April xxix.
We continued our journey by four a clock this morning thro the Caýstrian plain for Tyria, and had the satisfaction of fording that celebrated river about three hours from our conáck. Not far from hence we found a stone bridge of three considerable arches, built directly along the bank of the river; and therefore now serving to no other purpose, but only to witness that the stream had changed its chanel. Our way lay from hence near the course of the Caýster, thro a fertile and well cultivated champain; a place inexpressibly delicious, and which can be equalled by nothing, but the sweetness of that immortal verse:
Ἀσίῳ ἐν λειμῶνι Καϋστρίου ἀμφὶ ῥέεθρα. Iliad. β′. ℣. 461.
Or those of Virgil:
Pelagi volucres, et quae Asia circum
Dulcibus in stagnis rimantur prata Cäystri. Georg. i. 384.
It is inhabited by frequent villages, and enclosed on both sides with two high and snowy mountains, namely Tmolus on the right hand, and on the left what Strabo calls Μεσογειότης[36], or the Midland hills.
Soon after eleven a clock we arrived at Tyria, and conácked in an old, dirty, ruinous kane; having by this time learnt, that the weary and thirsty traveler must repine at no reception, which he meets with in Turkey. Tyria yeilds a pleasant prospect, as we ride into the city, gently ascending from the adjacent plain. The buildings are curiously intermixt with trees and gardens, which extend the circuit of the place; tho the number of its houses seems inferior to that of Smyrna. We counted about fourteen mosques, one of which we observed to be royal, that is, adorned with a double minarée. Having entered the town we found the streets negligently kept, and meanly built; but at the same time populous enough, not without the appearance of a considerable trade. It is to be wondered that so large a city, standing in the very heart of Asia, should have no remains of antiquity[37]. There are indeed two Greek churches in the place, where the poor ignorant priests would persuade both themselves and us, that this was the antient Thyatira; but we thought it not fit to rob them of the satisfaction of this error, nor puzzle them with any accounts of antient geography, or late experience, that evince the contrary.
It is pretended in some journals, that two or three valuable inscriptions are to be found in these churches, tho we were now eye witnesses of the contrary; for there occur’d nothing in that, which they call the Metropolitan church, but a defaced monument, whereon no intelligible words were to be read, except ΧΡΗΣΤΕ ΧΑΙΡΕ. Over the entrance of the other there is a piece of devotion, written in modern characters: but more remarkable, in the body of the wall stands a large image of our Savior, elegantly carved in porphyry; tho it now appears rudely mangled, and seems to have felt the fury of the old angry iconoclastae. In the hand is portrayed an open book, inscribed with this sentence out of St. John’s Gospel, viii. 12. Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου. This was an instance, which may perhaps appear to be singular, at least it is contrary to the general practice, as well as persuasion of the Greek church; for tho they have a superstitious fondness for religious pictures, yet they abhor all imagery in relievo, and look upon it as inclining to heathenism and idolatry.