In The Bosphorus

( Originally Published Mid 1800's )

Thursday, November 9, 1865.

I open this to tell you that with many delays and disappointments we have come thus far. We finished our sail on the Danube on Tuesday about noon, and landing at Tchernavoda took the railway across the Peninsula to Kustenji. It was funny to find an English-built railway here, with English conductors and engineers in turbans. We had gone about five miles when we came down with a thump, and found that the train had run off the track and broken the rails to pieces, so we had to wait there all day till another train could be sent for, and we did not reach the Black Sea till nine o'clock at night. We took ship at once, and yesterday had the most pleasant sail down to the Bosphorus, which we entered just at four o'clock, and sailed as far as this place, whose name I can't find out, about halfway down the Bosphorus, where we were quarantined last night, and this morning are waiting for the fog to clear away to go on to Constantinople, which is only an hour off. Think of that ! This will be mailed from among the minarets, and before to-night I hope to see the Mosque of St. Sophia and look upon the dancing dervishes.

Before you get this, Thanksgiving will have come and passed. I hope you had a pleasant one. I sup-pose I shall be only just in time if I wish you now a merry Christmas. So I do with all my heart. I shall spend mine in Bethlehem.