Travels and Researches in Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Chaldea, and Armenia

Chapter I

Suburb of Constantinople. The Lyre, why used in Illuminations. Mehemet Ali Pasha. Scutari, the Golden City. Fountain of Hermagora. The Giant Amycus. City of Chalcedon. Shores of the Propontis. Its Isles. Description of Harakah, or Libyssa. Tomb of Hannibal. Character of the Carthaginian Hero. His Death

Chapter II

Ismid — the ancient Nicomedia. Its present Condition. Old Canal. Village and Lake of Sabanjah. Ancient Bridge. Tradition of the Natives. Plain of Duz-cha, or Duseprum. Mohammedan horror of Pork. Visit to Uskub — the ancient Prusa ad Hypium. Mountains of the Summer Quarters. Ancient mode of felling Trees. Difficulties and Misadventures on the shores of the Black Sea. Alabli. Heraclea Pontica. Hercules' Labours. Acherusian Peninsula. Temple of Diospolin. Wolf or Sword River

Chapter III

The Hero's Stone. Pass of Blessings. Aspect of Country. Ascent of the Kara Tagh (Black Mountains). Valley of the Filiyas, or Billæus. Endemic Character of the Plague. Ruins of Stations and Guard-houses. Roman Road. Great Plane-tree. Ruins of Tium. Rivers of Bartan. Inscrip- I. .« CONTENTS. PAGE -12 5!) 70 87 97 > tion and Sculptures. Tomb of Queen Amastria. De scription of the Town, and origin of Amaserah — the ancient Amastrius .,-.--

Chapter IV

The Hollow Rock. Mountain Pass. Mesjid in the Forest. Baggage in Arrear. Turkish Hospitality. Ascent of the Orminius. Sclavonian Mountaineers. Town of Zafaran Boli. Church of St. Stephen. Empress Theodora. Environs of Zafaran Boli. Injustice to a Greek Boy. Osmanli Misrule .......

Chapter V

Upland of Iflani. The Black Forest. Muleteer runs away. New mode of procuring Horses. Trouble with the Muleteers. Visit to the Copper Mines. Cupidity of a Turkish Governor. City of Kastamuni. Evils of farmed Governments. Trade of Kastamuni. Its Castle. Persecutions of Christians. Town of Tash Kupri — Pompeiopolis. Antiquities. Splendid Sarcophagus. Greek Metropolis

Chapter VI

Virgin's Castle. Gate of Flints. Pine Forest. Jackalls. Town of Boiabad. Castle of the Sipahis. Valley of the Blue River. The Black Valley. Guard-house in the Defile. Town of Vizir Kupri. Greek Sepulchral Monument. Hare Mountains. Charcoal Burners. Attempt at Robbery. Practical Justice ---...

Chapter VII

Town of Osmanjik. Thermal Spring. Monument of Icesius. Town and Castle of Churum. Passage of the Halys. Town of Eskilub. Reception by the Governor. Sepulchral Monuments. Castle of Blucium. Celtic Fort. Baptismal Font. Interior of a Cottage. Salt Mine. Arrival at Changri ----.. TRAVELS AND RESEARCHES IN ASIA MINOR, MESOPOTAMIA, CHALDEA, AND ARMENIA. LY WILLIAM FEANCIS AMSWOETH, F.G.S., F.E.G.S. IN tHARGE OF THE EXPEDITION SENT BY THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, AND THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, TO THE CHRISTIAN TRIBES IN CHALDEA. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: JOHN W. PARKER, WEST STRAND. M.DCCCXLII. CONTENTS. VII PAGE 109 120 13G 14!)

Chapter VIII

Town of Changri. Its Christian Inhabitants. Politics of the old Families of Turks. Guard-house of Tunai. Continuous Fog. Kalahjik (the Little Castle). Local Rebellion. Shock of an Earthquake. Are joined by suspicious Characters. Impaled Kurd. Ruins at Hasan Oghlan

Chapter IX

A French Instructor of Cavalry. Visit to Izzet Mehemet Pasha. A Swiss Renegade. Severity of Winter. Start for the Mines of Ishik Tagh. Fort of the Galatians. Mule buried in the Snow. Thermal Baths. Remarkable Basaltic Pass. Pine Forest in Winter. The Mines of Ishik Tagh. A Sacrifice to Pluto. Quit the Mines. City of Angora. Its Ruins. Temple of Jupiter. Christian Churches. Angora Goats. Trade and Commerce

Chapter X

Quit Angora. Epidemic among Cattle. Istanos and its Caves. Ascent of the Goklu Tagh. Mountain Cave. Castle and hot springs of Germesh. Robbers' Cave. Junction of two Rivers. Upland of the Haimaneh. Warm Baths of Yanina. Distrust of the Kurds. Red Castle. Plague in the Villages. Monastic Caves ....

Chapter XI

Deserted Mines and Foxes. Khawasses part from us. Bridge of the King's Taster. District of the Short-Lance Tribe. The Silver and Lead Mines of Denek. Wild-goose Chase. Independent Turkomans. Castle of the Black-Eye. Rude Turkoman. Tradition of Jemalah Castle. Hosein Ghazi. Valley of the Sword River. Town of Kirshehr. Numerous Dervishes. Artificial Mound. Thermal Spring - a CONTENTS.

Chapter XII. Page

Utch Ayak (the Three Arches). Rock Forts of Buffalo Plain. The Castle of the Lake. Mujur— Mocissus. Haji Bektash, the Founder of the Janissaries. Evils of the religious and social condition of the Turks. Noble Prospect in the Valley of the Halys. Caves of Osiana. Fantastic forms in the Rock ..--.- 162

Chapter XIII

Christians of Nev Shehr. Conversations with the Priests. Attempted Deception and Extortion. Rocking Stones. Salt Mines. Tradition of Haji Bektash. Subterranean Chapel. Curious Missal. Difficulties with the Turkomans. Place of Sipahis. Vale of Parnassus. Pass of Kazi Uyuk. First view of the Great Salt Lake - 173

Chapter XIV

Koch Hisar (Ram's Castle). Legend of a Mohammedan Girl. Kurd Migrations. Saline Marshes and Lakes. The Rock Pass. Peace Mount — Ruins of Congusta. Mohammedan Theological Students. Ruins of Perta. The Sultan's Khan. Seljukiyan Sultans. Broken-down Tatar. The Great Salt Lake. Extent, Characters, and Animals. Ak Serai (the White Palace). Saracenic Architecture 180

Chapter XV

Iron Village. Ravines with Grottoes. Garsabora, a town of Caves. Castle of Sevri Hisar. Secluded Greek Church. Lose our Way. Monastery of St. James. Kaiser Keuy — Dio Cæsarea. Valley of Soandum. Numerous Caves. Greek Festival for the Dead. Castle of Zingibar — Nora and Cybistra. Plain of Kara Hisar. Fortified Khan. Town CONTENTS. IX PAGE of Injeh Su (Narrow Water). General Conclusions. Cappadocian Greeks. Natural Features. Hasan Tagh. Contrasted Configuration. Various Rock Architecture - 200

Chapter XVI

Kaiseriyeh. Armenian Christians. Character of the City. Population and Antiquities. Mount Argæus — Arjish Tagh. Start from Kaiseriyeh. Group in a Market- Place. Armenians not Christians. Effects of the Bastinado. A fierce Ayyan. Enter Anti-Taurus - - - - 219

Chapter XVII

Viran Shehr (Ruined City). Shohair (Little Town). Saracenic Road. Tunuz — ancient Tonoza. Black Sanctuary. ' Agricultural Armenians. Pass of the Beard-Stroker. Town of Gurun. Sources of the Tokmah Su — Melas. Derendah — ancient Ptandari. Christian Inhabitants. Castle. Historical Reminiscences - - - 234

Chapter XVIII

Start from Derendah. Akjah Kurds. Resistance to the Osmanlis. The Salep Orchis. Arka — ancient Areas. Aspuzi, summer quarters of Malatiyeh. Discussion on road to be pursued. Town of Malatiyeh — Melitene. Start for the Taurus. Persian Pilgrims. Viran Shehr (Ruined Town) — the ancient Laviasena .... 247

Chapter XIX

Passage of the Taurus. Pass of Erkenek. Pelvereh — ancient Perre. Roman Roads. Town of Besni — ancient Nisus. Difficulties in fording the Gok Su. Town of Adiyaman — CONTENTS. X PAGE 260 275 289 304 317 Hisn Mansur and Carbanum. Troubles with the Kurds. River and Town of Kakhtah. Kurd Bey of Tokariz. Evil habits of the Kurds ...---

Chapter XX

Vale of Gergen Kafehsi. Rupture with the Kurds. Castle of Gergen. Prospect from the Castle. Armenians of Taurus. Muleteer runs away. Visit from a Kurd Chief. Bribe the Ayyan. Dangerous Mountain Road. Passage of Euphrates. Syrian Villages. Cataracts of Samosata. Aqueduct. Difficulty of procuring food. Deserted Villages. Someisat — Samosata. Ruins of Syrian Villages. Curious Cavities. Ecclesiastical and Monastic Edifices. Arrival at Birehjik ......

Chapter XXI

Retrospective. Views of the Sultan Mahmoud. Hafiz Pasha, Serasker. Diyarbekr. Campaign of Sinjar. Campaigns in Taurus. Campaign of Akjah Tagh and Kakhtah. Preparations in other Pashaliks. Prussian Officers. Passage of Taurus by the Army. Camp at Nizib. Policy of Ibrahim Pasha ......

Chapter XXII

Town of Birehjik. Prospect around us. Ferries on Euphrates. Road to the Camp. Reception by the Serasker. Birehjik at night-time. Return to the Camp. Aspect of the Camp. Curious Whirlwinds. Village of Nizib. Defences of the Camp .......

Chapter XXIII

Prisoners of War. Arrival of the Egyptian Army. Thoughts suggested by our present position. Mohammedan Vespers. A Reconnoissance. Skirmish of Irregular Cavalry — Interrupted by Cannonade. A Martial Dervish. Conflagration of the Plain. Fate of Isaid Bey - CONTENTS. XI PAGE 331 349

Chapter XXIV

Position of the Turks turned by the Enemy. Hafiz Pasha's Irresolution. Position of the two Armies. Midnight Cannonade. Personal Arrangements. Preliminaries to the Engagement. Arrival of Reinforcements. The Kurds pillage the Tents. Egyptian Prisoners disband. Progress of the Battle. Right and left wings driven back. Final Defeat of the Turks -

Chapter XXV

Line of Retreat. Turn off for Aintab. Attempt at Robbery. Descent of a Ravine. Night's Bivouac. Retreat obstructed by the Kurds. Sufferings of the Disabled. Pons Singæ. Reach Besni. Renewed opposition from the Kurds. A murdered Christian. Arrival at Malatiyeh ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE The Battle of Nizib Frontispiece Map of part of Asia Minor, to illustrate the route to Angora, to face 1 The Sultan's Sign Manual - 8 The Tomb of Hannibal "9 Harakli — Heraclea Pontica -------24 Pelasgian Gateway -------- 31 The Hero's Stone 42 Tomb of Amastria ..-..__- 56 Zafaran Boli— Flaviopolis -------59 Tash Kupri — Pompeiopolis ----.-- 70 Pass of the Black Valley 87 Tuwn of Osmanjik --------- 97 Tomb of Icesius 100 Eskilub — Blucium 108 Kalahjik— Peium 109 Basaltic Pass - - - 120 View at Angora - - - - - - - - -136 Map of Asia Minor and Route across Mesopotamia - to face 136 Mevelevi Dervishes - * - - - -^ - - - 149 Ctch Ayak 162 Excavated Stones at Osiana --..-_. 172 Rocking Stones 173 Sultan's Khan ......... 186 Castle of Sevri Hisar 200 Mount Argæus .......... 221 Viran Shehr -------.-. 234 Laviasena -----..... 247 Castle of Besni ---.-.--,. 260 Gergen Kalehsi -----.... 275 Hafiz Pasha's Tent - . - - - . . . -317 TRAVELS IN ASIA MINOR.

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. On £he return of the Euphrates Expedition to this country in the year 1837, a strong desire was excited among many, to become acquainted with the actual condition of the mountaineer Chaldean Christians, of whom much had been heard during that Expedition, but whose isolated position, and country difficult of access, had placed them beyond the reach of the exploratory excursions of the officers. Under these circumstances, the Royal Geographical Society, and the Society for Promoting Christian Know ledge, united to bear the expenses of an expedition, which should specially visit these interesting tribes, and the Author of the present Narrative, and Mr. Rassam, having been selected by the Geographical Society for the undertaking, were approved of by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The Author had accompanied the Euphrates Expe dition as Surgeon and Geologist, and had communicated I. B

Introduction

. several papers to the Transactions of the Geographical Society, besides publishing the result of his scientific researches in a separate volume. Mr. Rassam was a Chaldean, native of Musul, who had been educated by the missionaries at Cairo, and had joined the Euphrates Expedition at Malta, where he was at that time the chief Arabic Translator to the Board of Missions. He had returned with the author through Kurdistan and Asia Minor, a long exploratory trip made in search of coal, by order of Colonel Chesney, the able and enlightened Commander of the Euphrates Expedition. His travelling experience, his knowledge of the Turkish and Arabic languages, his previous con nection with missionary societies, and his claims of relationship among the Chaldeans, rendered him peculiarly fitted for the undertaking generally, and the task of making the inquiries suggested by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge accordingly devolved chiefly upon him.

To these gentlemen was subsequently joined Mr. Thomas M. Russell, whose abilities as a mathematician rendered him of the highest value to the Expedition, so long as he continued with it. After the retreat from Nizib, he was compelled, by protracted illness, to return home, and the astronomical portion of its labours suffered much from his loss.

INTRODUCTION.

. A considerable extent of territory, variously inhabited, lay between the confines of Europe and the country of the Chaldeans, many parts of which presented a most interesting field for geographical and general exploration ; the Societies, therefore, drew up a form of Instructions as to what were to constitute the objects of research, of exploration, or of actual survey, on the route. These comprised labours, of such magnitude as can only be appreciated by those who have been personally upon the ground. The primary instructions regarded the exploration of that portion of Lesser Asia which lay between Heraclea Pontica and Angora, and in the midst of which there were supposed to exist ancient sites, and even modern cities, as Zaferan Boli, very little known to our maps or geographical treatises.

The next great object was the survey of the celebrated Halys, or Salt River, of the Ancients, — the Kizil Irmak, or Red River, of the Turks. Then to enter into, and ascertain whether roads existed in the Haimaneh, a central district of Lesser Asia, tenanted by Kurds and Turkomans. To visit the mines of Central Asia, and more especially the salt mines of Hajji Bektash. Thence to explore the Great Salt Lake — the Tattea Palus of the Ancients, and to fix its northern and southern bound aries. To ascertain the elevation of as many points, B2

INTRODUCTION.

. 4 especially high table-lands and their principal summits, as possible. To visit Kaiseriyeh, and to determine the course and sources of the Melas -a long-debated question. Proceeding into Cataonian Cappadocia, the Expedition was to identify in that country the ancient sites of Castabala, Ariarathia, Commana Cappadocia, and others. Arrived at Malatiyeh, it was left to the urgencies of the moment, whether the Expedition should proceed direct to Musul, by Dyarbekr and the valley of the Tigris, or whether, after examining the passage of Eu phrates through Taurus, and the cataracts above So meisat, it should enter Mesopotamia and penetrate at once into the Sinjar. The presence of the Serasker of the Turkish army at the time on the frontiers of Syria and Mesopotamia, presented a favourable opportunity for attempting the second line, under his protection.

Unfortunately, how ever, the Expedition arrived at the moment of the advance of the Egyptian army; the battle of Nizib followed, and by the disastrous results of that action, it was thrown back, with many losses and privations, upon Constantinople. Mesopotamia was ultimately reached by an interest ing line through Lesser Asia, the passes of Taurus, and

INTRODUCTION.

. 5 North Syria. It was traversed by a new road, on the line of which the ruins of an ancient Christian Chaldean city were met with, and Musul itself was reached in the spring of 1840. Excursions were made thence, according to the in structions, to visit the remarkable city of Atra, in the Desert, and the Babylonian ruin of Ur of the Persians. Nineveh, Eski Musul, and the field of Arbela, were also explored. During the same summer the Author, accompanied by Mr. Rassam, effected an entrance into the Kurdistan mountains, and the country of the Chaldean Christians. The instructions demanded an exploration and deter mination of the sites of Amadiyeh, Julamerik, and Rowandiz; information regarding the Chaldean mountaineers of the Tiyari, Hakari and other tribes; and friendly and religious communications with their patri arch, bishops and priests.

All this was happily accom plished. The reports concerning the Izedis, or Devil-Wor shippers, were also to be examined into, and their chief seat of worship was visited with this view. If, by means of a caravan or otherwise, the Expedi tion could cross the intervening mountains into Persia, it was to be done, and the Lake of Urimiyeh to be explored. This was also carried into execution, and the

INTRODUCTION.

. party returned by the pass of Keli-shin and the peak of Rowandiz, which was ascended, and its height deter mined. The city of the same name was also visited. Quitting Musul shortly after their return from the mountains, the party proceeded according to instructions to the pass where the Tigris is hemmed in by the Kur distan mountains, so celebrated for the resistance made at that point to the retreat of the ten thousand Greeks. Some interesting ruins were found there. The site of Tigranocerta, and the rivers of Se'rt and Betlis, were then explored, the cities of the same names were also visited, and thence the Expedition proceeded into Greater Armenia. Finally the party returned by the lofty upland of Mush, and the still more elevated and cold regions of Khinis Kalehsi, and the commercial sites of Erzrum and Trebizond, to Constantinople, where they arrived in the fall of the year 1840.

With the exception of that part of the travels which extended over the country between Musul and Trebizond, — comprising the Passes of Xenophon, the site of Tigranocerta, the discussion regarding the easterly feeders of the Tigris, and the description of the uplands of Armenia, — the scientific and geographical results of the Expedition have already been communicated to the Royal Geographical Society. It is not proposed, there-

INTRODUCTION.

. fore, in the work now offered to the public, to dwell upon the various matters which more properly formed the subject of those reports, but, as far as possible, to convey a general idea of the character of the countries visited, of the peculiarities of their inhabitants, their scenery and antiquities, and, still more especially, to present a succinct narrative, in the form of a journal, of the intercourse held with the Chaldean Christians, and of the various adventures and mishaps which the party had to encounter while travelling through countries at all times of little security, but rendered still less so by the disturbed period in which the Expedition was undertaken. Mr. Rassam quitted London in the spring of 1838 for Malta, and Mr. Russell and the Author shortly afterwards left this country, with a view to carry a series of observations on terrestrial magnetism across the Con tinent of Europe.

These were subsequently printed, and favourably commented upon, by the reporter, Colonel Sabine, F.R.S., in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society. On their journey they consulted the libraries of Paris, that of the Armenians near Venice, and the libraries of Vienna, on subjects connected with the countries they were about to visit. Soon after their arrival at Constantinople, where they were joined by Mr. Rassam

INTRODUCTION.

. and a friend of his, Mr. Pulsfbrd, a young Englishman travelling for information, and who was to accompany the Expedition a short distance into Asia Minor, they left that city, to commence their exploratory travels: having been previously, through the kindness of Lord Ponsonby, provided with a firman of considerable length and great power, and bearing the Sultan's sign manual. The Sultan's Sign Manual.