Second Excursion upon Gargarus-Greek Chapels--Source of the Scamander Journey to Alexandria Troas-Bergas-Chemale-Decomposition of Granite-Stupendous Column Hot Baths-Form of the Sepulchre called SoROS-Alexandria Troas Splendid Remains of public BALNEE-Other Vestiges of the City-Votive Tablet to Drusus Cæsar-Udjek-Tomb of Esyetes-ErkessyInteresting Inscription Sigeum-Antiquities-Mount Athos-Tombs mentioned by Strabo-Return to the Dardanelles Summary of Observations made in Troas.

upon Gar

N the eleventh of March, having collected our guides CHAP. VI. and horses as upon the preceding day, we set out Second again from Evgillar, and proceeded up the mountain, to Excursion visit the Cataract, which constitutes the source of the Men- garus. der, on the N. E. side of Gargarus. Ascending by the side of its clear and impetuous torrent, we reached, in an hour and a half, the lower boundary of the woody region of the mountain. Here we saw a more entire Chapel than either of Greek Chapel. those described in our excursion the preceding day, situated upon an eminence above the river. Its form was quadrangular, and oblong. The four walls were yet standing, and part of the roof: this was vaulted, and lined with painted stucco. The altar also remained, in an arched recess of the eastern extremity: upon the north side of it was a small and low niche, containing a marble table. In the arched recess was also a very antient painting of the Virgin; and below, upon her left hand, the whole length portrait of a Saint, holding an open volume. The heads of these figures were encircled by a line of Glory. Upon the right-hand

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CHAP. VI. side of the Virgin there had been a similar painting of some other Saint, but part of the stucco, whereon it was painted, no longer remained. The word IA POENON, written among other indistinct characters, appeared upon the wall. The dimensions of this building were only sixteen feet by eight. Its height was not quite twelve feet, from the floor to the beginning of the vaulted roof. Two small windows commanded a view of the river, and a third was placed near the altar. Its walls, only two feet four inches in thickness, afforded, nevertheless, space for the roots of two very large fir-trees: these were actually growing upon them. All along the banks of this river, as we advanced towards its source, we noticed appearances of similar ruins; and in some places, among rocks, or by the sides of precipices, were seen remains of several habitations together; as if the monks, who retreated hither, had possessed considerable settlements in the solitudes of the mountain. Our ascent, as we drew near to the source of the river, became steep and stony. Lofty summits towered above us, in the greatest style of Alpine grandeur; the torrent in its rugged bed helow, all the while foaming upon our left. Presently we entered one of the sublimest natural! Scamander. amphitheatres the eye ever beheld; and here the guides! desired us to alight. The noise of waters silenced every other sound. Huge craggy rocks rose perpendicularly, to an immense height; whose sides and fissures, to the very elouds, concealing their tops, were covered with pines; growing in every possible direction, among a variety of evergreen shrubs, wild sage, hanging ivy, moss, and creeping herbage. Enormous plane-trees waved their vast branches above the torrent. As we approached its deep gulph, we beheld several cascades, all of foam, pouring impetuously from chasms in the naked face of a perpendicu-, lar rock. It is said the same magnificent cataract continues during all seasons of the year, wholly unaffected by the casualties of rain or melting snow. That a river so ennobled by antient history should at the same time prove equally eminent in circumstances of natural dignity, is a fact worthy of being related. Its origin is not like the source of ordinary streams, obscure and uncertain; of doubtful locality and indeterminate character; ascertained

Source of the

with difficulty, among various petty subdivisions, in CHAP. VI. swampy places, or amidst insignificant rivulets, falling from different parts of the same mountain, and equally tributary it bursts at once from the dark womb of its parent, in all the greatness of the divine origin assigned to it by Homer(130). The early Christians, who retired or fled from the haunts of society to the wildernesses of Gargarus, seem to have been fully sensible of the effect produced by grand objects, in selecting, as the place of their abode, the scenery near the source of the Scamander; where the voice of Nature speaks in her most awful tone; where, amidst roaring waters, waving forests, and broken precipices, the mind of man becomes impressed, as by the influence of a present Deity(131).

The course of the river, after it thus emerges, with very little variation, is nearly from east to west. Its source is distant from Evgillar about nine miles; or, according to the mode of computation in the country, three hours: half this time is spent in a gradual ascent from the village. The rock whence it issues consists of micaceous schistus, containing veins of soft marble. While the Artist was employed in making drawings, il calculated to afford adequate ideas of the grandeur of the scenery, I climbed the ! rocks, with my companions, to examine more closely the nature of the chasms whence the torrent issues. Having reached these, we found, in their front, a beautiful natural bason, six or eight feet deep, serving as a reservoir for the water in the first moments of its emission. It was so elear, that the minutest object might be discerned at the bottom. The copious overflowing of this reservoir causes the appearance, to a spectator below, of different cascades, falling to the depth of about forty feet; but there is only one source. Behind are the chasms whence the water issues. We entered one of these, and passed into a cavern. Here the water appeared, rushing with great force, beneath the rock, towards the bason on the outside. It was the coldest spring we had found in the country; the mercury in the thermometer falling, in two minutes, to thirty-four, according to the scale of Fahrenheit. When placed in the reservoir immediately above the fall, where the water was more exposed to the atmosphere, its temperature was three de

CHAP. VI grees higher. The whole rock about the source is covered with moss. Close to the bason grew hazel and plane trees; above were oaks and pines; all beyond was a naked and fearful precipice(132).

Bergas.

Chemale.

Decomposi

tion of Granite.

About one hundred and fifty yards below the source, is a hot spring, close to the bed of the river, exactly of the same temperature as those before described at Bonarbashy. We returned from this expedition to Evgillar; and leaving the village, went again to Küchûnlû Tépe, to complete our survey of the Ruins there. We were told that the Pacha of the Dardanelles had built a mosque, the tomb of a Dervish, a bridge of three arches, and all the new works at Beyramitch, with marbles and other materials from this place. As we passed through this last town, a Turk offered me a sardonyx for sale, exhibiting three distinct layers of brown and of white Chalcedony: upon the upper layer was an intaglio, representing the well-known figure of Mercury with the purse; a subject extremely common to gems found in Constantinople (133). It was well executed, but the price exhorbitant, therefore I declined the purchase, We here visited the Intendant of the Agha, and travelled the same day as far as Turkmanlé, where we passed another night with the hospitable owner of the mansion who entertained us so well upon a former occasion.

From Turkmanlé we returned by the way of Ené; and thence, intending to visit Alexandria Troas, took the road to Bergas(184), distant two hours from Ené, where we halted for the night. By the public fountains along this route, and wheresoever stone has been used, may be seen the capitals or shafts of columns, and other fragments from antient ruins. The next morning, March the 14th, we passed through Chemalé, distant one hour from Bergas. Chemalé is full of antiquities (135). In the cemetery I copied several Inscriptions; too imperfect for insertion. Some granite columns were lying about, whose surfaces exhibited a very advanced state of decomposition. We had observed similar appearances at Æné; proving that the granite had been exposed to the action of the atmosphere during a very long period; and also serving to confirm a fact of some importance; namely, that the durability of substances employed for purposes of sculpture and

architecture, is not proportioned to their hardness. Mar. CHAP. VI. ble, much softer than granite, is capable of resisting longer the combined attacks of air and moisture. The cause of decomposition in granite columns cannot have originated in their interment; since nothing tends more to preserve granite than exclusion from external air. Of this we had satisfactory evidence, when our troops in Egypt subverted the cumbent obelisk near Alexandria. The hiero glyphical sculpture, upon the side which had been buried in the soil, appeared in the highest state of preservation; but the - surface, so long exposed to the atmosphere, was considerably decomposed. Of all natural substances used by antient artists, Parian marble, when without veins, and therefore free from extraneous bodies, seems to have best resisted the various attacks made upon Grecian sculpture. It is found unaltered, when granite, and even porphyry, coëval as to their artificial state, have suffered decomposition. Terra cotta is more durable than marble. Works executed in baked clay have been preserved during a period of near three thousand years, as fresh as when they were issued from the hands of the artificer; neither can any nation, desirous of transmitting a lasting memorial to posterity, employ a material better suited to the purpose than the plastic compound from the wheel of an ordinary potter.

After leaving Chemale in the road leading to a place called Lydia Hamam, distant about three quarters of an hour, our Greek servant, who was before us on horseback, and had wandered into some underwood, returned suddenly, laughing immoderately, and saying, "As you are pleased Stupendous with the sight of the columns, here is one large enough to Column. gratify your most sanguine expectations." He then led us a short distance from the road, where concealed among some trees, lay the largest granite pillar in the world, excepting the famous column of Alexandria in Egypt; and this it much resembles. It is of the same substance, and has the same form; its astonishing length equalled thirtyseven feet eight inches, and, without base or capital, its shaft was five feet three inches in diameter; of one entire stone(136). It may perhaps serve to throw some light upon the origin of the Egyptian Pillar; this I have always supposed of much more antient date than the time of