443 
TO CONSTANTINOPLE. 
point of view it is considered, is unequalled in chap. 
the interest it excites ; whether with reference ■ X1 ‘ 
to the surprising nature of its origin; to its 
antient history ; to the matchless beauty of its 
scenery; to its extraordinary animal produc- 
tions ; to the number of rare plants, blooming 
amidst its towering precipices ; to its fleets and 
gondolas, towns and villages, groves and gar- 
dens, the coemeteries of the dead, and the walks 
of the living; to its painted Aullas, virandas, 
flowery terraces, domes, towers, quays, and 
mouldering edifices: all these, in their turn, 
excite and gratify curiosity; while the dress 
and manners of the inhabitants, contrasting the 
splendid costume and indolence of the East 
with the plainer garb and the activity of the 
West, offer to the stranger an endless source of 
reflection and amusement. 
It was near midnight when we returned from Approach 
this excursion. On the following morning we X °inopu° n 
determined to leave the Moderato, and proceed 
to Constantinople, in one of the gondolas that ply 
in the Canal for hire. These boats are more 
beautiful than the gondolas of Venice ; and they 
are often very richly ornamented, although they 
have not any awning. They are swifter than 
any of our boats upon the Thames: this fact was 
ascertained by an actual contest, between a 
