Four of us came together from the Steamer to take up our abode at Ruboli - my companions this time are Irish -

About mid day we went down to the landing at Tophanna - and stowed ourselves on two Cayiques - or Indian Canoes as they would be called in America - but mostly carved and a little gilding - the bronzed faced turks that row them - are active athletic men in clean muslin shirts - and quite superior looking for such an employment - we were bent on going to Terapice - one of the numerous villages with which the Bosphorus is lined -

Shooting off with the swiftness of an arrow we were soon out of the crowd of boats at Tophanna and in the wide channel of the Bosphorus than which nothing could exceed the interest of the sight - in less than 30 minutes we had passed some five or six palaces situated on each shore of the Strait - some of the Sultan or of the Sultana Wale (page torn - ) or Sultans mother - the summer palace of the Sultan with its marble columns and gilded doors has a fairy like appearance as we passed it on the water - the architecture is light - without anything of grandeur or solidity - we passed fortresses, mosques, minarets, fountains - towns - Kiosks - villages and country villas in constant succession-

But nature beats the palace - the clean limpid water of the Bosphorus, the luxuriant feeling of the various sorts of trees - and the verdure of the grassy hills, here and there interspersed with a rocky crag - all united in such pleasing harmony that I thought it the most favoured spot that I had ever seen - everywhere is alive with crowds of busy man - the different bays are filled with ships and boats and the Bosphorus like a great highway is crowded with passing sails of every size - the one around Cayique to the Big Mamoudies of 140 Guns - the current running out of the Euxine into the Propontis is so strong that several times our barca approached the shore and throwing out a cord were pulled along - by active fellows - who cheerfully and thankfully received the half piastra that I threw to each of them - a piastra is 2 pence sterling (*4 cents) - a drinking Xtian boatmen would not look on such a recompense -

The distance to Terapice is 15 miles - we paid the caique one Spanish dollar - putting up at an indifferent hotel (Hotel de France) -

After dinner rambled alone along the paved footpath on the shore of the Bosphorus - passing first, the country house of Lord Ponsonby the english ambassador - a British frigate rides at anchor in the stream - a few yards further on is the better looking residence of the french ambassador - the confiscated property of the greek prince Issdilanti & the gift of the Sultan to the french minister - these houses as well as all the rest of the village are of wood. -

Retired to rest on an uneasy bed - waking several times in the night - heard the clear notes of the nightingale - & as I thought from accross the little bay opposite my window - very much like the notes of the American mocking bird.

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