The Republican journal., 1902-05-29
.(OPLE.
TIE RBPUBLICA@aa'%''s"'' ' Young
- --------lARCH 21, 1902.
hELt Ao1, nv hsg when we awoke


nL1: in having the finest
RepuDllCan here and Athens to
---,ere on board in good
CHARLES Aft six hours later than
+d time of departure. That
~ Is, R'h i'll this part of the world,
months. where time seems to count as
inch lr, merely made to kill. Sunday
= ceI a good rest, and on account of
DeXtreme cold We're not on deck all
\, but saw the site of ancient Troy
and the Aslatic shore. 1t was beautiful,
coming through the Dardanelles about
SUNSET. At the town of this name we
stopped to land freight of artlchokes
and beans and to have our health certi-
hcates approved. We awoke at six the
next morning to find ourselves about
10 drop anchor in the Bosphorus oppo-
site the seVen-hilled city OF Constantine,
with the star and crescent ON all sides.
1t was little cold, and rather foggy, 50
We did not hurry to see the entrance in
20 the harbor which has been 50 enthu-
siastically described by many. Gradu-
ally, however, the minarets appeared
through the yapors one by one, and the
domes OF the mosques, the sombre dark
green expresses sho ing up through
The mist against the white buildings,
We were soon surrounded by the in
eyitable small boats, manned by indi-
viduals WHO dared to wear European
dress with their fez instead OF the loppy,
Turkish trousers, brilliant sashes and
gold embroidered Jackets we expected
10 see. This lack of the picturesque
was most Disappointing during our en-
the stay. On the quay we We're met
by our dragoman. whom we found most
reliable
We We're woetully disappointed III st,
Sophia, which on the outside is a huge
mass of dingy, yellow plastered build
ings. which have been added to from
time to time The only graceful bit IS
Tie minarets. The interior was not as
beautiful as l had imagined. Perhaps
] had my expectations too high, or
looked for beauty of ornamentatlon
rather than of architecture, as from an
architectural standpoint is wonderful.
All is So we'll proportional one does not
realize its vast size The Byzantine
carving OF the capital is exquisite, tut
the mosque Ill point of beauty cannot
compare with the Alabaster mosque of
Cairo We We're fortunate in seeing
st. Sophia lighted one evening with ID
0O0 primitive lights, or wax tapers in
ell. arranged in stars and crescents all
around lie galleries and domes. We
remained during the service. which was
attended 10y hundreds Of men, all with
-lejr faces toward Mecca. their shoes
Ill the troughs in front of them. This
rare occasion OF its being lighted was
tor the opening of the Byram festival
1T four days which commentaries the
sacrifice at Abraham by Ishmael
"Wednesday there We're thousands of
rams in the streets, and on the steps Of
the mosques. which were sold before
Tuesday at sunrise. when all We're
slaughtered Many were bought and
given to the poor. Others We saw be-
ing led CT carried on mems backs as d
present to some friend. These We're
decorated with punches of flowers,
ribbons amt rosettes tied N their wool
and on their heads, their horns gilded
and led by deliberately embroidered
brides. beads around their necks and
their long wool beautifully washed and
combed
Thursday we were up and dressed
about and were soon at a good point
of vantage near the Palace TO see the
sultan and high officials drive from the
Palace, Yildi2 kiask, to the mosque
on the steps OF which His Majesty is
given a jewelled dagger, which he
sticks INTO the neck of his ram. OF
course we did not see the latter, but
had tine view of the procession, which
passed within twelve yards of US
There were about 1900 soldiers out, a
double line along the entire route
Only the carriages of the Turkish
ladies were allowed to draw up along
The line Of march. They We're in beauti-
f}lI silk and beaded robes, those in one
carnage harmonlZ,ng eXquisltely, the
beauty of their pretty faces only en-
HANGED by the transparent gauZe wells.
The sultan was preceded by many reg
lmentS and officials in uniform heavily
embroidered in gold His carriage was
drawn by four superb Russian bays,
the gift of the Gar His face is of the
Jewish type, his dark beard streaked
with grey, and his black eyes, small and
piercing, seemed to see on all sides at
once, Opposite sat his youngest son
and the Prime Minister: his other three
sons following III carriages, accom-
panied by some officials. Guarded by
eunuchs on horseback We're those of his
favorite wives. Just think of that man
killing his own son a few months ago,
and his fayorite, too. He found him
playing with revolver, and immediate