DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0182
Chap, xl.]
LEAVE SANDUKLI.
171
hours. Starting at six we proceeded N. by W. for some
miles along' the northern part of the plain, which is of con-
siderable elevation, the barometer having fallen to 26°.350.
The country about is bleak and barren, the hills rocky and
without wood, the plain being chiefly grass and pasture,
except in the immediate neighbourhood of the town, where
opium is grown. After crossing the small streams flow-
ing from the mountains on our right, we traversed seve-
ral spurs of trachyte, stretching down from the hills of
the same formation, and then ascended another steep ridge
separating the plain of Sandukli from that of Saoran, and
consisting of schistose and quartzose rocks. On the summit
of the ridge the barometer fell to 25°.630 inches, but on
descending into the plain it rose again to 25°.957, still
marking: a considerable elevation above that of Sandukli,
into which the water escapes by a gorge two or three miles
off to the left. Here a road branches off to Kutahiyah,
which I presume to be that followed by General Koehler
in 1801.* It can hardly be necessary to state now that
Sandukli is not, as the General supposed, on the banks
of the Mseander.
Leaving the road to Kutahiyah, our direction became
N.E.; and in traversing the plain towards Saoran we
crossed several spurs of trachytic rocks stretching down
from the high group of mountains on the right, which, from
their picturesque and rugged character, appeared to be en-
tirely trachytic or volcanic. From thence we stretched
diagonally across the plain, N.E., to Saoran: the crops of
corn were abundant, but backward, and the grass was still
green; there were also some fields of poppies, and we
crossed a few streams flowing to the west into the Sandukli
Chai.
At eleven we were close to the village of Saoran, built
round the western extremity of a low ridge of hills extend-
ing from E. to W. In some of the beds caves had been
excavated, intended as dwelling-places either for the Tro-
* See Leake's Tour in Asia Minor, p. 139.
LEAVE SANDUKLI.
171
hours. Starting at six we proceeded N. by W. for some
miles along' the northern part of the plain, which is of con-
siderable elevation, the barometer having fallen to 26°.350.
The country about is bleak and barren, the hills rocky and
without wood, the plain being chiefly grass and pasture,
except in the immediate neighbourhood of the town, where
opium is grown. After crossing the small streams flow-
ing from the mountains on our right, we traversed seve-
ral spurs of trachyte, stretching down from the hills of
the same formation, and then ascended another steep ridge
separating the plain of Sandukli from that of Saoran, and
consisting of schistose and quartzose rocks. On the summit
of the ridge the barometer fell to 25°.630 inches, but on
descending into the plain it rose again to 25°.957, still
marking: a considerable elevation above that of Sandukli,
into which the water escapes by a gorge two or three miles
off to the left. Here a road branches off to Kutahiyah,
which I presume to be that followed by General Koehler
in 1801.* It can hardly be necessary to state now that
Sandukli is not, as the General supposed, on the banks
of the Mseander.
Leaving the road to Kutahiyah, our direction became
N.E.; and in traversing the plain towards Saoran we
crossed several spurs of trachytic rocks stretching down
from the high group of mountains on the right, which, from
their picturesque and rugged character, appeared to be en-
tirely trachytic or volcanic. From thence we stretched
diagonally across the plain, N.E., to Saoran: the crops of
corn were abundant, but backward, and the grass was still
green; there were also some fields of poppies, and we
crossed a few streams flowing to the west into the Sandukli
Chai.
At eleven we were close to the village of Saoran, built
round the western extremity of a low ridge of hills extend-
ing from E. to W. In some of the beds caves had been
excavated, intended as dwelling-places either for the Tro-
* See Leake's Tour in Asia Minor, p. 139.