200 
1817, desolated France. The sufferers 
having been reduced to live on roots of 
fern, grape seeds, catkins of hazel, but 
more particularly on corn cut green as 
for hay, and various other herbs, 
perished likewise dropsical. 
3. My honourable friend M. Agron, a 
very distinguished botanist, who has for 
a considerable time practised medicine 
with success in Guadaloupe, assures me 
that he has seeu there four thousand 
negroes perish in a famine, all dropsical, 
having supported life for some time by 
eating herbs. 
When, therefore, the results of ob- 
servation and experience are identical 
at all times, and under all climates, we 
may regard them as certain, and from 
so great a number of facts we may 
safely conclude that man is not herbi- 
vorous, GASPARD. 
March \, 1822. 
—>——— 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
DESCRIPTION of a TURKISH IMPE- 
RIAL ARMY Of CONTINGENTS, re- 
quired from the VIZIRS, PASHAS, or 
other GOVERNORS of PROVINCES ; 
written by an eye-witness. 
HE most accurate notion which 
can be formed of a Turkish impe- 
rial army of provincial contingent 
troops, (if troops they deserve to be 
called) must be obtained by comparing 
them with those bands of armed pil- 
grims, who, in days of yore, traversed 
Europe from various countries to St. 
Jago af Compostella, or our lady of the 
Pillar, in Saragossa, to the holy house 
of Loretto, &e. &e. _ Regulating and 
animating their mareh by hymus and 
litanies, their devotions, uninterrupted 
excepting when some traveller was 
to be stript, some village to be plun- 
dered and burnt. But instead of long 
trains of peregrinators adorned with 
crosses and cockle-shells, the Ottoman 
army exhibits Mahometan monks in 
party-coloured caps and garments, 
mounted, as a mark of humility, on 
asses, marching at the head of tumul- 
tuary columns, flourishing the flags of 
the prophet and vociferating prayers 
and imprecations with all their might. 
Behind these appear the Delis, or select 
horsemen, who scour and plunder the 
country on every side. Then follow 
the Timariotes, or national cavalry, 
mounted on horses or mules, which 
they are bound to provide: but rarely 
indeed in any other way than at the 
expense of the lawful owners, who fall 
in their route; furnished with pack- 
saddles, and ropes for stirrups. 
Description of a Turkish Imperial Army. 
| April 1, 
Last advance the infantry, once the 
glory of an Ottoman army, but now 
held as the meanest body in their ser- 
vice. Armed with guns without bayo- 
nets, with enormous horse-pistols and 
massy daggers, they press forward in 
confused crowds, raising clouds of dust, 
as numerous flocks of sheep hurried on 
by the shepherds, Behind this infantry 
come the topgis, or artillery, their 
guns dragged along by buffaloes, or by 
Christian slaves equally under the 
lash. 
The rear of this strange association of 
barbarians of various countries, lan- 
guages and habits of life; some shout- 
ing and singing aloud, others firing off 
their pieces loaded with ball into the 
air; is closed by the commanders of 
different ranks, superbly apparelled, 
and surrounded by multitudes of inso- 
lent attendants and servants ; liberally 
exercising their cudgels on all who do 
not keep a duly respectful distance 
from their haughty masters. Notwith- 
standing their brutality, yet it is under 
the protection of these attendants that 
the Greek suttlers and canteeners, the 
Jew furnishers of clothing, old or new, 
the gypsey blacksmiths, conjurors, and 
fortune-tellers, poultry-stealers, and 
when requisite,executioners, place them- 
selves. 
No Turkish army ever takes the 
field without Jewish contractors and 
furnishers ; for they supply the Spahis 
and Timariotes with barley for their 
horses, and bread-corn for the men; 
unless the army be to remain for some 
time in one position; when the sur- 
rounding country, friend or foe, is 
equally laid under contribution. 
When on a march, the army halt for 
the night, and the attendants are em- 
ployed to set up tents for the comman- 
ders; the bazars, or markets, are opened 
in various parts of the camp. The 
scouring parties produce the sheep, &c. 
they have stolen; the gipsies open 
their bags of poultry, often suffocated 
by the sulphur burnt under the trees 
or roosts to bring them down; the 
suttlers and coffee-men display their 
stores and stoves ; the Jews their scales 
for exchange of money; the soldiers 
sing to the sound of their lute; the 
seraskier ov commander holds his court 5 
the great men give and receive visits 
of ceremony :—but all this time no 
out-post, not even a sentinel is appoint- 
ed; every one lays him down to rest 
under the protection of that fatality in 
which the essence of Mussulmanism 
consists. 
For 
