CONSTANTINOPLE. 17 
within the walls of the palace. Upon those 
occasions, the black eunuchs examine ■ every 
part of the garden, and run before the women, 
calling out to all persons to avoid approaching 
or beholding them, under pain of death. The 
gardener, and his friend the Swede, instantly 
closed all the shutter.-, and locked the doors. 
The black eunuchs, arriving soon after, and 
finding the lodge shut, supposed the gardener 
to be absent. Presently followed the Sultan Description 
. , , ^ ' . . . , of the four 
Mother, with the four prmcipal Sultanas, who principal 
were in high glee, romping and laughing with 
each other. A small scullery window, of the 
gardener's lodge, looked directly towards the 
gate, through which these ladies were to pass ; 
and was separated from it only by a few yards. 
Here, through two small gimlet-holes, bored 
for the purpose, they beheld very distinctly the 
features of the women, whom they described 
as possessing extraordinary beauty. Three of 
the four were Georgians, having dark com- 
plexions, and very long dark hair; but the 
fourth was remarkably fair, and her hair, also 
of singular length and thickness, was of a flaxen 
colour : neither were their teeth dyed black, as 
those of Turkish females generally are. The 
Swedish gentleman said, he was almost sure that 
these women suspected they were seen, from 
the address they manifested in displaying their 
