CONSTANTINOPLE. 
119 
clear and soft, and spangled with countless brilliant stars. 
There was a loom of darkness visible in the distance, shape¬ 
less and shadowy as a cloud resting on the horizon; all eyes 
were turned toward it; that is to say, all eyes that were 
open, for the mass of the deck passengers were snoring away 
in perfect indifference to the Sublime Sultan and all his 
dominions. The women in the cage, however, were chatter¬ 
ing like so many magpies, as usual whether by day or night; 
and about the bulwarks were lounging some of the more 
enthusiastic Turks and Arabs, who were awakened probably 
by the chattering, or unable to sleep, like myself, from a 
fevered state of the imagination; the very men whose con¬ 
versation about Stamboul had so charmed me. 
“ Where is it?” said I to an old Turk, who reminded me 
of the pictures of Mahomet, “ is that it where the lights are ?” 
“ Stamboul!” replied the old man, nodding. “ There is no¬ 
thing in sight but that dark hill, is there ?” “ Stamboul!” 
rejoined the Turk. “ I can’t see it,” said I. “ Stamboul!” 
cried the old man pettishly. “ You don’t speak English, do 
you, sir ?” “ Stamboul!” he bawled at the top of his voice, 
“ Stamboul! Stamboul!” It was quite evident that the old 
gentleman was touched on the subject of Stamboul, so I said 
no more. To the best of my knowledge he never uttered a 
word but Stamboul while he remained on the steamer; and 
even long after sunrise, when every body with eyes could see 
the well-known mosques and minarets within gunshot, he 
continued to point at them and repeat to every passenger, 
“ Stamboul! Stamboul!” 
As the day opened fair and clear, the outlines of the higher 
points broke out through the morning atmosphere and stood 
in bold relief against the sky, and soon the whole magnificent 
view was revealed with the startling effect of an optical illu¬ 
sion. Mosques and minarets there were in profusion, palaces 
with all the architectural ornament of oriental taste, rising 
from within the walls of the city, hemmed around with green 
shrubbery; round white domes, glittering like globes of snow; 
strangely-colored houses, with projecting roofs and grated 
windows; the Turkish flags waving on the towers; sails 
