DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0379
Chap, xx.]
THE IRIS.
349
At half-past nine we reached an elevated plain, having
two loft}' ranges of mountains at some distance on either
side (probably the Lithrus and Ophlimus of the ancients) ;
that to the right, which extended to the south of Heroic,
was called Kemer Dagh, and that on the left Oktap Dagh,
from the name of a small village on our right. This plain
forms the watershed between the Lycus and the Iris ; and
on its summit, notwithstanding its height, I observed both
Indian corn and cotton. At 11 we were descending by an
excellent road between wooded hills into the valley of the
Iris. This road is the principal, if not the only, communi-
cation by land between Constantinople and the northern
parts of Persia and Armenia., and was very superior both in
appearance and in width to most of those which I had seen
in Asia Minor.
At half-past 11 we saw, for the first time, the Iris, here
called the Tocat Su, flowing from the E.S.E. After halt-
ing for a meridian observation we descended into a barren
and uncultivated plain, through which the general direction
of the river was S.W. From thence the road led round a
point, where the river has forced a passage through the
rocks which separate this plain from that of Gumenck.
The river on our left was flowing rapidly, and carrying
down large quantities of firewood for the use of Tocat;
several men were employed in keeping it afloat, and watch-
ing it where it had grounded in the shallow parts of the
river. This was almost the only instance I had seen amongst
the Turks of a readiness to avail themselves of the powers
of nature, and to turn them to their advantage.
Six miles lower down my attention was attracted by a
Turkish burial-ground, containing several Hellenic-looking
blocks of stone, and by a low hill covered with ruins near
the river, which I turned aside to examine, and found
several fragments of marble architraves and friezes built
into the walls. One building, better preserved than the
others, was remarkable, being of a square shape, and
consisting of eight or nine apartments arched over, and
I
THE IRIS.
349
At half-past nine we reached an elevated plain, having
two loft}' ranges of mountains at some distance on either
side (probably the Lithrus and Ophlimus of the ancients) ;
that to the right, which extended to the south of Heroic,
was called Kemer Dagh, and that on the left Oktap Dagh,
from the name of a small village on our right. This plain
forms the watershed between the Lycus and the Iris ; and
on its summit, notwithstanding its height, I observed both
Indian corn and cotton. At 11 we were descending by an
excellent road between wooded hills into the valley of the
Iris. This road is the principal, if not the only, communi-
cation by land between Constantinople and the northern
parts of Persia and Armenia., and was very superior both in
appearance and in width to most of those which I had seen
in Asia Minor.
At half-past 11 we saw, for the first time, the Iris, here
called the Tocat Su, flowing from the E.S.E. After halt-
ing for a meridian observation we descended into a barren
and uncultivated plain, through which the general direction
of the river was S.W. From thence the road led round a
point, where the river has forced a passage through the
rocks which separate this plain from that of Gumenck.
The river on our left was flowing rapidly, and carrying
down large quantities of firewood for the use of Tocat;
several men were employed in keeping it afloat, and watch-
ing it where it had grounded in the shallow parts of the
river. This was almost the only instance I had seen amongst
the Turks of a readiness to avail themselves of the powers
of nature, and to turn them to their advantage.
Six miles lower down my attention was attracted by a
Turkish burial-ground, containing several Hellenic-looking
blocks of stone, and by a low hill covered with ruins near
the river, which I turned aside to examine, and found
several fragments of marble architraves and friezes built
into the walls. One building, better preserved than the
others, was remarkable, being of a square shape, and
consisting of eight or nine apartments arched over, and
I