SMYRNA, _December 30, 1841_.
My last was from Constantinople, in which I mentioned my intention of
making an excursion along the Bosphorus to the mouth of the Black Sea.
Having procured a Kislangist, or swallow boat, with twenty-six oarsmen,
we started--our party, with the dragoman, consisting of four in
number. These boats are built of light beech wood, neatly finished and
elaborately furnished. They go over the water with amazing rapidity.
They are so extremely light that great caution is necessary in getting
into them, as from their nature they are easily upset; but once in,
all seated themselves in the cradle of the caique, upon carpets, like
the Turks, there being no seats. It is difficult to convey any idea
of the beauties of the scenery along the banks of the Bosphorus. The
eye is constantly attracted by new and beautiful objects, both on the
European and Asiatic shores; rapidly passing palaces, summer villas,
fortifications, villages, &c., as the boat glides along from bay to
bay, of which the Bosphorus forms itself into seven. The currents
at the narrowest points in some places are extremely rapid. At one
point, called the Dents current, which is the narrowest, the boatmen
were obliged to give up the oars and seize a rope which was thrown
them to draw the boat up stream. It was a beautiful sight to see the
fleet of vessels coming from the Black Sea, availing themselves of the
north wind and the rapid current, and going with great velocity. After
visiting Stenia, Therapia, and other places along the coast, each being
celebrated for some particular event, we visited the Giant’s Mountain,
the highest point on the Asiatic side, which affords a magnificent view
of the windings of the Bosphorus and the coast of the Black Sea. Here
in this great height we found two of the Dervish priests, who remain
there to guard the grave of the giant. It is called the Mountain and
Grave of Joshua by the Turks, who say that Joshua, during the battle
of the Israelites, stood upon a mountain to pray that the sun might
stand still and victory attend his arms. The grave is about twenty feet
long and five feet wide, and is inclosed with a framework of stone,
and planted with flowers and bushes. Here are also pieces of cloths
and votive offerings hung up on the bushes, against fevers and other
diseases, their owners believing that if they hang a remnant there the
disease will leave their persons. On descending we visited the valley
of the Heavenly Water, one of the most delightful scenes in the East.
But I must try to give an idea of the Seraglio of the Sultan, though
I cannot speak of the beauty of his forty or fifty wives, who were
screened from the gaze of all our party. This splendid work is inclosed
with walls for nearly three miles in circuit, the longest side situated
upon the coast and harbor. It is filled up with palaces, houses, and
gardens. Some of the rooms are very rich in gilding and ornaments, but
I have seen other palaces in Europe far surpassing it in splendor. I
must except the magnitude of the inclosure, and the magnificence of the
baths and spouting fountains of marble, which, according to oriental
custom, are placed over the first floor. Nothing can be more luxurious
for the women of the harem than those marble basins and bath rooms,
magnificently furnished, and always of the proper temperature. The
principal entrance to the Seraglio is an immense guarded gate, which
looks more like a guard-house than the entrance to a palace of one of
the most remarkable princes in the world. Fifty porters, it is said,
keep this gate. After entering the first court may be found the slaves
of the Bashas, who await their masters and attend their horses. Passing
through another guarded gate you discover many eunuchs, both white and
black, performing the different services of the palace. After visiting
the interior of the palace, the gardens, the stable of Arabian horses,
the exhibition of ancient armory, all of which is so extensive that it
is really fatiguing, we proceeded to the mosque of St. Sophia, which
has undergone so many changes for the last fifteen hundred years, and
now stands in such magnificent grandeur. The interior is extremely rich
in marble and mosaics. Three of its sides are surrounded by vaulted
colonnades covered with cupolas. The length of the interior is one
hundred and forty-three feet, the breadth two hundred and sixty-nine
feet. The centre of the great dome is one hundred and eighty feet above
ground, and is so flatly vaulted that its height is only a sixth of
its diameter, which is one hundred and fifteen feet. Here are eight
porphyry columns from the Roman Temple of the Sun, and four of green
granite from the temple of Diana at Ephesus. It would occupy too much
time and space to describe this magnificent structure. The floors are
well paved with large flag-stones, covered with matting, and then
carpeted, and here may be seen groups of Turks, both men and women, the
latter veiled in long caftans, all squatted on the floor, with feet
bare or in slippers, paying their devotions. Overhead are suspended
in every direction, immense rows of lamps, with ostrich eggs and
artificial flowers, which, when lighted, must produce a magical effect.
Among other objects of curiosity here is the sweating column, visited
by pilgrims as miraculous. The dampness which it emits is considered a
marvellous cure. There are holes worn into the column by the constant
touching of fingers. The tops of the minarets of some of the mosques
glitter with highly gilded crescents, the ancient arms of Byzantium;
the one on the top of St. Sophia is of immense size, the gilding alone
costing fifty thousand ducats. It is said to be visible fifty miles at
sea, glittering in the sunshine.
Notwithstanding the Turks differ so widely in their manners and
religion, still they possess many good traits of character. They
are more honest than some other nations, and not so much addicted to
lying. The Greeks say sometimes that the Mahometans dare not lie or
steal, as their religion forbids it. They are exceedingly devotional,
and generally hospitable to the stranger in distress, which is a part
of their duty as laid down by the false prophet, but they still hold
infidels in detestation. On visiting the house of a Turk the other
day we found the proprietor, with his legs crossed, smoking his pipe,
seated upon a sofa which extended round three sides of the room; the
sofa was about four feet wide, and was raised a foot and a half from
the floor, with deep fringe hanging down to the floor. There was not
a chair in the room. After being introduced and seated, pipes were
ordered, and as many servants as there were visitors appeared, with
pipes five or six feet in length, placing the bowl on the floor, and
with a great deal of accuracy presenting the mouth-piece of amber to
each guest within an inch or two of the mouth. They then knelt down
and put a brass plate under the bowl of the pipe; after which coffee
was presented in small cups with small silver holders, the servants
retiring to the bottom of the room with hands crossed, each watching
the cup he has presented and has to carry away.
At Scutari, on the Asiatic side, we visited the largest and most
beautiful cemetery in the Ottoman dominions. The extensive groves of
dark cypress, through which one may ride for miles, interspersed with
white turbaned stones of marble, are remarkable. As no grave is opened
a second time, and as it is the custom to plant trees at a birth or
funeral, these graveyards have become forests, extending for miles
and miles. The aromatic odor of the trees is supposed to destroy all
pestilential exhalations. It is said the Turks suppose the soul to
be in torment from the time of death until the burial of the body,
therefore the funeral succeeds death as soon as possible. The only
occasion on which a Turk is seen to walk with a quick step is when
conveying a body to the cemetery, as the Koran declares that he who
carries a body forty paces procures for himself the expiation of a
great sin.
1842.