ook him and
several of his friends on board, and the visit ended in their all
getting roaring drunk, being hoisted over the ship's side and landed on
the beach. So passed off what might have been a serious affair. I might
have become involved in a long explanation to show that I was right in
protecting my game by armed force, but under all the circumstances I
feel that I was fully justified in doing so.

I should like before finishing these sketches to say something about the
society of Constantinople. As one cannot always be out shooting, it is
very important to our happiness to have something to fall back upon in
the social way. I was told once by a very great friend of mine, who saw
that I was inclined to fret, 'to take everything as a joke.' If one's
liver is in good order it is very easy to do so, but sometimes the
contrary is the case, and it makes one at times quite savage to see the
airs that are temporarily put on by those that form the so-called upper
or diplomatic society of Pera. Here are really amiable people so utterly
spoilt by the exalted idea of their own dignity that they become
absolute bores, especially to any one accustomed to good society. If you
go to a soiree you see grouped together, for fear of contamination with
the outsiders (without which a successful party cannot be formed), the
members of the so-called 'sacred circle,' talking to each other in
dignified (or undignified, as the case may be judged) whispers. While
all are cheerful and gay, you scarcely see a smile on the countenances
of these tremendous swells.

If you go in the street you will meet a creature dressed in most
gorgeous apparel, armed to the teeth with firearms that probably won't
go off, knives and daggers covered with precious stones, walking
solemnly along. If you look carefully among the crowd in his wake you
will discover some one, or ones, walking with an indignant swagger at
being hustled by the vulgar crowd. The man in gold, armed to the teeth,
is what is called a _cavass_, and these swells behind are the
representatives, male or female, of some foreign potentate, taking a
walk. It would be quite _infra dig._ to go without one of these useless
appendages. Again, if an individual not belonging to the 'sacred circle'
meets a foreign representative who condescends to speak to him, and
while he is doing so another member of an embassy 'heaves in sight,' the
first swell will immediately sheer off, looking ashamed at having