' fees and such like.

Since my last stay here a handsome new wooden bridge had been
erected over the Golden Horn, and the women did not seem to be so
thickly veiled as on my first visit to Constantinople. Many of them
wore such delicately woven veils that their faces could almost be
seen through them: others had only the forehead and chin covered,
and left their eyes, nose, and cheeks exposed.

The suburb of Pera looked very desolate. There had been a number of
fires, which were increased by two during my stay; they were called
"small," as by the first only a hundred and thirty shops, houses,
and cottages, and by the second, only thirty were burned to the
ground. They are accustomed to reckon the number destroyed by
thousands.

The first fire broke out in the evening as we were seated at table.
One of the guests offered to accompany me to see it, as he thought I
should be interested by the sight if I had not seen such a one
before. The scene of the fire was rather distant from our house,
but we had scarcely gone a hundred steps when we found ourselves in
a great crowd of people, who all carried paper lanterns, {330a} by
which the streets were lighted. Every one was shouting and rushing
wildly about; the inhabitants of the houses threw open their windows
and inquired of the passers by the extent of the danger, and gazed
with anxiety and trembling at the reflection of the flames in the
sky. Every now and then sounded the shrill cry of "Guarda! guarda!"
(take care) of the people, who carried small fire-engines {330b} and
buckets of water on their shoulders, and knocked everything over
that was in their way. Mounted and foot soldiers and watchmen
rushed about, and Pashas rode down with their attendants to urge the
people on in extinguishing the fire, and to render them assistance.
Unfortunately almost all these labours are fruitless. The fire
takes such hold of the wooden buildings painted with oil colours,
and spreads with such incredible rapidity that it is stopped only by
open spaces or gardens. One fire often destroys several thousand
houses. The unfortunate inhabitants have scarce time to save
themselves; those who live some distance off hastily pack their
effects together and hold themselves prepared for flight at any
moment. It may easily be supposed that thieves are not rare on such
occasions, and it too often happens that the few things the poor
people have saved are torn away from them in the bust