BEAUTIES OF THE BOSPHORUS. 156
C O N C L U S I O N
"-------------upon mine honour,
I free you from it. You are not to be thought
That you have many enemies, that know not
Why they are so, but, like to village curs,
Bark when their fellows do."
KING HENRY VIII.
AT this crisis, when both the political and transition state of Turkey render it a subject of more than usual importance to all who are interested in Oriental affairs, a work on the Bosphorus would be incomplete if wanting a record of the most remarkable period of its modern history, during the presence of the Russian expedition, which arrived upon its shores in February, 1833; and this I am fortunately enabled to give through the kindness of a diplomatic friend who was resident at Constantinople at the time, and who obligingly furnished me with the very interesting details.
It was known that the Sultan had accepted the offer of Russian assistance, after having in vain applied to France and England in the extremity to which he was driven by Mehmet Ali. But the design had been decidedly disapproved of in a grand council of his people and ministers, summoned to take it into consideration: - "Where it the English, they might bid them welcome; but to invite the Muscovite infidel, their bitter and hereditary foe, was inadmissible; they would rather leave the event to Providence." Not so judged the Sultan, who had seen no reason to change his mind. The battle of Konia was his last cast, and had been lost; he had no army left, and the people would not fight in his cause; whilst Ibrahim, at the head of his victorious troops, had advanced to within a fortnight's march of the capital, and menaced the throne. The order for relief from Russia had been despatched by the Envoy, under discretionary authority from his Court, and never been recalled; a circumstance of which only a few Europeans were aware, besides the parties to the arrangement. Various rumours on the subject were afloat, and the public in anxious suspense, when all doubt was ended by the intelligence of the Russian fleet had appeared in sight.