£ -

Li

COBDEN. fons

1826. manner by the way. At the head of the stairs we emteret
Zr. 32. 8 very large hall, which presented a curious spectacl
Along its whole length and breadth, with only just suff
cient interval towards one of the sides to afford room fo
passing to a door ab the farther extremity, were soé
cross-legged upon the floor, on little mats, an immen
number of Turkish and Arab soldiers, whose arms sn¢
olippers were lying beside them. We passed along the
entire length of the large room, too quickly to allow of mor
than a moment’s surprise at the scene before us, whe?
entering another apartment we found ourselves in a gresh
lofty chamber, from the centre of which hung a chandeli®’
holding probably twenty yeliowish-white wax candles, and
in the centre of the floor stood a row of four gigantic silve’
candlesticks like those used in Catholic chapels, and each
holding & huge candle of four feet in length, and a propo™
tionate diameter, By their united light we could very
indistinctly see to the extremities of the room, from whos?
farthest corner ome or two persons hastily retired as We
entered, leaving us, as ” thought, alone in this hug?
apartment.
“Colonel C., who preceded our party a few steps, nov
bowed towards the farthest corner of the room—a move
ment which we all imitated as we followed. A dozen step?
brought my feet close to the bowl of along, superbly enriched
pipe which rested in a little pan on the floor, the other
extremity of which was held by a short and rather fat per
sonage, who was seated alone just to the right of the corn’
of the room upon a broad and soft divan, which ran round
the apartment like a continual sofa. He laid aside his pip®
uttered several times a sentence, which we guessed was 87
expression of welcome, from its being delivered in a good:
natured and affable tone, and accompanied at each repetitio?
by the motion of his hands, as he pointed with mora of hurr?