192 FROM CONSTANTINOPLE, 
CHAP, when he so beautifully celebrates the freezing 
I. 
V I [ »y ■! II ' 
of the Euxine off the mouths of the Danuhe\ 
Grand sig- The passage over Mount Hcemus was not con- 
rnVmbi- sidered as being open this year before the end 
?«rT/° oi March. About the same time our Ambas- 
sador made it known to us, that it was the 
intention of the Porte to send a Minister Pleni- 
potentiary to Paris; and that we might avail 
ourselves of this opportunity to travel under his 
protection. To this proposal we gladly assented ; 
and an application being made for the purpose 
to his Excellency in Constantinople, and to the 
Reis Effendi, the plan was approved of, as being 
mutually advantageous ; because the addition 
of our party would add strength to that of the 
The Au- Turkish Ambassador. Being allowed a few days 
thor pre- 
pares to to get ready for the journey, our Ambassador 
pany the adviscd US to prepare some travelling uniform, 
^^'^" with a little more lace and finery than usual; as 
it would be necessary, both for our safety and 
convenience, that the Turkish escort should be 
impressed with an opinion of our being persons 
of rank : and we were instructed to maintain as 
much outward parade as possible, that we 
might not be ill-treated by our companions 
(l) Vide Trist. lib. ill. Eleg. 10. 
