388 
two of the gates of this inclosure; they are far from cor- 
responding with the majesty of the palace. 
One of these gates, which was guarded by the bos- 
tandjis, opens upon a large irregular court, in which is 
the mint, where I saw several coins struck; the screw 
of the die was moved by three men, and a fourth pre- 
sented the pieces under the matrix. In the same court 
is a house, which is used as a depot for ancient arms. 
The walls of the vestibule are covered with shields, and 
various kinds of armour for men and horses. 
There is another gate at the bottom of the court 
guarded by bostandjis, eunuchs, and other officers, who 
would never permit me to advance further. I perceived 
from this gate a second court, very large, with several 
kiosks and detached edifices. This is all the account I 
can give of the seraglio of the Grand Seignior, which 
has been described by persons who have seen it, or pre- 
tend to have seen it. I could have obtained permission 
to view it, but I would not employ money for this pur- 
pose, because if I had displayed a certain show of mag- 
nificence and grandeur, I should have sacrificed the 
sweet independence that I began to enjoy in the sort of 
obscurity which I desired to preserve. It was on this 
account that I kept away from court, and avoided pre- 
sented myself to Moussa Pacha, my friend at Alexan- 
dria, who was then Kaimakam to the Grand Vizier, 
that is to say, the first functionary in the empire at Con- 
stantinople, whenever the Grand Vizier is with the 
army; as he then was with that of Adrianopoli. He, I 
am sure, would have treated me as a brother, if I had 
chosen to appear at court. 
Upon leaving the seraglio, I passed through the 
Grand Vizier's house; I traversed a saloon upon the 
ground floor, at the end of which there was an elevation 
