DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0228
Chap, xliii.]
BARATHRA.
•217
many plovers. The water of these springs tasted cool and
fresh, but the inhabitants object to it as brackish, and pro-
cure a better supply from the distant mountains to the N.E.,
by an aqueduct which is carried across the plain.
There can be little or no doubt that this place represents
the Barathra or Barata of the Tables, placed at the distance
of fifty miles from Iconium, although the distance on the map
is more than fifty geographical miles; but the name, which
signifies " deep pits," cannot well apply to anything else
than these remarkable craters, which must have attracted
the attention of the ancients. The distance from Barathra
to Tyana is omitted in the Tables, and the number fifty
might with almost equal propriety be said to apply to that
portion of the road between Tyana and Iconium.
Wednesday, July 5.—I was so tormented last night by
gnats from the neighbouring marshes, that I determined to
leave the place immediately, without waiting to examine
the other volcanic phamomena in the neighbourhood. Our
direction was for some time north, along a narrow plain,
beyond which we ascended to a more elevated plateau,
when our road trended away rather more to the east. On
our left was the rugged chain of hills called Shujak Dagh,
bearing N.W. by N. from Kara Bounar, and on our right
the lofty chain of Karajah Dagh extended towards Hassan
Dagh, but separated from it by an intervening hollow, in
which were many conical hills, apparently volcanic, indi-
cating a more extensive range of igneous action than I had
at first imagined.
Nothing could be more uninteresting than the unvaried
repetition and monotony of the successive plains and hol-
lows over which we passed to-day. Near Kara Bounar were
a few yaila villages ; but as we advanced the country was
one uninterrupted succession of barren and parched downs.
The absinthe or wormwood, and a species of wild lavender,
alone appeared to flourish in the dry soil, from which a few
flocks of sheep derived a scanty nourishment. The bold
outline of Hassan Dagh on our right varied the uniformity
BARATHRA.
•217
many plovers. The water of these springs tasted cool and
fresh, but the inhabitants object to it as brackish, and pro-
cure a better supply from the distant mountains to the N.E.,
by an aqueduct which is carried across the plain.
There can be little or no doubt that this place represents
the Barathra or Barata of the Tables, placed at the distance
of fifty miles from Iconium, although the distance on the map
is more than fifty geographical miles; but the name, which
signifies " deep pits," cannot well apply to anything else
than these remarkable craters, which must have attracted
the attention of the ancients. The distance from Barathra
to Tyana is omitted in the Tables, and the number fifty
might with almost equal propriety be said to apply to that
portion of the road between Tyana and Iconium.
Wednesday, July 5.—I was so tormented last night by
gnats from the neighbouring marshes, that I determined to
leave the place immediately, without waiting to examine
the other volcanic phamomena in the neighbourhood. Our
direction was for some time north, along a narrow plain,
beyond which we ascended to a more elevated plateau,
when our road trended away rather more to the east. On
our left was the rugged chain of hills called Shujak Dagh,
bearing N.W. by N. from Kara Bounar, and on our right
the lofty chain of Karajah Dagh extended towards Hassan
Dagh, but separated from it by an intervening hollow, in
which were many conical hills, apparently volcanic, indi-
cating a more extensive range of igneous action than I had
at first imagined.
Nothing could be more uninteresting than the unvaried
repetition and monotony of the successive plains and hol-
lows over which we passed to-day. Near Kara Bounar were
a few yaila villages ; but as we advanced the country was
one uninterrupted succession of barren and parched downs.
The absinthe or wormwood, and a species of wild lavender,
alone appeared to flourish in the dry soil, from which a few
flocks of sheep derived a scanty nourishment. The bold
outline of Hassan Dagh on our right varied the uniformity