The Sultan is a slender slim-looking youth of nineteen years of age, and looks pale, languid, and blase.  His features are agreeable, and his eyes fine.  If he had not abandoned himself at so early an age to all the pleasures of the senses, he would, no doubt, have grown up a stalwart man.  He wore a long cape of dark-blue cloth; and a high fez-cap, with a heron’s plume and a diamond clasp, decked his head.  The greeting of the people, and the Sultan’s mode of acknowledging it, is exactly as at Vienna, except that here the people at intervals raise a low cry of welcome.

As soon as the Sultan had entered the temple, all flocked in.  The men and the Franks (the latter without distinction of sex) sit or stand in the body of the temple.  The Turkish women sit in galleries, behind such close wire gratings that they are completely hidden.  The temple, or more properly the hall, is of inconsiderable size, and the spectators are only separated from the priests by a low railing.

At two o’clock the dervishes appeared, clad in long petticoats with innumerable folds, which reached to their heels.  Their heads were covered with high pointed hats of white felt.  They spread out carpets and skins of beasts, and began their ceremonies with a great bowing and kissing of the ground.  At length the music struck up; but I do not remember ever to have heard a performance so utterly horrible.  The instruments were a child’s drum, a shepherd’s pipe, and a miserable fiddle.  Several voices set up a squeaking and whining accompaniment, with an utter disregard of time and tune.

Twelve dervishes now began their dance,—­if indeed a turning round in a circle, while their full dresses spread round them like a large wheel, can be called by such a name.  They display much address in avoiding each other, and never come in contact, though their stage is very small.  I did not notice any “convulsions,” of which I had read in many descriptions.

The ceremony ended at three o’clock.  The Sultan once more mounted his horse, and departed with his train and the eunuchs.  In the course of the day I saw him again, as he was returning from visiting the medical faculty.  It is not difficult to get a sight of the Sultan; he generally appears in public on Tuesdays, and always on Fridays, the holiday of the Turks.

The train of the young autocrat presents a more imposing appearance when he goes by water to visit a mosque, which he generally does on every Friday.  Only two hours before he starts it is announced in which mosque he intends to appear.  At twelve, at noon, the procession moves forward.  For this purpose two beautiful barges are in readiness, painted white, and covered with gilded carvings.  Each barge is surmounted by a splendid canopy of dark-red velvet, richly bordered with gold fringe and tassels.  The floor is spread with beautiful carpets.  The rowers are strong handsome youths, clad in short