DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4680#0074
4. THERM A. 405
to work a corn-mill and to irrigate a considerable extent of land
in the plain. During winter the stream flows along a gravelly road,
crossing the plain N.E., and discharges itself into the Sheikh-Arab-Su :
this road is undoubtedly the natural bed, and must have been so from
time immemorial, owing to its well defined higher level above the
adjoining fields through which it passes—a well known peculiarity of
the silting up of streams in this country.' The stream has a course
of about three miles before reaching the Maeander.
I visited Norgas in 1891, and was struck with the watercourse,
but did not explore the sources. Then it struck me that this water-
course had the appearance of a former river; and I remember that
Mr. Purser in 1883 told me that Norgas-Tchai was the ancient Orgas.
At that time I was under the impression that Prof. G. Hirschfeld must be
right; but years of study have justified Mr. Purser and the Eailway
Engineers on this point, and I have come round to their view.
Probably the Orgas carried a larger body of water in ancient time
than at the present day. (1) The upper part of the Apamean valley
and the adjoining hillsides were, probably, better wooded than at
present: every one who has travelled much in Anatolia learns how
many forest fires are caused by the carelessness of the nomad tribes,
and how much valuable timber is thus destroyed 1: the denudation
would affect the Orgas far more than the other branches. (2) The
drainage is bad, and the Apamean plain is very marshy in modern
time ; in ancient time it was well cultivated and must have been
well drained 2; and the Orgas would then be a fuller stream. (3)
The silting up of the bed, described by Mr. "Watkins, tends to deflect
the water.
None of the earlier travellers mention this stream. M. Weber
alludes to it, but conjecturally identifies it with the Obrimas3. I
think that M. Waddington perhaps anticipated this theory as to the
Orgas; but his words are brief and not quite clear, un ruisseau se
jette dans le Me'andre, pres de la ville, apres avoir traverse la plaine.
He probably visited the site in the rainy season, when Norgas-Tchai
was fuller.
§ 6. Maeander is marked out by the statement of Strabo, an
eye-witness, that the Orgas flowed into the Maeander4. Norgas-Tchai
1 The goats prevent young trees from Dere is swampy in several places,
growing, and the loss is therefore irre- 3 On his map he makes it join the
parable. A Yuruk would burn a tree Maeander a mile too low down.
to get a pole ; and in summer this often * The error in M. Weber's map ob-
causes a conflagration. scures the reasoning to those who keep
2 Mr. Watkins mentions that Norgas- their eye on it.
to work a corn-mill and to irrigate a considerable extent of land
in the plain. During winter the stream flows along a gravelly road,
crossing the plain N.E., and discharges itself into the Sheikh-Arab-Su :
this road is undoubtedly the natural bed, and must have been so from
time immemorial, owing to its well defined higher level above the
adjoining fields through which it passes—a well known peculiarity of
the silting up of streams in this country.' The stream has a course
of about three miles before reaching the Maeander.
I visited Norgas in 1891, and was struck with the watercourse,
but did not explore the sources. Then it struck me that this water-
course had the appearance of a former river; and I remember that
Mr. Purser in 1883 told me that Norgas-Tchai was the ancient Orgas.
At that time I was under the impression that Prof. G. Hirschfeld must be
right; but years of study have justified Mr. Purser and the Eailway
Engineers on this point, and I have come round to their view.
Probably the Orgas carried a larger body of water in ancient time
than at the present day. (1) The upper part of the Apamean valley
and the adjoining hillsides were, probably, better wooded than at
present: every one who has travelled much in Anatolia learns how
many forest fires are caused by the carelessness of the nomad tribes,
and how much valuable timber is thus destroyed 1: the denudation
would affect the Orgas far more than the other branches. (2) The
drainage is bad, and the Apamean plain is very marshy in modern
time ; in ancient time it was well cultivated and must have been
well drained 2; and the Orgas would then be a fuller stream. (3)
The silting up of the bed, described by Mr. "Watkins, tends to deflect
the water.
None of the earlier travellers mention this stream. M. Weber
alludes to it, but conjecturally identifies it with the Obrimas3. I
think that M. Waddington perhaps anticipated this theory as to the
Orgas; but his words are brief and not quite clear, un ruisseau se
jette dans le Me'andre, pres de la ville, apres avoir traverse la plaine.
He probably visited the site in the rainy season, when Norgas-Tchai
was fuller.
§ 6. Maeander is marked out by the statement of Strabo, an
eye-witness, that the Orgas flowed into the Maeander4. Norgas-Tchai
1 The goats prevent young trees from Dere is swampy in several places,
growing, and the loss is therefore irre- 3 On his map he makes it join the
parable. A Yuruk would burn a tree Maeander a mile too low down.
to get a pole ; and in summer this often * The error in M. Weber's map ob-
causes a conflagration. scures the reasoning to those who keep
2 Mr. Watkins mentions that Norgas- their eye on it.