ZENIB'S HAREN.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 18 June 1880, Page 2

ZENIB'S HAREN.

Mrs Heap, wife of our Consul- : General, described to me a visit piid by her, the otter day, to a Turkish harem— that of Zfnib Hnnoum, sister of Ismail Pasha, the Fs-Kherlive. This lady is one of the most remarkable of Hying Turkish women from her intelligence, liberal ideas, and immense wealth. Her 1 yali," a large gray pa'ace, is one of the handsomest on the Bosphorons. On allighting from the carriage, Mrs Heap and the four ladies accompanying her were met at the door by some halfdoz'n tneu — cavasses, groims, and eunuchs — Irillianty dressed. These esrorted the parly through ihe seliralik, nr men's apartment, which, in this rase, the lady being a widow, are ralher bare They cocsistpd of four or Gee rooms. A long corridor, softly carpeted, and whose numerous windows overlooked a fine gar* den, led to the women's rooms or haremilk. Tht door was opened hy two hands >me Circassian girls, who led the ladies ; .n, followed by a couple of eunuchs A magnificent hall was entered, square in | shape, with twj alcoves, one of which was ', like an enormous bayttdndow, enclosed on all sides by plate glass. This room was furnished in true Orienhl style. Dirans of crimson damask lined thp gailyscolored walls, an elegant buhl centre- fable stood on the rich rug thnt covered the floor, and a number of little walnut tables intricately inlaid with mofber^offpearl gleamed in the sunlight that streampd through the numenuwindows. Women of every age and color were grouped about, chatting ami laughing, but the arrival of the ' Frnnks ' silenced them. In the rear, opposite the glass alcove ran up a wide staircase thickly carpeted, of gold and white, joined on to a sort of gallery which extended from end to end of the room, and up there was a group of wo men in bright cos umes engaged at the !ooai3 or in talking and smoking. AU tlie. e e ' odalL-ques' rose at Ihe visitor's arriva'. A hideous eunuch brought word that his mistress was ready to re« ceive, and her two nieces, daughters of Halam Pasha, came to usher the ladies in. These two young ladies, much rouged i and painted, were pretly in the siekland theatrical way common to harem beauties. They wore a composite slyl" of dress, half European, half Turkish. The head'dress was a turban elaborately embroideredj and the fair Orientals were fairly spangled with brlliaots, missive ear-rings, and .brooches. A skirt and snort jacket of light silk and high* heeled embroidered slippers completed their costume of piquant ensemble. Zenib Hanoum receives in regal style. She was sitting, or rather squatting, at* t'red richly in a complete Turkish costume, on a raised settee covered with many soft cushions. After the u«ual interchange of compliments, as manifold and ceremonious as in China, the lady clapped her jewelled hands together and the doors opened wide. Then in enme the procession, bringing the coffee, First entered two black slaves, carrying on their shoulders a carve J pole from which huDg 4 by silver chains a tiny braaier of the same me'al. On its glowing coals were placed several little long-handled coffeespots, the aromatic Mocha, eream» ing and bubbling, and diffusing a delicious eder through the apartment. These stood motionless. Then four others, bearing an immense silver tray, from which bung to the floor a rich silk towel studded with precious stoa"s and embroidered in gold thread. Several other females entered, and each took from the tray a small coffee eupholder or *zif,' placed thereon the eup filled with coffee, and, kneeling before each visilor, presented it to her. Mrs Heap then noticed that her and the other ladies' • zaffs ' were of gold filigree work, and literally, in the bright snnlisjht, btaz'Og with bril» Hants in elaborate designs of birds and flowers. With the saaie punctilio the oeffee was removed, and the compliments recommenced de plus belle. After that a volley of questions followed on every i conceivable subject ; some very, to put it mildly, queer, for harem ideas of propriety and ours, are, I grieve to say, widely different. When, after a visit of i two hours,;— -for to devote less time to a I call would be a grave infraction of the ! laws of etiq-ieite— the ladies rose to take leave. Zenib Hanoum asked them to wait an instant. No sooner had they reseated themselves than the door opened again to give admittance to another fWk of women, bringing oue a crystal beaker of delicious sherbet, beside which our ' boasted cocktails would sour with envy. Another swarm brought soft towels for the ladies to dry their lips on, la ac«. cordance with Oriental ideas the lady of the house asked Mrs Heap if there was any ornament that she wore that Mrs Heap would be pleased to accept as a souvenir, and looked quite hurt when her guest excused herself from accepting any sift. Her jewels were magnificent, noticeably a large emerald, surrounded ty diamonds, worn in the shape of a brooch. After many pressing invitations to come again, the ladies left the yali, feeling all the way home as through they bad been permitted to live for a few hours in the harem of Harouh-al Rasehid, or allowed to take a peep into the Mohammedan's paradise.— Constantinople Letter of Philadelphia Telegraph.