Constantinople - and the scenery of the seven churches of Asia Minor (1839) (14596596688)

Identifier: constantinoplesc01allo (find matches)
Title: Constantinople : and the scenery of the seven churches of Asia Minor
Year: 1839 (1830s)
Authors: Allom, Thomas, 1804-1872 Walsh, R. (Robert), 1772-1852
Subjects:
Publisher: London : Fisher, Son
Contributing Library: Northeastern University, Snell Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries



Text Appearing Before Image:
nstep. But what particularly distinguishes them is an enormous bagpipe-The minstrel draws after him a crowd of his countrymen, capering through the streetsof Pera and Constantinople, on their way to the Sweet Waters, to amuse the companyassembled there. The banks at this season are covered with a rich verdure, andenamelled with a profusion of flowers of all hues: the very humidity of the soil con-fers a luxuriance on the sward which is nowhere else to be seen. The soil round thecity is a poor and sterile gravel, and for nine months in the year presents a parchedand arid surface of irksome brown ; it is only in the cool, humid valleys, that a blade ofverdure is to be seen. This spot, therefore, is much frequented by the Franks; andthere is no stranger on a visit to the capital, who is not invited to see the Sweet Waters.The Illustration represents one of these festive meetings. On the right of the fore-ground is a group of Greek girls, dancing through the graceful mazes of the romaika,
Text Appearing After Image:
WITH THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA MINOR. 59 their unveiled faces and necks, and their neatly sandalled feet, forming a striking con-trast to the yasmaks and slippered-boots of other Oriental females of the capital. Inthe back-ground are companies engaged in various festivities, and embosomed in thetrees ; behind is seen the sultans kiosk, with a never-failing minaret peeping throughthe foliage. INTERIOR OF A TURKISH CAFFINET. Many circumstances strike a stranger on entering Constantinople, and many-objects different from those to which he has been accustomed in European Christiancities. Here are no straight spacious avenues, thronged with foot-passengers on thewide flags, and with carriages on the level centre ; no names to the streets, to directhis way; no advertisements on walls ; no women behind counters ; no public places,for walking or amusement; no monuments displaying taste, or recording great menor actions; no libraries or news-rooms; no club-houses; no theatres, or public exhi-