DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0197
Chap, xi.]
THE JUJUBE TREE.
169
six we reached a small cafe in the suburbs near the river-
side, having left the town itself nearly a mile behind us up
a steep ravine to the right.
The silver-mines of Giimischkhana are amongst the most
celebrated in the Turkish dominions, and are looked upon
as the school where the art of mining is best taught; it is,
moreover, the district which furnishes miners for all other
parts of Anatolia. I was most anxious to see them, but
my companion being hurried, I put off my visit until my
return.
Friday, May 27.—Wishing to reach Baibourt to-day, we
determined to set out early, the distance being 14 hours
or 42 miles. We left Giimischkhana at five, and, after
crossing to the right bank of the river, ascended the
valley E. by S. for nearly six miles; at first between a
succession of beautiful gardens and orchards. When we
were clear of the gardens, the air was deliciously scented
with the perfume of a tree in full flower growing abun-
dantly along the banks of the river. In appearance it
closely resembled the willow; the leaves had the same colour
and the same villosity on the under side; the smell of the
yellow flower, which was small and cruciform, resembled
that of the jessamine; and although I occasionally found it
wild in other parts of Asia Minor, it was long before I dis-
covered it was the jijiva, or jujube tree. I should, however,
think it must be sufficiently hardy to grow in England, where
it would be a great ornament. The low, flat-roofed, and
almost subterranean houses had a strange appearance;
built against the steep hill side, they require only one wall
in front to support the roof, which on the other three sides
rests on the ground. Like many of the Armenian villages,
these hovels are so low that you may ride on the roof without
knowing where you are.
The rock on this side of the river was a reddish, large-
grained granite, with a great tendency to decompose, and
containing, in some specimens of it which I collected, vesicu-
lar hollows. As we advanced it appeared to pass into pro-
THE JUJUBE TREE.
169
six we reached a small cafe in the suburbs near the river-
side, having left the town itself nearly a mile behind us up
a steep ravine to the right.
The silver-mines of Giimischkhana are amongst the most
celebrated in the Turkish dominions, and are looked upon
as the school where the art of mining is best taught; it is,
moreover, the district which furnishes miners for all other
parts of Anatolia. I was most anxious to see them, but
my companion being hurried, I put off my visit until my
return.
Friday, May 27.—Wishing to reach Baibourt to-day, we
determined to set out early, the distance being 14 hours
or 42 miles. We left Giimischkhana at five, and, after
crossing to the right bank of the river, ascended the
valley E. by S. for nearly six miles; at first between a
succession of beautiful gardens and orchards. When we
were clear of the gardens, the air was deliciously scented
with the perfume of a tree in full flower growing abun-
dantly along the banks of the river. In appearance it
closely resembled the willow; the leaves had the same colour
and the same villosity on the under side; the smell of the
yellow flower, which was small and cruciform, resembled
that of the jessamine; and although I occasionally found it
wild in other parts of Asia Minor, it was long before I dis-
covered it was the jijiva, or jujube tree. I should, however,
think it must be sufficiently hardy to grow in England, where
it would be a great ornament. The low, flat-roofed, and
almost subterranean houses had a strange appearance;
built against the steep hill side, they require only one wall
in front to support the roof, which on the other three sides
rests on the ground. Like many of the Armenian villages,
these hovels are so low that you may ride on the roof without
knowing where you are.
The rock on this side of the river was a reddish, large-
grained granite, with a great tendency to decompose, and
containing, in some specimens of it which I collected, vesicu-
lar hollows. As we advanced it appeared to pass into pro-