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

fcS TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,
CHAPTER III.
Removal to Buyukdere. Description of that village. Favourite amusements
of the Grand Seignor. Barracks appointedfor the mission at Levant Chiflick.
Description of that place. Dysentery prevalent among the soldiers ofthe mis-
sion. Introduction to the principal officers of the Sublime Porte. Excessive
heat. Description of the Turkish horses, and the mode of treating them.
Miscellaneous remarks on the natural history, &c. of the country. Frogs and
grasshoppers. Evening iioalks at Buyukdere, and amusements of the Greeks.
Dress and ?nanners oj the Turkish vjomen 5 of the Greeks. Abundance and
cheapness of provisions at Buyukdere. Oxen and Buffaloes. Harvest in
Tuikey. Oppressions exercised by the Mahommedans on the Christians.
Grand Seignor visits Chiflick, and distributes small to money the English soU
diers. Turks taught to practise vjith red hot shot.
Description oj Kaithana,
the place appointedfor artillery experiments. On board the Charon find tvjo
Englishmen redee?ned from slavery. Liberal conduct of a French officer,
Greek rejoicings on St. John's day. Entertainment at the Russian a?nbassa-
dors. Visit to Constantinople. Account of the Bazars. Further remarks
on the city. The seraglio. The mint. Mosque of Santa-Sophia. Greek
amusements. Visit on board the Sultan Selim. Sick and vuounded soldiers
arrive from Acre. Conferences nvith the Turkish secretary of voar on this
subject.
Order to attend the Grand Seignor.
iN the 18th of June I removed my baggage, medicines, &zc.
to Buyukdere, where I took up my residence in a house provided
for us close to the sea shore.
The village of Buyukdere is
very pleasingly
situated on the
European side of the Bosphorus,
not far from the entrance of the
Black Sea, and is distant from Constantinople about twelve miles.
As its name implies, it stands on a
large
level surface, buyuk in the
Turkish signifying great, and dere a ralley.
It commands a most
delightful and romantic view. In its front is a beautiful strand, and
behind it several heights
or promontories, the scenery of which is
picturesque in the extreme. On account of the agreeableness of its
situation. Buyukdere has been chosen as the residence of several
members of the diplomatic corps, whose palaces are situated on the
eastern side of the plain. To the west of the village there is an
extensive meadow, in the centre of which is a groupe of very large