Four or five miles from Constantinople

We had a wild scamper over the hills again ; but, when four or five miles from Constantinople, it got so dark that we were obliged to pull up and walk our horses, on account of the bad road and the holes. At last we saw the lights of Pera, and once more threaded our way amongst the dogs and people, along its narrow Street, to the hotel.

It was very hot indeed that night. The wind went round, and changed to the stifling sirocco. As such, I knew my fate, and prepared to lie down the whole of the next day with a feverish head-ache, gasping instead of breathing — such being the invariable effects of the blighting wind upon me. These, however, lasted no longer than the cause, and when the refreshing breeze came down again from the Euxine, I was at once as well as ever. As this was the only indisposition I suffered from, during the whole of my absence from England, with every change of temperature, climate, diet, and general habits, that could try a constitution, T always considered myself very fortunate, and was grateful accordingly city tours istanbul. It must be very sad to be laid up for any time with illness in a strange country; and although a clever Turkish member of our own College of Surgeons, Mr. Zohrab, is practising in Pera, I preferred dispensing altogether with his assistance.

PRINCE’S ISLAND, AND ITS POPULAR AMUSEMENTS

Home superstition becomes sadly upset when we find that Friday is considered the most fortunate day of the week, in the East, and the Turks like to begin or perform any work on that day, accordingly- It is also their Sabbath; and, during the fine weather, the women go in crowds to the Sweet Waters of Asia — a beautiful valley near the fortress of Hissari, on the Bosphorus, watered by the River Goksu. They spread their carpets here, and pass the day in admiring themselves in mirrors, smoking, chatting, and eating sweetmeats. I was told that many flirtations were originated on these occasions, but with Moslem gallants. There is not a chance for a Frank traveller to establish one ; and, therefore, when such a one boasts of any success in this particular line, whatever else he says may be believed as fully — at least, in nine cases out of ten. All I know from my own experience is, that every attempt I made at philandering with the belles of Stamboul, and once or twice under unusual advantages, turned out a total, not to say contemptible, failure.