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CHAPTER XV.

ARAB HISSA, ANCIENT ALABANDA.-RUINS.-DEMMEERGE-DEKASY, ANCIENT ALINDA.-TOMBS.-RUINS.-PASSAGE OF THE MOUNTAINS.

UNKNOWN RUINS.-MYLASA.-TEMPLE OF LABRANDA [?].—ANCIENT

REMAINS.-MAUSOLEUM.

March 16th, Capeedas.-Arab Hissá had not a shelter for us, consisting of but a few huts amidst the ruins of the ancient city, whose temple walls now serve as folds for calves, which are bred abundantly in this neighbourhood. This village, which is of the lowest grade to deserve the title, is a mile to the south of Arab Hissá. Depositing our baggage, we lost no time in returning to examine the ruins of the ancient city, whose name has not yet been satisfactorily fixed: it is supposed by many to be the ruins of Alabanda. Climbing up the back of a steep hill which overlooked the city, and whose top was covered with old walls, we had a commanding view of the whole country, the position of which differs much from that laid down in the maps. The large river, which, escorted by guides, we had with great difficulty crossed four miles to the south of Zhumarleecooe, soon afterwards divided into two branches; one coming from Cheena on the south, which gives its name to the river, the other from the west-south-west. Crossing the latter, we arrived at the ruins before us, which are at the fork or angle of

the two rivers. The whole country is mountainous, but the valleys highly productive and extensive. Scattered about are the tents of the Yourooks, who watch the numerous flocks of sheep, and herds of cows and buffalos. The plains are in large tracks of monotonous colours, with the young wheat and barley, and here and there the rich-looking red soil is being ploughed to receive the seeds of the cotton-plant. Rising from this plain are green slopes, covered with flocks, and the fig, olive, and vine show that a fine climate favours this region. The ruins of the city below are mysterious; there is a boldness and simple massiveness in the construction of the walls and theatre, which is anterior to the age of the cities I have seen during the past week, but an almost total absence of inscriptions leaves much in obscurity. The whole of the materials used in its construction are of igneous rock, and generally of a coarse granite, whose perishing surface has been further injured by the lichens growing upon it. The few inscriptions which I traced with difficulty upon the sarcophagi, were too imperfect to throw much light upon the name or history of the city. The theatre, which faced the north-west, was as usual built in the side of a hill, and its massive stone-work is of the beautiful and regular Greek style, the joints between the large stones being rendered more conspicuous by the bulging or cushioned form of each stone; the walls are built with two wide and one narrow course successively; the proscenium has been destroyed and the seats have disappeared, but the outward form remains, as well as the three arches for the vomitories. The

shape is of a kind of which I had not seen many, and I believe is almost peculiar to eastern Greece, the ends or horns of its crescent having their walls cutting inwards towards the proscenium.

Near the theatre has stood a building of considerable importance, and upon a site most imposing, but its basement or stoa alone remains. Down below, on what appeared from above the flat valley, but which we found was still elevated ground, stands a finely-built structure of an oblong form, which now is perfect as high as a cornice, probably thirty feet from the ground; above this are the bases of pilasters and openings for doors; the interior is a mass of ruin, and affords no clue to the former use of this building. Foundations are seen in every direction for the distance of a mile in length, and nearly half a mile in breadth. Even more than this extent has been included within walls, for their ruins are traced over the ridges of the hills at the back of the city. The positions of four important gates are now marked by lines of sarcophagi on either side of the road, from the walls into the plains; those to the east and west extend for more than a mile. The form of the sarcophagus is generally of a uniform plain squared oblong, and the lids of a rude shape, scarcely rising to a pediment at the ends. The inscriptions upon them consist of but few letters, all of the Greek character: they are generally above six inches in length, but very imperfect from decay.

Scarcely a block of marble is to be found in the ruins of the city; the pedestal which we yesterday saw at Zhumarleecooe was perhaps the last remaining legible inscription. The order of architecture seems to have been wholly Ionic; some columns are fluted, but they are generally plain, and not any of great dimensions. I obtained a few coins, among which were some of the ancient city, with the name of Alabanda upon them; also coins of Magnesia ad Mæandrum, which was opposite to the end of this valley, and of Miletus, also

not far distant. I made some observations for ascertaining localities, but the cloudy weather rendered this difficult.

Demmeerge-derasy, March 17th.-After a ride of five hours perhaps not more than sixteen miles, generally bearing to the west-south-west, we are again amidst ruins, but of a far more interesting and picturesque appearance than those which we have left at Alabanda; we therefore tarry here for a day to examine them. The road we have traversed since leaving Arab Hissá lay in the valley of the branch of the Cheena, which river takes the name of Karpuslee-chi, from a village of that name about two miles higher up the valley. Passing several groups of huts, each boasting the name of a village, and then turning up to the south-west, we crossed a series of small mountains, covered with rich underwood and wild olives. In each valley we saw the tents of the Yourooks, who were depasturing their cattle around them, while their few camels raised their stately heads above the trees on the hillsides, upon which they were browsing. Scarcely any cultivation is here attempted. Turning again through a ravine to the west, we came upon the declivity of a hill covered with olivetrees; and as we entered a little valley, encircled by hills, which puzzled us to ascertain how the river entered, and again left it, we arrived at a few houses, forming the village of Hoomarleh. A heavy shower of rain drove us to take shelter for half an hour in a stable; a bowl of olives, in oil, and a quantity of bread of the country, were brought to the servants.

When the shower abated, we peeped out of our retreat, and saw some females separating the oil from the olive, a process which I had not before had an opportunity of observing. The group was picturesque: bags filled with olives, which had been crushed in the mill, and for some weeks lying in salt, were piled upon a rock; near these was a large pot or copper of boiling water, into which each bag was put in turn, and then placed upon a flat floor, or stone, with chan

nels cut across it; upon these hot bags women were treading, with their legs bare, visible at least to the knee, while their heads were closely shrouded with the white veil, covering the upper part of the body; from under this came an arm, grasping a long stick, which served to steady the body during the violent exercise of trampling the apparently scalding bags; the hot liquor, on the top of which floated the oil, ran off into wooden vessels; a plug near the bottom was occasionally withdrawn, to let out the dark chocolate-coloured liquid, which stained the channels from every part of the village, the pressing of the oil being at this season the occupation of most of the women of the place. The spring is here beginning to open rapidly; each day's rain seems to shower down flowers; hyacinths, anemones, and some beautiful yellow blossoms, seem to exhaust every variety of colour; the narcissus, springing up from among the tufts of thorns, adds a sparkling white to the gay picture. This latter flower is a favourite with the Turks, and soon finds a place in the folds of his turban; it is the flower commonly gathered and offered to us by the peasantry. The Turks value sweetness more than beauty in flowers; I am reminded of this by seeing the grape-hyacinth in bloom, whose apparently dead and dull flower was frequently presented to me on my former tour later in the season, the honey-like smell giving it a great charm with this people. Crossing the Karpuslee-chi, we traversed the valley, and arrived at this place and what has it been? The direction is west-southwest of Arab Hissá, although the same place is laid down in the maps to the north, and there only supposed to have been the ancient Orthosia; I hope to fix its locality by a set of observations, but its name must remain unknown, unless the numerous coins I have collected may tell the tale. I have not discovered a single inscription. Many of the sarcophagi have had tablets let into their rough stone, probably of metal or marble, but the holes made by the ties alone remain.