0 
CLARICE'S TRAVELS. 
The first place to which my observations were directed, was 
the imperial armoury : and here, to my great gratification, I 
beheld the weapons, shields, and militate engines of the Greek 
emperors, exactly corresponding with those represented on the 
medals and bas-reliefs of the ancients, suspended as trophies of 
the capture of the city by the Turks. It is true, my stay 
there was not of sufficient duration to enable me to bring 
away any other than this brief representation of what I saw. 
A bostanghy soon put a stop to the gratification of my ca¬ 
llosity, and I was compelled to retreat; but even the transient 
view, thus obtained, was sufficient to excite a belief, that 
other interesting remains of the Palace of the Csesars might 
also be similarly preserved. This conjecture was not without 
foundation : nor is it at all remarkable, that, in a lapse of time 
which does not exceed the period that has intervened since 
the armour of Henry the Sixth was deposited in the Tower 
of Londou, the reliques of Roman power should be thus disco¬ 
vered. It is only singular, that, during all the inquiries 
which have taken place respecting this remarkable city, such 
remains should have been unnoticed. In answer to my earnest 
entreaty for the indulgence of a few moments, to be employed 
in further examination, it was explained to me, that, if the old 
armour was an object of my curiosity, I might have full leisure 
to survey it, when carried on sumpter-horses, in the great an¬ 
nual procession of the grand signior, at the opening of the 
Bairim , which was shortly to take place, and where I after¬ 
ward saw’ it exhibited. 
Soon after this, some pages, belonging to the seraglio, 
brought from the sultan’s apartments the fragments of a mag¬ 
nificent vase of jasper-agate, which, it was said, his highness had 
dashed to pieces in a moment of anger. As these fragments 
were cast away, and disregarded, they came at last into the 
hands of a poor lapidary, who earned a scanty livelihood by 
cutting and polishing stones for the signet rings of the Turks. # 
In one of my mineralogical excursions, the merchants of the 
bezesteti, where jewels are sold, directed me to the laboratory 
of this man, to obtain the precious stones of the country in 
their natural state. He was then employed upon the fragments 
of this vase, and very gladly spared the labour which he would 
* The Turks rarely write themselves : they employ scribes, who stand ready for 
Aire in the streets ; and afterward apply a signet, which has been previously rubbed 
ever with Indian ink, by way of voucher for the manuscript. 
