Chapter XII

The Bosphorus in Summer—The Tower of Galata—Mosque of
Topphannè—Summer Palace of the Grand Vizier—Seraï of the
Princess Salihè—Seraïs and Salemliks—Palace of Azmè
Sultane—Turkish Music—Token Flowers—Palace of the Princess
Mihirmàh—The Hill of the Thousand Nightingales—Turkish,
Greek, and Armenian Houses—Cleanliness of the Orientals—The
Armenians—Cemetery of Isari—The Castle of Europe—Mahomet
and the Greeks—Village of Mirgheun—The Haunted Chapel of St.
Nicholas—Palace of Prince Calimachi—Imperial Jealousy—Death
of Calimachi—The Bosphorus by Moonlight—Love of the
Orientals for Flowers—Depth of the Channel—An Imperial
Brig—Turkish Justice—Fortunes of the Turkish Fleet—Sudden
Transitions—Influence of Russian Sophistry—The Sultan’s
Physicians—Naval Appointments—Rigid Discipline—The Penalty
of Disobedience—The Death Banquet—Tahir Pasha—Radical
Remedy—Vice of the Turkish System of Government—Unkiar
Skelessi—A Mill and a Manufactory—Pic Nics—Arabian
Encampment—Bedouin Beauty—Poetical Locality 158

CHAPTER XIII.

Facts and Fictions—Female Execution at Constantinople—Crime
of the Condemned—Tale of the Merchant’s Wife—The Call to
Prayer—The Discovery—The Mother and Son—The
Hiding-Place—The Capture—The Trial—A Night Scene in the
Harem—The Morrow—Mercifulness of the Turks towards their
Women 183

CHAPTER XIV.

Political Position of the Turks—Religion of the
Osmanlis—Absence of Vice among the Lower Orders—Defect of
Turkish Character—European Supineness—Policy of
Russia—England and France—A Turkish Comment on England—The
Government and the People—Common Virtue—Great Men—Turks of
the Provinces—European Misconceptions 198

CHAPTER XV.

Death in a Princely Harem—The Fair Georgian—Distinction of
Circassian and Georgian Beauty—The Saloon—Sentiment of the
Harem—Courteous Reception—Domestic Economy of the
Establishment—The Young Circassian—Emin Bey—Singular Custom
of the Turks—The Buyuk Hanoum—The Female Dwarf—_Naïveté_ of
the Turkish Ladies—The Forbidden Door—The Sultan’s
Chamber—The Female Renegade—Penalty of Apostacy—Musical
Ceremony—Frank Ladies and True Believers—A Turkish
Luncheon—Devlehäi Hanoum—Old Wives _versus_ Young Ones—The
Parting Gift—The Araba—The Public Walk—Fondness of the
Orientals for Fine Scenery—The Oak Wood 211

CHAPTER XVI.

Military Festival—Turkish Ladies—Female Curiosity—Eastern
Coquetry—A Few Words on the Turkish _Fèz_—The Imperial Horse
Guards—Disaffection of the Imperial Guard—False Alarms—The
Procession—The Troops at Pera—Imitative Talent of the
Turks—Disappointment 231

CHAPTER XVII.

Turkish Ladies “At Home”—The Asiatic Sweet Waters—Holy
Ground—The Glen of the Valley—Hand Mirrors—Holyday
Groups—Courtesy of the Oriental Females to Strangers—The
Beautiful Devotee—The Pasha’s Wife—A Guard of Honour—Change
of Scene—Fortress of Mahomet—Amiability of the Turkish
Character 242

CHAPTER XVIII.

The Reiss Effendi—Devlehäi Hanoum—The Fair Circassian—The
Pasha—Ceremonious Observances of the Harem—An
Interview—Namik Pasha _versus_ Nourri Effendi—Imperial
Decorations—The Diploma—Turkish Gallantry—The Chibouks—The
Salemliek—The Garden—Holy Horror—The Kiosk—The
Breakfast—A Party in the Harem—Nèsibè Hanoum—The
Yashmac—The Masquerade—Turkish Compliments—The Slave and
the Fruit Merchant—Departure from the Palace 262

CHAPTER XIX.

Imperial Gratitude—The Freed Woman—A Female
Cœlebs—Hussein the Watchmaker—Golden Dreams—Arabas and
Arabajhes—Maternal Regrets—A Matrimonial
Excursion—Difficult Position—The _Sèkèljhes_—A Young
Husband—The Emir—The Officer of the Guard—The Emir’s
Daughter—First Love—Ballad Singing—A
Salutation—Moonlight—Rejected Addresses—Ruse de Guerre—The
Arrest—A Lover’s Defence—Munificence of the Seraskier Pasha 278

CHAPTER XX.

Turkish Madhouses—Surveillance of Sultan
Mahmoud—Self-Elected Saints—Lunatic Establishment of
Solimaniè—The Mad Father—The Apostate—The Sultan’s
Juggler—Slave Market—Charshee 293

CHAPTER XXI.

The Castle of Europe—The Traitor’s Gate—The Officer of the
Guard—Military Scruples—The State Prison—The Tower of
Blood—The Janissaries’ Tower—_Cachots
Forcès_—Guard-room—The Bow-string—Frightful Death—The
Signal Gun—The Grand Armoury—Flourishing State of the
Establishment—A Dialogue—The Barracks of the Imperial
Guard—The Persian Kiosk—Courts and Cloisters—The
Kitchen—The Regimental School—A Coming Storm—The
Tempest—Dangerous Passage—Turkish Terror—Kind-hearted
Caïquejhe—Fortunate Escape 302

CHAPTER XXII.

The Plague—Spread of the Pestilence—The Greek
Victim—Self-Devotion—Death of the Plague Smitten—The
Widow’s Walk—Plague Encampments—The Infected Family—The
Greek Girl and her Lover—Non-Conductors—Plague
Perpetuators—Vultures—Melancholy Concomitants of the
Pestilence—Carelessness of the Turks—The Pasha of
Broussa—Rashness of the Poorer Classes—Universality of the
Disease in the Capital 317

CHAPTER XXIII.

A Greek Marriage—The Day before the Bridal—The Wedding
Garments—Cachemires—Ceremony of Reception—The Golden
Tresses—Early Hours of the Greek Church—Love of the Greek
Women for Finery—The Bridal Procession—The Marriage—The
Nuptial Crowns—Greek Funerals 338

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Fèz Manufactory—Singular Scene—A Turk at Prayers—Pretty
Girls—Progress of Turkish Industry—Mustapha Effendi—Process
of Manufactures—Omer Effendi and the Arabs—Avanis Aga, the
Armenian—The Fraud Discovered—The Imperial
Apartments—Departure for the Seraï-Bournou—The Outer
Court—The Orta Kapoussi—The Pestle and Mortar of the
Ulémas—The Garden of Delight—The Column of
Theodosius—Arrival of the Sultan—Ancient Greek
Inscriptions—Confused Impression—The Diamond—Memories of
Sultan Selim 348

CHAPTER XXV.

Social Condition of the Eastern Jews—Parallel between the
Jews of Europe and the Levant—Cruelty of the Turkish Children
to Jews—A Singular Custom—Religious Strictness of the
Jews—National Administration—The House of Naim Zornana of
Galata—Costume of the Jewish Women—Hebrew Hospitality 361

CHAPTER XXVI.

Hospitality of the Armenians—An Impromptu Visit—The
Bride—Costly Costume—Turkish Taste—Kind Reception—Domestic
Etiquette of the Schismatic Armenians—Armenian Sarafs—The
National Characteristics 373

CHAPTER XXVII.

Season-Changes at Constantinople—Twilight—The Palace
Garden—Mariaritza, the Athenian—A Love-tale by
Moonlight—The Greek Girl’s Song—The Palace of
Beglierbey—Interior Decorations—The Bath—The Terraces—The
Lake of the Swans—The Air Bath—The Emperor’s Vase—The
Gilded Kiosk—A Disappointment 384

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The Bosphorus in Mist—The Ferdinando
Primo—Embarkation—Tardy Passengers—The Black Sea—The
Turkish Woman—Varna—Visit to the Pasha—Rustem Bey—Mustapha
Najib Pasha—Turkish Gallantry—The Lines—Sunset
Landscape—Bulgarian Colonies—Discomforts of a Deck Passage 402

CHAPTER XXIX.

The Danube—Cossack Guard—Moldavian
Musquitoes—Tultzin—Galatz—Plague-Conductors—Prussian
Officer—Excursion to Silistria—Amateur Boatmen—Wretched
Hamlet—The Lame Baron—The Salute—Silistrian Peasants—A
Pic-Nic in the Wilds—The Tortoise—Canoes of the Danube—The
Moldavian State-Barge—Picturesque Boatmen—The Water
Party—Painful Politeness—Visit of the Hospodar—Suite of His
Highness—Princely Panic—The Pannonia 414

CHAPTER XXX.

Hirsova—Russian Relics—Town of Silistria—Bravery of the
Turks—Village of Turtuki—Group of Pelicans—Glorious
Sunset—Ruschuk—Cheapness of Provisions—The Wallachian
Coast—Bulgaria—Dense Fog—Orava—Roman Bath—Green
Frogs—Widdin—Kalifet—Scala Glavoda—Custom House
Officers—Disembarkation—Wallachian Mountains—A Landscape
Sketch—Costume of the Servian Peasantry—The Village
Belle—Primitive Carriages—The Porte de Fer—The
Crucifix—Magnificent Scenery—Fine Ores 427

CHAPTER XXXI.

Orsova—Castle of the Pass—Turkish Guard—Quarantaine
Ground—Village of Tekia—Awkward Mistake—Pretty Woman—Gay
Dress—A Visiter—Servian Cottagers—A Discovery—Departure—A
Volunteer—Receiving House—A Forced March—The
Grave-Yard—The Quarantaine—A Welcome to Captivity—A Verbal
Coinage—Pleasant Quarters—M. le Directeur—The
Restaurant—Pleasant Announcement—Paternal Care of the
Austrian Authorities—The Health-Inventory—The Guardsman’s
Sword—Medical Visits—Intellectual Amusements—A Friendly
Warning 443

CHAPTER XXXII.

The Last Day of Captivity—Quarantaine Enclosure—Baths of
Mahadia—Landscape Scenery—Peasantry of Hungary—Their
Costume—Trajan’s Road—Hungarian Village—The Mountain
Pass—The Baths—A Disappointment—The
Health-Inventory—Inland Journey—New Road 458

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Departure from Orsova—Daybreak—The Mountain-pass—Village of
Plauwischewitza—Austrian Engineers—Literary Popularity—The
Rapids—Sunday in Hungary—Drinkova—Holy day
Groups—Alibec—Voilovitch—Panchova—River-Shoals—Wild
Fowl—Semlin—Fortress of Belgrade—Streets of Semlin—Greek
Church—Castle of Hunyady—Imperial Barge—Agreeable
Escort—Yusuf Pacha—Belgrade—Prince
Milosch—Plague-Preventers—General Milosch—Servian
Ladies—Turk-Town—Ruined Dwellings—The Fortress—Osman
Bey—Gate of the Tower—Fearless Tower—Rapid Decay of the
Fortifications—Sclavonian Garden—Vintage-Feast—Sclavonian
Vintage-Song 471