366 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1499, 
tities where the buildings are of 
ftone, the flames are feeén partially, 
or are overpowered with fmoke. 
Of the Trade of Conftantinople, the Coffee 
houfes, and Method of taking Opium. 
From the fame. 
HE merchandife and trade of 
Conftantinople are carried on 
principally in the khans, bazars, and 
bezeftin, according to the cuftom of 
the eaft, each of which requires a 
fummary defcription. 
The khans* are {pacious ftruc- 
tures with quadrangles, erected by 
the munificence of the fultans, or 
fome of the royal family, for the 
public benefit. They are entirely 
furrounded by a cloifter and colo- 
nade, into which numerous cells 
open, generally repeated for three 
ftories, are built with ftone, and fire- 
proof. Here the merchants from 
every part of the empire, who tra- 
vel with caravans, are received with 
accommodations for themfelves and 
their valuable traffic. 
In the bazars are affembled dea- 
lers of each nation under the Turk- 
ifh government, who have fmall. 
fhops in front; and a room behind, 
for their wares. Thefe are very ex- 
' tenfive cloifters of ftone, lofty, and 
lighted by domes; are admirably 
adapted to the climate, and in fum- 
mer are extremely cool. One, call- 
ed the Mi/r Chari/é, or Egyptian 
market, is fet apart for the mer- 
chandife of Cairo, chiefly minerals 
and drugs, and isa great curiofity 
for the naturalift. 
Other quarters are occupied by 
the working jewellers, where raw 
jewels may be advantageoufly pur 
chafed; and by the bookfellers, 
who. have each his affortment of 
Turkifh, Arabic, and Perfian MSS. 
of which they do not always know 
the value, but demand a confidera- 
ble price. The oriental {cholar may 
here find MSS. equally beautiful 
and rare, as fince the civil commo- 
tions in Perfia, the moft elegant 
books, taken in plunder, have been 
fent to Conftantinople for fale, to 
avoid detection. 
The ftaple articles of importation 
from England are cloth and block 
tin, as the confumption of both is 
very great. Englifh watches. pre- 
pared for the Levant market, are 
more in demand than thofe of other 
Frank nations, and are one of the 
firft articles of luxury that a Turk 
purchafes or changes if he has mo- 
ney to fpare. 
The national character is here 
admirably difcriminated; and to in- 
veftigate it with fuccefs, no place 
offers fuch opportunities as thefe 
markets. 
A ftranger will wonder to fee fo 
many of their fhops left open with- 
outa mafter or guard; but pilfering 
is not'a Turkith vice. : 
He fhould be informed previouf- 
ly, that no article of commerce has 
a ftated price; bargains muft be 
made, and the bafeft impofition is 
counted fair gain. The Turk is’ 
fixed to his fhop-board with his legs 
under him for many hours, and ne~ 
ver relaxes into civility with his 
Frank cuftomer, but from the hopes 
ofadvaniage. One may venture to 
give him two thirds of his demand ; 
but to thofe of other nations not 
more than half. The Greek, more 
* The firft khan was built by Ibrahim Khan, the Vifier of Solyman I. who 
gave them a general name, fynonimous with hote!. 
. pliant 
