CONSTANTINOPLE. 103 
as a perfectly straight stem is always a rare chap. 
article, fraudulent imitations are sold, which are ^ _' . 
prepared with such ingenuity as sometimes to 
defy the nicest inspection. These are made by 
splicing together different pieces of the wood, 
and afterwards covering the whole over with 
fresh slips of bark, fastened on with glue. The 
bowls for these tckibouques are generally made of 
a fine red or black earthenware, plain, or orna- 
mented with gilding. There is a particular 
sort of red clay more highly esteemed than any 
other for this purpose ; the bowls made of it 
are therefore stamped with Turkish characters ; 
and they are always sold plain, without any 
ornament of gilding. 
As we resided nearly three months in Pera, ^ranner of 
visiting the 
after our return from Greece, our visits to Con- city. 
stantinople were made leisurely and often ; some- 
times being accompanied by a Janissary, but 
more frequently \vithout any such incumbrance. 
Now and then an unpleasant adventure oc- 
curred, owing to the ill -behaviour of a few 
fanatical Turks; but, generally speaking, such 
instances were rare, and they were reprobated 
even by the Turks themselves. Once the author 
received a violent blow from a ragged beggar, 
who came behind him, and was offended 
M 2 
