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walked on each side of him. I saw him, however, in 
front, and made him a salutation which he condes- 
cendingly returned. He seemed pale and even wither- 
ed; his caftan was reddish; the beauty, the richness, 
and brilliancy of the rose and plume of diamonds 
which decorated his head, are beyond all description. 
Three great officers of state followed immediately 
behind the Sultan; one of them carried a high turban 
ornamented with a rose and a plume of diamonds 
similar to that which the Sultan wore: the two others 
carried each a kaouk, or turban, of the ordinary size 
and form. These three turbans belong to his high- 
ness, who puts them on his head during the different 
ceremonies in the mosque. They were half covered 
with rich cloths. 
Then came a numerous procession of distinguish- 
ed personages on horseback, in their ordinary dresses 
and turbans, without any distinctive sign. I was in- 
formed that they were the first nobility of the empire, 
the sons and nephews of princes, &c. The whole pro- 
cession was closed by a troop of soldiers. 
The turbans of the kaimakam of the Grand Vizier 
and of the Reis EfFendi had, as a mark of distinction, 
a gold tissue fringe mixed in the muslin. I remarked 
several negro officers of distinction in the procession, 
with horrible faces, dressed and equipped with the 
same richness as the others. The chief of the black 
eunuchs wore the same mark of distinction in his tur- 
ban as the Grand Vizier. The principal personages in 
the procession had each a servant or officer behind 
them, bearing a turban of the common size covered 
with a rich cloth; this turban they wear in the mosque 
during the prayers, instead of the turban of ceremony, 
which they then lay aside. 
