Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-16
GENUINE TURKISH BArHs
Bathing an ALI Day Diversion With the
Women In Constantinople.

Prom oonstAntinopls Letter.
just GU tside the limits Of Constsntinopie up
in the Golden Horn. 10 Ags-H amman. . bath
hequented by many ladies OF the highest po-
sition. not because they have no baths OF their
own, but because they are sure 10 meet their
friends there without restriction and have Q
good time. II has always been q great place
Tor mothers 20 take their manageable daugh-
tiers, and for other mothers 10 40 20 choose .
bride FOR their sons, and - wives are not
chosen for their mental. bu, physical beauties
alone, certainly this is the place 10 choose,
where beauty is quite unadorned. and, there
fore. of this bath we will speak.
The ladies arrive. each one attended by her
own personal servant and another who bears a
very substantial lunch basket and q handsome
goid-bordered bathing wrap. The ennucbs
remain outside or go away and come back Al
the hour the bath is ended, IS Il occupies sew
eral hours.
First. the ladies are Invested OF their CLOTH
ing and receive q crepe sheet which they drspe
about them while they sit the regulation time
IN the first room. During this time they chat
with each other, though not very Familiarity,
and they keep up the preteuse OF the draperv
until they reach aud pass the next room. after
which the sheet aud modesty are thrown Of,
and, with their abundant hair streaming loose
and uneonhned. they walk erect into the last
room AS Eve did about the garden of Eden.
There they stretch themselves out upon the
marble. slabs whiie two attendants rub them
and iather them and pour hot water over them
untll II seems as II they would be boiled Each
ladN 10 laid on a marble slab. which Is slightly
inclined and two attendants begin their Ia
oors one At the feet and the other at the mead.
They use sort Of clay called pilo. which raises
thick, white lather which sometimes grows
several inches thick. The attendants use MOTH
ing but thIs soapy clay and their hands 20
cleanse their subject With. and they rub and
knead and punch until 10 seems they would re-
duce the flesh TO pulp, all the while leaving
tins lather 10 accumulate until the bather looks
like a snow bail Another kind Of soap IN used
Tor the hair. and another again for the face
but the lather Is always left to gather thick as
the worker rubs and tolls. the perspiration
rolling IN streams down her own glistening
body.
A little silver basin stands at hand and after
the ladies have soaked in soap long enough
they take quite hot water. entirely too hot for
anybody but Turkish woman who is used 20
II. and pour IL gently over them. not dashing
the water. but softly emptying IL. 30 that IL soon
washes OFF all the lsther. leaving the flesh ROSY
and fresh. This pouring Of water is continued
sometimes half an hour and the rubbing roll
ing and kneading of the body, after which the
lady is at liberty % plunge into the basin, AZ
she wishes, among the other laughing and
frolicking women, black and white mingliug
Unfortunately.
Words cannot depict the utter abandonment
TO fun and sport that takes possession OF these
women. and children. too, for after a girl is
nine years old she is admitted 20 women's So
ciety unrestrainedly. The young girls are all
plumper than our young girls, and they have
IN the main fine figures. though the knees are
always big and prominent. which il probably
caused by the habit OF sitting crossed legged as
they do. Their skin is very white and pure in
spite OF their unwholesome diet and indolsnt
habits