Fellows, Charles: Travels and researches in Asia Minor, more particularly in the province of Lycia (London, 1852)

328

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CHAPTER XIX.

DISCOVERY OF SIDYMA.—ITS TOMBS.—TEMPLES.—NATURAL HISTORY.—
LIONS.—ANCIENT PORT. —XANTHUS.—SARCOPHAGUS-TOMB.—LYCIAN

INSCRIPTION UPON OBELISK.----ANCIENT SCULPTURES.—HARPIES.—

CHARIOTS.—ANIMALS. — PROCESSIONS. — TOMB.—CUSTOMS OE THE

PEASANTS.

April 15th.—Leaving Minara, we travelled towards the
south-west, over a range of wooded hills separating our little
valley from another as beautiful. These recesses or bays from
the valley of the Xanthus are particularly rich, and might
be productive; they are in a better state of cultivation than
most parts of this country. The lands have a gradual incli-
nation down to the valley, and are screened on either side
by the wooded hills protruding from the range of the Cra-
gus. As a type of the general character of the vegetation
we passed, I will describe the first of these bays after our
leaving Minara. The whole valley has probably been, like
the hills above, covered with underwood, and a track through
them has been the road we have followed. In order to culti-
vate the land, the underwood has all been burnt or grubbed
up, leaving on either side of the way a belt of vegetation,
to form fences to the fields. These hedges are therefore not
of one description, but vary at every bush, and mingle wildly
together, producing at this season a beauty and luxuriance
which regales all the senses. The predominant shrub is
the myrtle, and the next the small prickly oak; with these

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