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29 April 1877 — Constantinople | |
Sunday. 29th [April 1877]. Started at 10 & drove down to the mosque near the Sultans palace where we found the state caïque waiting for us & were rowed up to Therapia. Had 10 rowers in costume—white shirts & full trousers tied under the knee, white stockings & no shoes—& a red jacket embroidered with gold. The steerer was altogether in red embroidered– We took 2 cavasses. Unluckily the sun did not shine & it was cold & we were glad of our furs. We got there before 12 going in less than 2 hours. At two places where the current ran strong round a point men on the shore pulled us round with ropes. Every now & then one of our rowers recited a verse from the Koran for the benefit of his comrades. The Embassy at Therapia is a charming house. A stone foundation & the rest wood. It is roomy but not too large & has 2 turrets– The garden is delightful. The house is new since Henry was attaché & the old Embassy is now the secy’s house—the old secy’s house is now the gardener’s. The garden was looking lovely the lilacs, roses, laburnums &c were in flower & the nightingales singing lustily. We went all over the house & garden & then returned to the drawing room & opened our provision bag. At 3.15 we started to return to Pera & only took an hour going down to Constantinople. Henry talked to the Cavasses & found that by degrees his Turkish returned to him & by the time he reached Skrafica he spoke quite easily. The Cavasses were delighted. At the mosque we found the carriage waiting & with a quantity of flowers we had brought with us laid at our feet we drove home. All the Embassy, Lady Strangford, Mr B. Kennett & the Kimballs dined with us. | |
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