THE INMATES OF THE TURKISH SULTAN'S HAREM.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 61, 29 August 1877, Page 2

THE INMATES OF THE TURKISH SULTAN'S HAREM.

A female contributor to Scribnor'a for Jane, writing of 3 state ball in Constantinople, gives this account of tho occupants of a Turkish harem :— ;W e wer 0 introduced to Mine. Aali, a very intelligent-looking, amiable little lady, who solaamed vi in Turkish Btyle by patting her hand to her forehead and her heart, said a variety of pretty welcomes by means of theint«rpretress, and taking us by the hand in* troduced us successively to all the hic;h and mighty female magnates of the land. We were exceedingly disappointed ia the toileis of these ladies, with the exception of their undcrvests of Droussa gan^o, they were yearly all dressed in European fabrics of various kinds, full trousers^ slippers, an ovor-dress more like the soutane of a Roman priest than any other garment, the train of which they slip, under a belt when they walk, in tbe samemanner that he does. Instead of the long, braided tresses which we bad ox* pected td ace falling to their, feet* theirhair was oat shore, ahd surmbunMd by an embroidered gauze handkerchief put on like a turban i but tp compensate- for the lack of oriental splendour in, tbe rest of their dress x their jewels far outstripped our imagination. This being the only manner in which Turkish/ females cai& safely invest money, and often kll that is left them at the death or suddeji disgrace of their husbands, they seize \ every opportunity to enrich their sto^e, and the. display is certainly dazzling., i 1 Mme. Aali's turban was su?mounied by a wreath of enormous pansiea composed o£ diamonds which completely tncirclea hot head ; and in the midst of thepansies rose,, mounted on an oscillating wito, a bird the. size of a humming-bird, winch was one mass of diamond* with flashing rub v eyes.. Earrings and neeklacematcbftd this diadem, in, magnificence. Most of tjie other latest were literally basing, wltlj jewels,, with, th.c exception, of the. wcaltliiest and' mpsfc nobJy born among tl^enij an Egyptian* princes*, married- to oa»* |ofythe pajshaS; who, whether from having 'lost ai nearrelative or from weariness and contempt, of the gewgaws,, had bedizened hernumerous attendant slaves with jewels; worth a kind's ransom, and herself remained unadorned. One young married; lady,. about IS. Mas dressed' in a .French, lnnjslin, of a, brilliant cord-colour, ,'nntl nex & ujider it she. had: donned a, crinoline, which, nrticles wetcthin worn very large, so»tbafe th t e effect of the. steals,, dearly defied beneath the. scsnjt folds of the transparent muslin,, was ludicrous in, ths extreme*; but the others looked at bsr with admiration, as she paraded her French organdie, and hoopskirts before, Ibem, her- girlish,, face surmounted by a regal coronet of" magnificent gems*. If the- Mioslems were, harmpnjous in, their dresg before the time, of MahruouA as they, must have been, from, the accounts, of travellers, its t character has disapnear^d' from, the effect, of its European, inno*attonß,/or the.:»carle&; fez- looks as out of place wjth the straitcollated coat and modern trousers, ofjthe. men, as, the short hair and I£rencb IJjibriq«;1 Jjibriq«; do, on the women. ...t ."