A RIDE TO MAGNESIA. 157 



who were in presence with the Capitan Pasha lately 

 on the coast of Syria, were surprised at the improved 

 state of their powers of nautical evolution. But this 

 is merely an effort, whose effects cannot last, for the 

 stuff is not in them of which a sailor is made. Their 

 look and bearing is enough to condemn them imme- 

 diately, and, moreover, enough to show that the train- 

 ing is by no means agreeable to them. Now all these 

 dragoons looked as if their occupation was exactly to 

 their taste, and as if they were proud of their horses 

 and themselves. The only absurdity on the parade 

 (for there was an absurdity, or it would have been 

 contrary to all Turkish precedent) was, that after the 

 colonel as gallant-looking a fellow as one would wish 

 to see came his pipe-bearer, with the tools of his 

 craft strapped to his back. This certainly did come 

 at the tail of the procession with something of the air 

 of an anti-climax. 



We followed closely after them to see the fun, and 

 arrived at the parade-ground before the barracks just as 

 they had dismounted, and were walking about their 

 horses to cool. We had some little hesitation about 

 venturing among them, for they have curious notions 

 on the subject of the evil eye ; and it had happened to 

 one of our friends to get a particularly good pummel- 

 ling from some soldiers, merely for looking attentively 

 at their horses. But these men were very civil, and 

 even- invited our approach. One or two of the officers 

 spoke to us. Presently came a man who beckoned 



