PLATE II.
A SULTANA* OR ODALISK.
SeragKo itself, of which this female is a principal inhabitaut;
is an irregular-building of vast extent; and contains in all at least
six thousand persons; many of .whom indeed live in the city, and
goiithere- ohly/iflnring-t the. day;fi-?lt1|& not, in-, its extended .-sense»
confined'ToHfee female- apartmentsj-for within its walls there are
six ufirge divisions' feus therdivan, -halls-.of audience, • an<L various-
other -depattmerits-; besides very extensive g a rd e n s.T h e grand
gate of entrance is called Baba-hoomaiun,, or the Sublime Porte;
which is. now also applied by foreigners to the -Sultan and hit
government.
The females of the Seraglio consist-chiefly o f Georgian and Cijtfr
cassian slaves, and are, - of fcour.se admitted, when very young,. -It
is a. custom among the great men to present, the Sultan with virgin
slaves?-through the hopes» -that these may hereafter promote their
ihfofilStii
Although the females in the Seraglio amount to-more than five
hundred, ydt fbe^Sultan generally ehobses six o r seven, called Kad-
dins; who alone hate the privilegepof producing a n Ijeir fo the
throng; and the. first;* who has-a son, is styled the-Pavourite. The,
other slaves are styled Odaiisks, from Qda, a chamber;.and this plate,
represents one of these. '