SKETCHES OF TURKEY 21127 IN 1831 AND 1832. BY AN AMERICAN. NEW-YORK: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY J. & J. HARPER, AND SOLD BY THE BOOKSELLERS GENERALLY THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. [Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-three, by J. & J. HARPER, in the Clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New-York.] INTRODUCTION. "As soon as ever you perceive in the streets of Constantinople any persons making towards you in a waistcoat and drawers, barelegged, with only pumps on and a poniard in their hands, you must unsheath your sword. Some indeed take the precaution to carry it naked under their coat." Thus writes one of the most intelligent travellers in the East, and similar remarks have been so frequently repeated as to produce the common impression that Turkey is far beyond the pale of civilization. Such in fact were my own views until a residence of nearly a year in that country enabled me to estimate at their proper value the representations of ignorant or prejudiced travellers. In the following pages I have attempted to preserve a record of my own impressions, without reference to the descriptions of many preceding tourists, who seem to have taken a marvellous pleasure in exaggerating the vices and suppressing the good points of the Turkish character. It will be found that in my estimate of the Turks I coincide with a reverend traveller, who asserts that "There is no people without the pale of Christianity who are better disposed towards its most essential precepts." CONTENTS. Departure from New-York-Flores and Corvo-Interview with an English Officer-Straits of Gibraltar-Current-Dangers of the Straits-Tarifa Head-winds-Character of our Crew-Eastern Sailors best-Port Mahon- Winter-quarters-The Reputation of St. Luke as a Seaman vindicated— Sirocco-Sea-weed-Molluscous Animals-Grampus-Petrels-Volcanic Ionian Sea-Candia, or Crete-Mount Ida-Epiminedes--Rip Van Winkle -American Frigate Contest of Speed-Milo-Cyclades-Pilots-Their Poros-Greek Frigate Hellas-Egina-Cape Colonno-Zea-Winds--Port Raphti-Marathon-Andros-Roman and Greek Catholics--D'Oro Pas- sage--Negropont-Etymology-Imaginary Dangers--Scio-Massacre 32 50 1 |