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My third excursion, which took place on the first day 
of Easter, was for the purpose of examining the bot- 
tom of the port. 
All the Ottoman ships had their flag hoisted, but as 
there was a perfect calm, they did not appear to advan- 
tage. I counted thirty ships, frigates, and corvettes, 
twenty of which were fit for sea, and ten gun-boats. 
I admired the fine elevation of the bombardiers bar- 
racks, near which a range of mortars were firing sa- 
lutes. 
After having passed before the mosque, the quarter 
of Eyoub, the different pleasure- houses of the Sultan, 
I found the channel of the port contracted and divided 
into several channels between some islands, which are 
half covered with water and reeds. The boat entered 
afterwards into a channel of fresh water, which flows from 
a village called Belgrade, about three hours journey dis- 
tant. Having passed under two wooden bridges at some 
distance from each other, which cross the canal, I leapt 
ashore to visit a pleasure-house belonging to the Sultan, 
situated on the right of the canal, more than an hour's 
journey from the place of my embarkation. It consists 
of several houses upon the right of the canal, and of a 
very fine kiosk with marble columns. The roofs are 
richly gilt; the middle of the room is adorned with a 
fountain; on one side is seen the Sultan's sofa, com- 
posed of a mattrass and some red cushions embroider- 
ed with gold; the whole placed upon a platform, and 
half covered with the Ottoman flag in the form of a 
curtain. 
This kiosk is in form of a cascade, where the water 
falls down steps in the form of large shells along the 
whole width of the canal, which may be about seventy 
feet. Below is a square tank, from which the water 
