P.S.—My dear H.,—The date of my postscript will
‘prate to you of my whereabouts.’ We anchored between the Seven
Towers and the Seraglio on the 13th, and yesterday settled ashore. The
ambassador is laid up; but the secretary does the honours of the palace, and we
have a general invitation to his table. In a short time he has his leave of
audience, and we accompany him in our uniforms to the Sultan, &c., and in a
few days I am to visit the Captain Pasha with the commander of our frigate. I
have seen enough of their Pashas already; but I wish to have a view of the
Sultan, the last of the Ottoman race. Of Constantinople you have Gibbon’s description, very correct as
far as I have seen. The mosques I shall have a firman to visit. I shall most
probably (Deo volente), CONSTANTINOPLE. 167
