The times., 1898-06-20
Robinson & Cherry Co.,
18th and F StS. N. w.
Homage to the sultan.

(Constantinople Correspondence indianapolis
News.l
Suddenly IN that brilliant mass below
every figure becomes erect, striking
military attitude, while eyes directed to
the door of the room underneath our
gallery indicate that the moment of the
sultan's entrance has come. All are
bowling almost 10 the floor with move
ment as If raising a handful Of dust
from the earth and then touching lips
and foreheads with a grace of motion
peculiar TO the East One might expect
TO recognize the great ruler from his
royal garb and pageant but my compan-
ion strikes me dumb with amazement
by whispering: There he is; that lit
tie man with the gray oVercoat.' The
band sounds a blast, and from these hun
dreds of throats goes up the cry of
''Padishahim tchok yasha!' Gong live
the sultanD
A nervous, delicate-looking man, slight
ly stopped, in plainest dress, with feeble,
almost faltering, step, and unattended
by royal suite or page, advances toward
the divan. The only man in all that as
semblage without uniform. the severity
of his dress alone distinguishes him from
those that surround him in a long, gray
overcoat, bound with a narrow cord of
dark red, and which looks old and worn,
without the gold and rich embroidery
which makes his subjects so resplendent,
with not even a brass button 10 relieve
the pIainness Of his attire, and with only
the long curved sword of Osman girded
underneath the great coat-this inoffen-
sive-looking being, this enigma of the
century," takes his stand before the di-
van.
All eyes are on him as he nervously
steps on the narrow cushion before the
divan, changing his position continually,
as though balancing himself the hands
alternately touching the h4lt OF his sword,
half hidden by the long coat, and then
opening and folding the great coat about
him. This act partly disclOses, over the
tightly-outtoned black Prince Albert,
ribbon of red and green across his chest
his only mark Of decoration.
Before the sultan arrived we had no
ticed a queer uttIe tuIoaned figure in
bright green satin, with long. fun trous-
ers. sitting cross-Iegged on a stool be
hind one Of the great pillars of the hall.
One foot was so doubled under him that
he seemed One-legged as he sat there, mo-
tiOnless and sPhinX-like Gazing Intently
on the Ruler Of Rulers. standing there
so helpless and alone, we had not seen the
parrot green figure unfold and shake out
its other leg; but here he was, advancing
with trembling and rickety step, for he
was a very old man. bowling his body to
the floor touching breast. lips and fore
head at every pace with the imaginary
dust lifted from the earth in a reveren-
ria1 Eala1ra ne first . hnFa1ua n his
sovereign
This court uleIna CpriesD and represent
ative Of the sheTiffs from Mecca. for he
Il was, finally prostrates himself at the
feet OF the sultan. and head of the Mo-
hammedan religion, kissing the hem / lis
garment. which, in this instance, was a
corner Of the gray .overcoat The sultan
making a feint Of resisting thls homage
attempts TO raise him to his feet but the
grOveling figure wiH not rise until he has
several times pressed this particular bit
Of cloth 10 his lips He then stands up
and. stepping back few PAGES, facing the
sultan, offers up prayer in a soft, low
voice. invoking divine blessings on his SOW
ereign. who. with each one Of that assem-
bly,. holds out his open palms before him
in the M0hammedan attitude Of prayer.
Al its close the hands are passed down
over the face in an amin (amen) and
the little ulema again bends his old body
~ @lAG AibD4 ~ a AtA1IGdl4IlS Sdiddsl.
The band now struck up the Hamidieh
(Sultan's) march, a simple. but majestic.
hymn-llke melody. which always thrills
with its weird. melancholy grandeur. It
IS indescri5ably beautiful. The grand vi
zler and the eX-grand vizier. approaching
IN profOundest Obeisance. retreat 10 with
in q few yards Of the divan where they
remain standing throughout the cere-
mony
The grand marshal, Ghazi Osman
Pasha. the ''hero Of Pleyna" and the in
variable attendant Of the Sultan, stepping
10 the side Of the divan. takes in his h w ;
the "sadjak." or scarf Of cloth Of gold
thrown over each end, which is to serve as
a substitute for the hand or the hem Of his
garment. 10 be pressed to the lips and
foreheads Of his subjects. who are not
worthy 50 much as to touch their august
sovereign.
The long line Of viziers. ministers, mar
shals .aides-de-camp, generals. adnirals.
military. naval and civil officers of high
degree now begin TO move toward the
sultan one al a time. according TO pre-
cedenee. Full ten yards from him they
each begin 10 make their salaaqns repeat
Ing them continuously until they reach
the scarf held in the hands of Osman
which they touch TO their lips and fore
heads. the action being repeated some
times twice and three times according TO
backward. they continually raise the dust
Of the earth with their right hands to
lips and foreheads. until the pressing for
ward Of others finally loses them to their
sovereign's view.
The sultan stands. slightly inclining his
head at first to the advancing figures. and
once or twice addressing some words ia
the one who approaches him. He stands
however, only a few moments when he
wearily sits down on the edge of the di-
van. pulling at his coat. slightly lifting
i, as il catches on the gold embroidery
and gems. When the long line on his
right has finished. the grand marshal
steps behind him to the other end of the
divan. where he takes UP the other scarf.
The sultan again stands. turning his head
10 the left to receive the homage from this
side. After a few moments he reseats
himself and indfferently watches the long
line approach and retire
This continuous advance and retreat
has lasted about two hours. for there are
as many as 500 officials and officers, down
10 the rank of major. who have been al
lowed to touch their lips TO this piece of
embroidery. representing the sacred per-
son of the imperial majesty. Among these
officers and sunctionaries of rank is many
'-ghiaour' pasha, as there are many
foreigners who occupy high positions. The
vice-sdmiral of the navy Is an English
man; there are French generals and the
commanding general of one of the artil-
1ery divisions is German-nephew OF
Count Moltke. These men. too, raised
the fgurative dust of the earth to their
heads and pressed the scarf 10 their lips.
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