ured. All the same, it
was a great sight, with its minarets and towers, its Golden Horn and
crowded quays. Our dragoman kept at bay all the clamouring crowd of
porters, guides and nondescripts of all colours and races that besieged
us. It was 8.30 a.m. when we landed, but 3.30 p.m. by Turkish time. The
Moslem day is from sunset to sunset, and sunset is always reckoned 12
o'clock; an awkward arrangement which the reforming "Young Turk" perhaps
has since altered. The week we spent in Constantinople was all too
short. We stayed at the Pera Palace Hotel, and the first night after
dinner, in our innocence, strolled out. All was dark and dismal; no one
in the streets. We went as far as the quays, strolled back and on the
way called at a small cafe, the only inmate of which was a dwarf, as
remarkable looking as Velasquez's _Sebastian de Morra_. The hall porter
at our hotel was waiting our return with anxiety. "It was not safe to be
out at night," he said; "we had gold watches on us and money in our
purses, and knives were sharp." Murray's guide book, we afterwards
found, gave similar warning, without mentioning knives. Sir Nicholas
O'Connor was our Ambassador in Constantinople. He was an Irishman from
County Mayo, and I had a letter of introduction to him from my friend Sir
George Morris. Sir Nicholas invited me to lunch at Therapia, where the
Embassy was in residence in its summer quarters. He was exceedingly kind
and facilitated our sightseeing in the great city during our stay. We
witnessed the Selamlik ceremony of the Sultan's weekly visit for prayers
to the Mosque Hamedieh Jami, which stands adjacent to the grounds of
Yildiz Kiosk. It was worth seeing. There was a great gathering of
military in splendid uniforms and glittering decorations. Seven handsome
carriages contained his principal wives, or ladies of the harem (wives we
were told), and several of the Sultan's sons (mere youths) were there,
beautifully apparelled. We caught glimpses of the ladies through their
carriage windows, and being women (though veiled) I should be surprised
if they, on their part, did not get glimpses of us. There were eunuchs
too, black frock-coated--and the chief eunuch, an important personage who
ranks very high. Then came the Sultan (Abdul Hamid) himself in an open
carriage, closely surrounded and guarded by officers. He was an elderly,
careworn, bearded, sallow, melancholy looking man, whose features seemed
incapable