DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4719#0097
76
CONSTANTINOPLE.
appears designed for the site of a great city. I know no
capital which covers so many and snch steep hills, and to
this peculiar character it owes the whole of its beauty; in-
deed I have never seen a city so picturesque, viewed from
every point around. The activity among the people, both
on land and water, is amusing; they seem like bees, and
their city somewhat resembles a hive. The boats completely
speckle the water, and as I have watched them at a distance,
they appeared to me stationary; but hundreds succeed to
hundreds, moving in all directions, yet from their similarity
producing the effect of fixed objects. In London the tides
and the stream of the Thames influence the course of ves-
sels upon it, but these waters have more the appearance of
a lake, with equal traffic from all sides. I can frequently
count from my window six or seven steamboats ; their intro-
duction is recent, as is also the opening of a bridge, built to
unite Pera with Constantinople; it was to form a drive for
the Sultan from one palace to another. The bridge is already
passable, but the streets leading to it are not yet formed.
It is said that few persons remain a week in this city with-
out witnessing a fire; one broke out yesterday, but before I
could reach the spot it was subdued. The largest houses
are frequently burnt down in the space of ten minutes, being
entirely constructed of a very inflammable wood. The fire-
engines are numerous, but, having to be transported on men's
shoulders, they are small. The English, French, and Dutch
ambassadors' palaces, all in Pera (the district of the city
where the Pranks live), are in ruins, and their respective
governments are tardy in rebuilding them. The ambassadors
reside at their country-houses, twelve miles distant.
I:
e?:.v ■.■■
NIB IB BU
Uaj
CONSTANTINOPLE.
appears designed for the site of a great city. I know no
capital which covers so many and snch steep hills, and to
this peculiar character it owes the whole of its beauty; in-
deed I have never seen a city so picturesque, viewed from
every point around. The activity among the people, both
on land and water, is amusing; they seem like bees, and
their city somewhat resembles a hive. The boats completely
speckle the water, and as I have watched them at a distance,
they appeared to me stationary; but hundreds succeed to
hundreds, moving in all directions, yet from their similarity
producing the effect of fixed objects. In London the tides
and the stream of the Thames influence the course of ves-
sels upon it, but these waters have more the appearance of
a lake, with equal traffic from all sides. I can frequently
count from my window six or seven steamboats ; their intro-
duction is recent, as is also the opening of a bridge, built to
unite Pera with Constantinople; it was to form a drive for
the Sultan from one palace to another. The bridge is already
passable, but the streets leading to it are not yet formed.
It is said that few persons remain a week in this city with-
out witnessing a fire; one broke out yesterday, but before I
could reach the spot it was subdued. The largest houses
are frequently burnt down in the space of ten minutes, being
entirely constructed of a very inflammable wood. The fire-
engines are numerous, but, having to be transported on men's
shoulders, they are small. The English, French, and Dutch
ambassadors' palaces, all in Pera (the district of the city
where the Pranks live), are in ruins, and their respective
governments are tardy in rebuilding them. The ambassadors
reside at their country-houses, twelve miles distant.
I:
e?:.v ■.■■
NIB IB BU
Uaj