Mediterranean" does not always smile in the sunlight, as we found to
our sorrow after leaving Corfu.

Our state-room was on the main deck, with a good-sized window
admitting plenty of light and air, and the side of the ship was not
so high but we could see over and have a fine view of the high
rocky coast we were skirting--so much pleasanter than the under-deck
state-rooms, where at best you only get a breath of fresh air and a
one-eyed glimpse out of the little port-holes in fine weather, and
none at all in a storm. Imagine, therefore, my disgust when, on
returning from our trip on shore at Corfu, I found twilight pervading
our delightful state-room, caused by an awning being stretched from
the edge of the deck overhead to the side of the ship, and under
this tent, encamped beneath my window, the lesser wives, children and
slaves of an old Turk who was returning to Constantinople with his
extensive family! His two principal wives were in state-rooms down
below, and invisible. Well, if I had lost the view from my state-room
of the grand mountainous coast of Greece, I had an opportunity of
studying one phase of Oriental manners and costume at my leisure.
There were three pale, sallow-looking women of twenty or twenty-five
years of age, with fine black eyes--their only attraction; two old
shriveled hags; four fat, comfortable, coal-black slave-women; and
several children. They had their fingernails colored yellow, and all,
black and white, wore over their faces the indispensable _yashmak_,
and over their dress the _ferraja_, or cloak, without which no Turkish
woman stirs abroad. As it was cold, they wore under their ferrajas
quilted sacques of woolen and calico coming down below the knee, and
trousers that bagged over, nearly covering their feet, which were
cased in slippers, though one of the negresses rejoiced in gorgeous
yellow boots with pointed toes. The children had their hair cut close,