Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-04-12
the ART OF IDL|NC|
It Is a Part of the IndoIent Life
of the LeisureIy Turk.
WHERE SITTING Is EXERCISE.
In the Orient the Placid Natives Re.
gard What We Would Call loafing
as Mark Of RespeetabiIity-A Trip
In Caique on the Golden Horn.


One of the first words in the Turkish
language that l learned to recognize
was kyef or kali. Making kyef was
very common occupation, judging from
the number of times that / heard the
word used. THE dictionary definition
Of kyef is health" pleasure" Health
and pleasure are not always synony
NOUS but they seemed to be in this
case, for people who said they had
been making kyef always looked both
happy and healthy.
To the average American the idea
represented by the word kyef is about
as foreign as the word itself. You
could not possibly make kyef at foot
ball game or a horse race or automo-
billing up to the limit Of police regula-
tons. One thing soon becomes evident
to the scientific investigator Of kyef.
Whatever it may be, kyef is made
above all things. without noise.
Leisure, idling if you like, has been
reduced to fine art in the orient.
There is no place in the world where
doing nothing is so respectable. Able
bodied men sit unblushingly at midday
in a coffee house drinking numberless
cups of strong. black coffee, smoking a
nargile and staring at chessboard
for hours at a time Loafing we call it
in America; in Italy. dolce far niente;
in Turkey. making kyef.
The oriental is slow and easy in his
amusements He fingers over his pleas
ures. making them last as long as pos
sible None too fond Of exerting him
self. most of his exercise is taken sit
ting still. The Turkish verb, otur.
which means sit" is much used both
in word and in action. They sit over
cup Of coffee in an out Of door cafe.
they sit under tree smoking ciga-
rette. they sit for four hours making
you a visit. and they may sit the live
long day out in grassy field or on the
banks of stream doing nothing at ALL
The Turks are fond of outdoors. And
one is not surprised The highest point
Of Constantinople is Tchamlidja, a hill
that stands few miles back from the
Scutari landing on the Asiatic side,
The view from this hill is one whose
beauty casts a spell that lasts as long
as memory lasts. "See Naples and die"
runs the old saying, but do not die be-
fore you have seen Constantinoplc
from Tchamlidja.
There are many open fields in and
about Constantinople to which the peo-
pie resort on high days and holidays.
the brilliant colors of the native dress
standing out against the greenest green
and the bluest blue Of the natural
background. And everywhere the daz-
zling sheen of water. the silve-y, calm
surface of the Marmora stretching
away in the distance and the blue
winding Bosporus at our feet. There
is hush about Turkish holiday
gathering which is always like Sun
day. Caiques glide noiselessly by. peo-
pie sit in groups or saunter about on
the shore. like the figures in a picture,
everybody making kyef in his own way.
One of the popular resorts for great
numbers of people is the Sweet; Wa,
tiers Of Europe, Il small stream Of fresh
water flowing into the upper part of
the Golden Horn. The best and easiest
way to reach this place. the stranger
is told. is by rowboat up the Golden
Horn This "best and easiest way is.
however. bit trying to the nerves.
Galata bridge, from which the boats
leave, is the busiest spot in CONSTANT
nople. You are jOstled from before and
behind. screamed ut in all the Ian
guages you ever heard of and frighten-
ed nearly to death before you get'down
the rickety little stairway leading to
the landing. Nothing can really hap
pen to you. but you do not knew that
until afterward. If you should fall
into the water you would be promptly
fished out by friendly hands amid
Mashallahs. in all the tones Of the
chromatic scale Down below, you arc
warned within an inch Of your life
about all the things you must not do
in the caique. A caique is small
rowboat, the daintiest most graceful
uttlc craft III TIE WOliu, put IL was
made to tip over
If you get away from the landing
without being spilled out into the
water YOU breathe one sigh of relief.
but not more than one. for the Golden
Horn is very narrow and very busy.
and any moment you may look up at
the PROV of steamer bearing down
upon you at full speed. Behind you.
and to the right of you. and tc the left
of YOU. are clumsy freight boats man.
aged by scolding boatmen. And just
here one of your oarsmen does what
he has forbidden you to dostands up
in his place. Wildly gesticulating. she
scolds back in picturesque Turkish at
a careless steersnEln who has nearly
tipped you over After you have had
this experience few times and have
escaped with your life you cease to
mind it,
Quiet comes at last. and long, smooth
stretches of shining water. The motion
of caique is perfect. 1t gides over
the water with no effort at all. The sill
very light Of the eastern sun. the magr
a. L., Il