32 VISITING CEREMONIES 



siderable number of persons are generally seen 

 assembled below the step in the room of any 

 person of rank or consequence. 



A visitor, if he be of equal rank with the master 

 of the house, is met by him, who advances down 

 the step to receive him. If the owner be a person 

 in authority, he will probably content himself 

 with rising on the stranger making his bow ; but a 

 pasha will remain sitting cross-legged on the 

 divan. The visitor makes his bow, and the Turk 

 returns the compliment by pressing his right hand 

 to his breast, and bending his body forward 

 slightly in a very graceful manner. This done, 

 the visitor seats himself on the divan, which, if he 

 be an European in tight trowsers, straps, and 

 boots, he will find no easy matter, because the 

 divan being soft he sinks into it so deep, that his 

 body, the position of its centre of gravity being 

 entirely changed, has a tendency to overbalance 

 itself and throw the legs up to the front. The 

 corner of the divan is considered the seat of 

 honour, consequently no one should seat himself 

 there without being invited to do so ; indeed, in 

 most well-furnished houses the corner is dis- 

 tinguished by a handsome cushion. An Euro- 



