Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor: Series One and Series Two in one VolumeWalsh, R. (Robert)
History
Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor: Series One and Series Two in one Volume
Walsh, R. (Robert)
Istanbul (Turkey) -- History; Istanbul (Turkey) -- Pictorial works
to the various passions so admirably depicted by his countryman,
scarcely alters a feature of his face.
The place where the Medâk exhibits is usually a coffee-house. He
generally has a small table, placed before him, which he either stands
behind or sits on. His cuffs are turned up, and he holds generally a
small stick in his hand. If he illustrates a proverb, he gives it out
as a text, and then commences his story. He introduces individuals
of all sects and nations, and imitates with admirable precision the
language of each. But he is particularly fond of introducing the Jews,
whose imperfect pronunciation of every language which they attempt
to utter, presents him with a happy subject of caricature. Thus he
imitates the multifarious tones of all the varieties of people in the
Turkish empire, with a happy selection of all their characteristic
expressions.
Our illustration presents the most distinguished story-teller of
the capital, who may be considered the Matthews of Constantinople.
He is called Kiz-Achmet, or “Achmet the Girl,” as we have noticed
before. He keeps a coffee-house himself, and adds to his profits by
entertaining his company; but at festivals he is invited to others, and
paid liberally for his exhibition. There stood opposite the gate of
the British palace, before the district was consumed by fire, one of
the most celebrated and frequented coffee-houses in Pera. During the
Bairam he continued telling stories here without intermission, and with
unabated skill, till after midnight, to an unwearied audience, sitting
on joint-stools in the street before the coffee-house. His auditors
indulge as usual in coffee and tobacco, during his recitations, but
sometimes his details are so interesting, that even this luxury is
suspended while they listen with profound attention. It is only when he
pauses, and descends with a coffee-cup to collect paras, that the click
of flints is heard, chiboques are lighted, and refreshments served,
when he remounts, and pursues his tale to his impatient hearers.
[Illustration: W. L. Leitch. Drawn from Nature by Hervé, Esq. J. Sands.
A STREET IN THE SUBURBS OF ADRIANOPLE.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account