We departed from Osmanjik about an hour before sun-set, and paced the banks of the Halys as far as our next stage Haji Hamza, called eight hours from Osmanjik. The scenery of the river appears to partake of every quality which can make landscape admirable. Very fine lands rise above it; along which, still following the stream in all its windings, the road is carried, presenting to the travellers at every reach new and striking pictures. Here and there we came to fine collections of walnut-trees; and then crossed large plantations of rice, which, for the facility of irrigation, were situated immediately on the borders of the water. At about two hours from Osmanjik we turned to the left, and ascended a very steep part of the mountains, on a broad paved road, which, as far as the dusk of the evening permitted me to observe, seemed good. On reaching the extreme eminence, I perceived that we were on the brink of an immense precipice, under which the river was winding; and that we were enclosed on all sides by stupendous heights. The obscurity and stillness of the night gave a solemnity to the scene which I cannot describe. We continued along this precipice, viewing the same grandeur of scenery for some time, but in perfect security: for we were travelling on a road of a smooth and easy surface, and guarded on the side of the danger by a parapet wall. My Janizary told me that the road was cut into the vivid rock by the Genoese. He was probably right in the materials, as in the present age nothing but rock would have been in so good order: perhaps he was right also in the founders, to whom he ascribed the original work; but the darkness prevented my forming any judgment of the correctness of his information.
We came to Haji Hamza in the dead of the night. The post-house is on the banks of the river. There are few other habitations, except indeed the fort. We had scarcely taken the rest of an hour, when we were again on our horses, on the road to Tosia, called a distance of twelve hours. We came to Tosia about four hours after sun-rise, after having met several caravans, the mules of which were the finest that I had seen in the country. In fact, the mules of Turkey, and particularly in this part of it, are much larger and finer limbed than any of the sort in Persia. So that the Mirza, when we were travelling together, was on the point of buying several as a present for the King, declaring that His Majesty had none of equal beauty.
Tosia is a large town situated among beautiful environs on the slope of a hill, and presents itself in its whole extent intermixed with several handsome mosques. The post-house is just on the skirts of the town.
We proceeded from Tosia to Coja Hissar, distant eight hours. On leaving Tosia we entered on an amphitheatre of land, rising in gentle acclivities all around, cultivated more richly than I can describe. The bed of the valley was one layer of corn fields, fenced off by hedges of evergreens and fine trees. We then came to large plantations of rice, and extensive tracts of vineyards. The road was beautifully shaded on both sides, until we came to a station of guards of the mountains, where we entered their waste district, and quitted the cultivation. We reached Coja Hissar about three hours before sun-set. I went into the coffee-house attached to the post-house; and after having eat some soup and meat-balls,[47] I laid myself down to sleep. We had heard that two thousand of the Delhis were encamped in the neighbourhood, about two hours distant from the place; and accordingly determined to pass them in the night. Little sleep is necessary to the body: when I was awakened by my Janizary, just at the dusk of the evening, I thought that it was the grey of the morning, and that I had slept through the night; and I upbraided him therefore with laziness, for not having proceeded as we had agreed the night before. I felt as refreshed with the three hours rest, as if I had slept undisturbed through a whole night, although I had taken no sleep since I had left Amasia, except what had been forced upon me when on my horse. Though sleep will certainly overcome us in defiance of all our efforts, a few minutes suffice; and when the strongest paroxysm is over, refresh indeed as much as hours in bed. We are seldom aware how little food and how little sleep are necessary for health and strength.
When we left Coja Hissar the weather portended a storm. Dark clouds were gathering over the mountains; and as the night closed, we now and then only got a glimpse of a star. This proved very favourable to us, for we had not rode long before we discovered the numerous fires of the Delhis that illuminated the whole of the country to a considerable distance. They were encamped on the opposite side of the river to that on which our road lay, so that guarded by the water and by the darkness, we passed them without being challenged by a single one.
On the 13th, about one o’clock in the morning, we reached Carajol, a distance of eight hours; and departed again to Carajalar, distant four hours. It is remarkable that the country from Carajol is entirely destitute of trees; losing, as it were by magic, all that variety of foliage which characterizes the preceding region. We were detained at Carajalar, from the morning till the evening, by a deficiency of horses. Although we gave five piastres for the hire of each, yet it was not till we had witnessed a scene of strife and contention amongst the villagers, in which there was some blood shed, that we were supplied. The post-house had been broken up for some time past; and the burthen, in consequence fell upon the people, who, in their several turns, furnished the travellers with horses at the rate of five piastres each; though on every emergency there was a similar difficulty to enforce the regular levy in succession. As I was waiting for my horses, a deputation from this village returned, which had been sent to the Chief of the Delhis for the purpose of offering him a certain sum of money, in case he did not remain there with his troops longer than one night. The object was attained, though I could not learn the amount of the stipulated payment. In this manner the Bey commanding the Delhis enriches himself during his march.
At length, after having collected my horses from various quarters, I departed for Geredéh, distant sixteen hours. At six hours from Carajalar is a large town called Cherkes, situated in a plain, environed by some pretty groupes of trees. It is surrounded by a wall, and on entering one of the gates, I casually observed on the outside a Greek inscription in good character, carved on a stone which formed the lowermost part of the arch. On quitting the place I noticed on the road side, at several intervals, shafts of small columns terminated on either side by a plinth and tores, and apparently erected as monuments in places of burial; for all around were spread other blocks of stone, more obviously designed to cover graves. As the night closed we deviated from the road to avoid Hamanlee, the town and fortress of a man (Hajee Ahmet Oglu,) who, being a rebel to the Porte, is always in arms; and whose parties (patroling the hills in watch for his safety) infest the whole country, and sometimes have not spared travellers. Instead, therefore, of ascending the mountain, we turned to the left through a valley. There was every appearance of a storm as the night fell; and our apprehensions were soon realized. We were overtaken in the open country by one of the severest tempests of rain, thunder, and lightning, that I ever witnessed. Our horses refused to proceed, and turned their backs instinctively to the storm. The whole country was lighted by the flashes, which, ceasing at intervals, left us in impenetrable darkness. I can bear witness in this instance to the excellence of English broad cloth, a cloak of which preserved me from the heaviest torrents of rain, whilst my Janizary, who had a Turkish cloak made of a species of felt, was drenched from head to foot. After the storm had expended itself, we proceeded, till we reached the skirts of a village, where we fed our horses, and slept for an hour on the wet grass. 14th. The morning broke with unusual splendour, and introduced a most romantic country to us. We had now ascended to a region, the elevation of which was marked very sensibly by the increase of the cold, and by the tardiness of vegetation in comparison to that of the plains below. The peasantry were here ploughing the ground; and some delightful patches of cultivation were interspersed amongst the ranges of pines and other forest trees, that covered the summits and enlivened the declivity of the mountains.
Geredéh is a large town; at the entrance is a very extensive tannery. The shops and coffee-houses of the bazars seemed also well peopled by a great number of well-looking Turks, sitting down and enjoying themselves with their pipes. We had been taught to apprehend here also a second detention for horses, from the great number of Tatars who had been passing. One of them indeed had just preceded us; and had left us a part of his meal of fried eggs and soup. The Tatars look upon themselves as great personages on the road; and expect proportionate attention at the post-houses, which, as I observed, was scarcely ever denied to them. The Tatar who accompanied me was so tenacious of this consequence of his class, that he always took the best things for himself, and treated me as his inferior. Whenever he arrived, a soft seat and a cushion were spread for him, and, as he lighted his pipe, a dish of coffee was prepared for him; whilst to me he transferred an indifferent seat and the second dish. The fact is, indeed, that my appearance bespoke very little of the master; and I could hardly wonder therefore that the Tatar was treated with all the respect which I might have expected as due to myself. My black skin cap was become very dusty; my silk trowsers were all torn; my Persian boots were soaked with rain and twisted under the heel; whilst my coat and great coat were all in dirt and in rags. As I did not wish to travel in my own character, knowing how extravagantly Frangees (and Englishmen in particular) are made to pay, I was well content to pass for a Persian: and the little notice that was thus taken of one looking so miserable, gave me liberty to walk about and make my observations at my ease. Of all this contrast of our appearance however, my Tatar profited; travelling as a gentleman at my expence, whilst I as easily passed for his attendant.
