The Author sets out for Smyrna—Etienne—Port of Marmora—Arabkui—Oolah—Moolah—Aharkui—Ancient temple—Capu Rash—Sarcophagi—Chinny Su—River Meander—Ferry—Guzel Issar—Frank doctor—Ruins of Magnesia—Chapan Oglu’s officers—Baynder—Civility of the governor—Pressing a horse—Smyrna—Visit to the consul—Purchases—Renegado Welchman—Mustafa lays a plan to rob the Author—Departure for Rhodes—Eleusis—Scio—Stancho—Cavo Crio, the ancient Cnidus—Ruins—Wall—Temple—Theatre—Stadium—Rhodes—New dresses—Servants cabal—Georgio Dallegio—Town of Rhodes—Embarkation in the Salsette frigate—Harbour of Marmora—Arrival at Alexandria.
On the 22nd of December, 1811, I crossed from Rhodes in an open boat for the coast of Caramania, accompanied by Mustafa, the chaûsh, and Etienne, servant to Mr. Pearce, whose capacity as a linguist induced Lady Hester to request his master to spare him to serve me as dragoman on the road.
We entered the bay of Marmora about midnight, and soon afterwards landed at a small town of the same name. Mustafa conducted me strait to the aga of the place; whom he knocked up, and then made known to him our business. The aga read the order with which I was furnished, and immediately procured horses for us. Whilst these were getting ready he treated us with coffee and pipes. On settling for the horses, it appeared that all I was expected to pay for them was two piasters to the servants of the aga, and two and a half to the postmaster, which for about fifteen leagues (the distance we were to ride them before changing), must be called cheap travelling. It will be seen hereafter how trifling were the expenses of this journey.
The horses were most miserable jades, and five in number; it being customary to have a spare one in case of accidents. Our saddles were put on them; pieces of felt being previously laid on their backs here and there to save rubbing the old sores. We departed a quarter of an hour before the dawn. The road lay by the side of a little brook, which was almost hidden by a vast number of oleander bushes. We soon came to the foot of a mountain, which we ascended by a path that would not admit two horses abreast. The mountain was well wooded with pines, being one of a chain which seemed to extend in every direction. After toiling for two or three hours to the summit, which we reached about three in the afternoon, Mustafa’s horse knocked up, and he was obliged to shift from him to the spare one, and to leave the poor fatigued animal there to perish (so at least I supposed) by cold and wild beasts: for through the whole day we had seen no hamlet or village. There was, however, at the top of the mountain, where the horse was left, a small caravansera containing a cistern supplied with rain water where a traveller might shelter himself from the inclemencies of the weather, and where perhaps the horse found (to him) a comfortable stable.
A succession of ascents and descents, always over mountains covered with firs, brought us at night to a village called Arabkui, which we dared not enter on account of the huge dogs that guarded it; and, turning somewhat to the left, our guide led us to a shed about two hundred yards from the village, where we passed an uncomfortable night.
Etienne made a fire, expecting that somebody would come out from the village of whom we might purchase provisions. At length, a tall, dark-complexioned, ill-dressed fellow made his appearance, and we begged him to get us something to eat. He gave us little hope; but disappeared, and soon afterwards returned with bread, milk, and a chicken, for which he was contented with one piaster and three paras.
As soon as day broke, we pursued our journey. In the course of about three hours, the face of the country began to change. We quitted the mountains for beautiful plains covered with verdure, watered by rivulets, and adorned with natural groves of trees. We passed a caravansera, like that of the preceding day, having nothing but bare walls and a roof, and not a person in it.
Soon after noon we saw the minarets of mosques at a distance, and in a short time arrived at Oolah, a large village, but with mean houses. We stopped at the posthouse, where we found a fire, and an old carpet spread before it. Here we dried our clothes and ate some bread and honey whilst the horses were getting ready; in three hours, we reached the town of Moolah, and at sunset the village of Aharkui, where we were to stop for the night. We were shown into a cottage, where a dish of eggs fried in butter and a dish of milk were served up to me; and for this supper and the night’s lodging I was called upon to pay ten paras only.
During this morning’s journey, after descending a mountain which brought us into a most beautiful valley, terminated on the left by a deep bay of the sea, we came, on a sudden, at a turn that led us from the valley to the ascent of the mountain on the opposite side of it, to a small ancient temple hewn out of the rock. It was a single chamber, a few feet in depth, and from twenty to thirty broad. An architrave formed the front, supported by six Ionic pillars, two in the centre and two at each extremity.
At a place called Capu Tash, or stone gate, (where I remarked a great number of stone sarcophagi, which lay scattered about, and which might have given rise to the name,) we took horses for Guzel Issar, and, as night overtook us, came to the banks of a broad river, which we forded with much risk; for the continuance of the rains had swollen it greatly.