There was a lot of women on board, with their faces more or less covered. Once as the steamer was passing a house I saw a very pretty sight. A couple of little girls made signals to our captain, and a larger one held up, for him to see, a small white puppy. The white-headed old sailor smiled a grim smile, and the swift steamer swept on.
One day I took a guide and went to see the famous native bazaars, where under one roof were several hundred small stores, the passage-ways narrow, wet, and ill-paved, such as you find everywhere in the East, filled with every thing native and foreign one ever thought of. An Armenian pulled me into his store and showed me elegant stuff, sofa pillows, silks, shawls, and gold embroidery, but having no use for such things I came away without purchasing.
Another day I called on Mr. Sweeney, our Consul, and later upon Mr. Solomon Hirsch, U. S. Minister, who kindly gave me all the information I wanted about Constantinople. Returning through the lower part of the city, where there was a large crowd of people, I saw a dog-fight. A strange black dog had invaded this part of the city, and a dozen yellow ones went for him fiercely, causing an immense row and confusion, until a Turk appeared with a big rope, thrashed them all and sent them yelling away.
One morning we took a carriage, and went to see the Sultan make his weekly trip to a mosque. We drove some three miles to the front of the mosque through the mud and snow.
This mosque is a new and beautiful one, and soon after we arrived, there was a great gathering of horse and foot-soldiers.
The horsemen were fine-looking, and rode splendid horses. They formed several deep in front of our carriage, but I got on a high fence, so as to have a good view, and stood there in the snow and rain for an hour, waiting for his Highness. At length there came a band of music, a troop of cavalry, and many decorated officers, followed by an open carriage containing the Sultan, a dark, black-bearded middle-aged Turk, wearing the national red fez. He passed slowly on to his devotions, and I was asked if I would wait and see him return. I said most decidedly not, and returned with my friends to the hotel and to a late but excellent breakfast at 2 P.M.
