Travels in Asia Minor, and Greece; Or, an Account of a Tour Made at the Expense of the Society of Dilettanti Volume 1

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1817 edition. Excerpt: ... Riding along the bank of the river, we discovered the ruin of an ancient bridge. The remnant was on the farther side, and consists of half of the central arch, with one smaller arch entire. This bridge was probably broken before the year 1244; when an interview being agreed on between the emperor of Nice and the Turkish sultan, the latter passed the river, in his way to Tripolis, on a temporary bridge made of rafts for the occasion. The existence of Carura, it is likely, was determined by the loss of the passage. We saw no traces of that place; but, going near the ruin, one of our horses turned short, which led us to observe a vein of hot water boiling up out of the ground, like a jette, some inches perpendicular, and forming a small quagmire. We now enter Phrygia., CHAP. LXVI. Our journey continued--Temple of Men Carus--Denisli--The Turks uncivilized--Arrive at Laodicea--Our tent beset-- Our janizary seized--Behaviour of an aga--Thieves--The weather. Continuing our journey, we lost sight of the river; the plain widened again, and was cultivated, but not inclosed, as before. Messogis was now of a chalky aspect; and the mountain on our right green with trees. We saw a few scattered booths of Turcomans. At four our course inclined to east-south-east. We observed many jays, and upupas, and a beautiful bird, like a hawk, with blue glossy plumage. We had travelled eight hours and three quarters, when we pitched our tent by a village under a summit covered with snow. The following day our course was as before, the river not in view. The sun shone very comfortably, and the melted snow ran in dirty rills down the slopes. On the way some stones and vestiges of a building occurred; perhaps of a temple once between Carura and Laodicea, called that...