The Sultan and His PeopleOscanyan, C. (Christopher)
History
The Sultan and His People
Oscanyan, C. (Christopher)
Turkey -- Description and travel; Turkey -- Social life and customs
The fact is, that the beds are all packed away in large closets during
the day-time, and spread upon the floor at night. In the houses of
the wealthy, the mattresses and coverlets are made of the richest
materials, and the sheets of beautiful silk gauze, manufactured in
Broossa. The whole appearance of the bed, so brilliant in hue, and
rich in ornament, is very different from the style of a European couch.
Every house has an infinite number and variety of extra beds and
bedding, to be spread on the floors of any of the apartments, for
the accommodation of visitors--hospitality being one of the most
religious precepts and observances of the Orientals.
In the sultan's palace, however, and in the families of the wealthy,
especially of those pashas who have resided in Europe, bedsteads have
been introduced.
Upon rising, the person claps her hands, as the apartments are never
furnished with bell ropes, and immediately the attendants appear--one
holding the basin, another the ewer, and a third presenting the towel,
richly embroidered at the ends.
The usual method of warming the houses, is by the mangal and
tandur. The mangal is generally made of brass highly polished,
somewhat in the form of an hour-glass, about a foot and a half high,
and two, or two and a half in diameter; and contains a large pan of
ignited charcoal.
The tandur consists of a wooden frame about the height and size of a
table, lined with tin, under which a pan of fire is placed, and the
whole is covered with a thickly wadded quilt. This is surrounded by
sofas, and they sit with their legs and feet under the covering.
More cozy than any capacious arm-chair, or softly yielding fauteuil,
is this same tandur. The genial warmth excites a wonderful sympathy in
its occupants. They warm to each other, and to the world in general,
and never neglect to take cognizance of their neighbor's affairs and
doings. From the palace of the sultan to the cottage of the crone,
they benignantly travel, bestowing on each and all a blessing,
or when necessary, even a cursing. The ups and downs of pashas,
probable and accomplished--whispers of the sultan's favorites, or of
the efendi's coquettish ladies--the style of Adilé Sultan's feradjé,
or the grand vezir's fess, are each and all passed in review, until
you wonder how ever a set of miserable imprisoned women should be
such arrant gossips. Ah! one cannot believe the fair sex so unjust to
themselves, even in Turkey, as to neglect the observation of those
interesting little items of public or retired life, which become
great and weighty affairs, when discussed by ruby lips, and in the
cadence of sweet-toned voices.
They possess a most lady-like love of chit-chat, and so little do they
covet repose for their delicate jaws, that should conversation lag,
they keep them in motion by the use of mastic, which is always in
readiness, preserved in little jewelled boxes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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