Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

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TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,
tion, which result from so motly a compound of so many different
nations indiscriminately brought together. The complexions
depend of course on the varieties of the climates whence the different
corps have been recruited. The Africans are black, with
the exception of those who come from the more northern parts of
Africa, and who, notwithstanding they have on the head the curled
woolly hair of negroes,
are of atawney complexion, It has by
some been asserted, that
they
are sprung from colonies imported
into the countries they inhabit, from different parts of Europe and
Asia. The Egyptians, as well as the inhabitants of Asia, Syria,
Diarbcker, &cc. are also dark ortawney. Among the whites may
be comprehended, not only the Europeans, but the inhabitants of
Natolia, Armenia, Georgia, and Tartary. The Georgians are
justly celebrated for the finest complexion and most regular features
any where to be found. Many of the Bedouin Arabs differ so
much from their countrymen in their complexion, as to be
nearly
black.
So considerable, in a Turkish army,
are the numbers of trades-
people, attendants, domestics and followers of every denomination,
that when it is computed to amount to twenty thousand men, near-
ly the half of that number must be subtracted, to form an estimate
of its real and efficient force, when brought into the field. Each
of the chiefs and pachas is constantly surrounded by a very numerous
suite of attendants, who keep their eyes steadily fixed on him
to catch his nod, and hasten to the execution of his imperious man-
dates. By the numbers of his followers, who thus swarm about
him, his dignity and respectability are estimated. Amidst all this
grandeur, his situation, than which nothing can be more precarious,
ought not to excite the envy or jealousy of those who act in
the subordinate lanks. Should he have signalized himself on a great
and trying occasion, it too frequently happens, that his distinguished
merit points him out to his superiors as the object of an odious persecution.
PI is views and expectations are thus baffled, and the
earliest occasion sought to accomplish his ruin, and to gratify a
hateful spirit of revenge. To affect this, he is perhaps ordered to ex-
ecute an insurmountable difficulty, in the accomplishment of which
having necessarily failed, he is deprived of his employment, de-
graded from his rank, robbed of his wealth, and in the midst of his-
sufferings may esteem himself happy that his life has been spared by
his savage persecutors. The maxim which the Turks have em-