saw the horse entire very shortly before sunset, and it was not more than an hour after sunrise when we returned to the spot. It is ordered by the sultan, that when a horse, bullock, or any large animal, becomes a prey to the dogs, that a guard be sent with axes, &c. to cut it up, in order that the dogs may more easily make away with it and I have frequently seen them doing so; yet in this instance I could not imagine the guard could have known to turn out before sunset, unless they had been watching the death of the horse from the barrack-windows. : The dogs in the burial-ground, have also their localities, beyond which they cannot stir without risking their lives. Their food seems to be the dead subjects of the Ottoman Porte; for although the Turks bury in a coffin, and also batten it down with boards, the body is not more than from eight to twelve inches from the surface of the earth, and easily got at by the dogs, who, on account of the sloping nature of the greater part of the burial-grounds, can frequently enter a coffin without disturbing much of the surface of the grave, and not only find savoury food in the dead Mussulman's tomb, but also cheap and comfortable lodgings if the weather be severe. The burial-ground dog may, on the whole, be said to be better provided against the effects of the weather than he of the street; as the first can at any time find a lodging in some grave, that has formerly served him as a dining-room; while the poor street-dog is obliged to content himself by creeping, in the cold nights, as close to the side of the house as he possibly can. It is a very common thing, after a severe night, for an early riser to see in his morning's walk, ten or twenty dead dogs; but as the day wanes apace, these disappear. The dead-dog man appears with his donkey, receives a piastre from the unfortunate Frank near to whose door a dead dog is lying, lifts the defunct upon the back of his ass, carries it off, and deposits it in some locality where a few other dogs, more hungry than fastidious, soon make upon the carcass a morning repast. It has been said by many who have visited Constantinople, that these dogs are perfectly harmless, and will not molest the Frank stranger unless he disturbs them. This remark may have been true at one time, but it is not so now, as no one in the Frank dress is safe to walk in many parts of the city unless provided with a good stick; of which they seem to have a very salutary dread, and in most cases will be content to bark and howl at it, without approaching within risk of being touched by it. Any person in the Turkish dress, with a turban on his head, needs no stick, as they never molest the Turks; but if a Frank hat or cap is worn, a thick stick is indispensable. One evening, in coming through the " Petit Champ des Marts," a little before sunset, accompanied by a friend lately arrived, I accidentally strolled on a little in advance of him; on hearing a howling behind, I looked round, and beheld the gentleman surrounded by about a dozen of these yelping curs; he was dressed in a hat, and wore a blue cloak, but had no stick. He had turned upon his tormentors, and was endeavouring to kick them, but to no purpose. Seeing that he was rather unpleasantly situated, I made the best of my way towards him, but ere I arrived, they had caught hold of him by the cloak and pulled him down. The moment I made my appearance, the howling ceased, and the dogs fell back to a respectful distance from the Turkish dress in which I chanced to be walking. The young gentleman got upon his feet again, more frightened than hurt, his cloak was torn in two or three places, but that was all the damage he had received. At another period, when coming through the same burial-ground, on the route from Tersana to Pera, about sunset, dressed in a black hat, surtout, and trowsers, without any stick, I was suddenly reminded of my position by a pack of about ten dogs coming after me in full cry. To run would have been bad, and to stand no better; so occasionally looking round to deter too near an approach, I walked slowly along until I picked up two large stones. The moment the movement was observed, they retired; but I having made a feint of throwing them away, they again approached, with a considerable addition to their number. I walked on, and apparently took little notice, until the pack was about three yards from me, when turn. ing round, I threw one of the stones with all my force amongst them; it struck one on the head, he gave a most dreadful howl, and tumbled over; the others set up a full chorus, turned tail, and made off with all possible speed. At this moment eight or ten Turkish women approached, and seeing the animal lying howling on the ground, and a large stone in one of my hands, began abusing me for a giaour, and saying I had no business to strike the dog; which abuse, though contrary to the laws of gallantry, safety compelled me to return, along with a threat, that if they would not let me quietly pass I would finish him off with the stone I held in my hand. They then sat squat down on the bank near to the wounded animal, and began to console it, something after the manner a nurse speaks to a squalling child, and I pursued my way unmolested. That the Turkish dogs are often annoyed unnecessarily by the Franks, there is no doubt; but, on the other hand, the dogs are often the aggressors, as may be seen from from the following instances, many more of which I could give : One fine winter day, at the commencement of the present year, when walking on the banks of the Bosphorus, a little below Therapia, along with an Irish artist, we were passing a Turkish guard-house, and talking on some subject which engaged our attention so much that we were not aware that there were any dogs near us, when one caught the Irish gentleman by the calf of the leg, and instantly returned to the sentinel's feet. Enraged beyond measure, my friend seized hold of my stick, and flung it so as to strike the dog's legs; it was, however, too cunning, and evaded him. He was not to be so baulked, and lifting a stone about fourteen pounds weight, he struck the dog on the chest; it dropped down, and the Turkish sentinel began to abuse him, and threaten imprisonment if he again touched it. He was, however, in too great a passion to care for a Turkish sentinel with an empty musket, and telling him to look to himself, or he would have a touch at him after he was done with the dog, he lifted up a much larger stone, and killed it at one blow, as it lay gasping for breath. In the other instance, the aggressor was more fortunate; for coming along the principal street of Pera, a dog came running out of the ruins of an old building, caught me by the thigh, and tore my trowsers; before I had time to strike him with my stick he was gone; although a very unfriendly trick it was a very nimble one. The wound, however, healed in a few days, as all wounds from these dogs do; for hydrophobia is perfectly unknown in Constantinople. It has been said that there is a penalty inflicted on the Christian who kills a dog; but I have seen many killed, and never saw any notice taken of it, more than a passing exclamation of horror, from the passing mussulman. A quarantine has now been established at Constantinople, one of the effects of which has been the employment of some thousands of carts and horses to carry away the filth and rubbish thrown from the houses. Where the poor dogs are to find food after this infringement of their ancient rights and privileges as scavengers of the city, it is hard to say; but the probability is, that they will die by thousands from actual starvation. They are perfectly useless, and the board of health applied to the late sultan for permission to kill them; but he would not grant it, as such a proceeding is contrary to the Koran; it is one, however, that has been formerly tried. In 1613, Napuf Pasha, grand vizier to Achmet the Third, transported all the dogs to Asia, and would have had them there destroyed; but the sultan, on consulting the Mufti, was told that every dog had a soul, and consequently forbade it. After the destruction of the Janiparies, Mahmoud seems to have intended to get rid of them, for he caused an immense number of sausages to be bought, and having poisoned them gave the dogs a feast. Many thousands were thus killed in one day; but the people murmured so much, that he was afraid to commence a second day's work; he therefore ordered them to be expelled to Asia, but the order was very indifferently executed, and they are now again almost as numerous as during the time of the Janiparies. In England, a dog is a gentleman compared to one of these poor miserable outcasts, covered with mange |