DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0141
Chap, xxxviii.J VIEW OF THE CATACECAUMENE. 131
below Selcndi \vc passed through Tefen Kieui, a small
village, containing only ten or twelve houses, and dependent
upon the former A mile further we turned south, and imme-
diately on crossing the river began a winding ascent up the
steep hills which separate it from the Hermus. The lower
beds consist of horizontal sands and micaceous sandstone,
the same as that already observed above Selcndi; the upper
beds, which are equally horizontal, are white cretaceous
limestone resting directly on the sandstone, the intervening
beds of volcanic tuff having apparently thinned out. *
After a winding ascent of nearly two miles we reached
the summit of the ridge, where a very singular view pre-
sented itself to the S. and E.; different detached masses
of an extensive table-land, once the bottom of an ancient
sea or lake, and through which the Hermus has washed
itself a deep and winding bed, were spread out before us in
parallel lines, with many distant peaks and mountain chains
beyond them to the S. and S.E., like islands above the hori-
zon of the sea. A little to the W. of S., I caught the first
view of the high peak of Kara Devlit, or black inkstand of
Koula, already seen on my former journey, t Further to
the west were the other volcanic cones of the Catacecaumene,
with the adjacent summits of Mount Tmolus beyond, whilst
to the S.E. the mountains of Tacmac were just visible. The
whole country was barren and uncultivated, scarcely a tree
in sight, and the little verdure which had once been there
was burnt up.
Descending from this elevated table land, we passed over
a low mass of crystalline rocks, partly quartzose and partly
calcareous, belonging to the same formation as the meta-
morphic rocks of Koula, which form the bottom of this
lacustrine basin. A little further on was a Turkish burial-
ground, containing many fragments of pedestals : on one of
these were the remains of an inscription rendered illegible
* For the Geology of this district, see the Transactions of the Geological Society,
vol. vi. p. U,
s See ante, vol. i. p. 136.
K 2
below Selcndi \vc passed through Tefen Kieui, a small
village, containing only ten or twelve houses, and dependent
upon the former A mile further we turned south, and imme-
diately on crossing the river began a winding ascent up the
steep hills which separate it from the Hermus. The lower
beds consist of horizontal sands and micaceous sandstone,
the same as that already observed above Selcndi; the upper
beds, which are equally horizontal, are white cretaceous
limestone resting directly on the sandstone, the intervening
beds of volcanic tuff having apparently thinned out. *
After a winding ascent of nearly two miles we reached
the summit of the ridge, where a very singular view pre-
sented itself to the S. and E.; different detached masses
of an extensive table-land, once the bottom of an ancient
sea or lake, and through which the Hermus has washed
itself a deep and winding bed, were spread out before us in
parallel lines, with many distant peaks and mountain chains
beyond them to the S. and S.E., like islands above the hori-
zon of the sea. A little to the W. of S., I caught the first
view of the high peak of Kara Devlit, or black inkstand of
Koula, already seen on my former journey, t Further to
the west were the other volcanic cones of the Catacecaumene,
with the adjacent summits of Mount Tmolus beyond, whilst
to the S.E. the mountains of Tacmac were just visible. The
whole country was barren and uncultivated, scarcely a tree
in sight, and the little verdure which had once been there
was burnt up.
Descending from this elevated table land, we passed over
a low mass of crystalline rocks, partly quartzose and partly
calcareous, belonging to the same formation as the meta-
morphic rocks of Koula, which form the bottom of this
lacustrine basin. A little further on was a Turkish burial-
ground, containing many fragments of pedestals : on one of
these were the remains of an inscription rendered illegible
* For the Geology of this district, see the Transactions of the Geological Society,
vol. vi. p. U,
s See ante, vol. i. p. 136.
K 2