"Yes," I said, "and if you will not sell them, I will buy my horses from another dealer," and I turned to go away.
"No, Effendi, do not stir!" cried the owner hastily. "But forty liras—let us say forty-one—one lira more—just one—for a baksheesh."
"Very well," I said, and I handed him the money.
Meantime, Osman, the Turkish servant, led my newly-acquired property to a stable which he had engaged for me in the neighbourhood.
Later on in the afternoon I received a communication from my friend H——, in which he said that he had sent the grey horse to Constantinople by the bearer of the letter, but that the owner of the animal would not take less than sixteen liras for him. As I had thoroughly tried the animal I determined to accept the offer, and my stud was now complete.
The final preparations for the journey were soon made. All the horses were fresh shod, and now I found that a Turkish horseshoe is very different to the one which we use in this country. It consists of a thin circular piece of iron, with a very small hole in the centre, not bigger than a shilling; almost the entire surface of the hoof being thus protected by the metal.
Two English saddles were bought for myself and Radford, a Turkish saddle was provided for Osman, and two pack-saddles for the baggage-horses. Saddle-bags, corn-sacks, and nose-bags had been also purchased, and a supply of tea and such other necessaries as would be difficult to obtain when once we had quitted the capital.
Everything was now ready for the start, so I hastened to say good-bye to my numerous friends. Whilst visiting one of them—an English lady—a Russian acquaintance called upon her, to solicit subscriptions for a hospital. This building, as it appeared, was being used for all classes of patients, and a prince at the Russian Embassy was at that time occupying one of the wards.
"I went to see him yesterday," said the visitor. He complains dreadfully of the quietness of the establishment."
"Perhaps he would like a barrel organ in the passage," observed my hostess.