Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-01-06
.,o srltan. disDosed of them by presenting

tbe sultans disposed Of them by presenting
them 10 the favorites Of the harem.
Around the rooms, ranged against the
,yaIls are large vases filled with uncut
oeus and coins of gold and silver. re-
marked however, that the coins were com
narativelv modern, and that the gems could
not comnare in value with those inlaid IN
tbe objects have already described. IL Is
nrobable that the exigencies OF depleted
excheuuer caused the owners Of the treasure
from time to time to dispose OF the origi-
nal and more valuable contents OF the
cases and TO substitute for them those now
found there.
The treasure contains a splendid lot OF
large vases of rock crystal. jade, onyx ano
cups and TASKS Of gold, all OF Indian or
Persian origin. There are also two large
octagonal jars of evident Gothic origin and
a whole series of Oriental porcelalns
mounted in gold fligree work, to say notn,
ing of some beautiful pieces Oh plue ana
white Persian porcelain.
The middle rooms contain the state rooes
of the Sultans, from 1883 to 1859. 1hese
are displayed on headless lay figures, the
turbans being placed directly on the
shoulders, which produces very grotesque
erect. This is more particularly the case
WITH IIl6 OuO AOBAOoOhoAhh ehN -
Mahomets, whose state robe was simply the
uniform of a Russian or Austrian General.
II ia doubtful whether these costumes are
really the state apparel of each Sultan, and
there is also reason for believing that this
historical collection was formed at COM
paratively recent date. There is, however,
no doubt that the costumes belong to the
dates assigned to them, and that some OF
those belonging to the sixteenth and seven
teenth centuries were really worn by the
Sultans of that period.
Each turban is surmounted by band
some aigrette, held in place by jewel, and
in each belt is magnificent dagger. Most
of these arms are veritable masterpieces OF
art. One of the carved gold guards is
worthy of Cellini, and the handle of another
dagger is formed of a single emerald. The
urofusion of stones on the dagger and on
the aigrettes Of the turbans is really Won
derful. One of the latter is held in place by
a clasp composed of two emeralds and
ruby, each 11o inch IN diameter. All the
robes are of magnificent brocade. so richly
embroidered that they would stand alone.
In passing out of the treasure house was
taken through q kiosk containing the an
ciert,libraryof the Sultans, 1t contains be-
tween two and three thousand volumes in
manuscript, all in leather cases and piled
one On top of the other. At the time of the
Renaissance the eyes Of the whole of West
ern Europe were cast longingly toward this
collection, which was supposed to contain
the books Of the Byzantine Emperors and
to include many unpublished works by the
classic writers of Greece and Rome. No
person, however, was allowed to enter it,
even request to be allowed to do so from
Louis XIV. having been refused. 1t is now
believed that the collection does not contain
any classical manuscripts, but on this point
there can be no certainty, as the contents
of the volumes are still jealously guarded
from view -