The Muezzim -
Early this morning - say a couple of hours before daylight - was aroused by the voice of the muezzim - proclaiming to the faithful Moslem the hour of prayer from a neighbouring minaret - in the stillness of the night & my bed being near the open windows the voice was very plain - the summons is sung out four times to the four different points of the compass - and commenced - El Allah - ilia Allaha - resoul Mahohmed "There is no God but God & Mahomed is the prophet" —

When Mahomidanism was first propagated among the nations of Asia they were idolaters believing in a plurality of Gods - hence the frequent use the Moslems make of El Allah - ilia Allaha - the Muezzims chant continued about ten minutes - getting up and standing at the windows could hear faintly hear voices from the minarets across the golden horn at Stamboul - where the mosques are in number ten to one at Pera - am told that some few true believers do get up at that early hour and repair to the mosques but that most of them perform their devotions in their own houses — what was singular the dogs have ceased barking which is a rare circumstance when they are in such numbers - the dog is a sagacious animal - can it be that he has learnt to respect also the voice of the Muezzim -

Dined today with two young Misses Flori - their father Mr. Stephano Flori is an old merchant of Constan had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of his two other sons - the Chevalier Sue - and Mr. Antonio Flori - at Florence and Rome - and shall long remember their friendship and Kindness - the old gentleman and the females of the family are at present absent from Pera — their residence is agreeably situated on the Hill at Pera surrounded by trees and a little garden - their house of business is one of the old fashioned stone buildings of the old Genoese more like a prison - but safe from fire which is a great consideration when almost 9/10th of the buildings are of wood - it is at Galata - a plain formerly fortified and held by the Genoese Republic.

view pages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

In company with Mr. Ferrier went to the bazaars - purchased Otto of Roses - found difficulty in ascertaining its strength - dropping a small quantity on paper and drying before the fire - when no stain is left is said to prove its purity –

Mr. F. bought a cherrystick looked at some chibouk and amber mouth piece price 80 piastres - at the Jewellers bazar diamonds (view sketches) - small ones 500 to 1500 piasters- one at 2500 piasters pleased me - but the best and of a most brilliant colour was valued at 5,000 piastres - for 200 Spanish dollars -

Mounted the Siraskier tower at the old Seraglio - from which every part of the city is visible - from this tower signals are given in cases of fire - on arriving at the top was surprised to find a turk in heavy chains - at first he was prostrating himself at his prayers - his devotions finished enquired of him thro the interpreter why he had taken up such lofty quarters -

In a few words he said he could relate the cause of his misfortunes - that a few months back having invited a young man a friend of his - to his house - they ate together and as the custom is, alone - the woman being in another part of the house in their own apartments - that after eating they drank wine - the young man took too much and was greatly excited - that being in love with a young person whose parents would not consent to their union said that he lived in misery - and preferred death to living any longer separate from her - so saying he took up a knife and pierced himself to the heart - for which he, his friend was accused & was in confinement - maliciously accused as his murderer.

view pages: 1, 2

Visit to Chalcedon & Scutari - after breakfast this morning embarked in a Cayique for the opposite shore of Asia when a little Turkish town, Kadikei occupies the site of the ancient Chalcedon -

Wandered thro some of its narrow streets, but finding nothing interesting reposed for a short time at a Cafenah & partook of an agreeable preparation of boiled rice purchased of an itinerant vendor - should think this would be a good thing to introduce into America - when rice is so cheap -

An hours rowing brought us to Scutari - opposite to and therefore connected with Constanti— - crowds of smoking turks as usual - needless to say the streets are crooked and wretchedly paved for these atributes are common to all towns in this part of the world - two miles out is a mountain called Boulgarlou mounting on nags with short stiroped turkish saddles and therefore awkward to us - but on way to the mountain - no other guide than the cayique man - and not a word did he speak besides turk - before leaving I had taken down some turkish words on a card as - giddijues - let us go — at laer – horses –iste ourans - we wish to have — and so on -

From the top of Boulgarlou had a fine view of the wide spreading city - the sea of Marmora and its isles - the distant Olympus with its snowey top - and the straits of the Bosphorus - as far as the giants mountain - the Euxine is not visible - to the east as far as the eye can reach, streches the Gulf of Nicoaedia and enlivened with sails of every size - from its column of smoke a steamer was distinguishable behind the promontory of San Stefano - a beautiful view but was disappointed in the environs and town of Scutari - which the verdure of the trees at a distance gives a rural and pleasing aspect -

On the road side was a large arminian cemetery the grave stones of superior form and architecture mostly flat - and differ from the turkish which are upright slabs.

view pages: 1, 2, 3

This is Sunday and is strictly observed by both Greeks, Arminians and Catholics - the turks whose business depends on the Frank population make also a holiday of it -

There are several catholic churches at Galata and Pera - entered one which though not in a conspicuous situation was a neat edifice internally adorned with gilding and paintings - the congregation were mostly ladies and of respectable appearance - the Armiman churches are small - and in appearance similar to the greek- there is a profusion of paintings of saints and madonnas -

In the afternoon the sweet Waters situated at the termination of the golden horn outside the city and abt 4 miles from Seraglio point is a place of recreation - rowing past the government dock yards and arsenals and under the floating bridge - among a crowd of pleasure seeking cayiques soon arrived at the termination of the horn - when under the shade of wide spreading platane trees - were gay parties of women, children and men - ices, lemonades and pipes were occupying the attention of many - the arminian women veiled like the turks were seated in groups to themselves - in fact there were men and women of all countries and dresses - up to the fashionable parisian belle -

Jews with turbans and grave looking arminians in cloth robe and spherical cap (view sketch) in our place a mixed crowd had formed a circle round three old men who were performing the part of jesters - and by their jokes exciting the laughter of the audience — in other places musicians and vocalists had their listeners - one man an egyptian as I was told sang in an uncommon but to me a pleasing strain -

Apart from the women was a large circle formed and kept in order by several policemen as many as a dozen boys dressed in scarlet & crimson were dancing with castanets in their hands or rather performing lascivious motions for the gratification of the admiring spectators - many of whom were gravely smoking their chibouks and nargales - these long haired youths afterwards came round to collect paras and piastres from their admirers —

Turning away from the boys - rambled towards the Sultans Kiosk which is only occupied by his harem in the month of May and when intruded are not allowed to approach the sweet waters - and is nothing more than a neat country seat -

Evening drawing nigh left the sweet waters with others of its pleasure seeking visitors - after dinner went to the promenade at Pera a rough unpaved road on the brow of the hill overlooking the petit champs des morts - one of the numerous burying grounds of the Ottomans - a plain frequented by the better classes of Europeans - french,- Italians, Greeks - and a few English - with nothing of the oriental like the frequenters of the sweet waters.

view pages: 1, 2, 3, 4

The streets of Const and Pera are so winding and crooked - and in width more properly passages - that have neither names nor houses with numbers that a stranger can by no means find his way as the other day I got lost in coming up from the landing at Tophanna to my boarding house -

Today I prepared myself for a ramble alone by examining the position of several of the principal mosques - and gates of the city - so crossing the principal Street of Pera - and thro a Turkish cementery found my way to the floating bridge - a fine structure of the Kind made a few years ago by the late Sultan Mahmoud it crosses the golden horn about a mile and a half from Seraglio point -

The bridge was crowded with passengers - asses -camels and turkish officers on horseback - the asses are the common beasts of burthen and carry tiles stones, and timber for building - when a long piece is to be carried an ass is fastened to each end of it -

At the termination of the bridge are numbers of tobacco shops and coffee houses with crowds of Turks, smoking chibouks, and & nargales - the former is a long stick pipe not unlike the indian Calumet and the latter a water pipe -

Next came to a street were all the ships were filled with grain of various sorts - at some distance further to a street entirely occupied by workers in brass - all kinds of door furniture was for sale - large and small brass trays - dishes for placing the bowls of the pipes when smoking - lamps & candlesticks of patterns and sizes without end - & many things the use of which I did not know - and unable to enquire -

The large space of ground surrounded by a high wall next claimed my attention - it is called the old Seraglio - and occupied as barracks close by is the pigeon mosk built by the Sultan Bujuzet - the square court before the entrance of the mosque is galleried all round with magnificient arches supported by green marble and Egyptian granit columns - the family of pigeons now increased to many thousands and frequenting the place for two centuries or more since the building of the edifice are held in great respect by the muslims and fed by a venerable old man —

The turks are very humane, to animals - vultures and gulls fly about like domestic fowls - and storks are venerated and encouraged to build their nests in the trees adjoining the mosques —

From this I wandered about toward the gate of the Walidi Kapussi - passing among streets out of the way of business - and when in the absense of all wheel carriages the greatest stillness prevails - Seeking a cayique among the numbers that are waiting for passengers - called out Tophanna and in quarter of an hour was accross the golden horn and at Pera for 1-1/2 piastres

view pages: 1, 2, 3, 4

(Henry Shaw's personal map pictured right)

On the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus is a lofty promontory or spur of the Bithynian Olympus - called Giants mountain - crossed the water and ascended to the top - where is a shady grove and a mosque of dervishes - who were very civil offering us coffee and pipes - the place commands a view of the winding Bosphorus and the wide expanding Euxine - on which were ships some sailing in and others out of the Straits -

You see likewise some distance into Europe and the spur of the chain of Mount Hamus - which indeed is a continuation of the Asiatic Olympus - divided by the Bosphorus - these capes and shores are replete with historical recollections commencing with the remote voyage of Jason and the Argaunauts - some ruins of Genoese castles are close by and opposite at Buyukdere are the large plane trees - under which Godfry de Bouillon and the Crusaders encamped - the dervishes shewed us the giants tomb - about 20 feet long and which they call the grave of Joshua and hold in high respect -

Walking to another part of the grave heard female voices singing & caught a glimpse of some turkish females swinging and amusing themselves on the grass in the shade - were soon requested by the dervishes not to go in that direction - the ladies were gaily dressed - and mostly young misses - families who had come to this retired spot to take the fresh air and relaxtion from the confinement of the harem - they were accompanied by a black eunuch - on going away we happened to pass again in sight of them when the fellow came running and bawling after us - lest we should lift our profane eyes, on the pale faced angels under his custody -

They say the turks under the present Sultan are resuming their old strict usages in regard to women - some few years ago I am told great relaxation took place and many liberties allowed, which the ladies did not neglect to profit by - indeed this covering the face is only custom - which they consider themselves obligated to follow in the afternoon returned to the city -

The sun too hot to sail in an open Cayique -

view pages: 1, 2

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.

view pages: 1, 2, 3, 4