DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4719#0388
MTEA.
361
";-.:
x'r:: hNIm
Mb Biuaityi
i :* ffraavi
u. .'X. ' --'-'■'
i • 1 ~---
i,'
search was unsuccessful. The people say that many Franks
have been to see the "old castles" here, but that there are more
high up in the mountains to the north, now covered with snow,
about three hours' climbing from this place. The improba-
bility of a city of importance having existed in a region
where the snows remain so late in the season, and the incon-
venience and delay of visiting probably merely some strong-
hold of former times, made us resolve to proceed on our
route towards Phineka, a distance of nine hours. The Greek
priest says that we ought to remain here three years, to see
all the ruins in the country.
April 29th, Pliineha.—This is a little village about two
miles up a navigable river from the sea; its name resembles
that of the ancient appellation of this district—Phcenicus :
the indigenous palm-trees reminded me of the origin of the
name, unless perhaps the generic name of the plant may
have had its derivation from this district.
On leaving Myra this morning, we traversed the plain
towards the east, and crossing the river, which was carrying
down hundreds of sticks of timber, we ascended a wooded
hill to the little village of Vourtarpessa. From this slight
elevation we had a fine view of the whole plain, and could
study its geography. In the vegetable world I have observed
several additions to my already numerous list of luxuriant
trees and shrubs: these are the barberry, which is here a
large tree, and now in bloom; the castor-oil, the stems of
which are as thick as a man's body, and are now in blossom,
with formed fruit and the seed of last year, all clustered be-
neath the large rich leaf; and the pistacia, called here by
the Greeks the chickurea, which has a richer appearance than
our dark ash, but not so much so as the carob, which is here
the principal tree of the hills, affording a welcome shade at
all seasons. At Myra, among the rocks flourishes a beauti-
ful kind of aloe; the flowers seldom exceed three or four feet
m height, and two or three branches spring from its stem ;
361
";-.:
x'r:: hNIm
Mb Biuaityi
i :* ffraavi
u. .'X. ' --'-'■'
i • 1 ~---
i,'
search was unsuccessful. The people say that many Franks
have been to see the "old castles" here, but that there are more
high up in the mountains to the north, now covered with snow,
about three hours' climbing from this place. The improba-
bility of a city of importance having existed in a region
where the snows remain so late in the season, and the incon-
venience and delay of visiting probably merely some strong-
hold of former times, made us resolve to proceed on our
route towards Phineka, a distance of nine hours. The Greek
priest says that we ought to remain here three years, to see
all the ruins in the country.
April 29th, Pliineha.—This is a little village about two
miles up a navigable river from the sea; its name resembles
that of the ancient appellation of this district—Phcenicus :
the indigenous palm-trees reminded me of the origin of the
name, unless perhaps the generic name of the plant may
have had its derivation from this district.
On leaving Myra this morning, we traversed the plain
towards the east, and crossing the river, which was carrying
down hundreds of sticks of timber, we ascended a wooded
hill to the little village of Vourtarpessa. From this slight
elevation we had a fine view of the whole plain, and could
study its geography. In the vegetable world I have observed
several additions to my already numerous list of luxuriant
trees and shrubs: these are the barberry, which is here a
large tree, and now in bloom; the castor-oil, the stems of
which are as thick as a man's body, and are now in blossom,
with formed fruit and the seed of last year, all clustered be-
neath the large rich leaf; and the pistacia, called here by
the Greeks the chickurea, which has a richer appearance than
our dark ash, but not so much so as the carob, which is here
the principal tree of the hills, affording a welcome shade at
all seasons. At Myra, among the rocks flourishes a beauti-
ful kind of aloe; the flowers seldom exceed three or four feet
m height, and two or three branches spring from its stem ;