nce. Indeed so late a spring, and such inclement weather,
have rarely been experienced at Constantinople before.

[Sidenote: FUNERAL OF A FRANK PHYSICIAN.] _Wednesday, 8th._--The funeral
of the Sultan's French physician passed our lodgings, on its way to the
burying-ground. It was accompanied by about 100 officers and soldiers
without arms; and, this being the first time any Turks had appeared at a
Christian ceremony, a great sensation was excited in Pera. The man
was much esteemed by the Sultan, and was a favourite with all classes,
both Turks and Christians. The following was the order of the funeral.
First came the soldiers, divided into two bodies, one occupying either
side of the street, with the officers in the centre; then followed a
number of Capuchin monks, with priests and servitors of the Greek
church; lastly appeared the body, carried upon a bier, and covered with
a black silk pall, with a yellow cross, its four orange tassels being
held by supporters. A crowd of Franks, Turks, and Armenians, wearing
crape upon their arms, closed the procession. The bearers were
distinguished by large fur caps, decorated with red cloth, resembling
the calpac of the Armenians, and every individual carried in his hand a
long thin wax taper.

_Thursday, 9th._--I again went up to Terapia, where there is a report,
that the pilots of the Sea of Marmora and the Dardanelles have gone on
board the Russian fleet, and that more troops have arrived. The
Russians, however, strongly deny both facts. [Sidenote: AUDIENCE OF THE
SULTAN.] Our ambassador had a private audience of the Sultan this
morning, an express having arrived, somewhat unexpectedly, at the palace
of the British embassy yesterday evening, intimating that the Sultan
would receive Lord Ponsonby at nine o'clock on the following day. It
seems that Count Orloff had peremptorily demanded an audience; but as
our ambassador arrived before him, he was entitled to precedence in this
matter; and Count Orloff's reception was accordingly arranged to take
place one hour afterwards. Lord Ponsonby went with his nephew Captain
Grey, and Mr. Waller, the _attache_. They were received at the palace or
new kiosk at Dolma Batche, on the European side; and as they landed, the
Sultan's band struck up "God save the King." On being ushered into the
presence, they found his Highness seated on his divan, an apartment
splendidly painted and decorated, and after the ambassador had paid and
received the