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

74
TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,
On the 25th, Captain Lacy left Constantinople with important
dispatches for the Grand- Vizier, Corporal Wilkinson, belonging
ro the mission, lay at this time dangerously ill of a putrid fever.
On the 2Gth, the M&inazan, a Turkish fast similar to our Lent,
commenced. It was to continue during a month, in the course of
which a most rigid abstinence was to be observed from sun-rise to
sun-set. In the evening I went to Tophana, to witness the illumi-
nations, festivities, and popular amusements, which were to succeed
to the penance of the day. The sun was no sooner set than all the
mosques of Constantinople, and of the suburbs, were lighted up,
both internally and externally, with coloured lamps. The minarets,
or towers, were also decorated in the same manner; and the effect
of these, and of the other illuminations, was very lively and pic-
turesque. Taken altogether, it was one of the most splendid sights
that could be witnessed. I had taken my station very conveniently
to enjoy all the brilliancy of the spectacle. In the mean time no-
thing was neglected which could tend to amuse and gratify the people:
the shops of the pastry-cooks and confectioners, together with
the cofFee-houses, and other places of public entertainment, were
nicely decorated and lighted up, while exhibitions of low humour
and buffoonery presented themselves at almost
every step to attract
the notice of the populace. The streets were every where crouded
with groups, whose festivities were to be prolonged until the morn-
inn's dawn, when the fasting was to recommence. 1 did not of
course wait until the termination of the scene, but returned home
after a most ao-reeable evening's entertainment.
On the 31st I made an excursion to the towers situated on the
banks of the Eosphorus. On the 4th of LYoruary I had an inter-
view with his Excellency Hadgi Ibrahim Effendi, from whom I
had received an invitation to that effect. On the 7th 1 went to the
tower of Galata, where Mr. Barker was busied in sketching one
of the views of Constantinople for the panorama. I was much
pleased at the correctness and precision which he execution.
displayed
in its
On the
evening
of the 9th, a Greek marriage was solemnized at
the palace of the Russian ambassador. It had attracted a very numerous
and brilliant company, which I found assembled. The
ceremony was performed by the Greek patriarch. The bride and
bridegroom were very elegantly dressed, as indeed was the case with
the company in
general, a
great profusion of diamonds being dis-
played by the females. The bride was decorated by long flowing