our tedious
journey; but must not omit what I saw remarkable at Sophia, one of
the most beautiful towns in the Turkish empire, and famous for its
hot baths, that are resorted to both for diversion and health. I
stopped here one day, on purpose to see them; and, designing to go
_incognito_, I hired a Turkish coach. These voitures are not at all
like ours, but much more convenient for the country, the heat being
so great, that glasses would be very troublesome. They are made a
good deal in the manner of the Dutch stage-coaches, having wooden
lattices painted and gilded; the inside being also painted with
baskets and nosegays of flowers, intermixed commonly with little
poetical mottos. They are covered all over with scarlet cloth, lined
with silk, and very often richly embroidered and fringed. This
covering entirely hides the persons in them, but may be thrown back
at pleasure, and thus permits the ladies to peep through the
lattices. They hold four people very conveniently, seated on
cushions, but not raised.

IN one of these covered waggons (sic), I went to the bagnio about ten
o'clock. It was already full of women. It is built of stone, in the
shape of a dome, with no windows but in the roof, which gives light
enough. There were five of these domes joined together, the outmost
being less than the rest, and serving only as a hall, where the
portress stood at the door. Ladies of quality generally give this
woman a crown or ten shillings; and I did not forget that ceremony.
The next room is a very large one paved with marble, and all round it
are two raised sofas of marble, one above another. There were four
fountains of cold water in this room, falling first into marble
basons (sic), and then running on the floor in little channels made
for that purpose, which carried the streams into the next room,
something less than this, with the same sort of marble sofas, but so
hot with steams of sulphur proceeding from the baths joining to it,
'twas impossible to stay there with one's cloaths (sic) on. The two
other domes were the hot baths, one of which had cocks of cold water
turning into it, to temper it to what degree of warmth the bathers
pleased to have.

I WAS in my travelling habit, which is a riding dress, and certainly
appeared very extraordinary to them. Yet there was not one of them
that shewed the least surprise or impertinent curiosity, but received
me with all the obliging civility possible. I know