THE PORT OF CONSTANTINOPLE. 84
Stately trees, sweeping downward to the water - lofty minarets, shooting gracefully towards heaven - crowds of shipping - groups of human beings, varying alike in feature, language, and costume - lofty mountains, far-stretching forests, and thickly peopled hills - the junction of two seas - an unrivalled landscape, and a cloudless sky, are among the many distinctive glories of the Golden Horn.
PLATE: ENTRANCE TO THE BLACK SEA.
ENTRANCE TO THE BLACK SEA
"Then by the lightning's blaze mark
Some toiling tempest-shatter'd bark;
Her vain distress-guns hear:
And when a second sheet of light
Flash'd o'er the blackness of the night -
To see no vessel there!" COLERIDGE.
THE entrance to the Black Sea, as seen from the summit of the Jouchi-Daghi, or Giant's Mountain, (the spot selected by the artist,) is the grandest coup-d'oeil on the Bosphorus. As the line of shore terminates on either hand, the picturesque and jagged rocks suddenly yield to a low and sandy stretch of coast; and beyond are visible the "Blue Symplegades", heaving up their dark and irregular masses from the encircling waters of the Sea of Storms, which, stretching far away on all sides, is ultimately blent with the horizon.
The ruins of two Genoese Castles crown the abrupt peaks of portion of the mountain-chain of which the Jouchi-Daghi is the monarch. One of them, whose mouldering walls descend nearly to the lip of the channel, has its beautiful legend of womanly high-heartedness; for a tale is there recorded of a young fair girl, scarcely yet arrived at the first years of womanhood, the daughter of the Governor, who defended the fortress for three entire days after the death of her father, who fell mortally wounded by a poisoned arrow, as he was gallantly meeting the enemy; and with a diminished and despairing garrison, boldly held the castle until she was herself killed in its defence. Fable has now peopled the grey old pile with supernatural visitants; but if the spirit of that high and heroic girl still presides the walls, their contact can scarcely be dreaded.