DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4719#0231
210
110
WEST OF PHRYGIA.
The sandy hills became now more and more varied in
colour, being by turns red, perfectly white, and brown;
as we advanced, they receded, and the plain stretched into
a comparatively open country. Crossing the valley, we left
Grhera, the ancient Caroura, on the right, and after a long
ride arrived at Caracooe, which stands at the foot of the
hills on the southern side. These furnish a plentiful sup-
ply of water for irrigating the land, which in consequence
is generally under cultivation, although a very light sandy
soil.
A ride of sixteen miles up the valley of the Lycus brought
us to Laodiceia, now called Esky-Hissd A place of the
same name (which means Old Castle) stood on the hills to
our left, half-way from Idin; it is called in the map Sultan,
and its site is indicated by a burial-ground by the road-side,
filled with old wrought stones. The way to Laodiceia was
over perfectly barren sand-hills, with no trace of vegeta-
tion ; the views were limited by the series of rounded hills,
and there was nothing to vary the dreary ride but a flock of
bustards, upon which we came suddenly; we had no ball,
and our shot only tickled them. As we advanced towards
the ruins of the ancient city which stands upon these
sterile hills, we saw hovering over a ravine before us three or
four eagles, and on coming to the spot we disturbed a grand
assemblage of them. I counted nearly a hundred, of which
eight or ten were large and black, the others the smaller
white eagle, or rather vulture, one of which we shot.
Among the tombs of the now deserted city w^e saw the
object which had attracted this winged party,■—the bones of
a camel picked nearly clean; the guests, who were now
watching us from the hills around, only waited our depar-
ture to renew the feast: they seemed to be the only living
creatures that ever visit the spot, except the cutters of
gravestones, who have quarries of white marble wherever
the remains of a temple are to be found.
wf0m f*
:■;■...■':'•' -.:
:>:
l*
110
WEST OF PHRYGIA.
The sandy hills became now more and more varied in
colour, being by turns red, perfectly white, and brown;
as we advanced, they receded, and the plain stretched into
a comparatively open country. Crossing the valley, we left
Grhera, the ancient Caroura, on the right, and after a long
ride arrived at Caracooe, which stands at the foot of the
hills on the southern side. These furnish a plentiful sup-
ply of water for irrigating the land, which in consequence
is generally under cultivation, although a very light sandy
soil.
A ride of sixteen miles up the valley of the Lycus brought
us to Laodiceia, now called Esky-Hissd A place of the
same name (which means Old Castle) stood on the hills to
our left, half-way from Idin; it is called in the map Sultan,
and its site is indicated by a burial-ground by the road-side,
filled with old wrought stones. The way to Laodiceia was
over perfectly barren sand-hills, with no trace of vegeta-
tion ; the views were limited by the series of rounded hills,
and there was nothing to vary the dreary ride but a flock of
bustards, upon which we came suddenly; we had no ball,
and our shot only tickled them. As we advanced towards
the ruins of the ancient city which stands upon these
sterile hills, we saw hovering over a ravine before us three or
four eagles, and on coming to the spot we disturbed a grand
assemblage of them. I counted nearly a hundred, of which
eight or ten were large and black, the others the smaller
white eagle, or rather vulture, one of which we shot.
Among the tombs of the now deserted city w^e saw the
object which had attracted this winged party,■—the bones of
a camel picked nearly clean; the guests, who were now
watching us from the hills around, only waited our depar-
ture to renew the feast: they seemed to be the only living
creatures that ever visit the spot, except the cutters of
gravestones, who have quarries of white marble wherever
the remains of a temple are to be found.
wf0m f*
:■;■...■':'•' -.:
:>:
l*