l appeared to be conscious
that the change would be advantageous to her, from the meekness with
which she bore the treatment of her persecutors. Proceeding a little
further on, we observed, sitting at the window of one of the cells, a
solitary female, whose head was covered with a linen veil. On hearing
our approach, she looked at us through its folds; in an instant after,
the covering was removed, and a pair of brilliant, dark eyes shed their
lustre upon us. Nowadays a white slave is seldom found in the market,
the Russians protecting the Circassian and the Georgian, and the French
and English the Greek. When they do appear, they are generally disposed
of at a high price. [Sidenote: GEORGIAN SLAVE.] This beautiful captive,
who proved to be a Georgian, was neither bashful nor timid. She saluted
us with smiles, severing her raven locks, and trying to captivate the
spectators, by making her beauty appear to the greatest advantage.
However, it did not seem to possess any power over the Turks; and as to
the Christians, they are not allowed to purchase slaves publicly, though
sometimes it is done indirectly, and by the assistance of some friendly
Osmanli. I saw but three or four men-slaves, with a few boys, all
Nubians, and, like their female companions, in a dirty, miserable
condition. They were chained together, two and two, by the ankles.
Having now satisfied my curiosity in regard to this much talked-of but
loathsome spot, I was most glad to hear the proposition that we should
adjourn to Mustapha's. From him we learned that the Georgian beauty had
been exposed to sale for several days; but that no one had offered to
purchase her, the sum demanded being exorbitant. Her proprietor was a
rich man, and could afford to wait until some one consented to put down
the 2500 piastres at which he valued her.

[Sidenote: TURKISH CONFECTIONERY.] Passing through the old-clothes'
bazar, the Monmouth Street of Stamboul, we came to a range of stalls
occupied by the engravers and cutters of precious stones. Many talismans
were offered to us, set very neatly in blood-stone, carnelian, and lapis
lazuli. The day was wound up with the important business of tasting the
different varieties of confectionery to be found in a large, handsome
shop near the Balouk bazar. All were luscious, and many, particularly
the preserved rose leaves, were even delicate. We partook of some thirty
or forty different sorts; in which flowers, scents, fruits, and gums