450 
Pera is much more extensive from south 
to north thanfrom eastto west. Through 
‘the middle of it the principal street ruus 
longitudinally. It is of unequal breadth, 
but in most places two carriages might 
drive abreast. It is tolerably well paved, 
and there is also a foot pavement before 
many of the houses. At the southern 
éxuemity it is intersected almost at right 
angles by another broader street, which 
runs eastward to Galata. ‘Toward. the 
north it loses itself inan unpaved road, 
of considerable length, which is bordered 
by numerous buildings and burial-glaces. 
Such is a brief and general description 
of the principal residence of the Franks 
at Constantinople. They enjoy their va- 
rious rights and privileges; ; they even pos- 
sess their houses, gardens, and grounds, 
a3 private property, in which no one can 
molest them, In other parts of the Turk- 
ish empire the case is widely different. 
At Bucharest, or Jassy, a F rank cannot 
purchase a house, and even the agents 
and consuls of foreign nation’s are obliged 
to rent them, Iwas, besides, assu red, 
that no Mussulman is now permitted to 
build within the confines of Pera; so that 
this place is in some measure-free from 
zothe though it is surrounded by the 
‘ens Of Moslemism. 
Ir must not be imagined that all the 
Franks who are either occasionally or 
permanently resident at Constantinople, 
hve at Pera. A great number of the 
Tranks settled at Pera Ress the summer 
im the suburbs of Tarapia, Buyukdere, or 
Belgrade, which are situated at some 
distance from the city; and a great por- 
tion-of them hve m Cal lata, or even in 
still more remote suburbs. ‘Besides this, 
the merchants and traders who arrive 
it Companies or caravans, by land or 
water, from Russia, Wallachia, and Mol-. 
davia, frequently See in the large edi- 
fice in the middie of Constantinople, 
where they deposit their commodities. 
Pera is not divided from the other 
parts which belong to the great whole of 
the ‘Turkish capital. Nor must it be sup- 
posed that, as Turks are not permitted 
to reside in the quarter of the Franks, no 
Mussulmen are to be seen in Pera. * Ail 
the streets swarm not only with men, but 
also with Turkish women; thei inspectors 
of the police aid the watchmen are 
. Turks; the principal street of Pera is the 
gener a thoroughfare to the more remote 
suburbs, and in the midst of so populous 
a city cannot possibly be empty. 
Galata a Pera in many re- 
spects: great numbers of Franks. reside 
+ 
Sketches of Constantinople, by F. M. urbard. 
[June I, 
also in that suburb, but every thing there 
has more of an ariencal air. Both sub- 
urbs are sometimes comprehended ull- 
der the general nanie of Pera, which sig- 
nifies, the place on the other ’side of the. 
harbour; or sometimes they, are denoral- 
nated, alter the larger of the two, Galata. 
The streets of Galata are much more 
narrow and crooked ; and such is the va- 
riety of architecture, that not the least 
symmetry or uniformity is to be found 
among the houses. ‘Tbe whole physiogno- 
my of the place demonstrates, like almost 
all the towns of the Levant, the want of 
veometrical taste amoug the Orientals. 
‘Yo an European, Galata looks more like 
a labyrinth than a town; he every where 
discovers a deficiency of the principal re- 
quisites of beauty, spaciousness and re- 
‘eularity, and in many parts the. houses 
have fipaain the appearance of barracks. 
The place is situated partly on an em 
mence and partly in the plaim, so. that 
they are obliged to go continually np and 
down hill. It is surrounded with walls 
and towers erected at the time of the 
Gencese sovereignty, and here and there. 
the relics of gates may still. be per- 
ceived. On one of the highest spots, and. 
almost in the centre of the town is a re- 
markable tower, generally known by the 
name oF the Tower of Anastasis, from the 
top of which there is a most enchanting 
prospect toward the east and south. The 
strauger ig particularly struck here with 
the catholic churches and convents, and 
the maiiy hre-proot warehouses and shops 
of massive free-stone, with no more win- 
dows than are absolutely indispensable, 
and with doors lined with plates of iron. 
In this part of the town Turks and Chris~ 
tians live intermingled. | 
I shall not detain the reader with the 
description of the pleasures of an exeure 
sion by water to visit Skutari, or of the 
magnificent prospects presented by the 
city on the right, and the opposite sub- 
urbs with their environs on the left, du- 
ring the passage. Constantinople, and 
all chat is comprehended under this ges 
neral name, has a situation with which 
the charming Naples and the proud am- 
phitheatre of Genoa cannot sustain a com~ 
parison, 
We soon reached the promontory of 
Topana ; ; and opposite to us on. the 
right lay the Seraglio,, with its white 
BAnGeS decorated in the Eastern style, 
and which being seen between. grov es 
of cypresses, produces a most .exqui- 
site effect. The numerous parts of the 
‘great picture of the most extensive of the 
La 7 Asiatic 
