Chapter XIV: Tchukour. Durgèller. Alata. Khadem

Passage of Muharram Bel—Kizilja and its Kadi—Guide to
the Inscription of Tchukour—Had been a Prisoner of War
at Tiflis—Coarse Barley Bread—Tchukour—The Officer from
Stamboul—Ravine of the Gieuk Sou—Rock Fortress—Latin
Inscription—Wild District—An Assassination—Fountains
of Yerkooblü—“Black Water”—The Hospitable Mudir of
Durgèller—Derivation of the word “Durgèller”—Villagers
have a Bad Reputation—The Head Servant warns me against
Thieves—Precautions of our Souriji—Start for Alata—A
Disagreeable Zaptieh—View over Isauria—Anxiety on Account
of my Baggage—A Line of Precipices—Villagers of Alata
Inhospitable—Difficulty of finding a Guide—Remarkable
Geology of the District—Mernak—Handsome Room of the
Mukhtar—The Serai at Khadem—The Kaimakam and his Friends—I
am Suspected of being a Russian Spy—The House of the Mufti
of Khadem—Fever—Visitors—My Host a Fine Specimen of the
Osmanli Country Gentleman—A Native Doctor—Healthy Climate of
Khadem—My Host’s House—His Hospitality—His Wealth—The History
of his Family, and their Settlement in Khadem—The True Meccan
Coffee—His Sons—Their Great Respect for him—Filial Piety
amongst the Osmanlis—An Examination of Nahli—“You Tchelebi, I
suppose, do drink Raki?” 361-398

CHAPTER XV.

MOUNTAINS OF ISAURIA. RUINS OF ISAURA.

Birds—Nahli’s Grievance—The Mufti’s Kindness—An Excellent
Zaptieh—Course of the Alata River—Site of an Ancient Ruined
Town—Mosque of Bolat—Ibex Horns—High Plateau—Extensive Vine
Cultivation—Endurance of our Zaptieh—Ashikler—Dreadful
Ascent to it—Wild Appearance of the Isaurian Country—Temple
Tombs—Gateway of Isaura—Fortifications—Bas-reliefs—Arch of
Triumph—Inscriptions—Agora—The Great Look-out Tower—Ideas
about Buried Treasure—Vast Ranges of Mountains seen from
Isaura—Lake of Seidi Shehir—The Porch of the Mosque at
Aijilar—Origin of the Name—Routes in the Mountains of
Isauria—Elmasun—Inhospitable Villagers—Obliged to Billet
Ourselves—Intense Heat and Lonesomeness of the Great
Plain—Bussola—Kassaba—A Funeral—Resignation of the Muslim not
from Apathy—Anecdote in Point—Behaviour of the Muslim under
Affliction—Ilisera—Return to Karaman 399-430