Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-07
THE GOLDEN HORN.
azores ABOUT coNsrANriNopLe ey
A visolNlAN
,,no.ral,clod Beauty Of Byrantinm.
The Famous psgs-rhe GRAD
n.,aar--The Dervishes, Rte.
written for the plspaeh.I


1900 10 trayerscd these waters on the
Ssct Of COW. II is celebrated in history
sr8 poetrg from connection with the Areo-
80 with Darius and the Scythisns.
tn the Goths. the Turks. the Venetians.
soa The Crusades. II connects the waters
- ,be Black Sea, the ancient Euxins. with
,be sea Of Marmora. 4 very old tradition
.v-vives that these seas. distinct from the
Vcditerfanean, we're by an eartb9uaAe
brought into one and thus the bosp Sn. ~
80 Dardauelles became channels tor tao
e.,aow of tho Black into the Medterra-
,oao. The length OF the Bosphorus IS
ut II miles, aud ITS width va
-. from $50 yards az the nsrrowest
20, Az something over 1000 yards The
l.,-rsYt Il strong and rapid. AMI the sound
80 how a depth Of from 100 TO $50 feet.
-, on ksiatic and European shores are
,,i,ees. villas. palaces, castles. Shops. ana
t,tsr,or residences, and every one pas
~. ic-end or veritable fact associated
h ueshas and Processes. with deeds
VI aud evil. with the different centuries.
,he western coast. towards and ia view
NFt.s BLACK sea. Is Therapia, one OF the
t-,.,,st places on earth. whore the diplo-
60. ,orps and the best society OF Con-
...'-rrople have beautiful summer resi-
Ceac.'.
7aE GOLDEN HORN.
o,,os;fe Scutari, and from the southern
n the Bospborus. extends north
g..toari an arm or bay, which has the
:. .,,I.rsuowned and poetical name OF the
t.iIa9 Horn. This body of water is
,l'.f miles IN length, 600 yards In width,
s.5 ,,r,os IN depth from 10 $50 feet. IL
''...,.,ed by two draw-bridges. which are
I'll. .peped al O'clock at night for the
80. .s II vessels which cannot sail I'M
-.,sth the arches. In the peninsula
,.'t, hv the Bosphorus and the Golden
Rom. roxt 20 the Sea OF MarmoTa, IL STAN
go. u the ancient COnstentinople, In
,-..b are ST. Sophia and the principal
,.5....s. the Sublime Porte, the govern
,...t bindings, the bazaars, and what is
g.. H.unctively Oriental.
-tr Of the Golden Horn and between
1e,i .ne Bosphorus. Is modern Constan-
400. known as Galata and Pera. Here
=. .,,.lurs-the lnfidels mainly. but not
,.-..eyely. dwell. and here are the lega-
t.- ,ne banks. the hotels, the stores,
tr4 vla' is according 70 modern ciyillZa-
r. Su'l IL must not be supposed that
rr,es and MahOmedans are not found
g.. flr IN this part Of the city are
ines aud barracks, and here the Sultan
gec.... and dancing and bowling Dervishes
ly.a.l worship.
uYzASTIUM's HISTORY.
Tasc who selected the site and founded
t..c.t, showed marvellous sagacity aud
Itlr.vi-Ian OF its military and CONNER
~. Importance. Byzantium was known
,.t.-.I centuries before the Christian era,
i., lnrnc "a long period had an unevent-
q. history. not worthy of special mention
.r.rl the incurslons OF the barbarlans
s.lt ie Gauls. Iu tho fourth century Con-
st..t-r. the Great made ByZantium tho
.,,t.t,I I'd tie empire aud called II New
l. n.." IN, p0sterty has not recognized
TIC change except from ByZantium TO Con-
e,..,...p!e. The Byzantines deserve
c-..l' for supplying their capital so alum
C.auywtl water, but the Roman emperors
WEE fl- benetactOrS IN constructing nu-
J. r.ls and immense cisterns, some or
v ..c. arc used at the present day. They
o.. built numerous public baths aud
Tl-r.o ed.fces, aud reconstructed the HIP
T. .rYue. aud Temodelled 1t with palaces
al statues and monuments and all
q. taste and luxury and spoils
could supply. Very many OF these were
...tuyei. but the famous bronze horses
49, decorating the church of 81. Mark IN
Nslic. escaped the ruthless hands OF the
vnia's Few lives of nations. men. or
ou -cts Of art have been 50 varied. These
J ..scs were carried from Chic to Constan-
taople: the fourth crusade, that ebush-
ton OF ecclesiastical aud human ianat-
{ -m. sent them to Venice Bonaparte, IN
the fuiness Of his pride aud power. had
O. .m transported TO Paris and placed upon
{ o. Arc IT Triumph, and the Allied Powers,
{ Ter the overthrow of the empire, restored
them to Venice. In 1853 the Turks captured
{ .nstautlnOplc. and 1t has since continued
uninterrupted = under the dominion OF the
Crescent and the Gross. The MOhammedaus
2 uEht 20 efiace all traces of Christianity.
The Church of st. Sophia IS one of the
most beautiful and magnificent structures
IA the world, standing. perhaps, only
second 10 81. Peters. Ephe5us, Athens,
Baalbek, Rome, and many cities aud coun-
tries were despolled TO supply columns
and precious stones and sculptures Tor the
lasillca. The Conqueror cOnsecrated tue
church TO Mussulman worship, detaced the
crosses. changed the interior, erected
lIiuAGets, and by a solemn ceremonial
the whole into "a mosque,
wllch is now the sacred place OF the Ma
comedians. Other mosques were quit,
Ali the city, by numerous devices aud
changes, became In outward appearance
e-d inward government q second Mecca
: those whose creed i, There IS no God
tat God, and Mahomet Is HIS Prophet"
BEAUTY UNPARALLELED.
Beautiful for situation is not so aDpli-
cable 20 Jerusalem as 10 COnStantlnOpie.
Alyelsts and poets have exhausted Ian
cu4ee in describing the beauty of the city
b., one sees il on entering the BOsphorus
iI.m the Sea of MarmOra. In the clear
J -At. wnen mosque ami mlnaret are Atied
L-l above surrounding buildings, and
Cfr-Cents and spires gllsten IN golden radi-
Glce. aud the clear blue waters sparkle IN
glad sunshine, and flags of all nations
l..t from mastheads of vessels, and hun
C-cjs OF little caiqies are hurrying hlther
q 8 thlther as living things. II Is picture
That once seen can never be forgotten, and
Tat no other spot on earth can parallel.
THE SPILL DISSOLVED.
When the vessel casts anchor the spell is
q solved and the enchantment- vanishes.
Z .e SEA u covered with boats OF every de-
3 uptIou, filled with bOatmen, inter-
waiers, pOrters, oiiicers-Turks, Greeks,
Jews. Armenians-all assailing your ears
lui dcafenng you with a babel largon Of
6l The languages and dialects Of Europe
Lat Asia Minor. They crowd on deck
taey seize your baggage; they assail your
person; they are audsclous, impudent,
rlferprislue, and one Is fortunate who es-
q tN.N ltiiA VI DltotA hto ~iA 40 N+~N'-'
Happy Is the traveller. who, having BE-
g..'1 a trusty drAgoman or servant from
j. legation, can quietly walt under the
awning and calmly contemplate the seetn-
i.- mass and study these strange aspects
o. Or ntal life, and then when Interrupt
tons are DO longer possible take his seat
81 o. boat 20 be transferred TO the shore. Ar
wal by train IS not so picturesque. and, by
COMPARISON, Is far less ANNOYING, but "A
railway station gives one unique eApe-
:.,nces Of what can be done differently
ii.u what occurs an Paris or Liverpool or
New York. On shore the passport IS IN
3. l.,iuOn. and the dignlhed custom-house
.T Ger makes an inspection OF trunks ana
bags This is formal and trivial, aud IN
i.4rhed contrast to the offensive espionage
l.I distrust OF solemn oath which the
~ kiuiey bli intorces. The officers all
expect tue inevitable backsheesh. This
., tie inyanable custom of the country.
exciting neither criticism nor comment.
e- amount IS not fixed. That IS matter
o. ;act OF experience. To omit II Will ln-
yVlVe serious delay or something worse.
FURTHER DIFFICULTIES.
The American reader may imagine that
nov all trouble is over, and one needs only
20 summon hack or give his check on
rrnk 10 some agent Of CARRIER" and
proceed 10 his hotel. Not at all. There ~
4 ifades-union or powerful corporation OF
poucrs, called Hamals. divided into clans,
each occupying and performing service I'D
@ quarter from which the Others are ex-
Guided. The trunks and packages 10y