the members
e the diplomatic body and their
friends look down upon the procession
Of the Sultan as wends its way from
the great gate of the Nildiz palace to a
mosque which stands on the slope Of a
hill some few hundred Yards awav. It
was already noon on a bright day when
landed on the European shore Of the
BosphOfus, al point not far from where
the splendid palace OF Dolma. Baghtche,
the principal residence Of the Sultans,
overlOoks the blue waters of the lovely
straits. This stately edihce stands
empty since the dethrOnement aud mys.
teriOus death Of Abdul AZlz; his
brother. the present Sultan, who was In
the palace at the time, has since then
never entered It's gates, and has fixed his
abode at the Yildiz Kiosh. a summer
residence Of the imperial family, which
crowns the heights above.
A narrow lane leads up the hill, and
this followed, making my way among
the motley crowds. the dogs, the oxen,
the panieTed donkeys and an the varied
forms Of life which throng Turkish
street. Here and there attachments Of
soldiers were standing shout In groups,
as though In expectation Of an immedi-
ate call 10 fall into linei and already
some regiments OF cavalry, preceded by
bands, were advancing 10 a long line
toward the summit OF the hill As
approached the scene Of the grand cere-
monial the military element became so
predominant that scarce a civilian was
20 be seen. Having shown my card OF
admission, l passed through Gordon
OF soldiers drawn up along the route Of
the procession, and was conducted 10 a
small building consisting of three
rooms, with some half dozen windows
overlooking the road. Directly In front
was the Hamidye mosque, which was
TO be the scene of the Sultan's devO-
tons. In the rooms were assembled
several diplomats, pashas and other
nOtabilities, while groups OF ladies In
highly fashionable costumes occupied
the seats near the windows Among
the most interesting figures the as
sembly were the papal e. 0ys % the
Porte, who looked remaT .bly digni
ned IN their beTettas and les Of black
and purple
-
But the atmosphere was hot aud
CYerpOwering, and, with the exception
Il the fortunate ladies who filled the
windows, few Of us could obtain a view
Of the gay scenes without. So l left
the rooms and took my stand upon a
pleasant space Of gTeensward outside
the doors, shaded by acacia trees, ana
slightly elevated above the road. Here
some dozen diplomats and Turkish
officers were chatting IN groups OF
sirOlling 10 and fro. The scene was a
brilliant and interesting one Before
us the Hamidye Mosque, with its
highly OTnamented white walls and
miuaIets, stood cleaning ia the sun al
its doors was q band Of trumpeters, ia
gorgeous costume, together with a host
Of court officials aud eunuChs, while
the rest of the courtyard around was
filled with smart looking troops.
TO the right, al a considerable
distance, was a Gordon Of infantry, aud
beyond il thTeef0ld line Of lancers on
horseback, whose scarlet pennOns,
waving In The winds, almost concealed
from view a small crowd of the Sui
tan's faithful subjects, who had come
10 catch a remote and somewhat OBJ
suucted glimpse Of their sovereign. To
the left was the lofty gate Of the 4ildiz
Kiosk. while the roadway leading from
q was lined with the hnestlOOking
body Of men j have seen 10 the Turkish
service the regiment Of mariners, ar
Tayed in q costume recalling the British
sailor Of the reign of George Ill.-a
short blue Jacket with brass buttons,
v hite breeches and high black boots
close beneath us were the Arab zluaves,
stil more picturesque In their loose
flowing garments and gayly cQlorel
ulrbaus Most of them were good
humuTed looking youths, who amused
themselves while standing az ease With
some wild fr0lics not exactly iu accord
auce with strict military discipline
Bus soon the order 20 shoulder arms
vas given. ana q was evident that the
great event Of the day vas about 10 take
place. A number Of military officers.