"We were called pat Gin the morning, put into boat, and proceeded to the Seraglio Point, and landed at ous of the landing places of the public offices of the Porte. Here we were obliged to go up a moat riokélty staircase, into a kiosque,' oF wooden large upper room, furnished, like al] Turkish roo!
ith low divans, spread on narrow fiat treases on the floor nearly all round the root, i ious behind them against the The curtains were of the meanest description—a common cotton print, and very dirty; indeed, they were raggéil in some places. Hero we were compelled to wait four hours and a-half, At last, when the Ambassaior's patience seemed completely exhausted, one of the attendanta (for we were surrounded by men in every" variety, of costume, all armed, as Turks always are, smoked, chatted, and laughed together w out seeming to take the' least notice, of us)
to go and seo if we might proceed, and after the lapse of nearly half an hour returned with the welcome intelligence that wemightgo.. 'A fur pelisse, although in the middle of summer, was thrown over each of our shoulders, the Ambassador's not differing from the ud we were seized by two tall guards, one on each aide of us, and dragged along into the Sublime presence by being compelled to stoop, and pose through the small door, or portal, just mentioned. Our swords were taken' from us, and we were brought up as criminale would have been to about 20 yards frost the Thorne, on which tie Sultan Selim wi sitting, with both hands resting ow hia'tl Was standing on one but between us wing told that he was a slave sent by the 1g of Kiigland to eolicit his favour (and. al same time the Grand Vizier took out of
which he had previo osom "long letter weep out in big hand, and sai slave had been' ordered to plac the Thorne,) the Sultan, who very drow: woke up, very slowly asked if and clothed bim the affirmative, said, On Dec. 10th His Imperial Majesty the Sultan received Lord Salisivury. This audience was not only accorded willingly, but with every show of readiness, as will be easily understood when it is known that the request for, an interview was only sent in on tuli, and that a reply fixing Deo. 10th the' time was returned-at once, custom only on great State visits of eminently distinguish ritish Ambassador Extraordinary of the Dolia Bagtché. These the hot ordybip had returned from divit ice, and ver afterwards Lord Salisbury, accom, ry Elliot, and attended by th ident Ambassador and the five secretaries of the Embass The process. eye y's repre-palace of the Sultan was worthy of the occasion. Preceded by a number of Ottoman cavasses, richly clad in id ni ne and gold, and carry authority, the 2 down the bill from Pera which runs to the shore of the Bosphorus. Chere sparkled the bright blue waters of that incomparable wea, the warm sun lighting.u the opposite shores of Scutati and the Golden Horn, and thus completing the beauty of a view which confessedly hae no rival in the world. Steamers passing from one side to the other, caiques by scores shooting from lauding-stage' and ship, small men-of-war, 4 mast-heads of which floated the ensigns of nearly all the Powers of Europe, and here and there a Turkish ironclad; were all in the scene; while, as those who have once gazed upon a Turkish crowd will best understand, ige forms and stranger dr at the entrance to the Palace, the Engli in this picturesque' ponera
visitors were met by Hamil Pacha, whois the official master of the ceremonies, and Seyd Pachs, chief of the Palace, By these they were ushered into a li tment, where coffee was offered them in cups studded With diamonds, whilst tobacco in jewelled
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.