A VISIT TO THE BAZAARS. 
133 
upon which people are expected to walk ; and not only peo¬ 
ple, hut horses, mules, asses, and sometimes camels. Now, 
walking is a simple operation in itself, and requires no great 
skill, but, coupled with these slippery stones and unexpected 
holes, these long wooden spikes, shop-stands, and bales of 
merchandise, it becomes an operation of great intricacy, and 
requires much study; it is, in fact, an art; one of the fine 
arts of Constantinople. Many an unlucky wight has been 
sacrificed in the pursuit, under the vain impression that 
ordinary proficiency would answer. You are now supposed 
to be looking up at a Greek capote, quite unconscious of 
harm. Guar da! guar da l yells a hoarse voice; it is the 
voice of a Kamil. These lusty fellows, that you see trot¬ 
ting along through the crowd, four at each end of a long 
pole, with a hogshead slung in the middle, are the burden- 
carriers, the draymen of Stamboul and Galata, who carry 
hogsheads, boxes, stones, and burdens of all kinds on their 
poles; each pole acting as a powerful battering-ram on the 
human head. Guar da ! guar da ! roars the Kamil , dexter¬ 
ously aiming the pole at the corner of your eye. By a lucky 
instinct you start and dodge it; that time he has missed his 
aim. Scarcely have you escaped this danger when a clat¬ 
tering of hoofs startles you again. It is a fine horse, mounted 
by a Turkish officer. You admire the embroidery on the 
officer’s uniform, while he coolly endeavors to ride over you— 
it would be so amusing to see a Christian under the horse’s 
feet! You jump across the street at a single bound, flushed 
with indignation, but before you can say BosK ! a man with a 
heavy burden on his back, and his head bowed down so low 
that he can only see six inches before him, runs into you, de¬ 
priving you effectually of all powers of articulation ; without 
breath a man can not even swear by the beard of the Prophet. 
About the time you recover from the effects of this attack, a 
mule laden with kegs of water, which operate as outriggers 
on each side, bears down upon you so unexpectedly that you 
are scraped up and turned around by the main force of head¬ 
way, and precipitated backward over a door-sill into the lap of 
an industrious artisan, who is at that moment refreshing him- 
