504 Account of a Mission from Turkey to the British Court. 
Complying with their request, we attended the dévdn of the king on several 
occasions, observing the ceremony of wearing the khordsdni turban. 
The day of the first audience being remarkably fine, and the sun, which 
had not been seen for forty days, having made its appearance, flattering 
compliments were addressed to us, explaining this appearance of the sun as 
an auspicious sign of the good fortune of the Sublime Porte. To this we 
replied in appropriate terms, by saying, that we had also seen the QuEEN ; 
and after many flattering words and compliments, we returned home to 
repose. In very truth, the appearance of the sun on this day was a par- 
ticular favour of heaven, by which the splendour of the show was heightened 
and enhanced. There was but one voice amongst the nobility and the 
people, namely, that so splendid an audience had never been seen. God 
be praised! God be praised! 
On Thursday, the day after the first audience, we sent by our interpreter 
to the Prince of Watns, the trifling presents we had prepared for him; to 
the Duke of Yorx, a horse caparisoned, together with a bow and arrows ; 
to his lady the Duchess, a parcel of shawls and a’tr of roses; to the third 
son, a sword and an ornamented musket, together with a bow and arrows ; 
to the King, the Queen, and six princesses, shawls and a’tr of roses, in- 
quiring at the same time after their healths. We also presented the Master 
of Ceremonies, the Secretary of State, the mihmdndar, and the Chamberlain, 
with parcels of shawls ; and others with such presents as were due to their 
rank; doing our utmost to support the magnificence and splendour of the 
Sublime Porte. 
