CHAPTER XII.

LYSTRA. KESTEL. MAUGA. MOUT.

Excursion to Kara Dagh—Extreme Penury of the Provincial Governments—Village of Kilbassen—Its Sufferings during the Famine—The Land Changing Hands—Turkish Population Diminishing—Bin Bir Kilissé (The Thousand and one Churches)—Village of Maden Shehir—A Turkish Betrothed Maiden—Pastoral Music—Our Host—Ruins—Probably this is the Site of Lystra—Kenger Coffee—Huge Antique Water Vessel—Brigands in Bozalla Dagh—The Kaimakam’s Warning to us—The People Better than their Reputation—Deep Limestone Ravine—Village of Geuèzz—The Mukhtar’s Granary—Thunder-storm—The Village in Famine Time—A Delicate Question—Passes through the Taurus to the Sea Coast—Echoes of Thunder in the Ravine—Native Archæologists—Geudètt—Its Yaila and Hospitable People—Climate and Appearance of this Highland District—Kestel Dagh and Village—Hospitality is refused us—The Kaimakam’s Secretary—Visitors—Their Discontent with their own Government—A Conversation on Politics—Ruins of an Ancient City—Church—Fort—The Valley of the Gieuk Sou (Calycadnus)—A Night with the Yourouks—The Rock Fortress of Mauga—Tremendous Rock Precipices and Abysses—Arabic Inscription—Heat of the River Valley—Intense Solitude of the Pine Woods—Fountain of Mout—Castle of Mout, and Mausolea of the Sons of Karaman Oglou—The Fountain at Evening 301-333