IMPERIAL SUPERSTITIONS IN TURKEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5394, 1 March 1879, Page 7

IMPERIAL SUPERSTITIONS IN TURKEY.

'ROM " The People of Turkey," by a lonsol's Daughter and "Wife, we learn :iat some years ago, whea visiting the rivate apartments of the Saltan Abdul ledeid, she noticed a splendid antique ase. Lately, on speaking of this priceless bject to a seraglio lady, she was informed hat it had been thrown into the Bosphorus y order of its owner. This act of imperial xtravagance was caused by the supposition hat the vase had been handled by some person afflicted with consumption. It is also tated that his physician was never allowed o feel his pulse' without having first washed lis hands, and that if a stranger sat down in any piece of furniture in the apartments nhabited by the Sultan it was immediately emoved from the premies. The author i&ys that Sultan .Abdul Aziz, a year or two >efore his dethronement, possessed with a lervous terror of fire, caused all inflammable irticles to be taken out of the palaces, aud •eplaced them by articles made of iron. The stores of fuel were cast into the Bosphorus, aud the lights of the Sultan's apartments were placed in basins of water. The eccentricities of thi3 monarch were attributed after his death by those attached to him to the effect of " magic bundles"—i.e., rags containing human bones, hair, charcoal, &c. —which were found concealed in his furniture and even on the mats under the floor. But the following story suggests that he was born under an unluckly star: —" Saltan Mahmoud the grandfather of the present Sultan, was in the bath when the news of the birth of his son Abdul Aziz was announced to him. The tidings are said to have made him look sad and thoughtful; he heaved a deep

sigh, and expressed his deep regret at having beea informed of the event when divested of his clothing, saying it was a bad omen f and his son was likely to leave his people as naked as the news of hia birth had found his father. Unfortunately for the nation, thi3 prediction was but too exactly realised."