,
and woods; and even ornaments and marble from Jerusalem! Little did
the Crusaders of old think, when they were fighting in Jerusalem, and
the Holy Land, that the Infidels, as they very incorrectly called
them, would be sending in such a friendly way to England.

[Illustration]

What splendid caps, slippers, veils, and perfumes, with such
picturesque guns and swords, from Turkey! The Turks are a fine,
handsome race of people, and very grave and sensible, except when they
are angry, when they grow raging and furious; they are fond of ease;
and the chief delight of those who can afford it is to sit
cross-legged on a low couch, drinking coffee, and smokeing a long
curled pipe, called a _hookah_. They often sit by the side of a canal
for a whole day, looking at children flying kites. Instead of sitting
at a table to dine, they put the dishes on a carpet of Turkey leather,
and sit round it on the floor, eating, with wooden spoons, meat and
rice stewed together, called _pilau_. They are not allowed to drink
wine, or eat pork. A favourite diversion with them is playing on a
kind of lute, and sometimes they amuse themselves with chess,
draughts, and other games; but their principal amusement, like some of
my little friends, is to sit and listen to stories, told by men who
earn their livelihood by relating entertaining tales and romances.

[Illustration]

The Turks do not undress and go to bed at any time, but being seated
on a sofa, they smoke till they are sleepy, then laying themselves
down, their slaves cover them over for the night. The poor people of
the cities carry water, cakes, loaves, and other things, through the
streets for a living, or act as buffoons, musicians, tumblers and
wrestlers, at the Sultan's and other of the rich people's palaces.

They cannot use wheel carriages in Turkey, the streets are so narrow,
and the pavements in many parts so bad; everything is therefore
carried by men, horses, mules, and donkeys, which is very
inconvenient, as the mules and donkeys very often tumble down, and
throw their burdens right in everybody's way; as for a horse, when
heavily laden, it takes up the entire road; and when two loaded horses
meet, the bawling and confusion is dreadful.

The markets in Turkey are called "bazaars," and there you can buy
almost anything you want; and every trade keeps together in knots of
shops, different from us, in particular quarters, so that you are not
obliged to walk all over the