DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0538
Chap, xxix.]
ASCANIA PALUS.
505
mca. According to the latter, Sagalassus was one day's
journey from Apamea, whereas Arrian relates that Alex-
ander was five days marching from Sagalassus to Celsense,
passing by the lake Ascania. Now, the real distance from
Sagalassus to Celaenaj, passing by the north end of the lake
of Buldur, is thirty-four or thirty-five miles, which is com-
patible with Strabo's account of one day's journey. This
is the direct road; and the very circumstance of Arrian's
mentioning the places by which Alexander passed would
lead us to infer that he had preferred another which was
more circuitous, and had gone out of his way and passed
by the Ascanian lake. The road from Sagalassus to
Celffinee, to the south of the lake of Buldur, and round
the west end of that of Chardak, is about eighty-five miles,
which would give a march of seventeen miles for each of
the five days that Alexander employed. This, in con-
nection with the fact of the salt being obtained in the
Chardak lake, appears to me conclusive as to this being
the real Ascania palus of Arrian, though it may also have
been known in the time of Herodotus by the name of
Anava. I may add here that no stream flows out of it to
the west.
Quitting the lake at twelve o'clock, we ascended a plain
sloping gently to the east, and after three miles passed
a large ruined khan, of fine Saracenic architectiire, 200
yards to the west of the village of Chardak. The
building consisted of an outer and inner apartment, the
latter of which was supported by four rows of columns or
pilasters, forming five rows of arcades. The doorway was
very handsome, with an Arabic or Cufic inscription, and
a rude representation of a lion on each side. The walls
also contained several fragments of cornices and blocks of
hewn marble. From thence we continued to ascend for
nearly two miles, when we began a gentle descent, and
presently entered a dry torrent bed, which we followed
for several miles, with a fine range of undulating wooded
hills on our right. A few miles lower down the valley
ASCANIA PALUS.
505
mca. According to the latter, Sagalassus was one day's
journey from Apamea, whereas Arrian relates that Alex-
ander was five days marching from Sagalassus to Celsense,
passing by the lake Ascania. Now, the real distance from
Sagalassus to Celaenaj, passing by the north end of the lake
of Buldur, is thirty-four or thirty-five miles, which is com-
patible with Strabo's account of one day's journey. This
is the direct road; and the very circumstance of Arrian's
mentioning the places by which Alexander passed would
lead us to infer that he had preferred another which was
more circuitous, and had gone out of his way and passed
by the Ascanian lake. The road from Sagalassus to
Celffinee, to the south of the lake of Buldur, and round
the west end of that of Chardak, is about eighty-five miles,
which would give a march of seventeen miles for each of
the five days that Alexander employed. This, in con-
nection with the fact of the salt being obtained in the
Chardak lake, appears to me conclusive as to this being
the real Ascania palus of Arrian, though it may also have
been known in the time of Herodotus by the name of
Anava. I may add here that no stream flows out of it to
the west.
Quitting the lake at twelve o'clock, we ascended a plain
sloping gently to the east, and after three miles passed
a large ruined khan, of fine Saracenic architectiire, 200
yards to the west of the village of Chardak. The
building consisted of an outer and inner apartment, the
latter of which was supported by four rows of columns or
pilasters, forming five rows of arcades. The doorway was
very handsome, with an Arabic or Cufic inscription, and
a rude representation of a lion on each side. The walls
also contained several fragments of cornices and blocks of
hewn marble. From thence we continued to ascend for
nearly two miles, when we began a gentle descent, and
presently entered a dry torrent bed, which we followed
for several miles, with a fine range of undulating wooded
hills on our right. A few miles lower down the valley