CHAPTER XIV.DRESS.The Old Turkish Dress—European Innovations—Present Dress of Upper Class of Turks—Peasant Dress—Dress of Ulema—Ladies’ In-door Costume in Old Times—Out-door Dress—YashmaksandFeridjés—Green—The Spinach Field of Broussa—Women’s Dress of the Lower Orders—Children—The Dress of Turkish Ladies in the Present Day—Ludicrous Use of European Garments—Conservatism in Dress among the Peasants—Dress of the Rayahs—Macedonia—Thessaly—Epirus—Bulgaria—Inappropriateness of Dress to Different Occasions—Turkish Négligé—An Armenian Wedding Conversation—Eastern Notions of European Manners—Amusements in Turkey—Disappearance of the Old Exercises—Hunting—Battues—Wrestling Matches—Musicians and Story-Tellers—Kara Guez and Hadji Eyvat—Dancing Girls—Clowns—Farces—Performing Bears—Pipe and Coffee—Cafés—Amusements of the Rayahs—Greek and Bulgarian Dances—Pleasure Excursions—Saints’ Days.
The Old Turkish Dress—European Innovations—Present Dress of Upper Class of Turks—Peasant Dress—Dress of Ulema—Ladies’ In-door Costume in Old Times—Out-door Dress—YashmaksandFeridjés—Green—The Spinach Field of Broussa—Women’s Dress of the Lower Orders—Children—The Dress of Turkish Ladies in the Present Day—Ludicrous Use of European Garments—Conservatism in Dress among the Peasants—Dress of the Rayahs—Macedonia—Thessaly—Epirus—Bulgaria—Inappropriateness of Dress to Different Occasions—Turkish Négligé—An Armenian Wedding Conversation—Eastern Notions of European Manners—Amusements in Turkey—Disappearance of the Old Exercises—Hunting—Battues—Wrestling Matches—Musicians and Story-Tellers—Kara Guez and Hadji Eyvat—Dancing Girls—Clowns—Farces—Performing Bears—Pipe and Coffee—Cafés—Amusements of the Rayahs—Greek and Bulgarian Dances—Pleasure Excursions—Saints’ Days.
On visiting the East the first thing that attracts the attention of the traveller is the variety of costume he meets at every step, especially among the Mohammedan population.
The dress of the first Ottomans was simple. Othman, the founder of the Empire, is represented as seated on a square throne, similar to that of the Shahs of Persia, ornamented with inlaid mother of pearl. He wore on his head a red cloth cap half buried in a Tatar turban, and calledBurki Khorasani; wide trousers, and a bright-colored jacket descending to his knees. A splendid yataghan was fastened in his belt, and a flowingkaftan, surmounted by a red collar, enveloped the whole. The boots or shoes were of bright scarlet or yellow.
Sultan Orkhan and his Grand Vizir devoted much time to the regulation of the forms and colors of garments and head-dresses. These measures subsequently embraced all the details of the fashion, material, linings, and borders of the kaftans, dolmans, and pelisses of honor worn by the different functionaries at state ceremonies. Costume became the distinguishing mark of rank among the ruling race, and the token of creed among the subject nations.
It was, however, the head covering that was at all times the part of oriental dress that received the greatest attention. At the time of the conquest the Greeks wore embroidered or gilt caps, the Turcomans caps of red felt, and the Ottomans, as a distinction, adopted white felt caps to be worn by the military and civil servants. Their shape and the color of the turbans that encircled them depended upon the rank and profession of the wearer; they were of varied form and color, bright and picturesque, and harmonized well with the equally variegated and rich pelisses and kaftans of the Mohammedans. The garments worn by these dignitaries were of rich tissues and fine cloths, and consisted of wide and longshalvars, or trousers, vests, rich shawls, girdles, and jackets of different shapes.
By degrees, however, great changes were introduced into the national dress, which became extremely rich and costly, abounding in gold and embroidery. Among the most striking of these costumes was that of the sailors and officers of the navy, which was of scarlet cloth richly worked with gold.
The gradual abandonment of all these gorgeous costumes by the Ottomans dates from the time the state began to feel the weight of the immense expense they caused, at the beginning of the present century. The uniforms of the army and navy were changed, and the European style began to be adopted by the Sultan and by the civil employés; and the fashion was gradually introduced among the townspeople of all nationalities.
The present costume of the upper class of Turks is a European frock-coat buttoned up to the throat, European trousers, and the fez—sole relic of the old dress. The uniforms of government officers, according to their rank, are richly embroidered, and on great occasions covered with decorations and precious stones.
The Ottomans illustrate their love of display and wealth by a proverb which says: “Akli Frengistan, Mali Hindustan, Saltanat Ali Osman,”—“Mind is the gift of the European, wealth that of the Hindoo, and pomp that of the Osmanli.”
The peasants and poorer orders of the Turks have to a great extent adhered to their primitive costume, which is principally composed of coarse woollen and linen stuffs; those among the well-to-do, who still adhere to this style of dress, make a great display of gold and silk embroidery; the turban, however, has for the most part been abandoned in the towns, and replaced by the fez, worn by all classes.
The dress of the majority of the Ulema and Softas has changed only with respect to the turban, which has been reduced and made of uniform size, and to the materials of the dress, which are now less costly than formerly and of European manufacture. Those members of these orders who belong to “La jeune Turquie” have modified their dress by the adoption of European articles of apparel which they wear under theirjubbé, or pelisse.
The ancient in-door costume worn by ladies of rank consisted of a gown of cloth or damask silk, embroidered with bouquets of flowers wrought in silk, with a border of similar workmanship. Opening upon the breast, it displayed a handsome silk gauze shirt, the sleeves of which hung loosely at the wrists, surmounted by a velvet jacket, richly worked with gold thread. The round, flat cap worn on the head was covered with pearls and precious stones; the shoes or slippers were equally adorned with embroidery and jewels.
The garments that served to shelter the form of the Turkish lady from the public gaze when walking or riding abroad consisted first of a piece of white muslin placed over the head and coming down to the eyes; another and larger piece was placed over the mouth, covering the lower part of the nose, and secured at the back of the head. This covered the neck and chest, and hung some distance down the back. A cloak of cloth, silk, merino, or some lighter fabric, covered the whole person; a rectangular piece, which hung from the shoulders and reached nearly to the ground, completely hid the form of the wearer. The trousers, drawn up a little above the ankle, did not appear. The yellow morocco boot was worn under a golosh of the same color.
In some parts of Asia Minor a black shade, made of horsehair, covers the eyes, and the head is thickly enveloped in calico coverings, no part of the face being visible. TheMahramais also frequently seen in all parts of Turkey. This consists of a large piece of colored stuff fastened at the waist and brought over the head; the face is covered with a colored silk handkerchief.
Theyashmak(veil) andferidjé(cloak) are universally worn by Turkish women of all classes out of doors. The former varies, according to the rank and place of residence of the wearers, from ordinary calico to the finest tarlatan, while the latter may be of almost any material or color. Green, the color of the Prophet’s garments, is sacred to the Mohammedans, and only a certain branch of the Turkish family is entitled to wear it on their heads. Those of both sexes that enjoy this privilege are calledMollahs. Greenferidjéscan, however, be indiscriminately used by Mohammedan women, and the preference for this color is so strongly marked in some localities that cloaks of other hues are seldom seen. In the town of Broussa, for instance, many years ago, the dark greenferidjé, with a square veil of coarse linen enveloping the head, and tied under the chin over another piece covering the mouth, was the favorite out-of-door costume of all classes. During a visit that Sultan Abdul-Medjid paid to this town, the whole population turned out and lined the sides of the road during his entry. The mass of Turkish women, distinguishable from a certain distance, presented a peculiar spectacle, which drew from the Sultan the following unromantic remark on the veiled beauties who were impatiently waiting to gaze upon the Padishah: “The hanoums of Broussa may be famous for their personal charms and beauty; but thus equipped and grouped their Padishah has seen little in them, and can only compare them to a field of spinach dotted with snowflakes!”
The clothing of the women of the lower class is generally of coarse printed calico, of which they make quilted jackets and undergarments, but as a rule they appear very thinly clad, and their apparel is made of such poor material that it seems almost transparent. The children usually wear long quilted cotton jackets fastened round the waist by achevré, or worked handkerchief, but strings and buttons seem to be almost unknown. Men’s garments are generally made in the public shops, and both cut out and sewed by men. The shirt and drawers are perfectly loose, and would fit equally well almost anybody. The trousers consist of a long piece of cloth folded, with the ends sewed together, as well as one side, with the exception of two openings left at the corners for introducing the feet; it is in fact a bag, pure and simple, with two holes at the bottom corners, and open at the top. The vests of the men are made of striped cloth and have long tightsleeves; the girdle is a shawl bound tightly round the waist. The jacket has various forms. It is short, with sleeves coming down only to the elbows; or these extend to, or even beyond, the hand, and are close, or slit open from the shoulder down; they may be buttoned, left to hang loosely, or tied in a knot behind the back. In every case Oriental clothing lies in folds about the person, but easy locomotion, or the free use of the limbs, is impossible.
The transformations in dress among Turkish ladies, both with regard to material and fashion, are most disadvantageous. Among the higher orders the European dress has been adopted for in-door wear, resulting in extravagance, bad taste, and incongruity. The description of one or two of the least striking of these toilettes will suffice to give some idea of the manner in which Parisian fashions are generally understood and worn by Turkish ladies. Last year, when paying a visit to the wife of the Governor-General of P⸺, I found that lady with her hair uncombed, wearing a red cotton dressing gown made in theprincessestyle. Over this was a yellow satin jacket, secured round the waist by a gold belt. Round her neck was acollierof the rarest pink coral of most perfect workmanship. When this lady returned my call, a very large quantity of fine jewellery was displayed on her person, but her dress was so badly made and ill-assorted as to make her pretty little person bear a great resemblance to that of a polichinelle. Madame F. Pasha, who succeeded her shortly afterwards, offered a still more grotesque and ludicrous picture, both in her own person and in those of the suite of slaves and companions that accompanied her. She was very plain and of a certain age; her costume consisted of a skirt of common crimson silk with yellow velvet trimmings, surmounted by a blue jacket braided with violet. Round her neck was a scarlet tie, and on her head an orange-coloredbashbagh, or turban, with diamonds and brilliants enough to represent all the bright luminaries of heaven.
Her little daughter, a child of seven, wore a red cotton skirt, with a quilted jacket of violet silk, and a European hat, in which pink and white satin ribbons predominated. Some of her ladies-in-waiting wore tarlatan dresses over dirty tumbled skirts which had been washed at some remote date and all the tucks ironed the wrong way. The wife of another pasha, after taking off her feridjé, as is usual on paying calls, disclosed a wrapper made of common chintz, of a gaudy pattern, such as is commonly used for furniture-covers. The length of this robe, however, was insufficient to conceal an exceedingly dirty though most elaborate cambric petticoat of Parisian make.
Thechaussureof Turkish ladies, be it of the last French fashion, or of the oriental make and covered with gems and embroidery, never fits well, nor is properly worn. Their stockings are never darned, and are used till they fall to pieces; as to the manner in which they are secured the less said the better; it is very improbable that this part of a Turkish beauty’s raiment will ever have the chance of instituting a second Order of the Garter. After contemplating this disparaging but true picture of a modern Turkish lady’s dress, the readers will doubtless agree with me in preferring the elegant costume of the old-fashioned class, or the whitegedjlik, still a popular négligé costume, with the bare white feet half hidden by a pretty oriental slipper. These, together with the characteristicshalvar,intari, andkoushak, and the gracefulfotozthat surmounted the abundant locks which fell in multitudinous tresses over the shoulders of the Turkish lady of other days, gave her acachetof distinction entirely lost in the present day.
After the conquest strict laws were issued as to the form of the head-coverings to be worn by the rayahs, determining their shape and color, and the form of the shoes andkaftansin particular. Thekalpak, or hat, was black, and in the shape of an immense pumpkin or miniature balloon. Thekaftanalso differed in form and color from that worn by Mussulmans; and the shoes were black, or of a dark plum-color. No exterior sign of luxury or wealth was allowed out of doors.
As fashion and custom changed, these regulations fell into disregard, and each race in towns may now dress as it chooses, and adopt its national costume or European garments without exciting either surprise or disapproval. Generally speaking, it is the use of the latter raiment that has acquired ascendency among townspeople, and the national costume is more peculiar to the peasantry, and varies according to nationality in elegance and comfort, but never changes its original form.
The Turkish peasant adheres to his extensive turban, and seldom exchanges it for the more simple fez; the Greek continues to wear his widevrakiáand blueservéta; and the Bulgarian hispotourandgougla(black sheepskin cap). The Armenian is still attired in his longjubbé, or loose coat and blue turban, and the Jew in his floating robes of immemorial form. Some years ago a Turkish peasant from one of the towns of the interior visited the capital. On his return I asked him what he had seen there to strike his fancy. “What did I see?” replied the good old fellow, stroking his beard in dismay. “I was astonished to see the deformity of human nature in that great city; the women now have two heads, one planted on the top of the other, and the hump, which we in our village consider a terrible calamity, seems to be a general affliction, but has descended much below the shoulders! May Allah have mercy upon us; but such preposterous changes as these must to a certainty be the signs of bad times!” The sensible man alluded to the enormous chignons and tournures then in fashion, and perhaps he was not far wrong in his ideas.
Fashions, like coins, will penetrate everywhere and find currency among the most savage, who are glad to purchase finery at any cost. Eighteen years ago, when I first visited the town of N⸺ in Upper Albania, I was honored by visits from the wives of all the dignitaries of the town. The first batch of callers consisted of about twenty ladies, whose arrival was announced to me at six o’clock in the morning, and who could with difficulty be persuaded by my people that the Franks were always in their beds at that time, and received at a much later hour of the day. “Well, if that is theInglis moda, we too must adopt it!” said the most enlightened lady. By the time they again appeared I was quite ready to receive them, and not a little curious to see what kind of birds these were that had flocked together so early to visit me. In the mean time, as a great admirer and reader of the works of Lord Byron, I had formed all kinds of conjectures with regard to the lovely faces and picturesque costumes I was going to see. The fair maid of Athens, and numberless other beauties, flitted before my imagination when a heavy tramp of feet (not at all fairy-like) up the stairs, preceded by the announcement that the ladies of the Chorbadjis had arrived, brought me back to reality, and I advanced to receive my guests. And now, what was the spectacle that met my gaze and deprived me of all control over my risible propensities? A display of Parisian articles of dress applied in the most indiscriminate manner, without any regard to the use for which they were manufactured and the sex of the persons for whom they were designed! Stiff black satin stocks encircled the fair necks of some of the ladies, assorting queerly with their graceful and rich national costume, and making an ugly separation between their head-dresses and the fine white crape chemisettes that veiled so much of their necks as was left uncovered by elaborately embroidered vests. Below this vest were the graceful floating scarlet trousers, that should have fallen to the ground like a skirt, secured only round the ankle by an embroidered cuff; but all the beauty and grace of this garment were lost in the expansion caused by a monstrous cage crinoline introduced within it, which gave the otherwise sylph-like figures of the wearers the appearance of a shapeless balloon supported on large pairs of gentlemen’s patent-leather boots, proudly displayed!
The costumes worn in the towns of Thessaly, Epirus, and part of Macedonia are half Greek and half Albanian. They comprise a variety of forms, all more or less original and picturesque. The headgear of the men is usually the small Turkish fez, surmounted by a blue tassel; the wider and longer Greek fez is also worn, falling with its long tassel on one side of the head. The tight braided vest and jacket with hanging sleeves over a white linen shirt form the upper part of the dress; the lower comprises thefustanella, or white kilt, or the wide and longvrakiá, descending to the ankle, or only covering the knee, terminated by tight gaiters of braided cloth. Theservéta, or silk girdle, is generally of a bright color, and often richly embroidered with gold and silk thread. Those worn by the peasantry are frequently of gray tweed worked with darker braid, and thefustanellais replaced by a linen blouse worn over a pair of short trousers; gaiters and pointed shoes or sandals complete the dress.
The costume worn by the women varies according to the locality, but is always very graceful and pretty. The head-dress consists of a flat cloth or felt cap encircled by embroidered velvet, rows of coins, or other ornaments, or by a thick braid of hair. The centre is often occupied by a large pearl ornament. This cap is worn on one side, and the hair under it is parted in the centre and smoothly brushed over the ears, plaited, or allowed to hang loose.
The upper part of the body is inclosed in a tight short-waisted bodice, open in front, down to the middle of the chest, over a fine gauze chemisette crossed over the bosom; a short and full skirt, or shalvar, and belt of various patterns and materials are worn in the house. Out of doors a long jacket is worn, fitting tightly to the figure and reaching nearly to the feet; it is generally made of fine cloth, plain, or richly embroidered with gold, and invariably lined with fur; a colored kerchief, carelessly thrown over the head, completes the costume. The tissues used for these garments are of silk, cotton, and wool, enlivened by silken and other embroidery.
The dress of the peasants is very similar, except that it is made of coarser materials, is plainer, and comprises a great variety of bright colors.
The dress of the Bulgarian women varies according to the locality. North of the Balkans it is entirely national, and has a picturesque appearance, but is heavy and incommodious to the wearer, while that of the men, though more simple and convenient, is by no means elegant; the only part of it to which some attention is paid in the rural districts is the blouse, which is carefully and elaborately embroidered round the collar and wide sleeves. In Macedonia this attention is extended to the white turban, which replaces thegougla. This is a long towel, the ends embroidered in tapestry stitch, which is twisted round the red fez, and one end allowed to fall on the collar, hiding in part the long and dishevelled hair allowed to grow at the back of the head. This tuft of hair is sometimes plaited, and bears a great resemblance to the Chinese coiffure. On feast-days a flower is placed in the turban. The Bulgarians of the towns have adopted a more Europeanized costume made ofshayak, athick native cloth. These home-woven fabrics are very substantial, and sometimes the gray and white are beautiful, but the rest are ugly, especially the shot and striped ones, on account of the colors being badly assorted. The Bulgarian townspeople generally choose these stuffs for their garments, and add to their unbecomingness by the uncouth shapes in which they cut them, the trousers being always either too short or too loose, and the coats and vests most shapeless and slovenly. This description does not of course include the higher classes, who pay great attention to their toilettes.
What is principally wanting in these national costumes is the being adapted to the occasions on which they are worn. For example, for every-day wear both sexes choose their plainest suits, and keep them on from morning till night, whether in the field or in the house. The gala costumes are of fine cloth, or still more delicate material, and are donned on feast-days and other great occasions, and once put on are worn all day long, getting covered with dust out of doors, and yet serving for the soirée and the dance.
This incongruity also extends to season. The uniform long jackets lined with fur are worn by the women in winter and in the heat of a long summer’s day.
There is no evening dress comprised in the wardrobe of an Oriental. The refinements of society have prescribed none but that which his easy-going and indolent life claims from him, viz., his gedjlik, or dressing-gown. The Turk, the Armenian, and the native Jew alike put on this no doubt delightfully comfortable, but by no means elegant, garment immediately on re-entering the bosom of their families after the labors of the day are concluded. This custom is so prevalent among the Turks that as soon as the return of thebeyoreffendiis announced the wife unfolds the wrapper and holds it ready for him to put on. This attire is sometimes rendered still more négligé by a complete exchange of the day dress for that commonly appropriate for use at night. The bey or pasha may return to the Selamlik so attired, and receive his visitors there, should they be of equal or inferior rank to himself; but if of higher rank he must receive them in his day costume.
The adoption of the European dress has everywhere created a display of bad taste. On first changing their costume, the natives proudly profess a great partiality for it, and call themselves followers of the “à la Franca,” or Frank fashions. Those few who possess some education alone make the change without grievously shocking the taste of their European neighbors.
A few instances of the manner in which “Frank” dress and etiquette are understood by the majority will give the reader a better idea than any explanation on the subject.
I was present at an Armenian wedding, when the house was crowded by a large company composed of both sexes. The ladies, however, had almost monopolized the drawing-room, which was furnished with long Turkish sofas running round the walls on three sides, occupied by three rows of ladies. The first row were seated on the cushions, the second sat cross-legged in front, and the third contented themselves with the extreme edge, while some other ladies and a few of the other sex were favored with chairs, or walked about the room. I had prudently possessed myself of a chair, and placed it in a position to have a goodcoup d’œilof the scene, and be near enough to the sofa to hear and join in the conversation of some of its occupants. It was by no means an uninteresting sight; there was the bride, the queen of the fête, seated on a pile of cushions in the corner reserved for her, surrounded by the triple line of ladies representing all ages, types, and fashions. The dark and unassuming attire of the aged pleasingly contrasted with the gay dresses of the young and pretty, radiant with the glitter of jewelry and the sparkle of many pairs of bright black eyes that frequently met and questioned each other; a not unpleasant way of making up for the oriental laconism generally observed in large assemblies, when conversation is carried on in low tones, and generally consists only of a passing joke or criticism on the appearance of others of the company. Some of these remarks I found very amusing; for instance, a thin, yellow brunette said to her neighbor, “Doudou, do you notice how stiff and stately Mariemme Hanoum sits in her new polka? Her husband, Baron Carabet,[23]who has just returned from Constantinople, has brought her a machine made of whalebone and steel, in which the Franks cage their wives in order to fill up what is missing and tone down what is superfluous.” “Chok shay!”[24]exclaimed her companion, an exceedingly stout lady, casting a hasty glance over her voluminous person. “I wonder if the like is to be found in thecharshi(bazar), so many articles of dress have lately been brought from Europe by one of the shopkeepers!”
This conversation was brought to an abrupt termination by the exclamation of “Ouff! Aman!” from a third lady who was sitting cross-legged, and evidently in an uncomfortable position. “Ouff! Aman!” she repeated, stretching out her feet as far as possible, and then proceeded to pull off her socks, quietly folded them up, and put them in her pocket. She was an elderly lady, evidently of the old school, for her proceedings shocked one much younger than herself seated near, and provoked from her some remark on the impropriety she had committed. The old lady, however, could not be prevailed upon to see it, and replied very quietly:
“Kesim, what does it matter? all now is ‘à la Franca,’ and we may do as we please!”
Incidents of European fashions, completely distorted into alarming caricatures, are still very frequent, and, what is more serious, are often accompanied by so great an absence of all knowledge of the rules of good breeding that everything out of the common, however free or strange it may be, is put down to the “à la Franca,” or European liberty. Only two years ago, at a ball given by one of my friends, a functionary of the Porte, Armenian by birth, coolly entered the boudoir, pulled off his boots, which were, it appears, too tight for him, and seated himself on a sofa smoking his cigarette. This gentleman was requested by the host to resume his chaussure and withdraw from the house; and yet civilized notions had so far penetrated the somewhat dull imagination of thisEffendias to have induced him to use visiting-cards upon which was engraved, together with his name, his title of “Membre perpétuel de la Justice,” surmounted by a gilt pair of scales.
Dress and amusement are thought by many to denote the degree of refinement and mental development of nations. There is certainly some truth in this theory, and I have often allowed my opinion of a people and my belief in its prosperity and progress to be guided in some degree by their apparently most trivial characteristics.
To seek through these means, however, to arrive at an estimate of the Turkish character is a somewhat difficult task. The national costume is disappearing, and is being replaced by a counterfeit or borrowed attire. With regard to amusement the difficulty becomes still greater, for all the games that were characteristic of the East, such as that of theDjerid, or throwing the lance on horseback when galloping at full speed, have fallen into disuse; together with the now forgotten races and target-practising in which the youth of the two towns used to display their splendid arms and prove their capacity for manly and warlike pursuits. The grand hunting parties, in which the grandees and even the Sultans loved to take part, now only take place occasionally, headed by some fine old governor-general of the ancient type. In such instances the chase becomes most enjoyable and delightful. Many years ago, while residing in a country town, I had several times the pleasure of taking part in these animated coursing parties organized by the governor of the town, and headed by him in person. The company would sometimes consist of twenty cavaliers, with an equal number of mounted attendants leading thecapon, or fine greyhounds peculiar to Albania. Proceeding at first in a compact body across the hills, down on the fertile plains on the borders of the Maritza, as we neared the open country and descended the slopes, the cavalcade dispersed, the fiery horses could scarcely be controlled, and the dogs, trembling with excitement, strove to break from the leashes. The sportsmen in their variegated costumes, stimulated by their surroundings, lost their air of lassitude and torpor, and appeared like the traditional Osmanli of old. The scattered band of cavaliers would explore the ground until the frightened and startled animals, driven out of their haunts, would after a few bounds come to a dead stop, and then flee, pursued by the hounds and followed by the hunters.
There was something so animating in the whole scene that even a timid woman might have disregarded the danger of fracturing her collar-bone and willingly taken part in it.
The other excursions, carried on with equal spirit, consist of battues of large and small game, which take place on the estates of the beys, who issue invitations to their friends, throw open the gates of their chiftliks or farms, and receive visitors with every mark of hospitality. At dawn the whole party assembles at the appointed place, previously surrounded by the tenants and laborers belonging to the property, who beat in the game.
These parties, I am assured, are much appreciated by European sportsmen, who enjoy the wildness of the scenery, as well as the shyness of the birds, which, unlike their preserved kinsfolk in England, are complete strangers to contact with man in their unfrequented forests and plains.
An interest is still evinced by all classes in the wrestling matches which are usually held on the commons outside the towns. On these occasions the greater part of the population turns out and seats itself in a closely-packed circle. The combatants, stripped to the waist, enter the ring, encouraged by the crowd; closely watching each other’s movements, each awaits a favorable opportunity for seizing his antagonist, whom, by a dexterous catch, he hopes to throw. No animosity is displayed by any of the rivals, be they Turks, Christians, or gypsies. The spectators take a deep interest in these contests, but seldom express their approbation or disapproval in a very marked manner.
Minstrels still play a prominent part among all classes of the Turkish population. These are professional artists, well versed in improvisation, and skilful players on musical instruments, especially theKanoun, a species of zither, for which a great partiality is displayed. Whatever their nationality, they are as welcome in the Konaks of the highest dignitaries as among the crowds that flock on Fridays and other holidays to somecafé, where, seated in a prominent place, the bard pours forth his strains or relates hismassal(story), which generally turns upon love, and, though wanting neither in interest nor brilliancy, is accompanied by unpleasant gesticulation, and is hardly meet either for the ears or the eyes of the young.
When I was in Albania, the Mushir of Roumelia, with hiscorps d’armée, passed through the town, and as a mark of civilitysent his minstrel to my house to enliven me with his performance. Oriental music, however, has not as a rule an enlivening effect upon Europeans. But there is a pensiveness and a sadness in it that to me have an irresistible charm.
Another amusement is that of the Kara Guez and Hadji Eyvat, a kind of Punch and Judy. This is a most indecent representation, and the language that accompanies it is quite in harmony with the scenes; but it greatly delights the Turkish ladies, for whose diversion it is frequently introduced into the harems. To this class of recreation may be added the obsceneKucheks, or dancing women and boys; theMukkalits, or clowns, who amuse the company with their jests; theMeydan Oyoun, or comic plays held in the open air; the performing monkeys and bears, trained by hardy Pomaks or gypsies, who lead these creatures from town to town, and force them to display the accomplishments they have learned under the discipline of the lash.
What a Turk heartily enjoys is his pipe and coffee, sitting by the side of a running stream or in some spot commanding a fine view. This quiescent pleasure he calls “takingKaif.” On the whole, his capacity for enjoyment is rather of a passive than an active kind.
Clubs, reading-rooms, or other resorts for social and intellectual improvement are quite unknown among the Turks. Their place is, however, filled to some extent by the old-fashionedcaféfor the Osmanli of mature age, and by the Casinos and other places of the same doubtful character for “La jeune Turquie,” whofaute de mieuxresort thither to enjoy the delights of taking theirraki, or sometimes ruining themselves by indulging inrouge et noiror other games of chance which they do not understand, and, to do them justice, do not as a rule largely indulge in.
The amusements of the Rayahs are neither very brilliant nor very varied, but they are part of a more healthy social life, and serve as a point of union between the sexes, increasing the joys and pleasures of home existence, whose monotony they do not often interrupt. The great delight of these people is the national dances of the Greeks, Bulgarians, Armenians, and Jews, always gladly indulged in when a chance offers. Such opportunities are generally weddings and great feast-days, and carnival time. With the Jews and Armenians it is an insipid formality, and the similarity of the costume of the women, who alone indulge in it, the want of variety in the step, and the dull and graceless manner in which it is performed, deprive it of any claim to be called an amusement. But with the Greeks and Bulgarians it is quite a different matter; both enter into it with a zest and animation delightful to witness. The Greeks collect in a ring to dance thesurtoof immemorial date. Holding each other by the hand, and led by the most agile youth and maiden, who hold the corners of a handkerchief, they perform a variety of measured steps and evolutions, while the surrounding ring execute a step to the sound of the music that accompanies the dance. All the movements are graceful, and performed with precision, at some times becoming more animated, and at others falling back into a slow measured step. The ring breaks at intervals and allows those wishing to retire to do so, or receives fresh additions from the outsiders.
The Bulgarianhorais performed to the sound of thegaida, or bagpipe. The sounds of this instrument act like magic upon these gay and pleasure-loving people, who no sooner hear its discordant groans than, forming into a circle and holding each other by the belt, they begin to stamp and turn round in an earnest and excited manner, appearing thoroughly absorbed in the performance.
There is a second kind of dance in which the Bulgarians take great pleasure, that known as the “bear dance.” It is performed by a man dressed in a bearskin, who presents himself to the company, led by a pretty girl, who makes him perform all kinds of pranks and buffooneries, greatly to the enjoyment of the spectators, who occasionally join in the dance and give chase to the bear. I do not think it is possible to find a people who can enjoy more heartily the wild music of thegaidathan the Bulgarian, or enter more enthusiastically into the dance than he does. With the Greeks, dancing is reserved for appointed times and seasons, but the Bulgarian, be he in the field or resting on the common on a Prasnik day, will come forward and indulge in it as his greatest delight.
After the dance come the small pleasure parties, for which families club together and go to spend a few days in some picturesque village or hospitable monastery, or to some wild watering-place, where they can enjoy the baths to their hearts’ content. The mineral springs are encircled by the remains of magnificent old Roman baths, roofless for the most part, but evidently indestructible so far as the splendid marble basins that receive the water are concerned.
Every saint seems, by some ubiquitous means, to possess a shrine in every town, village, or monastery. To these all the people resort on their anniversaries, attired in their best, to see and to be seen, and any person, be it man, woman, or child, bearing the name of the saint, is visited by all its friends and relatives during the day; generally speaking, a party is given in the evening, where, if instrumental music and dancing do not form part of the entertainment, a variety of round games, cards, vocal music, and other similar diversions, are had recourse to. Divers refreshments, in the form of excellent native wine, fruit, and cakes, are offered during the evening after the formal handing round ofglicoand coffee. These gatherings, often kept up to a late hour, always conclude peacefully, and cases of disorder and drunkenness are unheard of, and indeed are of rare occurrence at any time, excepting at a late hour at the place where a fair is held, when a fewmauvais sujetsmay remain behind in a disorderly frame of mind.
This description refers only to the working classes and tradespeople. Among the better educated classes music, conversation, theatricals, and in fact almost everything that belongs to European society is included, although, as may be supposed, deficiencies as to dress, etiquette, and other details are to be remarked in the provinces; but a marked desire for improvement, especially among the Greeks, is everywhere noticeable. Each community, however, keeps within its own circle, a drawback that renders the society limited and prevents the sociable feeling that should prevail among them.