Chapter VIII

HIGHLANDS OF CILICIA. THE CILICIAN GATES. PASS OF BOZANTI.

No Travelling by Day in the Plain—A Night
March—Jackals—Labourers exposed to the deadly
Night Air—A Fever-stricken Village—Approach to the
Highlands—Turkmans—Yaramiz Fountain—Specimen of the Way in
which a Turkish Governor recoups himself—Entrance to the Pass
of “Kulek Boghaz”—Geuzlük Khan—“Water, Stones, and a Bench
to Sleep on”—Sunstroke most common in earlier Part of the
Day—Snow-range in Brilliant Sunlight—Ravine leading to the Pylæ
Ciliciæ—A Naturalist in the Mountains—House of the Austrian
Botanist, Kotchy—Opinions as to Russian aims by a Traveller of
Experience—The Village only affords Water—Peak above Defile—A
Night on the Roof of the Police Station—Ibrahim Pasha’s
rule in Cilicia—Passes from the Interior over the Mountain
Chain rendered impracticable—The Pylæ Ciliciæ—Tremendous
Rock-walls—No Egyptian or Assyrian Inscriptions—Ibrahim Pasha’s
Entrenchments—Hadjin Dagh—Bel Amalik Dagh—Khan at Bozanti—An
Armenian Host who knows how to Charge—Ak Keupri—Two Sources of
unwholesome Water—Ravine of the Ak Sou—Tahta Keupri—Roman Bath,
and Hot Mineral Spring—Tchifteh Khan—Vast Precipices of the
Bulghar Dagh 198-220

CHAPTER IX.

OLOUKISHLA. PLAIN OF LYCAONIA. EREGLI.

Visit to the Mines of Bulghar Maden—Hamathite
Inscription—Oloukishla—A Turkish Salaamlik—The Great
Khan—Mosque, Bath, and Bazaar all in Ruins—Contributions
to Supper—A hungry Party—Sufferings of Village during
the Famine—The Lemurs—First View of the Great Plain of
Lycaonia—Symmetrical Volcanic Cones—Extreme Beauty of
Flowers—Lonesomeness of the Country—Village of Tchaian in
Famine Time—Piteous Tale of Suffering—Estimated Loss of
Flocks and Herds not exaggerated—Hassan Dagh and Karajah
Dagh—Causes of the unhealthy Climate of Lycaonia—Position
of Eregli—The Ak Göl (“White Lake”)—The Duden—Visitors from
a Famine-stricken Village—Hadji Hassan’s Garden—Tameness of
the Birds—Nightingales—Storks—An Osmanli’s Repose—A Good
Waiter—Little Osman and his afflictions—How we fared at
Eregli 221-244