z6j. ALE 
fence of an European; and is further confirmed by the 
ordinary behaviour of the boys, who talk to the women 
in an imperious manner, which they could only have 
learned from example. The men perhaps judge it politic 
to alfuine this demeanour, in a fituation where dominion 
may be fuppofed to be maintained with more difficulty 
than among their male dependants; and therefore ven¬ 
ture only in hours of retirement to avow that gentlenefs, 
which, as if derogatory from their dignity, they think 
■prudent, in their general cond'udft, to conceal from per- 
fons vvhofe obedience they believe can alone be fecured 
by an air of Item authority. Perfons of diftinftion, who 
are in office, leave the Harem early in the morning, and, 
two hours after noon excepted, pals mod of their time in 
the outer apartments. But others, who have little bufi- 
nefs, and the luxurious young men of all denominations, 
lounge many hours in their Harem. Some allowance, in 
this refpect, is made to youth, for fome weeks after mar¬ 
riage ; but an effeminate charafter, which is by no means 
refpeCtable among the men, is far from being acceptable 
to the women. The prefence of the men, at unufual 
hours in the daytime, lays the v. hole Harem under re- 
ftraint, and, however fome particular favourite may be 
gratified by the particular attention of her lord, the reft of 
the women are apt to lament the liberty they are deprived 
of, by his remaining too much at home. 
“ The grandees, if llightly indifpofed, continue to fee 
company in the outer apartments; but when the diforder 
becomes ferious they retreat into the Harem, to be nurfed 
by their women ; and in this fituation, befides their medi- 
cal attendants and ver.y near relations, no perfon whate¬ 
ver can have accefs, except on very urgent bufinefs. 
They make choice of the females they with to have more 
immediately about theirperfon, and one in particular isap- 
pointed to give an account to the phyfician of what hap¬ 
pens in the ' 1 intervals of his vifits, to receive his directions, 
and to fee them duly obeyed. Medical people, whether 
Europeans or natives, have accefs to the Harem at all 
times when their attendance is requilite. The phyfician, 
after being announced, is obliged to wait at the door till 
the way be cleared; that is, till his patient, when a fe¬ 
male, her company, and attendants, and others who 
might happen to be in the courts through which he.muff 
pals, have either veiled, or retired out of fight. He is then 
conducted to the chamber of the lick lady by a (lave, who 
continues in a loud voice to give warning of his approach, 
a precaution which does not always prevent the unveiled 
ladies, who have" not been apprized, from accidentally 
croflingthe court, in which cafe it becomes the well-bred 
phyfician to turn his eyes another way. Upon entering 
the chamber, he finds his patient covered with a loofe 
veil, and, it being a vulgar notion that the malady may 
bedifeovered from the pulfe, he is no (boner feated, than 
thbnaked wrift is prefented for his examination. She then 
deferibes her complaints, and, if it be neeeflary to look at 
the tongue, the veil is for that purpofe removed, while 
the affiftants keep the reft of the face, and efpeciaily the 
crown of the head, carefully covered. The women do 
not hefifate to expofe the neck, the bofom, or the fto- 
mach, when the cafe requires thofe parts to be infpecled, 
but never without extreme reluctance confc-nt to uncover 
the head. Ladies whom I had known very young, and who 
from long acquaintance were carelefs in concealing their 
faces from me, never appeared without a handkerchief or 
fome other flight covering thrown over the head. So far 
as I could judge, from general practice, it teemed to be 
confidered, in point of decorum, of more c9nfequen.ce to 
veil the head than the face. When the vifit is at length 
concluded, notice being given to clear the way, the phy¬ 
fician fets out, preceded as before by the (lave, But it 
rarely happens that he is not more than, once flopped, to 
give advice to fome of the domefties, who wait his return ; 
' for, however (lightly they may be indifpofed, the tempta¬ 
tion of telling their complaints to a doctor is irrefiffiblc. 
Thefe darpfeis feidom have any oilier veil than a hand* 
P P Q. ' * 
kerchief thrown over the herd, one corner of which is held 
in the mouth; but, in order to avoid even that trouble, 
they frequently place tlremfelves behind a door, or a win- 
dow-flrutter, half open, in which fituation, thrufting out 
one arm, they infift on having the pulfe examined. It 
fometimes happens, in the great Harem, that another ob- 
ftaele niuft be encountered before regaining the gate. 
This arifes from fome of the younger ladies, or (laves, 
who are at work in the court, refufing peremptorily either 
to veil or retire; which is done merely in fport, to vex 
the condubtrefs, who is obliged of courfe to make a halt. 
In vain (lie makes ufe by turns of entreaty, threats, and re¬ 
proach; till, finding all in vain, (he gives fair warning, 
and has recourfetoa never-failing ftratagem : (lie marches 
on, and bids the dodtor follow. A complete rout enfues; 
the dantfels- fcamper different ways, catcli hold of whate¬ 
ver offers firflr by way of veil, or attempt to conceal them- 
felves behind one another. But it is only when none.of 
the men are in the Harem, that this feene of romping can 
take place : when the phyfician is conduced by the aga 
himfelf, every thing pafles in orderly (ilence, and, in the 
chamber of the fick, none befides the elderly or married 
relations offer to join in the converfation : but it is feidom 
that the aga himfelf takes the trouble, after the few firft 
vilits, except the doctor be a ftrangerto the family. 
“ The tranlient manner in which the Turkifh women 
can only be feen by a ftranger, renders it difficult, if not 
impollible, to fpeak decidedly of their beauty, in conipa- 
rifon with that'of the women of other countries, who are 
feen with more familiarity. Their drefs and veil, which 
are fo difadvantageous to their fliape, may perhaps (the 
latter particularly) be of advantage to their looks. I have 
had occafion to fee great numbers, and thought them in 
general handfomer than the Chriftian and Jewifii ladies; 
but I was fometimes inclined to doubt whether that opi¬ 
nion might not in fome degree be aferibed to feeing them 
partially, or when revealed in fuch a manner as to give 
relief to their beauty ; it is certain that many whofe faces 
I had at firft thought exquifitely fine, from under a looie 
veil, loft confiderably when more expofed.” 
Aleppo is feventy miles eaft of Scandaroon, on thefea- 
coaft, and 175 nopth-by-eaft of Damafcus. Lat. 36.32. N. 
Ion. 37.40. B. 
Alepto (the Pachalic of), one of the five governments 
into which Syria is divided. It comprehends the country 
extending from the Euphrates.to the Mediterranean, be¬ 
tween two fines, one drawn from Scandaroon to Beer, 
along the mountains ; the other from Beles to the fea, by 
Mara and the bridge of Slioger, This fpace principally 
confifts of two plains; that of Antioch to the weft, and 
that of Aleppo to the eaft : the north and the fea-coaft are 
occupied by confiderably high mountains, known to the 
ancients by the names of Amanus and of Rhcfus. In ge¬ 
neral, the foil of this government is fat and loamy. The 
lofty and vigorous plants which (hoot up every where after 
the winter rains prove its fertility, but its aftual fruitful- 
nefs is but little. The greateft part of the lands lie wafte; 
fcarccly can we trace any marks of cultivation in the en¬ 
virons of the towns and villages. Its principal produce 
confifts in wheat, barley, and cotton, which are found ef- 
pecialiy in the flat country. In the mountains, they ra¬ 
ther ehoofe to cultivate the vine, mulberry, olive, and 
fig, trees. The (ides of the hills towards the fea-coaft are 
appropriated to tobacco, and the territory of Aleppo to 
piftachios. The pafturage is not to be reckoned, becaufe 
that is abandoned to the wandering hordes of the Turk¬ 
men and Curds. 
In the greater part of the pachalics the pacha is, as his 
title imports, at once the viceroy and farmer-general of 
the country; but in that of Aleppo he does not poftefs the 
latter office. This the Porte has beftowed on a mchajfd or 
collector, who is, immediately accountable for what he re¬ 
ceives, His leafe is only for a year. The prefent rent of 
his farm is 800 purfes (above 40,000b) but to this mud 
be added the price of the babouckcs (Turkifh dippers,) or 
a 
