DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0275
Chap, xlv.]
AUFSHARS.
263
effected from Everek Kieui. They also described some
curious and interesting ruins, three days' journey off, at a
place called by the Turks Afshar, and by the Greeks Ana-
barza; on further inquiry, however, they proved to be ten
days' journey distant. They are probably the remains of
Anazarba. The country is difficult and dangerous to travel
through, the inhabitants being all robbers, who are called
by the Turks Aufshari, and by the Greeks Isavri. This
latter name is remarkable, and it occurred to me that they
might be descendants of Isaurians, driven from their former
habitations, and settled in these distant mountains. The
monks also spoke of considerable ruins at a place called
Euren Sheher, three days' journey E.N.E. from Csesarea,
and, ten hours further, they described two lofty rocks, forty
or fifty feet high, and covered with Greek inscriptions.
On our return from the monastery to Ca;sarea we
passed to the north of Ali Dagh, apparently a volcanic
outburst, consisting of loose scoriaceous matter overlaid in
places by basalt. To the right was the large village of
Thalass, consisting chiefly of caves, in and near a narrow
gorge of volcanic tuff, and partly built on the edge of the
table-land. The foot of Ali Dagh, and the plain between
it and Thalass, are covered with luxuriant woods of fruit-
trees, and gardens green with walnut and apricot trees,
while the steeper sides of the mountain presented young-
plantations of yellow berry, all proofs of industry and
increasing consumption; for this latter plant, which grows
wild in many parts of Asia Minor, is cultivated round Ca>
sarea wherever the ground is available. After it is collected
by the peasants it is bought up by the Armenian merchants
for about six or eight piastres the okc, and sent to Smyrna,
where, when there is a demand for it in the European
market, it fetches two or three times that price. This year,
however, the Armenians complained of great losses, not
being able to sell their produce in consequence of the failure
of some large houses in England.
AUFSHARS.
263
effected from Everek Kieui. They also described some
curious and interesting ruins, three days' journey off, at a
place called by the Turks Afshar, and by the Greeks Ana-
barza; on further inquiry, however, they proved to be ten
days' journey distant. They are probably the remains of
Anazarba. The country is difficult and dangerous to travel
through, the inhabitants being all robbers, who are called
by the Turks Aufshari, and by the Greeks Isavri. This
latter name is remarkable, and it occurred to me that they
might be descendants of Isaurians, driven from their former
habitations, and settled in these distant mountains. The
monks also spoke of considerable ruins at a place called
Euren Sheher, three days' journey E.N.E. from Csesarea,
and, ten hours further, they described two lofty rocks, forty
or fifty feet high, and covered with Greek inscriptions.
On our return from the monastery to Ca;sarea we
passed to the north of Ali Dagh, apparently a volcanic
outburst, consisting of loose scoriaceous matter overlaid in
places by basalt. To the right was the large village of
Thalass, consisting chiefly of caves, in and near a narrow
gorge of volcanic tuff, and partly built on the edge of the
table-land. The foot of Ali Dagh, and the plain between
it and Thalass, are covered with luxuriant woods of fruit-
trees, and gardens green with walnut and apricot trees,
while the steeper sides of the mountain presented young-
plantations of yellow berry, all proofs of industry and
increasing consumption; for this latter plant, which grows
wild in many parts of Asia Minor, is cultivated round Ca>
sarea wherever the ground is available. After it is collected
by the peasants it is bought up by the Armenian merchants
for about six or eight piastres the okc, and sent to Smyrna,
where, when there is a demand for it in the European
market, it fetches two or three times that price. This year,
however, the Armenians complained of great losses, not
being able to sell their produce in consequence of the failure
of some large houses in England.