her face to the danger of these ineradicable marks.  I had only been here some weeks, when I discovered slight indications of a boil on my hand, which became large, but did not penetrate very deep, and left no permanent scar.  I exulted greatly at escaping so easily, but my exultation did not continue long; only six months afterwards, when I had returned to Europe, this disease broke out with such violence that I was covered with thirteen of those boils, and had to contend with them more than eight months.

On the 24th of May I received an invitation from the English resident, Major Rawlinson, to an entertainment in honour of the queen’s birthday.  There were only Europeans present at dinner, but in the evening, all denominations of the Christian world were admitted—­Armenians, Greeks, etc.  This entertainment was given upon the handsome terraces of the house.  The floor was covered with soft carpets; cushioned divans invited the fatigued to rest, and the brilliant illumination of the terraces, courts, and gardens diffused a light almost equal to that of day.  Refreshments of the most delicate kind made it difficult for Europeans to remember that they were so far from their native country.  Less deceptive were two bands of music, one of which played European, the other native pieces, for the amusement of the guests.  Fire-works, with balloons and Bengal lights, were followed by a sumptuous supper, which closed the evening’s entertainments.  Among the women and girls present, there were some remarkably beautiful, but all had most bewitching eyes, which no young man could glance at with impunity.  The art of dyeing the eyelids and eyebrows principally contributes to this.  Every hair on the eyebrows which makes its appearance in an improper place, is carefully plucked out, and those which are deficient have their place most artistically supplied by the pencil.  The most beautiful arched form is thus obtained, and this, together with the dyeing of the eyelids, increases uncommonly the brightness of the eye.  The desire for such artificial beauty extends itself even to the commonest servant girls.

The fair sex were dressed in Turkish-Greek costume; they wore silk trousers, gathered together round the ankles, and over these, long upper garments, embroidered with gold, the arms of which were tight as far as the elbow, and were then slit open, and hung down.  The bare part of the arm was covered by silk sleeves.  Round their waists were fastened stiff girdles of the breadth of the hand, ornamented in front with large buttons, and at the sides with smaller ones.  The buttons were of gold, and worked in enamel.  Mounted pearls, precious stones, and gold coins, decorated the arms, neck, and breast.  The head was covered with a small, pretty turban, wound round with gold chains, or gold lace; numerous thin tresses of hair stole from underneath, falling down to the hips.  Unfortunately, many of them had the bad taste to dye their hair, by which its brilliant black was changed into an ugly brown-red.