GOSSIPPY NOTES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 155, 11 January 1878, Page 2

GOSSIPPY NOTES.

(from the east.)

Pera is a suburb of Constantinople, and is principally inhabited by the Christian subjects of the sublime Porte. All the foreign ambassadors and most of the large merchants live on this side of the water, where the buildings are of a very much better character than they are in the older part of the City. - This may be attributed to the great fire in June, 1870, which burnt down more than : half the place ; since that time there has been a gradual improvement , and a closer copying of the European styles of architecture.

A more orderly city for its size than Constantinople I have never seen, perhaps the abstinence of half the population from spirituous liquors may acconnt for this ; one thing is certain, the only " drunks " I have seen have been sailors from some English or American ships. I am told that the population of the city and its suburbs is about eight hundred thousand, and that * only half of these are Mohammedans, a small percentage Jews, and the remainder Christains, mostly of the Armenian and Greek churches. The Armenians have a Bishop here—l saw him in the street the other day ; he is a venerable old man, with a beard that a Turk might be pardoned for envying him the possession of.

There are a great many English and French here, and our American Cousins are often to be met with. The better class of the male portion of the Peralese seem to peculiarly affect frock coats and black cloth trousers even for dinner parties ; they have not, however, I am glad to say, abandoned the handsome and comfortable "fez" for the European " tile."

Every one here seems to dine early ; at this place (Misseri's Hotel) we generally have finished our coffee a few minutes after seven, when it is the fashion to stroll out and gossip, and chat, with friends and acquaintances. In the evening the whole population seem to be on tho stir. The Turkish ladies then venture out for a walk ; some of them are very pretty, and of course weargossamer-like yashmaks ; ful., filling the letter of the prophet's law, but successfully evading tbe spirit of it, and exhibiting their charms in spite of the prohibition. . •