710 



EUROPEAN TURKEY. 



hard, the disease strikes upon the inward parts, and he dies. The general custom has been to 

 reduce the inflammation by bleeding and otherwise ; but Dr. Madden has lately been emi- 

 nently successful in the opposite course. He supposed, that nature should be assisted in the 

 formation of the sores, and gave large quantities of brandy, even in extreme cases, with the 

 greatest success. With this treatment 75 in 100 recovered. 



12. Traveling. In European Turkey, posts are established, but the horses are very infe- 

 rior, and they are to be had only on the chief routes. Jt is a service of difficulty, endurance, 

 and danger to reach Constantinople by land from Vienna. In leaving Austria, the traveler's 

 hardships and perils are increased ; and his journey is always among those who have little re- 

 spect for his life or property. There are but two reasons that lead Europeans to travel in this 

 country, curiosity or gain. But the gratifications to the former are so numerous, that many 

 adventurers have explored the parts where the danger and privation are greatest. Foreigners, 

 who do not travel in parties, generally go under tlie direction of a guide or attendant on horse- 

 back. The roads are passable for rude carriages. The only accommodation that may be 

 generally relied upon is shelter, though this is not always to be had. There are, however, 

 inns, or caravanserais, at which may be had a shelter like that of a stable, with a provision of 

 chopped straw for the horses. It is seldom that they are furnished with food. It is well for 

 the European traveler to supply himself with a Janissary cloak, a thick garment of goat's or 

 camel's hair, and, if he is in haste, to put himself under the care of one of the Tartar couriers, 

 who are familiar with the route. It will conduce somewhat to his comfort, also, to assume a dress 

 of the country ; and the greater the poverty it indicates, the less is the danger from robbers, 

 or the vexation from extortioners. There is danger from robbers in many of the less settled 

 parts of Turkey, and there is extortion everywhere. It is to be lamented, that countries, 

 which it would otherwise be so agreeable to visit, and that have many interesting antiquities, 

 should be so difficult to explore. Most of these dangers have, indeed, disappeared of late 

 years ; still, tliere is little comfort or pleasure in traveling here. 



13. Character^ Jlfanners, and Customs. In describing national character, it is of the Turks 

 only, that it is safe to speak in very precise terms. The character of a whole people is sel- 

 dom so uniform, that it may be described in a few words ; yet almost all travelers in Turkey 

 concur in describing the Turks as ignorant, fanatic, arrogant, and sanguinary ; treacherous to 

 enemies, and perfidious to friends. The ignorance of a Turk is more than negative ; it is pos- 

 itive hostility to knowledge. Those who know more languages than one, often conceal the 

 knowledge, to avoid tlie disgrace attached to it. These, however, are few, and, until the 

 Greek Revolution, none but Greeks were found capable of performing the duties of dragoman, 

 or diplomatic interpreter. With this passion for ignorance, it is not strange, that the Turks are 

 as little enlightened as they were before they " encamped " in Europe.* Wherever the Turks 

 have authority, commerce and manufactures have few followers ; art and science languish, the 

 very earth seems to be blasted, and agriculture itself has hardly an existence. The arrogance 

 and fanaticism of the Turks are at least equal to their ignorance. Their creed inculcates no 

 toleration for infidels, and it prefers extermination to conversion. The best epithet be&towed 

 upon a Christian, is dog ; and it is sometimes changed for other terms of reproach. A Janis- 

 sary attendant upon foreigners, used to be called a hog-driver ; and when a European ambassa- 

 dor communicated to the grand vizier the marriage of the imperial family that he represented, 

 he received for answer the gracious assurance, that the Sublime Porte did not concern itself in 

 the union of one hog with another. Madden, who had lately the best opportunities for esti- 

 mating the Turks, fortifies our description in almost every particular. He says, that he never 



* A Turk, however, in the presence of a Frank, is 

 willing to receive credit for knowledge. This day, at 

 noon, the author having found an excellent sextant in the 

 ward-room, which had been taken from a French prisoner, 

 made an observation of the ship's latitude ; and calcu- 

 laiing, as well as he was able, the course she had made, 

 upon a cliart belonging to one of the Ragusans, ascer- 

 tained her position, fat. 34° 50', Frencli long. 48°. As 

 the pilot on board, being out of sight of land, knew noth- 

 ing of her situation, he sent the chart, with a respectful 

 message to the captain, telling him the ship's latitude, and 

 her probable distance from Rhodes, Finica Bay, Cyprus, 

 &c. Upon this, he was summoned, with the Ragusan, 

 into the cabin, and immediately asked, how he could pre- 

 tend to know where tlie ship then was ? Having stated 



that he had ascertained this by means of a sextant found 

 in a drawer of the ward-room, and a calculation of the 

 ship's course, according to the common observations daily 

 made on board English and other ships, the Ragusan was 

 despatched to bring the thing called sextant instantly be- 

 fore the captain. This instrument being altogether in- 

 comprehensible to him, he contented himself with view- 

 ing it in every direction, except that in which it might be 

 used; and, stroking his long beard, said to the Ragusan, 

 ' Thus it is always, with these poor djowrs (infidels), they 

 can make nothing out without some peeping contrivance 

 of this kind; now vc Turks, require no sextans, — we, 

 (pointing with his finger to his forehead,) ice have oui 

 sextans here' " — Clarke's Travels. 



