DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0108
98
ERDEK, ANC. ARTACE.
[Chap, xxxvi.
On reaching the sea-shore we halted for a few minutes at
a storehouse belonging to the Agha of Aidinjik, to see an
inscription * lately dug up at Cyzicus, for which purpose he
had sent down a chavasse with the key. Its form was cir-
cular, and it was evidently funereal; below the inscription
the figure of a warrior had been rudely carved. After con-
tinuing a short way along the beach, we crossed the sandy
isthmus which connects Cyzicus with the main land; near
the south end, many large blocks of stone, dug up in clear-
ing a neighbouring vineyard, had been collected into a
heap. Beyond the isthmus the road led across the ruins of
the old town, but leaving them on the right we proceeded
direct to Erdek.
The country between this place and Cyzicus is highly
cultivated, and covered with rich vineyards, said to produce
an excellent wine, much esteemed by the Greeks, and ex-
ported in large quantities to Constantinople. I tasted some
of it at Aidinjik, but thought it poor and sour. The soil is
rich, being derived from the decomposition of the granite
rocks to the north, on which are the ruins of Cyzicus. Its
rapid disintegration, and its fertility when decomposed, are
owing to the large proportion of felspar. Half way to
Erdek we crossed a spur of this granite stretching down
from the north.
After passing an extensive Turkish burial-ground full of
ancient columns, mostly of small dimensions, we reached
Erdek at half-past ten. It is a miserable town, containing
1200 houses. Never having passed through such filthy
streets, I was not surprised to hear that the plague was
raging both amongst the Greeks and Turks: six fresh
cases had occurred this day. Many of the Greeks kept
strict quarantine, and the man who walked with me about
the town, and took me to his house, said that his chil-
dren had not been out of their rooms for three months:
to judge from their healthy and rosy countenances, they
had not suffered from their confinement. The trade be-
* See Appendix, No. 314.
ERDEK, ANC. ARTACE.
[Chap, xxxvi.
On reaching the sea-shore we halted for a few minutes at
a storehouse belonging to the Agha of Aidinjik, to see an
inscription * lately dug up at Cyzicus, for which purpose he
had sent down a chavasse with the key. Its form was cir-
cular, and it was evidently funereal; below the inscription
the figure of a warrior had been rudely carved. After con-
tinuing a short way along the beach, we crossed the sandy
isthmus which connects Cyzicus with the main land; near
the south end, many large blocks of stone, dug up in clear-
ing a neighbouring vineyard, had been collected into a
heap. Beyond the isthmus the road led across the ruins of
the old town, but leaving them on the right we proceeded
direct to Erdek.
The country between this place and Cyzicus is highly
cultivated, and covered with rich vineyards, said to produce
an excellent wine, much esteemed by the Greeks, and ex-
ported in large quantities to Constantinople. I tasted some
of it at Aidinjik, but thought it poor and sour. The soil is
rich, being derived from the decomposition of the granite
rocks to the north, on which are the ruins of Cyzicus. Its
rapid disintegration, and its fertility when decomposed, are
owing to the large proportion of felspar. Half way to
Erdek we crossed a spur of this granite stretching down
from the north.
After passing an extensive Turkish burial-ground full of
ancient columns, mostly of small dimensions, we reached
Erdek at half-past ten. It is a miserable town, containing
1200 houses. Never having passed through such filthy
streets, I was not surprised to hear that the plague was
raging both amongst the Greeks and Turks: six fresh
cases had occurred this day. Many of the Greeks kept
strict quarantine, and the man who walked with me about
the town, and took me to his house, said that his chil-
dren had not been out of their rooms for three months:
to judge from their healthy and rosy countenances, they
had not suffered from their confinement. The trade be-
* See Appendix, No. 314.