NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

SKETCHES OF TURKEY.

hit at his own city (New York) for its lukewarmness on this important subject.

"Every stranger is struck with the numerous contrivances around Constantinople for supply

ing to a city in the United States, which has long been distinguished for its nauseous and detestable water, and for the culpable negligence of its rulers on a subject of so much importance, no opportunity was neglected to obtain all the information in our power in regard to the hydrau lic establishments in this neighbourhood. The result, however mortifying, must not be concealed, and we therefore state, that on a subject intimately connected, not only with the comfort, but with the health of the people, the commercial emporium of the United States is some centuries behind the metropolis of Turkey.

The Sketches of Turkey, by an American, just published by the Messrs. Harpers, is gene-ing it with pure and wholesome water. Belongrally attributed to a son of Dr. Dekay, of New York, himself, we presume from the context, a physician. A more curious, entertaining, and authentic book has rarely issued from the American press. The details are ample, and afford us a better insight into the present condition, resources, manners, and customs, of the Turks, than any book extant. The author is a scholar, and in the course of the volume displays a variety of information; he sets down his own impressions and observations without reference to former travellers; and in fact the changes introduced by the present Sultan, are so numerous that the people present now almost a new aspect. A newspaper is printed having ten thousand subscribers literature and schools flourish, and should the same policy prevail, the Turkish Empire must soon take a high rank among civilized nations.

Under the Greek emperors, Constantinople was supplied with water by the means of aqueducts, and large reservoirs were established in different parts of the city. These latter, however, have now gone into disuse, as expensive and The author touched at several of the Grecian inadequate for the purposes intended. Under islands, on the voyage, and has given several in- the present system, all the water-works about teresting chapters respecting them, which we Constantinople are under the management of an pass over, in order to introduce Constantinople, officer, termed the soo naziri, or inspector of wathat wonderful city, as viewed by the eyes of one ters. It is his business to keep them in good reof our own citizens. We shall make such ex-pair, and he is responsible for any accidents tracts as speak most plainly of the place, its in- which may obstruct or diminish the supply. As habitants and customs. The particulars of the no time is to be lost to repair injuries, this officer fire at Pera, are curious. It broke out at ten is clothed with great power, and he compels o'clock in the morning, and lasted till six in the every one to assist in restoring the line of comafternoon, in which time it destroyed 10,000munication. This resembles the corvee of old houses, and property estimated at more than eight millions of dollars.

France in some measure, but is much more oppressive; for the soo naziri fines most rigorously all who dwell in the vicinity of any breach or injury unless they give immediate information of the disaster. So important are these watercourses considered, that the sultans have always been in the habit of making annually a formal visit of inspection, which is accompanied with much ceremony, and ordering such improvements and alterations as are deemed necessary.

In a conflagration where 10 000 houses were destroyed, and 80,000 persons turned into the streets, there must necessarily have been much suffering, but we did not learn that more than four or five lives were lost. The Turk suffers but little by a fire. His wardrobe is carried on his back, and a large chest contains all his moveables, consisting of a few amber-headed pipes, an oke or two of tobacco, and perhaps the "It is impossible to travel any where in the same quantity of coffee. If he saves this his loss vicinity of Constantinople without being struck is nothing, except the rent of the house, which with the great pains taken by the Turks to treais always paid in advance. The fire luckily oc- sure up every rill, or the minutest trickle from curred in the day-time, and during a warm and the face of the rocks. These are carefully colpleasant season of the year. The sultan imme-lected in marble or brick reservoirs, and the diately caused one hundred thousand piastres to be distributed, and issued a firman in which he enjoined upon his subjects to receive into their houses, and to treat with kindness, all the sufferers by the fire, whether Greek, Frank, Armenian, or Jew. He likewise assigned for their immediate accommodation the large barrack in the neighbourhood of Pera, which is capable of holding 7000 men; ordered provisions to be distributed, and furnished tents to such as were still without shelter. We saw hundreds of these tents erected over the ashes of their former dwellings, and the inhabitants raking among the ashes and composedly straightening the nails which are to serve in the construction of a new dwelling."

The use made by the Turks of water, in their religion, baths, &c. requires an immense supply, and our author has graphically described their Lethod of introduction, which affords him a fair

surplus is conveyed by pipes to the main stream. In passing through sequestered dells, the traveller frequently comes suddenly upon one of these sculptured marble fountains, which adds just enough of ornament to embellish the rural scene. They are frequently decorated with inscriptions setting forth the greatness and goodness of Providence, and inviting the weary traveller to make due acknowledgments for the same. Unlike our civilized ostentation, the name of the benevolent constructor never appears on these sculptured stones. The quaint Turkish adage, which serves as a rule of conduct, is well exemplified in this as in many other instances: Do good and throw it into the sea; if the fishes don't know it, God will.'

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Among the hills at various distances, from fifteen to twenty miles from the city, are constructed large artificial reservoirs. These are termed bendts, and are built in the following

manner: Advantage is taken of a natural situa- no further attention is bestowed upon his body tion, such as a narrow valley or a gorge between and soul. two mountains, and a strong and substantial work of masonry is carried across, sufficiently high to give the water its required level. Four of these bendts were visited and examined, but there are several others which we did not see. The funeral of a Greek, affords the following instance of the writer's happy manner:

"I was witnessing, this morning, the operation of house-cleaning, which is performed by deluging the floors with water, and then the servants dance backwards and forwards on small bundles of heath-twigs; when a low chant, interrupted occasionally by a loud shriek in the streets of our little village, summoned me to the window. It was the funeral of a Greek. The deceased was dressed in his best clothes, and the body was entirely exposed to view. This practice, which is universal among the Greeks, is at all times disagreeable; but when death has ensued from small-pox, or any other loathsome disease, the spectacle becomes truly revolting. A poor woman, apparently the widow of the deceased, walked alongside of the coffin, tearing her hair, which hung dishevelled about her shoulders, and exhibiting other manifestations of the deepest wo. One was reminded of Ariadne's

The practice of the Turks differs from this in several particulars. The body is scrupulously washed and cleansed after death; and conformably to their well-known resignation to the decrees of Providence, all outward demonstrations of sorrow are abstained from, as not only unmanly, but impious. The corpse is buried within a few hours after death; the imaum, or parish clerk, and a few only of the nearest friends or relatives accompany it to the grave. I have frequently on the Bosphorus met with boats transporting corpses to the Asiatic side, to be interred at Scutari; and the poetic fable of Charon and Styx appeared to be realized in the noiseless progress of the solitary boatman, and the very form of the caik, which seemed to be an exact copy of the identical skiff of old Charon himself, as it has reached us on antique vases."

The present Sultan is of course the great lion of Constantinople. The author says

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ly lit up, in order to enable them to see their notes. I may take this occasion to remark that all the military bands are now upon a footing with those of Europe. There is a very extensive school, under the direction of an Italian musician, where young lads are carefully instructed, and from a natural aptitude become excellent performers. Sultan Mahmoud's Grand March is known throughout the empire, and as it is in fact a composition of much merit, will in a few years doubtless become as national an air as the Parisienne, or God save the King.

"We were sitting this evening in the court of our palace, inhaling the perfume of the orange and myrtles around us, and watching the progress of the full-orbed moon as she threw her rays over the gently-roughened waves of the Bosphorus, when the regular plunge of many Aspice demissos lugentis more capillos, oars announced the approach of a barge belongEt tunicas lacrymis sicut ab imbre graves. ing to some personage of distinction. We were not left long in doubt as to the personage in As the procession moved slowly onward, the question; for immediately a band of music poor mourner would frequently bend over the struck up a spirit-stirring air, and from our litcorpse, kiss its pallid features, address it in the tle coterie the exclamation arose in various tenderest manner, and then break out into a tongues, The sultan is coming.' The first boat, wild shriek which completely drowned the dis- rowed by ten oars, contained, in fact, the sulmal funeral dirge. With mingled sensations of tan, accompanied by one or two of the officers of pity and disgust I turned away from the scene; his court; and the second, which was larger, when a friend, who happened to be present, dry-bore a full band of musicians, and was brilliantly inquired whether this was the first Greek funeral I had ever seen, and then furnished me with the following explanation. The death of a Greek is, in some respects, celebrated like an Irish wake; as it is always the signal for a regular frolic, and the ow! pw! of the mourners is the undoubted prototype of the Irish ululu! The poor bereaved widow, as I had considered her, whose passionate grief had made such an impression upon my feelings, was, in all probability, an utter stranger to the deceased, and had been engaged for the occasion at the rate of five piastres a day, with bread and rakee at discre- "As the gay cortege approached, the imperial tion. I had frequent opportunities of verifying caik suddenly diverged from its course, and the accuracy of this information, and the prac- steered directly for the court in which our partice seems to be of the highest antiquity. This ty were assembled. For a moment we imagined custom also prevailed extensively in Rome; and that we were to be honoured by a royal visit-a was carried to such lengths by the real mourn- circumstance of no unusual occurrence,--and ers, that women were forbidden by the laws of great was the consequent bustle and flutter the Twelve Tables to scratch their cheeks or among the ladies of our party at the idea of such tear their flesh with their nails. When a Greek an unexpected honour. The imperial barge dies, his body is sewed up in a coarse cotton approached so near that we could readily dissheet, over which are placed his finest clothes. cern the person of the sultan, half-reclined upon When it reaches the place of interment, the a sumptuous cushion; although the indistinctness clothes are stripped off, and the body is launch-of the moonlight prevented us from examining ed into the grave without any further ceremony. If wealthy, a marble slab with the customary words, Here lies the servant of God,' &c., is placed over his grave, and masses are said for the repose of his soul. If the deceased be poor,

his features. As he approached, a slight movement of the helm sent the caik almost grazing the marble steps of our court, and his majesty surveyed us, or, perhaps I should rather say, the ladies of our party, with apparently as much

earnestness as we endeavoured to trace the fea- | present day, had they not undertaken to meddle tures of the absolute monarch of so many mil-with the acts of the government. These eastern lions of human beings. The procession passed dervishes are supposed to have been the last on, sweeping along the crowded quay of Buyuk- of the idolatrous priests of Baal, alluded to in the dery; and the last seen of it was near Therapia, scriptures, and the ministers of that heathen where for two or three weeks past the sultan idolatry which Mohammed declared himself sent has taken up his residence. In these excursions to destroy. They were finally extinguished by it is always understood that he is incognito, as it the janisaries, who in turn are no more. would be considered a great breach of decorum to recognise him by look or gesture.

The population of Constantinople has never been accurately ascertained, but is estimated by "An aged dervise stood at the eastern side of this author too low; he thinks it cannot exceed the enclosure, and appeared to be at the same 250,000, of whom 160,000 are Turks, 30,0000 time the master of ceremonies, and the chief obGreeks, 30,000 Armenians, and 30,000 Jews.ject of the adoration of the others. While they Other authors rate it much higher. He says that the tales of travellers who state that the Franks and strangers are not allowed to reside in the city, is all a fiction, and is of opinion that opium eating is now almost discarded, being unfashionable and contrary to law. The plague affords the following sketch of manners and cus

SKETCHES OF TURKEY.

557 embassy. These kavasses, as they are termed, | asks her company to take a ride out to Belgrade, are, as far as costume is concerned, the last re- or to an excursion on the Bosphorus. Instead mains of the Janizaries, but are, in fact, livery of being bored to death like Mrs. White, who servants of the ambassadors. They certainly hopes half her dear friends will stay away, and, make a most formidable appearance, and, as between the grumbling of husband and remissthey approach, appear to be bristling withness of servants, is in a feverish flutter for a swords, daggers, yataghans, pistols, and other week or fortnight, the Turkish lady manages the deadly weapons, which stick out of their belts in business in a different manner. The fair Fatithe most threatening manner. I had the curiosi-mah orders provisions to be put up for a day's ty one day to stop one of these Turkish noli-me- excursion, and leaving enough for her complaitangeres, and to examine his armory. In this sant husband, steps into her caik and calls upon I was good-naturedly assisted by the man him- her friend the Lady Zaylilah. From thence the self. It consisted of a hanjar, the handle of party proceed up the Golden Horn, or, breasting which was studded with cornelians, but the the Bosphorus, select some lovely valley borderblade was wanting; a tastefully decorated dag- ing upon that ocean stream.' Here the friends ger could not be unsheathed; a pair of silver- spend the day surrounded by their household, mounted pistols had no flints; and, in fact, the and continuing their customary avocatious, only really offensive or defensive weapon was while the young people are sporting under the an ivory-handled pair of tongues, used to place shade of the lofty trees, and the party return a coal of fire to his tobacco-pipe. Let us rejoice home in the evening in high spirits, and with that these things are so, for there can be no surer their health improved by exercise in the open sign of the precarious nature of a government, air. It may be doubted whether our young woand the inefficacy of its laws, than where indivi- men are equally benefited by spending an evenduals are obliged to carry weapons for self-pro- ing in a heated and crowded room, and vitiated tection. atmosphere; but we fear the comparison may be thought Gothic."

"The soldiers of the garrison examined my fowling-piece with much minuteness, and when I snapped off several percussion caps, great was their astonishment, and copious the showers of Mashallahs! and Ollah Kayrims! When the gun was put into their hands to repeat the experiment, it was remarked that, like the militia of a country which shall be nameless, they shut their eyes or turned away the head when they pulled the trigger. This, of course, will be corrected by dint of practice. In explaining to them that we were Americans, they appeared to have very vague ideas of our country, but the mention of the New World cleared up the mystery immediately; and it is not unlikely that hereafter the idea of an American and a percussion cap will be intimately associated in the minds of these simple-minded Asiatics."

It appears from the following passage that we have long been in error respecting the state of liberty enjoyed by the Turkish women:

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*

In no article do the Turks display more ostentation and extravagance than in their pipes. This is carried so far, that a single amber head has been known to sell for $300. The amber is supposed to possess the peculiar property of not conveying infection as it passes from one mouth to another. Of the state of the mechanic arts, our author gives a poor account. The blacksmith's work is extremely coarse and imperfect; the cabinet maker would deem it absurd to attempt to make a perfect joint; the turner works with an ordinary hand bow, while his toes afford him no inconsiderable assistance; and the shoemaker supplies by means of paste, gum, and plaster, the deficiencies of his thread. So badly are the houses built, that a story is told of a child being lost through the cracks of the floor, and, on a visit to a Penote nobleman, an umbrella actually disappeared through a crevice, and Every person who has been in Turkey, and was not recovered, as the owner did not like to is not afraid of speaking out his real sentiments, be so impolite as to request the floor to be ripped instead of timidly acquiescing in the loose re-up. The mildness of the climate prevents the ports of ignorant or prejudiced travellers who necessity of having tight houses. have preceded him, will agree with us when we state that women in Turkey actually enjoy more liberty than in the other countries of Europe or in America. We do not speak of the higher classes, for we know nothing about them, although our opportunities have been equal to those of most of our predecessors, and in many cases superior. We allude to the middle classes, by which alone every country is to be judged, if judged fairly or correctly. No stronger proof of the liberty they enjoy is necessary than the numerous parties of ladies which one meets with in the environs of Constantinople, which excursions, from their frequency, appear to form almost the sole business of their lives. It is in fact a pleasant way of passing time, and resembles our practice, except that it differs in its details. Instead of a formal card from Mrs. White to Mrs. Green and the Misses Green, the Turkish lady sends her servant to a friend, and

But we must let our author speak for himself. Of the honesty of the people he says:

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Returning home this evening at a late hour, I observed many persons asleep on mats, in the open air, before their respective shops, which were lit up, and apparently ready to receive customers. This affords a pleasing evidence of the good faith and honesty of the people. I have noticed a similar circumstance in the bazaars and shops of the metropolis. In these places, during the day, if the shopman wishes to step out, or to indulge himself in a nap, he ties a string across the door, or throws a cloth over a few articles near the street, and this signifies that the shop is shut, a hint which is universally understood and respected. If you purchase an article, the seller of course endeavours to obtain the highest price; but the Turkish dealer shows much more conscience than his Jewish or Christian neighbours. When a piece of money is put into his

"We have mentioned that when a minister is presented, a treaty ratified, or any other public act performed, an exchange takes place of presents of equal value. The Turkish government had, however, been informed of the seizure and sale of the horses which had been presented to a former American agent, Mr. Rhind, and of course will make no return to our minister. This system of making presents appears to us highly absurd, but it is one of those oriental customs which will propably never be eradicated."

hands to change, he returns the whole amount, | several officers of government, from the sultan and leaves it to the purchaser to deduct the price downwards, with the amount in money which of the article. When it is recollected that the each expects to receive. The presents themmoney of this empire is counterfeited to a great selves are merely intended to disguise the transextent, the honesty of this procedure is appa- action; but they have each a marked value, and rent; he not only confides in your good faith, find their way immediately into the jeweller's but exhibits his own in no small degree. hands, to serve for another occasion. This TURKISH MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS.-"The identical snuff-box, for example, has no doubt general character of the Turkish monumental passed through the hands of the sultan, the broInscriptions, as they have been translated to kers, and the foreign ministers, upon a dozen me, is extremely simple. They consist of the different occasions. name of the deceased, his occupation, or the offices which he filled, and conclude by recommending his soul to the only living and true God. Panegyric, or even a simple notice of the qualities of the deceased, is never dreamed of by these queer people, who would perhaps consider it as a mortal sin to tell a falsehood in conversation, much less to perpetuate one on marble." SLAVES. "The chief supply of male and female white slaves has hitherto been from Georgia and Circassia, where they were sold by their parents or relatives. The condition of these nominal slaves is in point of fact rather enviable than otherwise, for the females become the respected heads of families, and the males are carefully educated and trained to occupy the most important stations in the empire. It is a "We were shown into the upper part of the curious fact, to which we have already advert- house, but the attendants would not allow us to ed, that it is from this class that we see selected take off our shoes, as we wished to do, in order to fill some of the most elevated stations in the to comply with their customs. We were then realm, persons who in other countries would be, introduced into the chief apartment where the from the circumstance of their origin, necessa- old man was in readiness to receive company, rily excluded from any office whatsoever. From and who presented us to the bridegroom, a young whatever cause this singular practice may have inan about eighteen years of age. He was originated, there can be little doubt that its di- dressed of course in his best, and a turban of rect tendency has been to free the country from spotless white shaded features which were rethe shackles of an hereditary aristocracy, inde-markably regular and agreeable. The bride pendent of the equalizing effect of its religious code. Whether it may not be more than counterbalanced by the absolute authority vested in the sultan, which is unrestrained by a proud and formidable nobility, is a question which, with our ideas of government, we must frankly answer in the affirmative.

The account of a wedding is too graphic to be omitted here. The author formed an acquaintance with the father of the groom, and his house being open to all comers on the occasion, the Americans with others entered the premises.

herself could hardly have displayed more diffidence than this young man; and we may in general observe, that young Turks are more quiet and orderly in their deportment, and more respectful to their parents, and to their elders in years, than the youth of any country we have ever seen. The room was filled with articles of "By the late treaty with Turkey this traffic dress, piled up on shelves, and their quantity and was formally abolished, on the plea of humanity; variety gave it the appearance of a well-stocked but its inevitable effect has been to annoy the shop in the bazar. These were from the young Turks exceedingly. It does not appear, howev-lady and her friends, all of whom contribute er, to be acted upon, or rather, we should say, the business has changed hands. In August last a Russian vessel arrived here with seventy slaves from Georgia. They were all immediately purchased up at prices varying from three to eight hundred dollars a piece."

PRESENTS.-"It is an ancient oriental custom to accompany the transaction of all important business by an interchange of presents. We were favoured yesterday with a sight of the presents which are intended to be presented by our minister to this government as soon as the treaty shall be ratified: they consisted of snuff-boxes, fans, spy-glasses, watches, coffee-cup stands, and other knicknacks, all glittering with diamonds and precious stones. One snuff-box alone, which was intended for the sultan himself, cost $10,000; and the total value of all the presents amounted to nearly $40,000. Previous to the distribution of presents there is a list handed in to the minister containing the names of the

something towards housekeeping upon such oc casions. These articles all belong to the wife in case of the death of her husband, or of being divorced from him. The Franks here in their marriage contracts, which are always drawn up in writing with great formality, have a practice somewhat similar, but which is carried to an extent the most ridiculous and absurd imaginable. In the outer hall our attention was called to a formidable collection of pots, kettle, stewpans, and all the numerous et ceteras of a complete kitchen. After partaking of sweetmeats, pipes, and coffee, we were permitted to depart, but Mustafa requested us to witness the religious ceremony, which would take place in the village mosque that evening.

We found at the door five arabahs, drawn by oxen, which were decorated with ribands, flowers, &c., and the arabahs were filled with the female relatives of the young man, about to go in search of the bride, who resided in a village just