Since my last stay here a handsome new wooden bridge had been erected over the Golden Horn, and the women did not seem to be so thickly veiled as on my first visit to Constantinople.  Many of them wore such delicately woven veils that their faces could almost be seen through them:  others had only the forehead and chin covered, and left their eyes, nose, and cheeks exposed.

The suburb of Pera looked very desolate.  There had been a number of fires, which were increased by two during my stay; they were called “small,” as by the first only a hundred and thirty shops, houses, and cottages, and by the second, only thirty were burned to the ground.  They are accustomed to reckon the number destroyed by thousands.

The first fire broke out in the evening as we were seated at table.  One of the guests offered to accompany me to see it, as he thought I should be interested by the sight if I had not seen such a one before.  The scene of the fire was rather distant from our house, but we had scarcely gone a hundred steps when we found ourselves in a great crowd of people, who all carried paper lanterns, {330a} by which the streets were lighted.  Every one was shouting and rushing wildly about; the inhabitants of the houses threw open their windows and inquired of the passers by the extent of the danger, and gazed with anxiety and trembling at the reflection of the flames in the sky.  Every now and then sounded the shrill cry of “Guarda! guarda!” (take care) of the people, who carried small fire-engines {330b} and buckets of water on their shoulders, and knocked everything over that was in their way.  Mounted and foot soldiers and watchmen rushed about, and Pashas rode down with their attendants to urge the people on in extinguishing the fire, and to render them assistance.  Unfortunately almost all these labours are fruitless.  The fire takes such hold of the wooden buildings painted with oil colours, and spreads with such incredible rapidity that it is stopped only by open spaces or gardens.  One fire often destroys several thousand houses.  The unfortunate inhabitants have scarce time to save themselves; those who live some distance off hastily pack their effects together and hold themselves prepared for flight at any moment.  It may easily be supposed that thieves are not rare on such occasions, and it too often happens that the few things the poor people have saved are torn away from them in the bustle and confusion.

The second fire broke out in the following night.  Every one had retired to sleep, but the fire-watch rushed through the street, knocking with his iron-mounted staff at the doors of the houses and waking the people.  I sprang terrified out of bed, ran to the window, and saw in the direction of the fire a faint red light in the sky.  In a few hours the noise and redness ceased.  They have at last begun to build stone houses, not only in Pera but also in Constantinople.

I left Constantinople on the evening of the 7th of October, by the French steamer Scamander, one hundred and sixty-horse power.