force, and few surpass it in the abundance of all those articles necessary for the support of a marine. Excellent oak and pine are found in great abundance along the Black Sea, Marmora, and the Mediterranean. Iron is obtained from Samakof, Inada, and Cavalla; rosin from Negropont; pitch and tar from Cazdaghi; and hemp from Samsoon, Fassa, and Yooneyay. Gunpowder is manufactured near the city, and at Gallipolis and Salonica.

We were introduced a few days ago to the captain pacha, a fine, intelligent, and manly-looking Turk. His name is Halil Rifaat, or, as he is usually designated, Halil Pacha, and he appears to be about thirty-five years old. With great personal activity, he is unremitting in the duties of his station, and punishes neglect or idleness in the most summary manner. As I studied his remarkably handsome face and winning features, I could scarcely credit the stories in circulation respecting his barbarity. His history is another instance of the apparent caprice of fortune in this country, which so frequently elevates a beggar or a slave to the highest offices of government. He was originally a Georgian slave, and purchased by the present seraiskier, who adopted him as his son. This is an everyday occurrence in Turkey, but does not seem to be understood by modern travellers. It is well known that such is the political organization of this government, that it rarely happens that the children of high officers ever obtain office themselves, except among the ulemah. Whether this is a part of the royal policy to prevent the formation of an hereditary nobility, we cannot venture to say, but such is the fact. The grandees being aware of this, purchase Georgian or Circassian children, give them a careful and finished education, and press them forward, in order to occupy stations where they may be of service as protectors of their own family. This purchase of slaves for such purposes must frequently give rise to incidents of a striking nature, and

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we have indeed heard of several which seem almost to border upon the province of romance.

During the last war with Russia, the present captain pacha distinguished himself by several acts of gallant daring. At Shoumla, in 1828, he commanded a sortie against the largest redoubt of the enemy. It was commanded by Major General de Wrede, who after a most desperate and sanguinary resistance, was, together with his whole garrison, put to the sword. He was employed on a mission of much delicacy and importance shortly after the conclusion of the late Russian war. It was desirable on the part of the Turks to obtain a remission of some part of the amount of the subsidy, which by treaty they had agreed to pay to Russia, and it was also important to obtain her consent to extend the time of payment. Halil executed this mission with much address, and his personal appearance and manners prepossessed every one in his favour. Although previously unacquainted with French, he set about acquiring it with so much industry, that in two months he was enabled to keep up a sustained conversation with great ease. During our visit the conversation was kept up through the medium of an interpreter, although upon subsequent occa sions he spoke French with great fluency.

We gathered from the pacha that, notwithstanding the large fleets which the necessities of the empire required to be continually in service, the whole annual expenses did not exceed $2,000,000. They are, however, in economy of expenditure, excelled by the republic of Genoa, which keeps seven fine frigates of from forty-six to sixty guns each in excellent order, pays the officers and seamen, and maintains the whole coast police of Liguria and Sardinia, for a sum not exceeding $500,000.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Dinner with Turkish Grandees-Coffee-Number of Dishes-ToastsConversation-Proverbs-Children of our Host-Music-Dancing-boys.

It is not often that the stranger in Turkey has an opportunity of witnessing the interior of a Turkish family, and it was therefore with mingled feelings of pleasure and curiosity that we accepted an invitation to dine with the Reis liman Bey, one of the chief officers about the court of Constantinople. He is the naval commander of the port, and his rank is that of admiral in the navy. In company with two of our countrymen, we presented ourselves at his palace at six in the evening, and were introduced between two long lines of richly dressed domestics into the receptionroom, where his excellency awaited our arrival. The room was hung around with pictures of horses, battles, and, among others, the portrait of the Empress of Russia. The mention of pictures reminds us that none are more frequent in Turkey than those vile-coloured French prints. emblematical of the four quarters of the globe. In these, of course, America figures with her feathers, bow, and quiver; and hence, the idea has been adopted that we as Americans must necessarily wear these ornaments and A friend who has just returned from Russia informs me, that at Moscow, he was asked in a large circle, where he was introduced as an American, to put on his real dress, and to appear there next evening with his paint, feathers, and arrows.

arms.

Among the novelties in the apartment, which our host appeared to regard with complacency, was an English oilcloth in lieu of the mats which are universally used. Chairs too were placed in various parts of the room. As soon as

the customary civilities had been exchanged, the pipe and coffee followed. The pipes were magnificent, and of the real diplomatic size, being at least six feet in length. We have already alluded to Turkish coffee, which has been alternately vilified and commended. It is exceedingly strong, and is served up with the grounds without sugar or cream. An English traveller (Sandys) about a century ago, after minutely describing the Turkish process for making what he most unorthographically spells coffa, gravely inquires, "Whether it be not that blacke brothe which was in use among the Lacedæmonians." With regard to the Turkish coffee it may be said, that after some time it becomes palatable, and when used in small quantities, and for the same purpose that it is employed here, it is an agreeable and refreshing beverage. The Turks never use it as a meal, but simply to sweeten their mouths after smoking. Taken in this way, it is far better than our weak infusion, which, by courtesy alone, has obtained the name of coffee, After some conversation with our host, who speaks a little Italian, we were ushered into the next room, where we found the dinner served up in as handsome style as it has ever been our lot to witness in Europe or America. The knives, forks, and plates were of English manufacture, and of the most costly kind; the table was set off by cut glass of exquisite workmanship, French wines of the most delicate flavour made their appearance, and in short, nothing was wanting to satisfy even the fastidiousness of an English exclusive. We should hardly have supposed ourselves in Turkey, had it not been for the venerable beards of some of our neighbours, and the armed and scarletdressed attendants who stood behind our chairs.

We took our seats without any ceremony or prearranged order, and after a preliminary whet with rakee as an appetizer, proceeded to do justice to the good things before us. Soup, fish, roasted turkeys, joints of meat, game, &c. were severally introduced and discussed in the most ortho

dox and unexceptionable order. It was not until we had made a hearty meal, that we were apprized that our labours had only begun. According to the custom of the country, there were only some thirty or forty dishes in reserve, all of which must at least be tasted, in order to do honour to our host. It was a practical illustration of the old saw, "to kill with kindness," but as there was no escape, we braced ourselves for the task. The same savage custom prevails in some remote parts of our own country, we regret to say, and under even a more horrid shape. We still remember with loathing and disgust an occasion of this kind, in which our efforts to be civil nearly cost us our life. Our worthy hostess had succeeded in heaping on our plate a motley mixture of meat, vegetables, and sauce of such prodigious dimensions, that we fear to name them, lest we should be suspected of exaggeration. We may, however, mention, that we could not feed from its summit without arising from our chair, and to attack the flanks of this artificial mound might have caused the whole to topple down headlong and bury us in a premature grave. Thanks to the organization of the societies for the suppression of vice, these enormities are now rarely perpetrated. The Turkish practice offers few of these inconveniences; for, provided one merely tastes a dish it is sufficient, but many of them were so exquisite, that we should have been pleased with an opportunity of discussing them as a whole meal. They were all new to us, and many of them exceedingly savoury,-one in particular seemed worthy of a brêvet d'importation into our hemisphere. It appears in the shape of an immense custard, and owes its peculiar excellent flavour to the presence of the breasts of very young chickens, which are by some means so intimately blended and incorporated with the custard as to be scarcely distinguishable. It is certainly an exquisite dish, and worthy of being classed with that French sauce which is said to be so palatable, that a person might be tempted