motley. Then came the Emperor's state-horses, splendid creatures,
the majority of them of the true Arabian breed, decorated with
saddle-cloths richly embroidered with gold, pearls, and precious
stones, and proudly moving their plumed heads. Their spirited
appearance and beautiful paces excited the admiration of all the
learned in such matters. They were followed by a number of pages on
foot; these pages are not, however, youths, as in other countries,
but men of tried fidelity. In their midst rode the youthful
Emperor, wrapped in his cape, and wearing in his fez-cap a fine
heron's plume, buckled with the largest diamond in Europe. As the
Sultan passed by, he was greeted by the acclamations of the
military, but not of the people. The soldiers closed the
procession; but their bearing is not nearly so haughty as that of
the horses. The reason of this is simple enough--no one dares look
upon the Arabians with an evil eye, but the soldiers are entirely
subject to the caprice of their officers. I would certainly rather
be the Sultan's horse than his soldier.

The uniforms of the officers, in their profusion of gold embroidery,
resemble those of our hussars. The privates have very comfortable
jackets and trousers of blue cloth with red trimmings; some have
jackets entirely of a red colour. The artillerymen wear red
facings. Their chaussure is pitiable in the extreme: some have
boots, not unfrequently decorated with spurs; others have shoes,
trodden down at heel and terribly tattered; and some even appear in
slippers. All are without stockings, and thus naked feet peer forth
every where. The position of the men with regard to each other is
just as irregular; a little dwarf may frequently be seen posted next
to a giant, a boy of twelve or fourteen years near a grey-headed
veteran, and a negro standing next to a white man.