{4} The continual marriages of these people with the chosen beauties of Georgia and Circassia have overpowered the original ugliness of their Tatar ancestors.

{5} There is almost always a breeze either from the Marmora or from the Black Sea, that passes along the course of the Bosphorus.

{6} The yashmak, you know, is not a mere semi-transparent veil, but rather a good substantial petticoat applied to the face; it thoroughly conceals all the features, except the eyes; the way of withdrawing it is by pulling it down.

{7} The “pipe of tranquillity” is a tchibouque too long to be conveniently carried on a journey; the possession of it therefore implies that its owner is stationary, or at all events, that he is enjoying a long repose from travel.

{8} The Jews of Smyrna are poor, and having little merchandise of their own to dispose of, they are sadly importunate in offering their services as intermediaries:  their troublesome conduct has led to the custom of beating them in the open streets.  It is usual for Europeans to carry long sticks with them, for the express purpose of keeping off the chosen people.  I always felt ashamed to strike the poor fellows myself, but I confess to the amusement with which I witnessed the observance of this custom by other people.  The Jew seldom got hurt much, for he was always expecting the blow, and was ready to recede from it the moment it came:  one could not help being rather gratified at seeing him bound away so nimbly, with his long robes floating out in the air, and then again wheel round, and return with fresh importunities.

{9} Marriages in the East are arranged by professed match-makers; many of these, I believe, are Jewesses.

{10} A Greek woman wears her whole fortune upon her person in the shape of jewels or gold coins; I believe that this mode of investment is adopted in great measure for safety’s sake.  It has the advantage of enabling a suitor to reckon as well as to admire the objects of his affection.

{11} St. Nicholas is the great patron of Greek sailors.  A small picture of him enclosed in a glass case is hung up like a barometer at one end of the cabin.

{12} Hanmer.

{13} “. . . ubi templum illi, centumque Sabaeo Thure calent arae, sertisque recentibus halant.” - Aeneid, i, 415.

{14} The writer advises that none should attempt to read the following account of the late Lady Hester Stanhope except those who may already chance to feel an interest in the personage to whom it relates.  The chapter (which has been written and printed for the reasons mentioned in the preface) is chiefly filled with the detailed conversation, or rather discourse, of a highly eccentric gentlewoman.

{15} Historically “fainting”; the death did not occur until long afterwards.

{16} I am told that in youth she was exceedingly sallow.

{17} This was my impression at the time of writing the above passage, an impression created by the popular and uncontradicted accounts of the matter, as well as by the tenor of Lady Hester’s conversation.  I have now some reason to think that I was deceived, and that her sway in the desert was much more limited than I had supposed.  She seems to have had from the Bedouins a fair five hundred pounds’ worth of respect, and not much more.