We Are Not Surprised That The
Boar Should Be So Denominated; But As The Flesh Of The Buffalo, As Well
As its Leben or sour milk, is much esteemed by the Turks, it is
difficult to account for the disgrace
Into which that animal has fallen
among them; the only reason I could learn for it, is that the buffalo,
like the hog, has a habit of rolling in the mud, and of plunging into
the muddy ponds in the summer time, up to the very nose, which alone
remains visible above the surface.
The territory of Djissr Shogher extends as far as Howash; from thence,
southward, begins the district of Kalaat el Medyk. The Sheikh of Howash,
called Mohammed el Omar, is noted in the adjoining districts for his
hospitality; but within bthese few years he
AYN UKTOL.
[p.136]has been reduced from great wealth to poverty by the extortions
of Topal Aly of Djissr Shogher, and of Milly Ismayl of Kalaat el Medyk;
the troops which are continually passing from one place to another are
consuming the last remains of his property. The night we slept at his
house, there were at least fifty people at supper, of whom about thirty
were poor Arabs of his village; the others were all strangers.
We left Howash early in the morning, and rode along the eastern
mountains, in this beautiful valley, which I can compare only to the
valley of the Bekaa between the two Libani; the Ghab, however, has this
great advantage over the Bekaa, that it is copiously watered by a large
river and many rivulets, while the latter, in summer time, has little or
no water. At half an hour from Howash we met with several fragments of
shafts of columns, on the side of an ancient paved causeway. We followed
this causeway for upwards of an hour, although in some places no remains
of it were visible; at the distance of a quarter of an hour (at the rate
of about three miles and a half an hour), from the first heap of
fragments of columns, we met with a similar heap; then at an equal
interval a third, and again a fourth; not more than four columns seemed
to have stood together in any of these places. We conjectured that this
had been a Roman road, and the columns its milliaria. The causeway was
traced here and there farther to the south, but without any appearance
of stations; it probably followed the whole length of the valley from
Apamea to Djissr Shogher. One hour and a quarter from Howash is Ayn
Houyeth [Arabic], a copious spring. The Roman road is here about sixteen
feet in breadth. To the right, in the plain, is the village of Houyeth,
and near it another village, called Ain Uktol [Arabic]. On our right was
a perpendicular rock, upon which were patches of rich verdure. Two hours
and a quarter is Ayn el Taka [Arabic], a large spring, issuing
LAKE EL TAKA.
[p.137]from near the foot of the mountain, and forming a small lake
which communicates with the Orontes. Here are the remains of some
ancient walls. The temperature of this spring, as well as of those which
we passed on the way from Aankye, is like that of water which has been
heated by the sun in the midst of summer: it is probably owing to this
temperature, that we observed such vast numbers of fish in the lake, and
that they resort here in the winter from the Orontes; it is principally
the species called by the Arabs the Black Fish, on account of its ash-
coloured flesh; its length varies from five to eight feet. The fishery
is at present in the hands of the governor of Kalaat el Medyk, who
carries it on, on his own account; the period is from November till the
beginning of January. The fishermen, who are inhabitants of the village
Sherya [Arabic], situated on the borders of the lake, at half an hour's
distance from Ayn el Taka, enjoy a partial exemption from the Miri, or
land-tax; they fish with harpoons during the night, in small boats,
which carry five or six men; and so numerous are the fish, that by
throwing the harpoons at random, they fill their boats in the course of
the night. The quantity taken might be doubled, if there were a ready
market for them. The Kantar, of five hundred and eighty pounds weight,
is sold at about four pounds sterling. The fish are salted on the spot,
and carried all over Syria, and to Cyprus, for the use of the Christians
during their long and rigid fasts. The income derived from this fishery
by the governor of Kalaat el Medyk amounts to about one hundred and
twenty purses, or three thousand pounds sterling. Besides the black
fish, carp are also taken with nets, and carried to Hamah and Homs,
where the Turks are very fond of them. The depth of the lake is about
ten feet; its breadth is quite irregular, being seldom more than half an
hour; its length is about one hour and a half.
One hour from Ayn el Taka, and the lake El Taka, we arrived at
KALAAT EL MEDYK.
[p.138]the foot of the hill upon which stands Kalaat el Medyk [Arabic],
or the castle of Medyk. It probably occupies the site of Apamea: for
there can be little doubt that travellers have been wrong in placing
that city at Hamah, the ancient Epiphania, or at some ruins situated at
four hours distance from Hamah. Notwithstanding our desire to enter the
castle, we could not venture to do so. The governor, Milly Ismayl, a man
eighty-five years of age, and whose name has been well known in Syria
for the last twenty years, was last year, when governor of Hamah,
ordered by the Pasha of Damascus to march with his corps of Dehlys
towards Ladakie, to join the Tripoli army, then fighting against the
Anzeyrys, who inhabit the mountains between Ladakie and Antioch; in
passing by Kalaat el Medyk, on his way to Djissr Shogher, he found the
castle without a garrison, and took possession of it, thereby declaring
himself a rebel.
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