diers were hastily bearing their comrade.

We got on the windward side, as a security against infection, and stood behind a cluster of cypresses, to observe the ceremonies of interment. One of the police coming up ordered us away, but the curiosity of my companion being much excited, we only withdrew a short distance in a different direction. Upon this, seeing us still lingering, he took up stones and threw at us. Whether

his conduct was owing to the ordinary prejudices of the people, or to any recent command, we could not determine.

CHAPTER X.

CONSTANTINOPLE.

Its situation-Harbor of the Golden Horn-Constantinople proper-Extent-Walls-Royal mosques--Mausoleums— The Atmeidan-The djerid-Other antiquities-CisternsAqueducts, fountains and baths-Bazars-ManufacturesCastle of Seven Towers---Mosque of Ejoub---Seraglio.

Constantinople, March 12, 1827. You will better understand my situation here, if you suffer me first to refresh your memory, with some general notices of this great Mohammedan capital. Take your globe then, and follow round your own parallel of latitude, until you have counted off nearly one hundred degrees to the east. Or if you prefer to trace my route, you may stretch a line across the Atlantic, of thirty-five hundred miles; and thence another of fifteen hundred or two thousand more, through

the Mediterranean and the Islands of the Archipelago; the Dardanelles and the sea of Marmora, to where it receives the waters of the Black Sea by the outlet of the Bosphorus, or straits of Constantinople. The Bosphorus like the straits of the Dardanelles, is to be regarded as a rapid river, rather than a canal as it is usually called. Its breadth varies from one to three miles, and its length is not far from twenty. On the European side, just at the point of opening into the Marmora, an arm or rather horn of the strait, extends six or eight miles into the land, curving upon itself towards the Black Sea. Its greatest breadth is about a mile. At its tip, two small streams discharge themselves, whose course is nearly parallel with the Bosphorus. Cover this singular body of water with thousands of the gay kirlangishes or swallow boats, and cluster aroud its banks hundreds of richly freighted merchant vessels, and it becomes the celebrated harbor of the golden horn.

Constantinople properly so called, is the triangular space, enclosed on two sides by the Marmora and the golden horn, and on the land side by a triple wall and ditch. It is customary however, to include under the same general name, the surburbs of Galata, Pera, Tophana and others, which are contained within the curve of the horn, and the Bosphorus. Some also add Scutari, and the surburbs on the Asiatic side of the strait, though the channel is three miles over.

Confining ourselves then, for the present to Constantinople proper, let us first fix on some localities. Considering the land side as the base of the triangle, we have the castle of the Seven Towers near the angle which it forms with the Marmora, and the mosque of

Ejoub in a surburb just without the walls, at the outer angle which it makes with the harbor side. The Seraglio Point is at the vertex of the triangle. To prepare you for the accuracy of oriental descriptions, the authorities in so plain a matter as the circumference of the city, vary in their estimates, only from ten to twenty three miles. If you set it down at fifteen, it will not be far from the truth, and in your plan, you may mark the longest side, on the sea, and the least, on the harbor. The two water sides have their walls, with low turrets and gates. Along the Marmora, the turrets and angles often project into the sea. On the harbor side, there is usually a narrow space without, now in part occupied by dwellings. The walls on the land side, like the others, are in a ruinous condition, and their crumbling towers, will soon leave few of the Greek inscriptions to tell us by what "emperor in Jesus Christ," they were built or restored. About midway on this side, is the cannon gate, by which Mahomet entered the city in 1453. Though sober observers might not think of describing this second Rome, as another "seven hilled city," yet like the country around, it is irregular and considerably elevated.

The most prominent objects as you approach, and the most interesting after you have entered, are the royal mosques. St. Sophia with which we must of course begin, need not detain us long. It is as well known as St. Paul's in London. Travellers differ in opinion how far they should have joined with the Christian emperor Justinian, who when he had completed this church exclaimed, "I have outdone thee O Solmon." For myself, I cannot say with the queen of Sheba, that it "exceedeth the fame which I heard." The other mosques, which

are chiefly of Turkish origin, and modeled after St. Sophia bear the names of their founders, as the Suleymanie, the Validea, Sultan Achmet, Sultan Bajazet, Sultan Selim, Sultan Mahomet, and the like. You will find most of them surrounded with a large open court, in which are shade trees, fountains and cloisters, for the purposes of ablution. The central part is a high dome, with many smaller domes and minarets around. The white minarets, of which there are four to the royal mosques, are as high as any of our belfries, and as small about as a ninepin." Near the top is a gallery on the out side, from whence the muzzin proclaims the hour of prayer, towards the four cardinal points.

Though Christians at present do not obtain access to the interior, you may find in the books of travellers, a minute account of the porphyry, jasper and marble columns, which the ruined cities of Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt and Greece, have furnished for their principal ornament. Near the mosques are the Mausoleums, or sepulchres of the sultans, and other celebrated personages. Here the Koran is often chained to the grave, and visiters spend much time in reading from it, as an act of piety.

After the mosques and mausoleums, let us proceed to visit the antiquities of the Atmeidan. These are the obelisk of Egyptian granite, erected by the emperor Theodosius; the marble pyramid of one of the later Constantines; and the brazen Delphic pillar. The obelisk is fifty feet in height, of a reddish color, and covered with hieroglyphics, which are as fresh as though inscribed but yesterday. The pyramid rises nearly a hundred feet, but being stripped of its bronze covering, looks like the tall chimney of some ruined

dwelling. The part of the brazen column which remains, is composed, as you are aware, of the bodies of three twisted serpents, and is about ten or twelve feet above ground. It supported the golden tripod, which the Greeks after the battle of Plata found in the camp of Mardonius, and dedicated to Apollo at Delphos. The Atmeidan or ancient Hippodrome, is the open space around these monuments. Formerly it was much frequented, for playing the djerid. Military exercises have now taken its place, so that in only a single instance, have I seen an individual engaged in this sport. In the open court before the palace of the vizier, a black grandee was amusing himself with it alone. Putting his horse to his speed, he endeavored to hurl his djerid, which is a wooden stick two feet long, with such force, and in such a direction, as to catch it on its rebound. When several engage together, it is thrown with 'violence at each other.

The other antiquities which a stranger is taken to visit, are the porphyry or burnt column about ninety feet high, erected by Constantine, together with several lesser columns, of a later date. There are also a number of ancient cisterns, the most celebrated of which is that of the Binderik, or thousand and one pillars. In this dark and damp cell, amidst several hundred columns, the twisting of silk is carried on, by a company of clamorous beggars. The other cisterns are wholly neglected, and almost wholly unknown. One of vast extent I once accidentally saw, through the polite invitation of the owner of the house, beneath which it was concealed. I was walking leisurely near the door, when a Turk came out, and, for what purpose we did not at first understand, requested us to