Part 3

Not far from hence we begin to leave the mountain on our right hand, having the stream of the _Hermus_ in view on the left; and at a large distance before us the snowy top of the mountain _Tmolus_. Our road now lay thro a verdant and delightful plain, inriched by many advantages of nature, and not negligently manured by the inhabitants. About the fourth hour of this day’s journey we passed a bridge, erected over a large river; which, as those of the country informed us, is now called _Niphti_, or _Nymphe_, and may probably be the _Cryos_ mentioned by _Pliny_, as one of the streams that feed the _Hermus_[23]. From this bridge the road lies thro a less fertile plain, till within the neighbourhood of _Durguthli_ it is again better cultivated, and appropriated to the production of cottons. Near our entrance into the town we cross a broad and sandy chanel, which in the winter season conveys no inconsiderable current into the _Hermus_. We had here no other to rely upon, than the accommodations of a public _kane_, where, after we had fixed our lodgings, we found that we had arrived in six hours from _Magnesia_; tho an hour is to be deducted for the rests, which we were obliged to make for the security of our mules.

_Durguthli_ is a town purely of Turkish fabric, and therefore has nothing to entertain the curiosity of any traveler, besides the management of cotton wool; which is here prepared in great abundance, and so transmitted to the market of _Smyrna_. As to this we observed, that they first sift it from the dust and other refuse, which it contracts in gathering, in a large wicker wheel; after this they separate the wool from the cod, in which it grows; and at last they work it betwixt a wooden and iron roller, which spinning upon one another in a rapid motion draw in the wool, and leave the seed behind.

Walking up and down about the limits of our _kane_, we were accosted by a Turk, who spake good Italian. He had been many years a slave in _Legorn_, where he was a witness to the riches and splendor of Italy, and other parts of Christendom. This gave him occasion to express a just indignation against the haughty ignorance of the Turks; who, tho they want all advantages of art, and appearance of true magnificence, yet have the vanity to despise other nations, who enjoy both to a great perfection. In other discourse with an Armenian priest we were informed of a church, which by a peculiar grant of the _Grand Signior_ that nation had newly founded in _Durguthli_. This was an instance, which seemed to us observable; for tho Christianity is tolerated in Turkey, yet they hold it inconsistent with their law to permit the erection of any new churches, and allow only the liberty of repairing old ones.

We parted in the close of the evening, and repaired in good health to our respective lodgings. But about two in the morning one of our company awaked under an indisposition, which by degrees grew into a severe and dangerous sickness; tho by timely opening a vein, and after that enjoying a little repose, he recovered to the great satisfaction of the whole company. However this discouraged us from proceeding, till another night’s rest should confirm his health. Being thus detained a day at _Durguthli_, we were informed of some antiquities to be seen among the Armenian graves, on a mount adjoining to the town; whither when we had repaired, we found a curious piece of _basso relievo_, brought, as they said, from _Sardis_. But no ancient inscriptions appeared there, except these imperfect words on a marble tombstone.

.. ΥΡΗΛΙΩ ΚΟΤΤ ... Μ ... ΣΑ ΑΛΕΞΙΝΟΟΥ ... Ω ΕΚΤ . ΔΙΑΤΑΓΗΣ ..... ΚΑΡΜΟΥ ΤΩ ΙΔΙΩ ΦΙΛΩ ... ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΗ

April xxvii.

Rising early this morning all of us, God be thanked, in perfect health, we still resolve to enlarge our circuit; whence Mr. Coventry and Mr. Frye apprehending too long a journey, determined to return to _Smyrna_. The remaining part of our company proceed by break of day in the road for _Sardis_. Just before we arrive at the fountain on our right hand, about half an hour from our _conáck_, lies the village of _Ishmaeljá_. And in an hour and an half from thence we observe _Urgánlui_ on the left. We continue our journey thro a spatious and fertile plain, curiously beset on each side the road with variety of round hillocks, which from their number, figure, and situation, in so level a campain, appear plainly to be artificial. They are undoubtedly the work of one or more numerous armies; but whether they were at first designed to bury their heaps of slain[24] (which was the original of those barrows[25], that occur in many plains of England) or whether they were erected as thrones before the pavilion of the general, which was usual in the Roman camp[26], is not easy to determine.

About the fourth hour crossing a small river we have the village of _Baricle_ on the left hand, and larger than that, the village of _Achmetléer_ on the right. Not far from hence the road divides into two paths for _Sardis_. The lower of these we chose, tho declining a little too much to the left hand, and so passing by a few cottages, which are called by the name of _Zericle_, we arrive in seven hours at _Sardis_, one of which is now likewise to be deducted for the stay, which our mules occasioned.

Instead of that _Sardis_, which antiently was the seat of the kings of _Lydia_, afterwards in great renown, under the Persian, Grecian, and Roman Empires, and at last honoured with the title of a Metropolitan Christian church; we now find in the same place, at the foot of mount _Tmolus_, a small Turkish village by the name of _Sart_. We here had the liberty of a ruinous inconvenient _kane_, erected in this place for the service of _caraváns_ from Persia; but we much rather embraced the opportunity of pitching our tents under the covert of a few plane trees, which spread a cool and grateful shade upon the bank of _Pactólus_. This river is constantly mentioned as rising in _Tmolus_, and washing the Walls of _Sardis_, particularly it is said by _Herodotus_ to run thro the very market place of the ancient city[27]. Its chanel does not now appear to be considerable, yet it deserved our particular notice for the fame of its golden streams; a story celebrated not more by poets[28] than historians, the latter of whom have imagined this to be the treasure, whence _Croesus_ and his ancestors collected that mighty wealth.

Before the cool of the evening we visited the ruins of this once flourishing city; and towards the western part observed the standing walls of two or three spatious and lofty rooms, not unworthy the palace of the ancient kings of _Lydia_. They were all arched towards the foundation, and adorned as well as strengthened at each corner with hewn stone; but the main part of the fabric consisted of a broad and durable brick, which is likewise observable in most of the ancient ruins of _Asia Minor_. From hence we passed thro heaps of rubbish, and tracks of continued foundations, to the eastern part of the city; where stand the pillars and front of another spatious building, the figure and situation of which persuaded us, that they were the remains of the cathedral church. A little southerly from hence we viewed the full extent of another stately room, which however antient it might be, was nevertheless raised out of ruins more antient than itself; as appeared from several rich pillars, and architraves, confusedly placed among the rubbish of the walls. About the distance of a furlong, full south of the antient city, are to be seen the beautiful remains not of an amphitheatre, as has been supposed, but rather of some royal palace. Here we observed six lofty Ionic pillars, all of them still intire, except that the capital of one is distorted by an earthquake. There adjoins to them a fair and magnificent portal, the pilasters of which, being about twenty feet high, and twelve feet distant from each other, are joined at the top by one entire stone, which, by what art or force it was there erected, is difficult to conceive; for tho _Pliny_[29] pretends to account for the like difficulty in the architecture of the temple of _Ephesus_, yet that passage gives but little satisfaction in the matter. There occurs nothing else, that is remarkable about _Sardis_, besides the broken walls of the castle on an adjoining hill; the ascent and prospect of which, however magnified by Sir _Paul Rycaut_, we yet thought so inferior, to what we lately had found at _Magnesia_, that it could not raise our curiosity to undertake the climbing of that precipice, especially since we could promise ourselves the same prospect to a greater advantage from the top of _Tmolus_; and as for two or three broken inscriptions, which are there extant, we were content to peruse them in Dr. _Smith’s_ printed _Journal_[30].

April xxviii.

We had now determined our course for _Birghée_, towards which our way lay over the mountain _Tmolus_. In pursuance of this design we mounted quickly after three this morning, and by that time it was full day we had ascended the first edge of the hill, where we halted to enjoy the entertaining prospect of the plain of _Sardis_. We had here the opportunity of viewing the castle hill, the antient seat of the city, the whole course of the _Hermus_[31], and the full extent of the _Gygaean lake_, about five miles in length, and three in breadth, mentioned in all ancient accounts of _Sardis_; but what renders it most remarkable, celebrated of old by _Homer_[32], and well described by _Strabo_ to be about forty furlongs from the city[33]. This sight had now highly satisfied our curiosity, when we turn to the right hand more into the body of the hill, and contrary to our expectation rarely encounter any difficult ascent, by reason of the artificial windings of the way.

_Tmolus_ is in general so pleasant, that it was easy to conceive ourselves in a theatre, where the scene changes every half hour; for sometimes we were surprized with an impending rock, sometimes with a perpendicular precipice, and sometimes with the murmurs of a falling brook; the whole being curiously garnished with trees, shrubs, and herbs of an infinite variety.

In four hours we had at length conquered the highest eminence of the mountain, whence we continue our journey thro a fruitful vale, enclosed on each side with two lofty ridges of the hill. On each of these remains a large quantity of snow, which, as it gradually melts, supplies a rapid current, that descends hence into _Pactólus_. It was observable, that the air of the whole vale was chilled to that degree by the neighbouring snows, that it was still winter in this place; nor could we here discern any buds or leaves on the same sorts of trees, which we had seen green and flourishing on the kinder parts of the mountain.

This cool and refreshing vale lasted an hour, after which we begin to descend the hill by a more steep and dangerous way, than we before had mounted; but nothing was more disagreable, than so sensible a change of air, which we now experienced, being as it were at once translated out of the frigid into the torrid zone. Such was the difference betwixt the valley we had left, and the southern part of the hill we were now traveling. This heat being added to the laborious and tedious circuits, without which the descent was absolutely impossible, brought us at length by one of the clock almost half dead to _Birghée_. Nor were we capable of being refreshed, either with the remembrance of that pleasant mountain, we had passed; or with the view of the _Caýstrian_ plain, which we had then before us.

The rich products of mount _Tmolus_ ought not here to be forgot[34], which nature has furnished with that store and variety of plants, that it may deservedly be termed the _physic garden_ of the universe. The valley, which we mentioned, is enriched with a vein of marble, clear and pellucid enough to contend with alabaster. Nor is it to be neglected, that on the southern descent of the hill we traveled over a continued track of stone, adorned with bright and shining particles resembling gold dust; the occasion most probably of so many splendid epithets, which in antient poetry are bestowed on the _Pactólus_.

_Birghée_ is a fair and considerable Turkish town, adorned with two very handsome _mosques_; and pleasantly seated in the road from _Sardis_, at the opposite foot of _Tmolus_. This makes it probable, it was the _Hypaepae_ of the antients, that situation exactly answering to the description, which _Ovid_ and _Strabo_ have left us of it[35]. We were here received into a public _kane_, where we enjoyed an hearty and entire repose; tho sweetened rather by the fatigue of the foregoing day, than any entertainment or accommodation of the place.

April xxix.

We continued our journey by four a clock this morning thro the _Caýstrian_ plain for _Tyria_, and had the satisfaction of fording that celebrated river about three hours from our _conáck_. Not far from hence we found a stone bridge of three considerable arches, built directly along the bank of the river; and therefore now serving to no other purpose, but only to witness that the stream had changed its chanel. Our way lay from hence near the course of the _Caýster_, thro a fertile and well cultivated champain; a place inexpressibly delicious, and which can be equalled by nothing, but the sweetness of that immortal verse:

Ἀσίῳ ἐν λειμῶνι Καϋστρίου ἀμφὶ ῥέεθρα. Iliad. β′. ℣. 461.

Or those of _Virgil_:

_Pelagi volucres, et quae Asia circum_ _Dulcibus in stagnis rimantur prata Cäystri._ Georg. i. 384.

It is inhabited by frequent villages, and enclosed on both sides with two high and snowy mountains, namely _Tmolus_ on the right hand, and on the left what _Strabo_ calls Μεσογειότης[36], or the _Midland hills_.

Soon after eleven a clock we arrived at _Tyria_, and _conácked_ in an old, dirty, ruinous _kane_; having by this time learnt, that the weary and thirsty traveler must repine at no reception, which he meets with in Turkey. _Tyria_ yeilds a pleasant prospect, as we ride into the city, gently ascending from the adjacent plain. The buildings are curiously intermixt with trees and gardens, which extend the circuit of the place; tho the number of its houses seems inferior to that of _Smyrna_. We counted about fourteen _mosques_, one of which we observed to be royal, that is, adorned with a double _minarée_. Having entered the town we found the streets negligently kept, and meanly built; but at the same time populous enough, not without the appearance of a considerable trade. It is to be wondered that so large a city, standing in the very heart of Asia, should have no remains of antiquity[37]. There are indeed two Greek churches in the place, where the poor ignorant priests would persuade both themselves and us, that this was the antient _Thyatira_; but we thought it not fit to rob them of the satisfaction of this error, nor puzzle them with any accounts of antient geography, or late experience, that evince the contrary.

It is pretended in some journals, that two or three valuable inscriptions are to be found in these churches, tho we were now eye witnesses of the contrary; for there occur’d nothing in that, which they call the Metropolitan church, but a defaced monument, whereon no intelligible words were to be read, except ΧΡΗΣΤΕ ΧΑΙΡΕ. Over the entrance of the other there is a piece of devotion, written in modern characters: but more remarkable, in the body of the wall stands a large image of our _Savior_, elegantly carved in porphyry; tho it now appears rudely mangled, and seems to have felt the fury of the old angry _iconoclastae_. In the hand is portrayed an open book, inscribed with this sentence out of _St. John’s_ Gospel, viii. 12. Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου. This was an instance, which may perhaps appear to be singular, at least it is contrary to the general practice, as well as persuasion of the Greek church; for tho they have a superstitious fondness for religious pictures, yet they abhor all imagery in _relievo_, and look upon it as inclining to heathenism and idolatry.

April xxx.

By six this morning we set forward from _Tyria_ in our way for _Ephesus_, and passing thro the extreme skirt of the city, we observe the inscription of an ancient stone coffin, now converted by the Turks to supply the use of a cistern. It has been defaced towards the upper parts of the chest, and permitted us to read only these following words:

....... Η ΣΟΡΟΣ .......... ΦΛΑΒΙΑΝΩ ...... .... ΟΥΔΕΝΙ ..... Ε ..... ΑΙ .... ΜΕΤΑ ..... ΚΟΜΙΣ ... ΜΑ .. ΕΝ .. ΤΟ .. ΤΟΛΜΗΣΑΣ ΤΙ ΤΟΙΟΥ- ΤΟ ΤΙΣΕΙ ΤΩ ΙΕΡΩΤΑΤΩ ΤΑΜΕΙΩ 𐆖. Β. Φ. ΚΗΔΟΝ- ΤΑΙ ΔΕ ΤΗΣ ΣΟΡΟΥ ΙΟΥΝΙΟΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΤΑ- ΜΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΛΗΡΟΝΟΜΟΙ ΑΥΤΩΝ ΖΩΣΙΝ ΤΑΥΤΗΣ ΕΠΙ- ΓΡΑΦΗΣ ΑΝΤΙΓΡΑΦΟΝ ΑΝΕΤΕΘΗ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΕΝ ΕΦΕΣΩ ΑΡΧΕΙΟΝ

Upon the borders of the road, about a mile from _Tyria_, there stands a commodious fountain, and adjoining thereto a pleasant country house; where, as we staid to drink, an hospitable old Turk offered us the entertainment of the place. We were then obliged to refuse the favour, but not without a fresh regret at the inconveniency of our last night’s lodging, when we might have easily passed on to this advantagous _conáck_.

We hence travel some hours in a narrow and almost deserted vale, the _Caýster_ still flowing on our right hand; till about one a clock we draw near to the extreme edge of the _Alymán_, a large mountain lying betwixt the city of _Ephesus_ and the village of _Giamobasy_, and here ending in an abrupt precipice; on the top of which stands an old castle now converted, as is said, into a college of _dervíses_. Near this place the _Caýster_ mingles with a large and muddy lake, which most probably was the _Stagnum Pegasaeum_, mentioned by _Pliny_[38], as having communication with this river. The _Alymán_ we take to be the _Mons Gallesius_ of the antients[39]; since the _Mimas_[40], for which some have lately mistaken it, is the highest part of _Erythréa_, or that cape land, which encloses the bay of _Smyrna_.

We now thought it more advisable not to reach _Ephesus_ till the cool of the morning, but to pass this evening at _Kirkingécui_, a Christian village, lying near two hours to the east of the city. In search of this place our guide unfortunately led us to the left of the above mentioned lake, up a steep craggy and almost impassible mountain; which when with great difficulty we had conquered, and descended in a way almost as tedious on the other side, we were acquainted by a traveler, that we were out of our road either to _Ephesus_ or _Kirkingécui_. This struck a damp upon our spirits, being now obliged to tread back so many unwelcome steps in the heat of the day, despair of all present refreshment, and fearful apprehensions of the miscarriage of our mules. It was therefore voted necessary to hire the above mentioned traveler to conduct us to our village, who accordingly led us by a long and tedious way almost under the castle of _Ephesus_. But from hence we had an hour and an half of pleasant and diverting riding, betwixt two shelving hills, watered at the bottom with a purling brook; whilst on each side we were entertained with a shady scene of bays, myrtle, oleander, Spanish broom, the plane tree, Judas tree, the strawberry tree, lilach tree, and a multitude of other delightful greens. The frequent stops and misfortunes of this day’s journey had made it almost eight a clock, when we arrived at _Kirkingécui_; where to our incredible satisfaction we found our tents already pitched by our muliteers, who by an unknown and unbeaten path, over two or three mountains, had at last fallen upon the village, more by good fortune than any conduct of their own.

May i. 1699.

The village of _Kirkingécui_ is intirely Christian, and supposed to be the miserable remains of the church of _Ephesus_. The παπᾶς, or _priest_, here pretended to shew us a venerable manuscript of the _Evangelists_, wrote, as he said, by _Prochorus_, one of the _seven deacons_, mentioned in the _Acts of the Apostles_[41]. Upon inspection the character indeed appeared antient, and possibly may be that of the sixth or seventh century; but the book itself is nothing else but a _Lectionarium_, or _Copy of the Gospels_, so portioned into lessons, according to the ritual of the Greek church, that, begining at _St. John_ on Easter day, the four _Evangelists_ are read out by the return of the year. The sight of that manuscript, and of the small parish church, was the business of this morning; after which we descended by the same pleasant road, which we had traveled last night, and so arriving about ten a clock we take possession of the public _kane_ at _Ephesus_[42].

The once glorious and renowned _Ephesus_ was seated in a fruitful vale, encompassed almost round with mountains[43], at a small distance from the _Caýster_, and about five miles eastward from cape _Trogilium_; where, at the common charge of all _Ionia_, the _Panionia_, or _common councils of Ionia_, were formerly celebrated. This vale rises advantagously in the middle with two or three little hills[44], on which the several parts of the antient city lay extended. The same spot of ground is still covered with the rich remains of its former glory. Such are the massy walls, the portals, the arches, the aqueducts, the marble chests, together with the dejected cornishes, shafts, and capitals of many lofty pillars. But the face of the whole yeilds a melancholy and disagreable prospect, being overrun with an incredible quantity of rank and luxuriant weeds, which serve only to corrupt the air, and to conceal the curiosities of the place. This we found to be a disadvantagous circumstance, and such as doubled the labour of this day in compassing the circuit of the city, and tracing the uncertain footsteps of so many valuable antiquities. But because these cannot so intelligibly be represented in the order, in which we viewed them, we shall methodically consider _Ephesus_, as lying in three distinct ruins of a Turkish, Christian, and Heathen city.

The freshest ruins of this place appear to be Turkish, and such as witness, that it has been in considerable repute even under its last barbarous conqueror; who also has changed the name of _Ephesus_ into that of _Aiasalúck_. Here are to be seen the remains of five or six _mosques_, besides one which is still used for Mahometan service. In several places there occur the walls of ruined bagnios, tho they are incredibly increased by the fabulous Turks, and reported to have been here to the number of three hundred and sixty six. But that, which most plainly evidences the late riches of the place, are the many beautiful monuments, which we viewed among their burying places, most of them inscribed with fair Turkish characters. Tis observable, that these are cut rising from the plane of the stone, and not indented within the surface; which is the constant fashion of the Turks in all their public monuments, in opposition to the custom of other times and nations. It is not certain, whether the new castle, which stands to the northward of the old citadel, be of Grecian or Turkish fabric; however it is still kept in repair by the Turks, and filled within the circuit of the walls with fifty or sixty small cottages, which with two or three scattering tenements are the only habitations of the present _Ephesus_.