Volume 1
Life in Abyssinia : being notes collected during three years' residence and travels in that country / by Mansfield Parkyns.
- Mansfield Parkyns
- Date:
- 1853
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Life in Abyssinia : being notes collected during three years' residence and travels in that country / by Mansfield Parkyns. Source: Wellcome Collection.
44/476
![Chap, I. and bigotryif indeed, as in many cases, they have not carried their imitation so far as to ape the Christian even in atheism—a principle, or rather a stupidity, but too common among Europeans of the Levant. Where is now the fine old Turk of former days, with his turban, long beard, and dignity ? A solitary instance may occasionally be seen in Constantinople (probably come from some remote part of the country), contrasting with the Turks of the present day like some monument of the grandeur of ancient Athens beside the trumpery huts of the modern town. Among the Kourds, Anadolians, and Caramanli, are still to be found the class of men who for a time were the terror of the world ; but poor Con- stantinople is the nurse of that pimy race which has given the mistaken notion to many Europeans that all Orientals are efiemmate, fit only to loll on the soft cushions of their harim's apartments, and smoke the narghile' to perpetuity. No idea could be more erro- neous. As for the town Turks of the present day, they are far too Europeanized for any such manners: and as regards the countrymen, or true Turks, they are as hardy and active a race as any west of them. Let any one who may doubt this assertion examine the caravans of pilgrims fi-om every part of the Turkish empire, and he will see among the bare-legged and pistol-girt Hajji Babas, from Koordistan, Caramania, Anadole, Koumelia, and even Boshnia, as sturdy and honest-looking a set of fellows as could be found any- where. I have lived much among Turks of every nation and le; lelieioiis, rally'' ■ell rfak; 15 til ] aiiil.r lfondofbr,l>teolou eate frame; polite, but insincere; note Wn? of atera; neglecting tWaWi gion, ifaTtl]V«etk?Tai\b m i because m costunie m\ admi to Cognac and cigarettes-, fond of \ n*ire,orofaprett)'caneif a ^^'^^M«t k of vanity,; for dress .e.s f,: 4 .1 , >»liB,,(^ tO(](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21782349_0001_0044.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
