CHAPTER LII.

Bazar-Fruit-market-Figs-Ancient Phrygian Tapestry-Wine-Madder-Persian Berries.

A WALK through the bazars of Smyrna show them to be infinitely inferior to those of Constantinople, either in the extent, variety, or magnificence of the articles offered for sale. The fruit-market, however, is a real curiosity, and as such merits a particular description. The great fig season is

consummate vanity of the Osmanlis would have been wounded by being compelled to obey a foreign officer, and they have been beaten soundly for their stupidity. The sultan, it is well known, was in favour of thus employing them, but he has been overruled by his divan. The Egyptian chief, on the other hand, whose will is his law, and who has no one in all his wide domains to offer the slightest opposition to his mandates, has succceded in compelling his soldiers to obey foreign officers, and thus far his superior discipline has rendered his arms victorious.

Another opinion has been hazarded by recent travellers, that the reforms introduced by the sultan have so disgusted, not only the people, but the soldiery, that the latter would take the earliest opportunity to revolt, and turn their arms against the sultan. The recent bloody conflicts between the Turkish and Egyptian troops have clearly demonstrated, that although constantly beaten with great loss, yet that no instances of desertion ever took place among the newly disciplined troops of the sultan.

The idea has been entertained by some, that Mehemet Ali intends to push his armies to the capital, and, after dethroning the present sultan, to place his son Abdool Hamid upon the throne. In this, it is said, he calculates largely upon the support of the hierarchy of Constantinople, who have regarded all the sultan's measures with great disgust, and having been deprived of their right arm by the destruction of the Janizaries, would hail with delight the approach of a usurper from almost any quarter. It is no doubt true that this party are indifferent as to the progress of the Egyptian chief, but his presence in Constantinople, at the head of a victorious army, would be the signal for their utter annihilation.

Usref, or Khosref Pacha, the present seraiskier of the sultan, was formerly governor of Cairo, and in attempting to curb the early ambition of Mehemet,

now over, but the various operations connected with or dependent upon the fruit-trade, such as coopers, sorters, packers, &c., continue the whole year round. They are now receiving and packing raisins, which are daily unloading from the camels in the market-place. The raisins are trod into barrels by the feet, which information may furnish our tidy housekeepers with a hint to wash them previous to use. These raisins are generally of the small sorts used in pastry; indeed, I do not recollect to have seen any bunch raisins in the market. We noticed enormous quantities of a very dark-coloured raisin, which is chiefly exported to the Black Sea. Among the many varieties, the sultana raisin was pointed out to us, as coming chiefly from the district of Karabournou. This is a very delicate yellowish raisin, without seeds, and much in request for superior articles of confectionary. The names of Smyrna and of figs are so intimately connected, that I should be inexcusable were I to pass over this luscious fruit in silence. Smyrna has long been celebrated for its figs, and at the present day they form one of its most valuable exports.*

was discomfited, and compelled to fly from Cairo. For several years it was a doubtful struggle which should obtain the upper hand; but the superior management of the Egyptian chief prevailed, and since that period they have been avowed and bitter enemies.

In spite of the phrase "not worth a fig," its history is full of interest, and a clever writer could make out of it an entertaining book. Commencing from that eventful period, when

"By Adam's fall,

We sinned all,"

he might show to what purposes even the leaves of this interesting fruit-tree were applied. He would then be able to state that dried figs formed the chief article of commerce among the earliest of the Athenians, and that they were considered such an article of luxury, that the Romans were accustomed to express a refined epicure by saying, Ficus edit-he eats figs. Another chapter would set forth that one of the motives which led to the famous expedition of Xerxes was to possess the country which produced such an excellent fruit. Our author might then advert to the third Punic war, which

The season for the packing of figs does not last more than three weeks, and of course much expedition is required in preparing them for market. It is not uncommon during this period to witness the daily arrival of 1500 camels, each loaded with 5 or 600 weight of figs, and some of these come from a distance of 70 and even 100 miles from Smyrna. Many of the principal merchants have from 500 to 800 hands employed in preparing and packing them, and for this purpose men, women, and children are indiscriminately employed. Their wages are from two and a half to twelve cents per day, and they are allowed besides to eat as many as they please, but to carry none away. As soon as the fresh figs arrive, they are carefully assorted for the different markets, the best being selected for the English trade. They are then washed in salt-water, rubbed between the hands, and after a final squeeze, which produces a concave and convex surface, they are handed over to the packer. This person arranges them in such a manner that the convex surface of one fig is received into the concave surface of another, and when the box or drum is filled, a few laurel leaves are spread over them.

It was stated to me by an intelligent merchant, that the quantity of figs and raisins annually exported amounts to 100,000 tons, costing, upon an average, about $60 per ton.

also originated in a desire to possess the African region, then producing the best figs in the world. He might introduce the famous passage from Plutarch, in which figs were used as an aid to the eloquence even of Cato. It would also appear that the famous delenda Carthago should be translated "we must have figs." A chapter for the benefit of physicians would show that Dioscorides and Galen have written concerning its medicinal qualities; while another chapter would teach the chymical world how sympathetic ink and caoutchouc, or India rubber, may be obtained from this remarkable fruittree. A chapter dedicated to the temperance associations would teach them how to obtain a delicious liquor from the fig, known to the ancients under the name of sycite,(a) and testimonials might be adduced from various authors to show that it did not contain the smallest quantity of alcohol.

(a) Pliny.

The whole of this sum, deducting the expense of transportation, is clear gain, for the fig-tree requires no attention whatever, and flourishes upon a barren soil. The preserved fig, as prepared by housekeepers in Smyrna, is a most delicious fruit, and far superior to the ordinary fig of commerce. Old residents assure me that the fig has much deteriorated of late, which they impute to the trees being now worn out by age. As the fig-tree is, however, a tree of rapid growth, and can be replaced with great ease, I am rather inclined to doubt this assertion, and to place it to the old score of laudatores temporis acti.

While upon this subject I may as well assemble here all the information which I was able to collect during my stay in relation to the trade of Smyrna, and more especially its trade with the United States.

Formerly our trade with Smyrna was carried on under the sanction and protection of the English Levant Company, and for this privilege we paid from 4000 to $5000 annually. It is doubted by some whether our trade has experienced a proportionate increase with the number of American vessels trading to this port of late years; for it is stated that the cargoes of several vessels would not equal in value that of a single ship some fifteen or twenty years ago. The duties on American imports are not yet determined, although it is said that our minister proposes to adopt the French tariff, which by the treaty he is allowed to do. By this tariff our products will pay three per cent. duty, and ten per cent. additional.

The chief imports in American vessels to this place are coffee, sugar, spices, die-stuffs, rum, and domestic cottons and furniture. It is curious, in looking at this list of imports, to perceive that a country which was once the centre of civilization, the seat of the arts, and distinguished above all others for the perfection to which its luxurious and elegant inhabitants carried their refinement, should now receive their chief luxuries from a new quarter of the globe, which

has not been known much more than 250 years. Even the far-famed Phrygian tapestry, such as it now appears under the name of Turkey carpets,* yield. the palm to specimens of American carpeting which I have seen at Smyrna. As the trade of coffee and sugar is chiefly in the hands of the Americans, we are in some degree associated in the minds of the Turks with those products; and if a Turk could be brought to envy the condition of any one, he would undoubtedly be disposed, in consideration of our having such luxuries in abundance, to prefer changing situations with an American above any other nation. As a general rule, the inferior qualities both of coffee and sugar find the readiest sale. The annual importation of coffee from America is 13,000 bags. Just now the supply of coffee is very small, and the price has consequently advanced nearly threefold. With the usual judgment of that intelligent animal, the public, in most countries, this dearness of coffee is attributed to the machinations of the government. Our domestic cottons of the description termed bleached sheetings, one yard wide, command here a ready sale at this time of ten cents per yard. Indigo was formerly an article which we supplied in great quantities, but the English have completely undersold, and driven us out of the market. The consumption of this article is almost daily increasing, for I was informed that in two years it has increased from 700 to 1200 boxes of 400 lbs. each; the best sells here for $1 25 per lb.

The chief articles of export are wool, opium, drugs, old copper, hides, soap, Persian berries, oil of roses, fruit, and wine. The wool is coarse in quality, and until recently has been rarely cleansed sufficiently to render it marketable. Although loaded with a heavy duty in America, it generally pays well. It costs from twelve to seventeen cents

These are principally manufactured at Oushah, or Hushah, about 140 miles west from Smyrna.