Chapter VI

Difficulty of Obtaining an Insight into Turkish
Character—Inconvenience of Interpreters—Errors of
Travellers—Ignorance of Resident Europeans—Fables and
Fable-mongers—Turkey, Local and Moral—Absence of Capital
Crime—Police of Constantinople—Quiet Streets—Sedate
Mirth—Practical Philosophy of the Turks—National
Emulation—Impossibility of Revolution—Mahmoud and his
People—Unpopularity of the Sultan—Russian
Interference—Vanity of the Turks—Russian Gold—Tenderness of
the Turks to Animals—Penalty for Destroying a Dog—The English
Sportsman—Fondness of the Turks for Children—Anecdote of the
Reiss Effendi—Adopted Children—Love of the Musselmauns for
their Mothers—Turkish indifference to Death—Their
Burial-places—Fasts—The Turks in the Mosque—Contempt of the
Natives for Europeans—Freedom of the Turkish
Women—Inviolability of the Harem—Domestic Economy of the
Harem—Turkish Slaves—Anecdote of a Slave of Achmet
Pasha—Cleanliness of Turkish Houses—The Real Romance of the
East 86

CHAPTER VII.

The Harem of Mustafa Effendi—The Ladies of the
Harem—Etiquettical Observances of the Harem—Ceremonies of
the Salemliek—Jealousy of Precedence among the Turkish
Women—Apartment of the Effendi—Eastern Passion for
Diamonds—Personal Appearance of Mustafa Effendi—The little
Slave-girl—Slavery in Turkey—Gallant Present—The
Dinner—Turkish Cookery—Illuminated Mosques—The
_Bokshaliks_—The Toilet after the Bath—History of an
_Odalisque_—Stupid Husbands—Reciprocal Commiseration—Errors
of a Modern French Traveller—Privacy of the Women’s
Apartments—Anecdote of the Wife of the Kïara Bey—The Baïram
_Bokshalik_—My Sleeping-room—Forethought of Turkish
Hospitality—Farewell to Fatma Hanoum—Dense Crowd—Turkish
Mob—Turkish Officers—Military Difficulty—The “Lower
Orders”—Tolerance of the Orientals towards
Foreigners—Satisfactory Expedient 109

CHAPTER VIII.

Bath-room of Scodra Pasha—Fondness of the Eastern Women for
the Bath—The Outer Hall—The Proprietress—Female Groups—The
Cooling-room—The Great Hall—The Fountains—The Bathing
Women—The Dinner—Apology for the Turkish Ladies 129

CHAPTER IX.

Cheerful Cemeteries—Burial-ground of Pera—Superiority of the
Turkish Cemeteries—Cypresses—Singular Superstition—The
Grand Champs—Greek Grave-yard—Sultan Selim’s
Barrack—Village of St. Demetrius—European
Burial-ground—Grave-stones—The Kiosk—Noble View—Legend of
the Maiden’s Tower—Plague Hospital of the Turks—The
Plague-Caïque—Armenian Cemetery—Curious
Inscriptions—Turkish Burial-place—Distinctive
Head-stones—Graves of the Janissaries—Wild
Superstition—Cemetery of Scutari—Splendid Cypresses—Ancient
Prophecy—Extent of Burial-ground—The Headless
Dead—Exclusive Enclosures—Aspect of the Cemetery from the
Summer Palace of Heybètoullah Sultane—Local Superstition—The
Damnèd Souls 138

CHAPTER X.

Character of the Constantinopolitan Greeks—The Greek Colony
at the Fanar—Vogoride, Logotheti, and Angiolopolo—Political
Sentiment—Chateaubriand at the Duke de Rovigo’s—Biting
Criticism—Greek Chambers—“What’s in a Name?”—Custom of
Burning Perfumes—The Pastille of the Seraglio—Turkish
Cosmetics—Eastern Beauty 157

CHAPTER XI.

The Kourban-Baïram—Politeness of Mustafa Effendi—Depressing
Recollections—Unquiet Night—Midnight March—Turkish
Coffee—A Latticed Araba—The Mosque of Sultan
Achmet—Beautiful coup-d’œil—Dress of the Turkish
Children—Restlessness of the Franks—The Festival of
Sacrifice—Old Jewish Rite—The Turkish
Wife—Sun-rise—Appearance of the Troops—Turkish
Ladies—Group of Field Officers—The Sultan’s
Stud—Magnificent Trappings—The Seraskier Pasha—The Great
Officers of State—The Procession—The Sultan—Imperial
Curiosity—The Chèïk-Islam—Costume of the Sultan—Japanese
Superstition—Vanity of Sultan Mahmoud—The Hairdresser of
Halil Pasha—Rapid Promotion—Oriental Salutations—Halil
Pasha—Saïd Pasha—Unruly Horses—The Valley of the “Sweet
Waters”—Pera 171

CHAPTER XII.

The Military College—Achmet Pasha and Azmi Bey—Study of Azmi
Bey—His grateful Memories of England and the English—The
Establishment—The Lithographic Presses—Extemporaneous
Poetry—Halls of Study—Number of Students—Mathematical
Hall—The Sultan’s Gallery—The Mosque—The Mufti—The Turkish
Creed—The Imperial Closet—The Gallery of the Imperial
Suite—The Retiring-Room—The Printing-Office—The
Hospital—The Refectory—The Professor of Fortification—Negro
Officers—Moral Condition of the College—Courtesy of the
Officers—Deficiencies of the Professors—The Turks a Reading
People—Object of the Institution—Reasons of its
Failure—Smiling Enemies—Forlorn Hope—Russian
Influence—Saduk Agha—Achmet Pasha—Azmi Bey—Apology for my
Prolixity 194