Chapter XVII: Geuzna. Fever Epidemic in Mersina

Juniper Forest—Fine Forests of Southern Karamania—Complete
Change of Climate and Vegetation on descending from the
Highlands—Great Rainfall on the First Ranges of the
Taurus—Geuzna, the “Yaila” of Mersina—Nahli’s way of
Communicating Bad News—Cholera and Quarantine—Climate
of Geuzna—An English Speculator—A Café Full of
Fever Patients—Deadly Nature of the Fever of
Cilicia—Boloukli—Powerful Sun and Suffocating Heat of
Plain—Great Sickness in Mersina—The Khan—Nahli enters
Government Service—Bad News from Syria—Our Friend Mustafa
Tekerlèk in Trouble—Had been formerly somewhat of a
Brigand—Two of a Trade seldom agree—Our Souriji a Retired
Brigand—Risk to European Travellers—Less near the Coast—But
People of the Country not Dishonest—Brigandage in Asia
Minor—Heat and Malaria—Travelling in Asia Minor Dangerous
in Hot Season—Sickness in the Town on the Increase—The
Naturalist from Kulek Boghaz—Strength and Health
failing—Natives Suffer Equally—A Crisis—Choice between Fever
and Starvation—Damp Heat—Sea Breeze—Land Breeze—Cholera
Expected at Adana—Nahli’s Experience as a Tax-gatherer—He
is too Honest for Turkey—Ferocity of the Wolves—My former
Interpreter Hanna—I unwittingly escaped a Serious Danger—Great
Interest of Travel in Asia Minor—But it is Dangerous—A
Telegram from Mersina viâ Diàrbekìr and Constantinople to
England—Attack of Ague—Boatmen and Labourers of Mersina
nearly all Arabs—Last View of Cilicia—The Ex-Pasha of
Bagdad—Arab Horses—Their Peculiarities—Forest on Fire—Tedious
Voyage—Heat—Quarantine—Home 448-475

Condition of the Muslim Peasantry in Asiatic Turkey 477-484

The Armenian Kings of Cilicia 485-491

Historical Summary 492-526

Itinerary 527

Glossary 529

Index 531

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Yourouk Encampment _Frontispiece_

Sketch Map _To face Contents_

Route Map ” _page_ 1

Tarsus in August ” ” 30

Demir Kapou (Iron Gate), Tarsus ” ” 37

Adana ” ” 60

Plan of Messis ” ” 66

Messis and the Pyramus ” ” 68

Marash ” ” 102

Town and Fortress of Sis ” ” 152

The Ajemi Café at Adana ” ” 182

The Pylæ Ciliciæ ” ” 212

Site of Derbe ” ” 278

Karaman ” ” 300

The Rock of Mauga ” ” 328

Plan of the Ruined City of Isaura ” ” 412

And Twenty-four Woodcuts in the Text.

_Stanford’s Geogˡ. Estabᵗ._

London: Edward Stanford, 55, Charing Cross.]

LIFE IN ASIATIC TURKEY.