3 new to you:1 I can assure you the first sight of them was so to me;2 and though I have seen hundreds of pictures of those animals, I never saw any that was resembling enough to give a true idea of them. I am going to make a bold observation, and possibly a false one, because nobody has ever made it before me; but I do take them to be of the stag kind; their legs, bodies, and necks are exactly shaped like them, and their colour very near the same. 'Tis true they are much larger, being a great deal higher than a horse; and so swift, that, after the defeat of Peterwaradin, they far outran' the swiftest horses, and brought the first news of the loss of the battle to Belgrade. They are never thoroughly tamed; the drivers take care to tie them one to another with strong ropes, fifty in a string, led by an ass, on which the driver rides. I have 10 seen three hundred in one 11 caravan. They carry the third part more than any 12 horse; but 'tis a particular art to load them, because of the bunch on their backs. They seem to 1 Je vais vous en parler: ce sera du nouveau pour vous. Put a full stop here, as well as after 'life.' 2 J'ai été, je vous assure, bien étonnée la première fois que j'en ai vu. 3 In such cases, the noun must be repeated, in French. 4 Je classe le chameau dans la famille des cerfs. 5 Translate, 'its.' 6 pelage (masc.). 7 les chameaux prirent le pas sur. This expression, however, is more frequently used in the sense of 'to take precedence.' 8 Turn, and it was (ce furent, plural) they which brought the first to Belgrade (page 22, note 1) the news of the loss of the battle.' The French say, as the English, putting the verb in the singular, c'est nous (it is we), and c'est vous (it is you); but they say, putting it in the plural, ce sont eux-or, elles (it is they); and this, not only in the present tense, but in all tenses and moods, the only ex ceptions being the present, future, preterite definite, and imperfect subjunctive, interrogative, (est-ce eux? sera-ce eux ? fut-ce eux? fûtce eux ?-instead of sont-ce, serontce, furent-ce, and fussent-ce). Yet, sont-ce may be used before a noun, as sont-ce là vos livres are these your books?’ 9 Put a semicolon after 'ropes ;' quand ils sont ainsi maintenus, un seul homme, monté sur un ane, en conduit cinquante. 10 J'en ai. The personal pronoun en (of it,' ' of them') always accompanies the indefinite pronouns quelqu'un, quelques-uns, autre, and the numeral adjectives or adverbs of quantity, when the noun to which they refer is not expressed in the same part of the sentence; it corresponds to one,' plural 'ones,' sometimes used similarly in English, 'I have a good one,' 'several good ones.' 11 une seule. 12 du. un tiers en plus de la charge me very ugly creatures; their heads being ill-formed and disproportioned to their bodies. They carry all the burdens; and the beasts destined to the plough are buffaloes, an animal you are also unacquainted with.1 They are larger and more clumsy 2 than an ox; they have short, thick, black horns close to their heads, which grow turning backwards. They say this horn looks very beautiful when 'tis polished. They are all black, with very short hair on their hides, and have extremely little white eyes, that make them look like devils. The country people dye their tails, and the hair of their forehead, by way of ornament.7 Horses are not put here to any laborious work, nor are they at all fit for it.9 They are beautiful and full of spirit,10 but generally little and not strong, as the breed of colder countries;11 very gentle, however, with all their vivacity, and also swift and sure-footed.12 I have a little white favourite that I would not part with on any terms : 13 he prances under me with so much fire, you would think that 14 I had a great deal of courage to dare to mount him; yet, I'll assure you,15 I never rid a horse so much at my command 16 in my life. Here are some little birds held in 17 a sort of religious reverence, and for that reason they multiply prodigiously : turtles 18 on the account of their innocence; and storks, because they are supposed to make every winter the pil 6 grimage to Mecca. To say truth, they are the happiest subjects2 under the Turkish government,3 and are so sensible of their privileges, that they walk the streets without fear, and generally build in the low parts 5 of houses. Happy are those whose houses are so distinguished, as the vulgar Turks are perfectly persuaded that they will not be that year attacked either by fire or pestilence. I have the happiness of one of their sacred nests under my chamberwindow.8 Now I am talking of my chamber, I remember the description of the houses here will be as new to you as any of the birds or beasts.9 I suppose you have read in most of our accounts of Turkey, that the houses 10 are the most miserable pieces of buildingll in the world. I can speak very learnedly on that subject,12 having been in so many of them ;13 and I assure you 'tis no such thing.14 We are now lodged in a palace belonging to the grand-signior. I really think the manner of building here very agreeable, and proper for the country. 'Tis true they are not at all solicitous 15 to beautify the outsides of their houses,16 and they are generally built of wood, which I own is the cause of many inconveniences; but this is not to be charged on the ill taste of the people, but 17 1 de. note 6. on the oppres 'Mecca;' see page 21, or, sciemment-savamment—en (or, avec) connaissance de cause. 3 Turn, 'in Turkey' (page 31, note 14). 4 Turn, and they (page 23, note 9) know so well.' 5 et font le plus souvent leurs nids au bas. 6 dont ils choisissent ainsi les habitations. 13' Turn, for I have seen many of them (en, before the verb).' 14 que rien n'est moins vrai; or, qu'il n'en est rien. We 15 qu'on n'est pas très-soucieux 16 de la beauté des façades. sion of the government. Every house at the death of its master is at the grand-signior's disposal; and therefore no man cares to make a great expense, which he is not sure his family will be the better for.1 All their design is to build a house commodious, and that will last their lives; and they are very indifferent if it falls down the year after. 2 3 6 The Every house great and small is divided into distinct parts, which only join together by a narrow passage. first house 5 has a large court before it, and open galleries all round it; which is to me a thing very agreeable. This gallery leads to all the chambers, which are commonly large, and with two rows of windows, the first being of painted glass: they seldom build above two stories, each of which has galleries. The stairs are broad, and not often above thirty steps. This is the house belonging to the lord, and the adjoining one is called the haram, that is, the ladies' apartment (for the name of seraglio is peculiar to the grand-signior); it has also a gallery running round it. towards the garden, to which all the windows are turned, and the same number of chambers as the other,10 but more gay and splendid, both in painting and furniture. The second row of windows is very low, with grates like those of convents; 11 the rooms are all spread with Persian carpets,12 and raised at one end of them (my chambers are partient au maître. Il commu galerie tournante, mais elle regarde (or, a vue-donne-sur) le jardin, comme toutes les fenêtres. Il y a le. 10 dans ce corps de logis que dans l'autre. 11 Turn, 'The windows of the second row are very small, and with grates (et grillées) like those of our convents'; a full stop here. 12 Les appartements sont tapissés de tapis de Perse. The national adjective is hardly used, in such cases, except when speaking of articles of dress: thus we say, des vins d'Espagne, and un chapeau français. M raised at both ends) about two feet.1 This is2 the sofa, which is laid with a richer sort of carpet, and all round it a sort of couch, raised half a foot, covered with rich silk according to the fancy or magnificence of the owner. Mine is of scarlet cloth, with a gold fringe: round about this åre placed, standing against the wall, two3 rows of cushions, the first very large, and the next little ones; and here the Turks display their greatest magnificence. They are generally brocade, or embroidery of gold wire upon white satin ;-nothing can look more gay and splendid. These seats are also so convenient and easy,4 that I believe I shall never endure chairs as long as I live.5 The rooms 6 are low, which I think no fault, and the ceiling is always of wood, generally inlaid or painted with flowers. They open in many places with folding-doors, and serve for 7 cabinets, I think, more conveniently than ours. Between the windows are little arches to set pots of perfume, or baskets of flowers. But what pleases me best, is the fashion of having marble fountains in the lower part9 of the room, which throw up several spouts of water, giving at the same time an agreeable coolness, and a pleasant dashing sound, falling from one basin to another. 10 Some of these are very magnificent. Each house has a bagnio, which consists generally in two or three little rooms, leaded on the top, paved with marble, with basins, cocks of water, and all conveniences for either hot or cold baths. You will perhaps be surprised at an account so different from what you have been entertained with by the common voyage-writers, who are very fond of speaking of what they |