DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0200
Chap, xli.]
PLAGUE—HAT DBS STEPPES.
189
mosques, baths, and bezestan, some of which were large
and substantial, and hardly corresponded with the wretched
appearance of this mud-built village ; but I saw no traces
of antiquity in any of them, and the site appeared to be
entirely Turkish. In my wanderings I scarcely met a
human creature. A few old cadaverous-looking beings
were sitting near a coffee-shop in the bazaar, victims of
the malady under which the whole country was suffering,
and which, as I afterwards learnt, was still increasing.
Wednesday, June 28.— We left our quarters at an early
hour for Ladik, the ancient Laodicea Combusta, said to
be nine hours. Our route was rather N. of E. for five
miles, over a flat uncultivated plain, passing close to a
steep ridge of crystalline limestone on our left, forming
part of a connecting range of hills between Sultan Dagh
and Emir Dagh. The plain swarmed with a species of bur-
rowing animal about the size of a squirrel, which I had
also seen in other parts of Asia Minor; but whether a spe-
cies of marmotte, jerboa, lemming, or hamster, I could not
ascertain. I tried to shoot several, but they were extremely
cunning, and unwilling to leave their holes ; and when
wounded they contrived to crawl into them. Their colour
is a light yellowish brown, and they abound in the southern
provinces of Russia, where the variety or species is known
by the name of Rat des steppes. On reaching the eastern
extremity of the plain we crossed, by a stone bridge, the
Bolasan Su, flowing E.N.E. out of the plain. This is the
river which some have mistaken for the Ilghun Sii : it rises
amongst the hills behind Tekiyeh Kieui, about five miles
off to the south ; and after flowing six hours further in an
E.N.E. direction to a place called Atlandeh, loses itself, it
is said, underground in the middle of the plain.
From hence we proceeded E.S.E. for ten miles, over
barren chalk downs, as far as Kadun Khana; through an
opening in the hills to the left we looked over the plain of
Atchekcu, which extends uninterruptedly to the Haima-
neh. The dreariness of the scene was partly broken by
PLAGUE—HAT DBS STEPPES.
189
mosques, baths, and bezestan, some of which were large
and substantial, and hardly corresponded with the wretched
appearance of this mud-built village ; but I saw no traces
of antiquity in any of them, and the site appeared to be
entirely Turkish. In my wanderings I scarcely met a
human creature. A few old cadaverous-looking beings
were sitting near a coffee-shop in the bazaar, victims of
the malady under which the whole country was suffering,
and which, as I afterwards learnt, was still increasing.
Wednesday, June 28.— We left our quarters at an early
hour for Ladik, the ancient Laodicea Combusta, said to
be nine hours. Our route was rather N. of E. for five
miles, over a flat uncultivated plain, passing close to a
steep ridge of crystalline limestone on our left, forming
part of a connecting range of hills between Sultan Dagh
and Emir Dagh. The plain swarmed with a species of bur-
rowing animal about the size of a squirrel, which I had
also seen in other parts of Asia Minor; but whether a spe-
cies of marmotte, jerboa, lemming, or hamster, I could not
ascertain. I tried to shoot several, but they were extremely
cunning, and unwilling to leave their holes ; and when
wounded they contrived to crawl into them. Their colour
is a light yellowish brown, and they abound in the southern
provinces of Russia, where the variety or species is known
by the name of Rat des steppes. On reaching the eastern
extremity of the plain we crossed, by a stone bridge, the
Bolasan Su, flowing E.N.E. out of the plain. This is the
river which some have mistaken for the Ilghun Sii : it rises
amongst the hills behind Tekiyeh Kieui, about five miles
off to the south ; and after flowing six hours further in an
E.N.E. direction to a place called Atlandeh, loses itself, it
is said, underground in the middle of the plain.
From hence we proceeded E.S.E. for ten miles, over
barren chalk downs, as far as Kadun Khana; through an
opening in the hills to the left we looked over the plain of
Atchekcu, which extends uninterruptedly to the Haima-
neh. The dreariness of the scene was partly broken by