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