After lunch the party went on shore in the Maud, to the great disgust of the boatmen. There were no carriages to be had, and they were obliged to walk. A steamer had just come in, and they had an opportunity to see how a passenger with a trunk and other baggage would get to his hotel in the Rue de Pera, at the summit of the hill. A porter with a kind of saddle on his back, having a shelf for his burden, rendered this service. The trunk was placed on this shelf, the valise and packages on the top of it, till they were piled up higher than his head. "That man is called a _hammal_, Miss Blanche," said Louis, who had placed himself at her side. "He has to carry an awful load," she replied as they followed him up the street, which was not more than eight feet wide, and was very wet and muddy. "There is a lady coming down the hill; at least, I take her for one." She was stout, and not very clean. She wore about the same trousers as the men, with a sort of long jacket and red slippers. She was closely veiled, and her _yashmak_ was quite thick. "She needs a veil, for she is as homely as a hedge fence," said Louis, laughing. "There is one who is better-looking, and her veil is not so thick." "What a lot of dogs!" exclaimed the young lady, as her companion shoved one out of her path. "I should think every person in the city kept one." "On the contrary, no one keeps a dog. They do not belong to any person, but every one of them has to look out for himself." A little farther along a mule was approaching with panniers on his back, filled with cord wood. The street at this point was not more than six feet wide, and they had to step into a doorway to avoid being knocked down. They reached the Rue de Pera, which was wider, and looked a little more like a street in a European city. They walked through a portion of it, looking in at the shop windows, till they came to Misserie's, as it is oftener called than Hotel d'Angleterre, its proper name. At this hotel Captain Ringgold procured the services of two guides who were to serve the tourists for the next week, and longer if needed; and they were to be on board of the steamer the next morning. Dimitri was the principal one, and was a Greek; the other was a Turk, whose name was Munif. Both of them spoke English, French, and Italian, as well as Greek and Turkish. "To-morrow will be Friday, and that is the Mohammedan Sunday, and you can see the Sultan when he goes in procession to the church," said Dimitri. "You will need a _firman_ to visit the mosques and holy places." "We must certainly see the Sultan, and the procession will be a fine sight," added Mrs. Belgrave. "But what is a _firman_?" "It is a permit to visit the sacred places of the city, given by the Sultan, or in his name; and it costs five hundred _piastres_, or twenty-five dollars," replied the commander. "Then it is very expensive to see the sights here."