Beschreibung:

cover 1854 (8 May) envelope (with original enclosure) to England, without adhesives and rated "3" in manuscript, the long enclosure headed "Camp near Scutari" gives a wonderful account of the strange sights that greeted the writer, the view over the Sea of Mamora, the mosques and minarets of Istamboul, the snow covered peak of Mount Olympus, the myriad different peoples drawn into the area: Kurds, Persians, Jews, Turks, Armenians, and not least the fearsome Bashi Bazooks who were being sent home by Omar Pasha "as they are such a lawless set of blackguards, who murder and plunder every body and everything they can" , giving detailed descriptions of the incredible array of attire and weaponry; a report of "a tremendous conflagration" in Stamboul that reportedly burned many hundreds of houses; and advice given to the men not to travel singly or unarmed "for fear of our Allies the Bashi Bazooks" ; the envelope with some perimeter faults but otherwise fine. A fascinating record of events with a full transcript included