DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0096
86
CROSS THE LUFER St.
[Chap, xxxvr.
miles, when we emerged into the plain of the Lufer Su3
whence I had a fine view of the snowy summits of Mount
Olympus, called Keshisch Dagh by the Turks, bearing S.E.
by compass. At Uh. 19m. we crossed the river by a ferry-
boat, consisting of a small triangular raft attached to a rope
of twisted vine-twigs on which it traversed. These long
twigs are obtained from the wild vine, which grows to a
great height in the woods in flat and marshy grounds,
reaching to the top of the loftiest trees, and then descend-
ing nearly to the ground. The boat was so small, that
three trips were necessary to carry over our eight horses,
and the whole operation delayed us eighteen minutes.
Immediately on leaving the river we ascended the low
hills which form the southern boundary of the plain close
to the small village of Balukli; and, about half a mile from
the river, passed through a beautiful undulating country^
well cultivated and interspersed with natural clumps of
trees. Half a mile farther we entered a small wood of
Valonea oak, of the finest quality. This is a species of
Quercus, the leaf of which is smooth and shining, very
slightly jagged, and rather resembling in shape that of the
Spanish or sweet chesnut, being ovate, and more pointed
than the leaf of the common oak.
At twelve we reached the summit of another ridge, which
separates the valley of the Lufer Sii from the lake of Abul-
lionte. It consists of stratified and thinly laminated calca-
reous marl of a greyish-white colour, dipping W.N.W.:
lower down towards the lake to the S.W. the red trachyte
protrudes above the surface for some distance, and forms
the basis of the hill. In half an hour we came in sight of
the lake of Abullionte, extending from east to west : its
surface is studded with many islands in the N.E. portion,
on one of which we saw the town of that name.
Soon after one we descended from the trachytic hills
covered with low coppice and thorns, and approached the
lake, but the scenery on this side is much less beautiful
than to the south. After reaching the plain we continued
CROSS THE LUFER St.
[Chap, xxxvr.
miles, when we emerged into the plain of the Lufer Su3
whence I had a fine view of the snowy summits of Mount
Olympus, called Keshisch Dagh by the Turks, bearing S.E.
by compass. At Uh. 19m. we crossed the river by a ferry-
boat, consisting of a small triangular raft attached to a rope
of twisted vine-twigs on which it traversed. These long
twigs are obtained from the wild vine, which grows to a
great height in the woods in flat and marshy grounds,
reaching to the top of the loftiest trees, and then descend-
ing nearly to the ground. The boat was so small, that
three trips were necessary to carry over our eight horses,
and the whole operation delayed us eighteen minutes.
Immediately on leaving the river we ascended the low
hills which form the southern boundary of the plain close
to the small village of Balukli; and, about half a mile from
the river, passed through a beautiful undulating country^
well cultivated and interspersed with natural clumps of
trees. Half a mile farther we entered a small wood of
Valonea oak, of the finest quality. This is a species of
Quercus, the leaf of which is smooth and shining, very
slightly jagged, and rather resembling in shape that of the
Spanish or sweet chesnut, being ovate, and more pointed
than the leaf of the common oak.
At twelve we reached the summit of another ridge, which
separates the valley of the Lufer Sii from the lake of Abul-
lionte. It consists of stratified and thinly laminated calca-
reous marl of a greyish-white colour, dipping W.N.W.:
lower down towards the lake to the S.W. the red trachyte
protrudes above the surface for some distance, and forms
the basis of the hill. In half an hour we came in sight of
the lake of Abullionte, extending from east to west : its
surface is studded with many islands in the N.E. portion,
on one of which we saw the town of that name.
Soon after one we descended from the trachytic hills
covered with low coppice and thorns, and approached the
lake, but the scenery on this side is much less beautiful
than to the south. After reaching the plain we continued