DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0438
CitAr. xxni.]
SAREK HAMISCH.
405
was obliged to keep fifteen horses; he declared he would
not accept it again for fifteen or twenty purses. No an-
tiquities were to be heard of, except a rather handsome
marble sarcophagus, which I found at a ruined fountain
near the Agha's konak, ornamented with garlands and ram's
heads.
I had hitherto failed in all my attempts to visit any of the
mines of rock salt, for which this part of Galatia as well as
Pontus was celebrated even in the days of Strabo. I could
never learn where they were with sufficient precision to en-
able me to combine a visit to them with my other plans. I
now learnt that a considerable mine existed at a place called
Sarek Hamisch, six hours off to the north, which was still
worked; and as my landlord offered to take me there and
back in one day, I resolved to act upon his recommendation.
Sunday, August 28.—Starting before seven under the
guidance of my host, who was armed with a long Kurdish
lance, and mounted on his horses, we ascended the undu-
lating hills which form the northern limit of the rich val-
ley of Soungourli, and reached the summit in about six
miles. Here, whilst admiring the extensive view before
me, I was surprised to find myself in the midst of a red
sandstone district; the whole country as far as I could see
to the W. and N.W. being a succession of hills, consisting
of red marls, sands, and sandstone conglomerates, alternat-
ing with marls and gravels of a grey or bluish colour, the
very counterpart of the saliferous districts in England. At
nine we commenced a rocky descent, with sections of the
red and blue sandstones on either side, down a valley which
opened into an extensive plain, on the northern side of
which was the village of Sarek Hamisch. Behind the vil-
lage to the N.W. rose a rugged and serrated ridge of
hills of red sandstone conglomerate, in which the salt-mines
were situated; but as the principal mine was on the
northern flank, we were obliged to leave the hills on our
left, and to keep to the east up a gently rising valley, in
order to cross them at a lower pass, by which at half-past
SAREK HAMISCH.
405
was obliged to keep fifteen horses; he declared he would
not accept it again for fifteen or twenty purses. No an-
tiquities were to be heard of, except a rather handsome
marble sarcophagus, which I found at a ruined fountain
near the Agha's konak, ornamented with garlands and ram's
heads.
I had hitherto failed in all my attempts to visit any of the
mines of rock salt, for which this part of Galatia as well as
Pontus was celebrated even in the days of Strabo. I could
never learn where they were with sufficient precision to en-
able me to combine a visit to them with my other plans. I
now learnt that a considerable mine existed at a place called
Sarek Hamisch, six hours off to the north, which was still
worked; and as my landlord offered to take me there and
back in one day, I resolved to act upon his recommendation.
Sunday, August 28.—Starting before seven under the
guidance of my host, who was armed with a long Kurdish
lance, and mounted on his horses, we ascended the undu-
lating hills which form the northern limit of the rich val-
ley of Soungourli, and reached the summit in about six
miles. Here, whilst admiring the extensive view before
me, I was surprised to find myself in the midst of a red
sandstone district; the whole country as far as I could see
to the W. and N.W. being a succession of hills, consisting
of red marls, sands, and sandstone conglomerates, alternat-
ing with marls and gravels of a grey or bluish colour, the
very counterpart of the saliferous districts in England. At
nine we commenced a rocky descent, with sections of the
red and blue sandstones on either side, down a valley which
opened into an extensive plain, on the northern side of
which was the village of Sarek Hamisch. Behind the vil-
lage to the N.W. rose a rugged and serrated ridge of
hills of red sandstone conglomerate, in which the salt-mines
were situated; but as the principal mine was on the
northern flank, we were obliged to leave the hills on our
left, and to keep to the east up a gently rising valley, in
order to cross them at a lower pass, by which at half-past