taries, guard, and band of music, all beyond the walls
of the palace. The number of eunuchs is some sixty or eighty, and the
females in the harem about 300 to 400. The Sultan never marries; all the
occupants of his harem are slaves, and he generally selects from four to
six ladies as his favorites, who bear children to him, and who succeed to
his throne. The remainder of the females are employed as maids of honor,
who attend upon his mother, his favorites, his brother's mother, favorite,
if he has one, and upon his children. Many hold offices in the palace, and
are charged with the maintenance of good order and regularity. Many of
them are aged females, who have been servants to his father, his mother,
and sisters, and brother, and have thus claims upon his kindness and
protection. The only males who have the right of entrance to the imperial
harem are the eunuchs, all of whom are black, and come mutilated from
Egypt. The chief of their corps is an aged "gentleman of color,"
possessing the Sultan's confidence in an eminent degree, and in official
rank is higher than any other individual connected with the imperial
palace. The eunuchs are assigned to the service of the different ladies of
the harem, do their shopping in the bazaars, carry their messages, and
accompany them on their visits. Indeed, their duties are much like those
of well-bred gallants in our country, without any of the ambitious
feelings which animate the latter, and certainly they never aspire to the
possession of their affections. Some of them grow wealthy, possess much
property, and slaves of both sexes, but as they can have no families, the
Sultan is their legal heir. Eunuchs are possessed by many of the pachas
and other officers of rank, for the purpose of serving their wives,
sisters, and daughters: they cost four or five times as much as an
ordinary black slave, and the highest officers seldom possess more than
ten of them at once. From them much interesting information can at times
be procured relative to the most sacred and least known of the Mussulman
family system. They are generally of mild disposition, gentle and amiable;
though this is not always the case, for they sometimes are petulant,
cross, and confoundedly non-communicative.

The Sultan's palace is peculiarly his private home, and no officers of
high rank occupy it with him. He has four private secretaries and as many
chamberlains. He has also two aids-de-camp, who are generally in comm