frequented by *ips of burthen from the chief ports in Europe}
and the fadtors, who are a refpedtable body, at once live in afflu- '
ence and acquire fortunes.
, "-fHE conflux at Smyrna of people o f various nations, differing
in drefs, in manners, in language, and in religion is very
confiderable. The Turks occupy by far the greater part of the
town. The other tribes live in feparate quarters. The proteft-
ants and Roman catholics have their chapels; the Jews a fyna-
gogue or two; the Armenians a large and handfome church
with a burying-ground by it. The Greeks, before the fire,
had two churches. They applied by their bifhop at Conftanti-
nople for leave to rebuild that, which was deftroyed, but the
ram demanded was too exorbitant to be given. By this policy
th<rTUrkS Wl11 in time extirPate chriftianity from among their VclilciiS«
T he fadtors and other Europeans fettled at Smyrna generally
intermarry with the Greeks, or with natives of the fame religion.
Their ladies wear the Oriental drefs, confining of large
trowfers or breeches, which reach to the ancle; long veils of
rich filfc, or of velvet, lined in winter with collly furs; and
round their waifl, an embroidered zone with clafps of filver or
gold. Their hair is platted, and defcends down the back, often
in great profufion. The girls have fometimes above twenty
thick trefles, befides two or three encircling the head, as a coronet,.
and fett off with flowers, and plumes of feathers, pearls,
or jewels. They commonly ftain it of a chefnut-colour, which
is the moll defired. Their apparel and carriage are alike antique.
It is remarkable, that the trowfers are mentioned in a
fragment of Sappho >. The habit is light, loofe, and cool,
adapted to the climate. When they vifit each other, they put
over their heads a thin traniparent veil of muflin with a border
v. Warton s Theocritus p. 304. Th e y are now called
O f
o f gold tiflue. A janizary walks before, and two or more handmaids
follow them, through the ftreets. When aflemblcd, they
arc feen reclining in various attitudes or fitting crofs-legged 011
a fofa. Girls of inferior rank from the iilands, efpecially Tino,
abound; and are many of them as beautiful in perfon as pidtu-
refque in their appearance. They excell in a glow of colour,
which feems the effedt of a warm fun, ripening the human body
as it were into uncommon perfection. The women of the Turks,
and of fame other nations, are kept carefully concealed ; and,
when they go out, are enwrapped in white linen, wear boots, and
have their faces muffled.
T he principal buildings in Smyrna are the mofques, the
public baths, the hezelten, and the khans or Inns. Some of
thefe are very ample and noble edifices. The khans have
in general a quadrangle or fquare area, and fometimes a fountain
in the middle. The upper llory confifts of an open gallery,
with a range of apartments, and often a fmall mofque
or place of worfhip for the ufe of the devout muflelmen.
Below are the camels with their burthens, and the mules, or
horfes. A fervant duffs the floor of a vacant chamber, when
you arrive, and fpreading a mat, which is all the furniture,,
leaves you in polTeffion. The gates are fhut about funfet, and
a trifling gratuity is expedted by the keeper at your departure.
The ftreets of Smyrna, a few excepted, are very narrow, and
exceedingly intricate. Caution is requifite in going out of the
Frank quarter, and it is proper to be preceded by a janizary as a
fafe-guard.
T he lofty mountains ’, which fhelter Smyrna and leave if
open only to the fea, concenter the rays of the fun, as it were
into a focus, The intenfe heat commences in June, and continues
without intermiffion to the end of Auguft or the middle
of September. During this period, i f the Inbat fail, the in-
* T h e mountains behind Smyrna were antiently called Maftufia and Termetis;
Pliny.
I 2 habitants