380 
19 obliged always to carry with him. They march 
without arms, having only a little wand in their hands. 
Afterwards came ten superb parade horses, belong- 
ing to the Sultan, all very large and of different 
colours, with great horse-clothes richly embroidered 
in gold and silver; the saddles also were covered with 
a magnificent cloth. 
The Sultan mounted upon a superb horse, ar- 
rived in his turn, preceded by thirty Bostandjis 
guards, armed with small gilt halberts. On each side 
of the Sultan were four officers, who may be called 
the skreens of the Sultan, on account of the immense 
plumage they wore upon their heads, which so hides 
the person of his highness, that it is difficult to obtain 
a sight of him. I had however a good front view of 
him, and observed him attentively with my glass, as 
long as I could. His face is extremely long, and his 
nose also, though not very prominent; he has large 
eyes; the paleness of his complexion is relieved by a 
slight colour in his cheeks; he appeared to me to be of 
a middling height, not lusty, and rather lively. He was 
dressed in a simple pelisse, but his turban was orna- 
mented with a superb rose of extremely large dia- 
monds, and of a dazzling brilliancy. Upon his entrance 
into the court of the temple, he made a slight salute 
by placing his right hand upon his breast, and looking 
to the right and left. The most profound silence 
reigned until he had arrived at the door of the 
mosque; as soon as he alighted a dozen men who 
were at the door cried out " Long live the Sultan." 
After the Sultan came the chief of the black eu- 
nuchs, whose figure is really frightful. He was richly 
dressed, mounted upon a magnificent horse, similar to 
that of the Sultan, and surrounded by his servants on 
