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

SYRIA, EGYPT, GERMANY, &C. 53
On the outside there are four tall minarets, or steeples, and foun-
tains where the Turks peiform their ablutions alvvavs previous to
prayer.
naments
Manv small lamps, ostrich
eggs, &c. are suspended as or-
in the centre of the mosque, the part which the pious
'J he floor is covered with mats.
principally occupy when at prayer.
To enter this, as well as all other mosques, it is
necessary
to be
provi led with clean slippers to pull on over the boots or shoes of
Christians, as the Turks will not allow them to enter without ob-
serving this ceremony.
To procure admittance, however, within the mosques, a Frank
must be furnished with a firman, or written
authority from the
Turkish government; but the Mussulman after all makes him pay
handsomely for the gratification of his curiosity.
After having amused myself by walking through the different
bazars, I returned to Buyukdtre in the evening.
On the 3d, in the morning, 1 called on Mr. Spencer Smith, the
British minister, who had just received the melancholy tidings of
the death of Major Feud, of the royal artillery. On the 13th of
the last month, being on board Le Tigre, commanded Sir
by Sydney
Smith, he fell a victim to an attack of malignant fever, in the
prime of life. He was an active and zealous officer.
On the 4th, in taking my customary ride to Chifiiek, I observed
that the vintage was begun. The inhabitants were all busied in
their vineyards, in gathering the grapes, which, having been pisixd
from the stalks, were thrown into barrels, and these laid across
the backs of horses to be conveved home.
J
Our final orders having been received on the 5 h, to proceed to
Galata on the following Monday, the 9th, we were busily employed
during the whole of the day in the necessary preparations for
our removal.
On the 6th, in the evening, I was present at another festivity,
that of the marriage of the daughter of a Mr. llidey, a Greek
merchant. The young girls of that nation, who were assembled to
celebrate the nuptials, were decked in their gaudiest apparel, and
the evening was spent in dancing and other amusements.
On the morning of the 7th, the officers belonging to the British
mission left Buyukdere.
On the Sth, in the morning, 1 proceeded up the Bosphorus in a
boat as far as its junction with the Fu.vinc sea, and landed at the
most distant village on the European side, where the inhabitants
were busily engaged in salting a kind of mackerel of a very large