i6 Travels' into tbê h ew an t. Part I. 
d 
men commonly put off their Shoes when they enter them, for fear of fpoil- 
ing the Carpets : The Walls are faced with pure Tiles, like Cliina : In all the 
Halls and Chambers they have a rifing half a foot or a foot high from the 
nivins. Floor, which they call Divans ^ and thefe are covered with richer Carpets, 
than the reft of the Room, with embroidered Cufliions fet againft the Wall j 
upon thefe Divans thty reft, receive v^its, and fpend the beft part of the 
day. In all Palaces the Womens appartment is feparated from the reft of 
the Lodgings, and no Man enters it, unlefs the Malter of the Houfe, orfome 
Eunuch. There are alfo many great buildings in the City, in form of the 
— Cloyfters of Monks, which they call Hans ; they confift for the moft part of 
a large Iquare Court, in the middle whereof there is a Fountain with a great 
Bafon, and Arches all round the Court, under which, all along the Walls, are 
the Doors of the Chambers, which are all alike, and have each of them a 
Chimney : Thefe Arches fupport a Gallery that ranges all round the Court, 
The Lodge- ^^^^ below ; and this Gallery has alfo Chambers on the fide, like to thofe 
ings of Aier- that are underneath ; thefe Hans zxt for lodging of Merchants. If you would 
chants. have a lodging room there, you muft fpeak to the Porter of the Han^ who 
keeps all the Keys, and for opening it, as they call it, you give him a Piajîre, 
or half Piaftre ; and for every day you ftay there, one, two, or three ^fpres, 
according to the rate that is fet ; you may hire a Ware-houfe for goods in 
the fame manner. Thefe Hans are very well built, and the chief Walls are 
of Free-ftone. The faireft in Confiamimfle^h x.h5t vjhich ca\kd P^alida Hhafie, 
the Han of the Sultana Mother, becaufe the Mother of the prefent Grand 
Signior built it: It is a very convenient place for ftrangers, who always find 
a Houfe ready to hire, and at an eafie rate, fo that having a Quilt, ibme 
Coverings, Carpets and Cufhions, you have a furnilhed Houlc to lodge in j 
and thefe Hans yield a very confiderable revenue to thofe to whom they be- 
Tlie Hoiifes \o^g. As to the Houfes of Confiantimple^ they are very ordinary, and almoft 
L mean"""''' Wood, which is the caufe that when Fires happen, as they do very 
often, they make great havock amongft them, efpecially if a wind blow: 
there were three Fires in Coitftannnople in the fpace of eight months that I 
?uch s?ea fojourned there ; the firft hapned on the day of my arrival, and burnt down 
to"fire. Qi^t thoufand Houfes ; the other two were not fo great. In the time of 
Sultan,<JmHrat, fuch a^re raged there for three days, and three nights, as 
ruined one half of the Town 5 it is true, the Houfes being but little, and 
built morepf Timber than any thing elfe, they are foon rebuilt again, and 
Baltadgis ^ ^^^^^ matter. For putting a flop to thefe fires, there are men called 
Baltadgis, that's to fay. Hatchet-men, who have a conftant pay from the 
Grand Signior : When a fire breaks out in any place , they beat down the 
neighbouring Houfes with Hatchets, beginning fometiraes twenty or thirty 
Houfes from the fire ^ for the fire runs fo faft, that it is foon up with them ; 
thefe fires moft commonly are occafioned byTobacoj for the Turks eafily fall 
Caufes ef fire, afleep with a lighted Pipe in their mouths ; and feeing they fmoak when they 
are in Bed, it is very eafie for the Fire that falls out of their Pipes, to take 
on materials that are fo prepared to receive it. Thefe accidents of fire are ^ 
fometimes alfo occafioned by the Souldiers, who raife a fire with defign to 
rob Houfes, whilft the people are labouring to quench it. The ftreets of 
Confiantimple are very ugly,being for the moft part narrow5crooked,up-hilIand 
down-hill. There are lèverai Market-places in the City ; but one muft fee the 
Great Bete, è^^^^ Bez,efiain, which is a very large round Hal],built all of Free-ftone, and 
fiain. enclofed with very thick Walls ^ the Shops are within round the Hall, as in 
Weftminfter-UzW ; and in thefe Shops the moft coftly Goods are to be fold • 
There are four Gates into this Hall, which are very ftrong, and Ihut every 
night -, no body lies there, and all the care they take is to (hut their Shops 
The liue Be- ^^^^ night. There is another Bez.eJ}ain in the City, but lefs, where Goods 
=iejiain. of fmaller value are to be fold. 
CHAP. 
