SELYVRIA. Strabo CHAP. XIV. madji. From Selyvria to Búyúk Tchekmadjì, the road lies Büyük Tchekentirely along the shore of the PROPONTIS. We passed Crevátis. through Crevátis, situate upon the beach, with a square tower and a bridge of thirty arches, making a conspicuous figure in the approach to it. Bûyûk Tchekmadjì, signifying the great bridge, has a series of four stone bridges raised upon arches; over which, and along the old paved way, we passed by a lake to the town. The lake extends northward to a considerable distance. At Buyuk Tchekmadji there is a fine harbour. The town contains two hundred houses; of this number about sixty belong to Turks. Here we halted for the night. The next morning (Jan. 13), we rode to Kutchûk Tchekmadji, or the Little Bridge, Kütehak commonly called Ponte Piccolo in the Italian, which is the most general language of the Levant. This place is distant three hours from Bûyûk Tchekmadj. It is nothing more than a village by the sea side, surrounded by marshes and pools; being remarkable only for its unwholesome situation, and dangerous Malaria during summer. It commands, however, a pleasing prospect of the Sea of Marmora; because all the vessels are seen passing, that sail from the Archipelago or from the Black Sea. Hence we proceeded three hours more to the capital; and having entered CoN- Arrival at ConSTANTINOPLE, near to the spot where Mahomet effected the Tchekmadji. stantinople. memorable (3) Ὡς καὶ ἡ τοῦ Σήλυος πόλις Σηλυβρία προσηγόρευται, κ.τ.λ. Strabon. Geog. lib. vii. p. 462. edit. Oxon. CHAP. XIV. Behaviour of the Populace. Soros of Atracian Marble. memorable breach that gave a death-blow to the Roman Empire, we completed our Levantine tour. In the space of about eleven months, we had made a complete survey of the EGEAN and eastern shores of the MEDITERRANEAN seas; having coasted all ASIA MINOR, the HOLY LAND, EGYPT, the Islands of the ARCHIPELAGO, GREECE, MACEDONIA, THRACE; and here were returned safe to the same port whence we sailed in the Grand Signior's corvette, the year before, for the Dardanelles. As we rode through the streets of the city towards the quay, opposite to Tophana, the Turkish rabble, seeing a party of infidels on horseback', could not be restrained from offering their accustomed insults and violence. Consequently, we had some large stones thrown at us. We used all the expedition possible to get to the harbour, where we left our horses, and hired a boat to take us across; leaving also the Tchohodar and Antonio to settle with the Surudjees, and to follow afterwards with the baggage. Near to the shore, in passing down to the harbour, we saw the most beautiful Soros we had ever beheld. It consisted entirely of the green Atracian marble, or verde-antico, in five pieces. Upon one side of it a cross was represented; proving that the workmanship was executed in the time of the Christian Emperors: but it was a tomb fit for the proudest (1) In some parts of Turkey, especially in Egypt, Christians are prohibited the use of horses, and compelled to appear only upon asses; the Moslems" deeming it an act of presumption, in persons proscribed as infidels, to appear in public as equestrians. proudest sovereign of the Eastern Empire. We heard a report afterwards, that our Ambassador had claimed it for the Nation; therefore it may possibly now be in England. CHAP. XIV. Landing at Tophana, we hastened up to our former lodgings in Péra; and, upon our arrival, found two Péra, English Gentlemen, both belonging to the University of Cambridge-Mr. (now Sir William) Gell, and Mr. Dodwell— in possession of the apartments we had formerly occupied. These gentlemen received us in the kindest manner; and having welcomed our safe return from a long and perilous. expedition, requested that we might all board together beneath the same roof; politely ceding a part of their lodgings to accommodate us. Here, therefore, we established ourselves for the remainder of the winter season; enjoying their friendly and polished society; and mutually participating the usual hospitality of the different envoys then resident at the Porte. And here, too, having brought to a successful termination the account of these Travels, as far as it relates to GREECE, EGYPT, and the HOLY LAND, this SECOND PART of the narrative might terminate; but as the Reader may be curious to accompany the author upon his journey home, since it includes an excursion to the Hungarian Mines, we shall make the rest of our observations form a Supplement to this SECTION; after giving a cursory statement, in the following Chapter, of the manner in which our time was spent during our second residence in the Turkish Capital. Circumstances that prevented the author's departure-Dangerous influence of the climate-Unhealthy state of the English at Péra—Rats and Cats-Society of Péra-Spies-Etiquette-Evening assembliesState of the Turkish Government-Persons who farm the dirt of the City-Diamonds-Other precious stones-Vasa murrhina-Bazar for the Pataal Tash, or Keff-hil-Localities of this mineral-Manner of collecting it-Drug-market-Shops for Stationary and BookbindingTobacconists-Tchibouque manufactories - Manner of visiting the City-Last visit to Sancta Sophia-Further account of that edifice -Views of its interior-Cisterna maxima-Gyllius-BasilicaAqueduct of the Roman Emperors-Porta aurea-Description of the Wall of Theodosius-Antient Cyclopéan walls of ByzantiumMahomet's breach by the Cannon-Gate-Chalcedon-Maiden's Castle, Castle, or Tower of Leander-Sinus Byzantinus Cause of its erroneous appellation of THE Golden Horn-Jewish depravityCyát-Khánah-Marcidum mare. MANY things conspired to detain us in Constantinople, from January until the beginning of April. The rebel troops of Hachi Pasha then occupied all the district north of the city; and it was necessary to wait until they retired to the vicinity of Yassy. A journey over-land is moreover impracticable, until the snow melts upon Mount HÆMUS. Add to this, the inevitable consequences of ill health among Englishmen, who, in such a climate, venture to live too much as they would do in their own country, upon a meat diet with beer and wine, however abstemiously used. There was hardly one of our countrymen, then resident in the capital, who did not experience occasional attacks of intermittent fever. The author was brought to the point of death by a quinsey so alarming as to occasion a locked jaw; and the disorder would have terminated his existence, had it not been for the skill and humanity of Dr. Scott, Physician of the British Embassy; who, although suffering himself under a violent chronic rheumatism, nevertheless bestowed unremitting attention upon his patient; and ultimately obviated the dangerous tendency of an inflammation that nothing seemed likely to subdue'. Constantinople is by no CHAP. XV. Circumprevented the parture. stances that author's de Dangerous influence of the climate. (1) The same gentleman accompanied Lord Macartney to China. He is mentioned by Sir George Staunton, in his account of the Embassy, (vol. I. p. 36. Lond. 1798,) as "a gentleman of abilities and experience.”—To his abilities, literary information, colloquial talents, liberal and upright mind, and to all the other excellent qualifications of his head and heart; all who had the happiness of knowing him will bear ample VOL. IV. 3 s testimony. |