DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0356
326
FORD THE KIZIL TRMAK.
[Chap. xix.
rocky passes through which the river has forced its way,
flowing with increased velocity. After passing the narrow
gorge above mentioned, our path continued for nearly four
miles, either along the wooded bottom, or over the rocky
ridges which stretched down to the water's side, or along
the edge of precipitous cliffs overhanging the torrent, where
a false step would have sent horse and man into the roaring
waters beneath.
Soon after nine we reached a more open country, consist-
ing of undulating slopes covered with thorns, agnus castus,
and small mastic plants; and we at length entered a large
plain covered with millet and corn, the road keeping along
the banks of the river. At ten I stopped to examine a mass
of limestone rock, nearly twenty-five feet in height, and the
same in diameter, lying close to the road on the river side,
and far from any mountains whence it could have been de-
tached, although it had probably been washed down from
one of the passes above by the force of the torrent. On
the north face a small cave had been cut into it, with a
narrow entrance leading to a chamber scarcely sufficient to
turn round in. I climbed almost to the top, but could
discover nothing more, and found neither figures nor in-
scription on its rough sides.
At half-past eleven the ruins of a bridge over the Kizil
Irmak were seen about half a mile to our right, of which
fragments of the stone piers still remain on each side.
After crossing another range of green micaceous hills,
the road continued along a flat and grassy terrace about
fifty feet wide, between the hills on our left, and the river
below us on the right: this terrace was evidently the
remains of an extensive alluvial plain, which had once filled
the whole valley, through which the river now flowed with
a winding course. At a quarter before one we passed the
ferry-boat used when the river is full; it was of a trian-
gular form and of very rude construction, flat-bottomed and
with straight upright sides, formed of loose boards slightly
nailed together. The oars which hung by the side were
FORD THE KIZIL TRMAK.
[Chap. xix.
rocky passes through which the river has forced its way,
flowing with increased velocity. After passing the narrow
gorge above mentioned, our path continued for nearly four
miles, either along the wooded bottom, or over the rocky
ridges which stretched down to the water's side, or along
the edge of precipitous cliffs overhanging the torrent, where
a false step would have sent horse and man into the roaring
waters beneath.
Soon after nine we reached a more open country, consist-
ing of undulating slopes covered with thorns, agnus castus,
and small mastic plants; and we at length entered a large
plain covered with millet and corn, the road keeping along
the banks of the river. At ten I stopped to examine a mass
of limestone rock, nearly twenty-five feet in height, and the
same in diameter, lying close to the road on the river side,
and far from any mountains whence it could have been de-
tached, although it had probably been washed down from
one of the passes above by the force of the torrent. On
the north face a small cave had been cut into it, with a
narrow entrance leading to a chamber scarcely sufficient to
turn round in. I climbed almost to the top, but could
discover nothing more, and found neither figures nor in-
scription on its rough sides.
At half-past eleven the ruins of a bridge over the Kizil
Irmak were seen about half a mile to our right, of which
fragments of the stone piers still remain on each side.
After crossing another range of green micaceous hills,
the road continued along a flat and grassy terrace about
fifty feet wide, between the hills on our left, and the river
below us on the right: this terrace was evidently the
remains of an extensive alluvial plain, which had once filled
the whole valley, through which the river now flowed with
a winding course. At a quarter before one we passed the
ferry-boat used when the river is full; it was of a trian-
gular form and of very rude construction, flat-bottomed and
with straight upright sides, formed of loose boards slightly
nailed together. The oars which hung by the side were