31.07.2013 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

j6<br />

TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,<br />

terta<strong>in</strong>ed us with a. Russian dance, while a part of <strong>the</strong> crew, cleanly<br />

dressed for <strong>the</strong> occasion, sung to an accompaniment<br />

of Russian<br />

music. After a short <strong>in</strong>terval, <strong>the</strong> capta<strong>in</strong> fell on <strong>the</strong> deck, appa-<br />

rently from accident, when <strong>the</strong><br />

s<strong>in</strong>gers<br />

took him <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir arms,<br />

<strong>and</strong> tossed him <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> air, repeat<strong>in</strong>g certa<strong>in</strong> phrases. Each of <strong>the</strong><br />

guests afterwards underwent <strong>the</strong> same ceremony. The next s<strong>in</strong>gular<br />

occurrence was, that, on <strong>the</strong> health of <strong>the</strong> Russian m<strong>in</strong>ister<br />

at Constant<strong>in</strong>ople be<strong>in</strong>g given by <strong>the</strong> capta<strong>in</strong>, he dem<strong>and</strong>ed aloud<br />

what o<strong>the</strong>rs would do for him. Instantly a Russian officer, <strong>and</strong><br />

nearly twenty of <strong>the</strong> crew, jumped from <strong>the</strong> cab<strong>in</strong> w<strong>in</strong>dow <strong>in</strong>to<br />

<strong>the</strong> sea, with <strong>the</strong>ir clo<strong>the</strong>s on. The stern ladders were <strong>the</strong> only re-<br />

source <strong>the</strong>y had to get on board aga<strong>in</strong>; <strong>and</strong> on <strong>the</strong>ir enter<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />

cab<strong>in</strong> with <strong>the</strong>ir wet clo<strong>the</strong>s, <strong>the</strong>y danced round <strong>the</strong> capta<strong>in</strong>, occa-<br />

sionally prostrat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>mselves at his feet. On our go<strong>in</strong>g on shore,<br />

<strong>the</strong> greater part of <strong>the</strong> barge's crew threw <strong>the</strong>mselves <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> water,<br />

<strong>and</strong> swam by her side until we reached <strong>the</strong> beach. A few<br />

piastres distributed among <strong>the</strong>m were, as 1 apprehend, considered<br />

by <strong>the</strong>m a sufficient recompense for <strong>the</strong> duck<strong>in</strong>g to which <strong>the</strong>y had<br />

subjected <strong>the</strong>mselves.<br />

This be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> season of <strong>the</strong> carnival, <strong>the</strong>re were frequent mask-<br />

ed balls at <strong>the</strong> palaces of <strong>the</strong> different m<strong>in</strong>isters. I Vv T<br />

as present on<br />

<strong>the</strong> even<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> 1 9th, at one given by <strong>the</strong> Prussian envoy, which<br />

Was very fully attended. On this <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r similar occasions many<br />

cf <strong>the</strong> characters were well supported ; <strong>and</strong> much mirth <strong>and</strong> fes-<br />

tivity prevailed among <strong>the</strong> guests. The relaxations of <strong>the</strong> carnival<br />

were rendered <strong>the</strong> more Strik<strong>in</strong>g by <strong>the</strong> tameness <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>sipidity<br />

which, at o<strong>the</strong>r times, characterized <strong>the</strong>. enterta<strong>in</strong>ments <strong>and</strong> amusements<br />

of <strong>the</strong> place <strong>in</strong> which we resided.<br />

On <strong>the</strong> 20th a lire broke out at Constant<strong>in</strong>ople ; but it was very<br />

speedily subdued. About this time reports of <strong>the</strong> prevalence of <strong>the</strong><br />

plague were aga<strong>in</strong> abroad. They were confirmed by <strong>the</strong> repeated<br />

opportunities I had of see<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> corpses of persons whose death<br />

was ascribed to that cause, carried for <strong>in</strong>terment, with <strong>the</strong><br />

customary<br />

sign or token of a red cloth thrown over <strong>the</strong> bier, <strong>and</strong> envelop<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>the</strong> dead body. At <strong>the</strong> burial of one of <strong>the</strong>se pestiferous subjects, a<br />

few days before, I was not a little surprised at see<strong>in</strong>g one of <strong>the</strong><br />

men <strong>in</strong> employed remov<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> corpse from <strong>the</strong> bier to <strong>the</strong> ground,<br />

previously to its be<strong>in</strong>g deposited <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> grave, take, with all <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>difference<br />

imag<strong>in</strong>able, between his teeth, one of, <strong>the</strong> ends of <strong>the</strong><br />

red cloth <strong>in</strong> which it was enclosed. He did this to raise up <strong>the</strong><br />

corpse <strong>the</strong> more readily, it be<strong>in</strong>g none of <strong>the</strong> lightest.<br />

It was, ac-

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!