656 
JANISSARIES, OR TATARS. 
He was returning to Constantinople; and proved a not unwelcome 
stimulus to the aguish courage of our own military conductor. 
Two fiercer-looking heroes, I believe, can hardly be found any 
where; and, indeed, I may say, that, for insolence in office, and 
ruffianly conceit of themselves, nothing can exceed this order 
of men, when in situations where they may indulge both with 
any idea of impunity. Within these choppar-khanahs they 
are perfectly imperial; commanding to the right, and bowed to 
on the left, as if the Grand Seignior himself were laced in their 
doublets. The moment one of these Tatars arrive, all the cus¬ 
tomary idlers about a post-house, hurry forward to help the 
great man from his horse ; which being permitted with all the 
state of conscious claim to such deference, he stalks into the 
house, leaving the officious assistants to unload his baggage also. 
This very scene occurred at our present menzil. Ahmed Aga 
no sooner came in view of its burrow-holes, than he seemed 
quite on his own territory ; and having been thus ushered into 
the most eminent place, instead of returning, as I expected, to 
give report of the accommodation, he appeared to have forgotten 
that his duty there was to provide for me ; and after waiting a 
quarter of an hour outside, I at last poked my own head into 
the horrible den, which breathed a furnace from its very door, 
and at the top of the apartment I saw him snugly seated by the 
fire, drinking his coffee and smoking his pipe. Sedak Beg had 
followed me in, and his zealous voice soon sounded an admo¬ 
nitory peal in the ears of the pompous gentleman, surprising 
to the gaping crowd, his worshippers, and which made him 
instantly bestir himself to give me place in that part of the 
chamber. But independent of this sort of voluntary homage, 
paid to the self-important great man, these choppar-khanahs 
