ADVENTURE WITH SENTINEL. 257 



have sufficient sharpness to act as a first-rate pair 

 of Maxwell's spurs. 



As we were returning from our ride, and were 

 crossing the wooden bridge across the Golden 

 Horn, which connects the Turkish side with Pera, 

 I heard, on a sudden, a noise behind me, and 

 looking round, saw a Turkish sentry belabouring 

 with his firelock the three hindmost of our party. 

 They were defending themselves by parrying his 

 blows with their sticks, and, from the aspect of 

 affairs, I was deliberating whether to join in the 

 fray or not, when the sentry, having dealt out a 

 few blows to each, ran off, and returned to his 

 post at the entrance of the bridge. The parties 

 thus insulted shewed most admirable command of 

 temper, and did not knock the sentry down, and 

 did not throw him into the Bosphorus, as many 

 would have done in the like circumstances ; but 

 very wisely reflecting that they, being the ag- 

 grieved parties, would be entitled to redress, on 

 applying to the proper authorities, they rode on 

 quietly to Mr. Cartwright, the British consul- 

 general, and through him preferred a complaint 

 to the Seraskier. 



As we were leaving Constantinople almost 



