Alexandria Gazette & Advertiser

THE DAY OF THE TURK.

The absence of every kind of amusement makes one day the picture of another. A Turk of good condition rises with the sun: and as he sleeps on soft cushions, divesting himself of but a small part of his dress it costs him but little trouble at the toilet. He offers up his prayer, and then breakfasts on a cup of coffee, some sweetmeats, and the luxury of his pipe. Perhaps he will read the Koran, or the glowing poetry of Hafiz and Sadi: for a knowledge of the Persian is a frequent accomplishment of the upper ranks of both sexes. He then orders his Arab horse, and rides for two or three hours, or exercises with the jerrid or throwing a sort of blunt javelin, and afterwards dines about mid-day on a highly seasoned pilaw. In the afternoon the Coffee houses, where the eastern story tellers resort, are favorite places of entertainment: or seated in his cool kiosk, on the banks of the Bosphorus, he yields to his useless but delightful habit of musing. The decline of the day, however, brings the Turk's highest joys; he then dines on a variety of seasoned dishes, drinks his iced sherbet, enjoys probably party of his friends and afterwards visits the harem, where his beloved children are brought to him, and his wife or wives, if he has more than one, with her attendants and slaves, exert all their power of fascination for their lord.

[New Monthly Magazine.