I find it more convenient in the streets which I frequent, (I hope you will not consider it anti-American,) to secure myself by paying tribute. I borrowed the practice from Mr. L. who on passing a baker's corner, is immediately surrounded by a group of dogs, affectionately yet earnestly reminding him of the conditions of their friendship. Besides giving these their share, he takes a portion of the coarse bread, for such as he may meet in the adjoining districts. You must know that though they have not their particular masters, they appropriate to themselves a certain extent of the street. Like another class of privileged quarrelers, they are also not a little careful to maintain the balance of power. Should a stranger dog, trespass on territories not belonging to him, and threaten to become too formidable to those in his vicinity; the weaker party: retires upon his neighbors, until they collect sufficient strength to drive back the intruder. Formerly an officer, and I know not but still, was employed in feeding them with flesh, at the public expense. As an act of piety too, provision is often made in the wills of the Turks, for supporting a certain number. So strong is the superstition of the people in their favor, that the Sultan conceals his purpose of destroying them, under the pretence of erecting a hospital, where, it is said they will gradually be taken off by poison.* Providentially very few instances occur of their becoming mad. The whole number of dogs is estimated at forty thousand. In Smyrna, near the residence of the Algerine and other Barbary consuls, there is a "valley of the

* These expectations have not been realized. The Russians may find a more direct mode of remedying this evil.

son of Hinnom," through which it is dangerous to pass on account of these animals. It has an undesirable ef fect on one's feelings towards the brute creation, thus to come in contact with the worst of the species.

Not long since, a fire broke out in one of the Jewish suburbs of Constantinople, which would have been called extensive in America. Here it excited little interest, except as having a conjectural origin from the adherents of the Janissaries. This too, I need not inform you, is one of the sore evils to which the city is subject. So desolating are its ravages, that old houses are said often to be sold at a higher price than new, as indicating a quarter, in which fires are of less frequent occurrence. The records of a few years will better show you the magnitude of the evil. In 1782, seven or eight thousand dwellings were burnt; in 1784, nearly twelve thousand, and in 1788, the entire destruction of the city was threatened. During the last year there was a most destructive fire, which extended through" from sea to sea." I have walked for miles in this desolate district, amidst ruined mosques, khans, bazars, dwellings and fountains. The Armenians and the Turks were the principal sufferers, but the former are partially clearing away the rubbish, rebuilding their light wooden shops, and storing them with merchandise. It was estimated that an eighth part of the city was destroyed, and on an average, the whole city is burned down and rebuilt, once in twenty years. At the entrance of the Vizier's palace, I have seen a small two-hand engine, and I believe there are a considerable number of this kind in the city. The Janissaries, who were the former firemen, sometimes supplied these with oil instead of water. When they were in earnest to check a fire, they set themselves to pulling

down the adjacent houses. If the owner was sufficiently liberal in his offers for insurance, they seldom failed to preserve his dwelling. On an alarm of fire, the Kehaya Bey, Stamboul Effendi, Reis Effendi, and Grand Vizier immediately make their appearance, and if it continue long, the Sultan comes himself, to encourage the firemen by money and promises. In Galata and Pera, the Franks have begun to build stone houses of late. Under a Christian government the use of stone might easily become universal. In the country around Constantinople, compact limestone might be quarried to any extent, and the island of Marmora, which is in sight, would furnish an inexhaustible store of more val uable materials.

CHAPTER XIII.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES.

Turkish currency-Weights and Measures-Summer's employment-Hopeful Armenian youth-Turkish women and Rayahs-Slight illness-Fruits and provisions.

Prinkipos, May 20, 1827. UNDER the seal, I have placed a para, which shall serve as an introduction to the money, weights and measures of Turkey. It is of impure silver; less than a half dime as you will see, and scarcely one twelfth of its weight. The Sultan's name is stamped upon it in Turkish characters, as upon the larger coins. Small as is the para, (the accent is on the last syllable,) the asper, now no longer current, was still smaller; three aspers making but one para. Forty paras are reckon. ed to the piastre, which like the asper, no longer cir

When the Sultan wishes to debase

Oc

culates in Turkey. or change the currency, he forbids the circulation of the old. In Greece, the piastre and several heavy silver coins are still common. Spanish dollars, are the most valuable money for the Levant, but foreign gold is current. Almost the only Turkish money now in circulation, besides the para, is of gold. The fondook or dodecaria, as it is called from the Greek, is the most common coin, and is equivalent to twelve piastres or a Spanish dollar. It is as large as the eighth of a dollar, and is more convenient than silver, for the traveller. There are also, halves and quarters of the same. casionally, too, you meet with five, and two and a half piastre pieces, also of gold. Mahmoudie, is a new coin of the present Sultan. Its value is between two and three dollars. A purse is an imaginary value of 500 piastres. The tribute to the government is reckoned by purses. The common mode of carrying small sums is in a fold of the girdle. For counting out paras, every shop-keeper has a board, with its sides secured by a moulding. They tell them off by fives, with great rapidity, and then pour them into your hand from the narrow end which is left open. It is a currency convenient for no other purpose, than to satisfy a throng of beggars; four hundred and eighty being reckoned to the dollar. Nothing is more variable in form and value than Turkish money, so that new statements are required from every traveller. There is a constant and rapid depreciation in the value of the piastre, and of property in Turkey.*

*Already, since the beginning of the Russian war, the dodecaria has increased from twelve to fourteen piastres.

The oke, is the most common Turkish weight. It is equal to four hundred Turkish drachms, or about two and three quarter pounds avoirdupois. A Turkish drachm is thus not far from nine fifths of an English drachm. Liquids are commonly sold by the oke. The principal measure of capacity is the kilo, which is nearly equal to the Winchester bushel. The pic,

which is twenty-seven English inches, is the common measure of length. The hour is the oriental measure of distance, and is usually estimated at three miles. Of course it varies much with the nature of the road. In Syria not more than two miles and a half should be reckoned to the hour, on account of the greater slowness of a loaded camel. In weights and measures generally, considerable diversity exists in different parts of the empire. All the people of the country begin their computation of time from sunset, when it is twelve o'clock, and again twelve hours afterwards. Hence, the variation in the length of the days causes irregularity in their time pieces, and much inconvenience to foreigners.

June 16.-I am already beginning to feel myself somewhat domesticated among this people of strange languages, and stranger manners. Besides considerable medical practice, my principal employment still continues to be the study of languages. I am also drawing around me a little circle of Greeks and Armenians, who are desirous of reading the Scriptures, and conversing on religious subjects. I wish I could show you one of the latter, who comes to teach me Turkish, in exchange for the English. He is a lad but fourteen years of age; wears a loose robe of fine olive colored kerseymere; a tunic or close gown of striped gingham,