To sit quietly in one position, as the
slightest movement would have upset it. How I envied the
missionaries and scientific men, who undertake their laborious
journeys furnished with horses, tents, provisions, and servants.
When I wished, shortly afterwards, to take some refreshments, I had
nothing but lukewarm water, bread so hard that I was obliged to sop
it in water to be able to eat it, and a cucumber without salt or
vinegar! However, I did not lose my courage and endurance, or
regret, even for a moment, that I had exposed myself to these
hardships.
We set out again about 8 o'clock in the evening, and halted about 4
in the morning at Deli-Abas. The low range of mountains still
remained at our side. From Deli-Abas we crossed the river Hassei by
a bridge built over it.
20th June. We found a chan here; but it was so decayed that we were
obliged to encamp outside, as there is danger of snakes and
scorpions in such ruins. A number of dirty Arab tents lay near the
chan. The desire for something more than bread and cucumber, or
old, half-rotten dates, overcame my disgust, and I crept into
several of these dwellings. The people offered me buttermilk and
bread. I noticed several hens running about the tents with their
young, and eagerly looking for food. I would gladly have bought
one, but as I was not disposed to kill and prepare it myself, I was
obliged to be contented with the bread and buttermilk.
Some plants grow in this neighbourhood which put me in mind of my
native country - the wild fennel. At home I scarcely thought them
worth a glance, while here they were a source of extreme
gratification. I am not ashamed to say, that at the sight of these
flowers the tears came into my eyes, and I leant over them and
kissed them as I would a dear friend.
We started again today, as early as 5 in the evening, as we had now
the most dangerous stage of the journey before us, and were desirous
of passing it before nightfall. The uniformly flat sandy desert in
some degree altered in character. Hard gravel rattled under the
hoofs of the animals; mounds, and strata of rock alternated with
rising ground. Many of the former were projecting from the ground
in their natural position, others had been carried down by floods,
or piled over each other. If this strip had not amounted to more
than 500 or 600 feet, I should have taken it to be the former bed of
a river; but as it was, it more resembled the ground left by the
returning of the sea. In many places saline substances were
deposited, whose delicate crystals reflected the light in all
directions.
This strip of ground, which is about five miles long, is dangerous,
because the hills and rocks serve as a favourable ambush for
robbers. Our drivers constantly urged the poor animals on. They
were obliged to travel here over hills and rocks quicker than across
the most convenient plains. We passed through in safety before
darkness came on, and then proceeded more leisurely on our journey.
21st June. Towards 1 in the morning, we came up with the town
Karatappa, of which, however, we saw only the walls. A mile beyond
this we halted in some stubble fields. The extensive deserts and
plains end here, and we entered upon a more cultivated and hilly
country.
On the 22nd of June, we halted in the neighbourhood of the town
Kuferi.
Nothing favourable can be said of any of the Turkish towns, as they
so much resemble each other in wretchedness, that it is a pleasure
not to be compelled to enter them. The streets are dirty, the
houses built of mud or unburnt bricks, the places of worship
unimportant, miserable stalls and coarse goods constitute the
bazaars, and the people, dirty and disgusting, are of a rather brown
complexion. The women increase their natural ugliness, by dyeing
their hair and nails reddish brown with henna, and by tattooing
their hands and arms. Even at twenty-five years old, they appear
quite faded.
On the 23rd of June, we halted not far from the town of Dus, and
took up our resting-place for the day.
In this place, I was struck by the low entrances of the houses; they
were scarcely three feet high, so that the people were obliged to
crawl rather than walk into them.
On the 25th of June, we came to Daug, where I saw a monument which
resembled that of Queen Zobiede in Baghdad. I could not learn what
great or holy man was buried under it.
25th June. At 4 this morning we came to the place where our caravan
guide lived, a village about a mile from Kerku. His house was
situated, with several others, in a large dirty court-yard, which
was surrounded by a wall with only one entrance. This court-yard
resembled a regular encampment: all the inhabitants slept there;
and, besides these, there was no want of mules, horses, and asses.
Our animals immediately went to their stalls, and trod so near to
the sleepers, that I was quite anxious for their safety; but the
animals are cautious, and the people know that, and remain perfectly
quiet.
My Arab had been absent three weeks, and now returned only for a
very short time; and yet none of his family came out to greet him
except an old woman. Even with her, whom I supposed to be his
mother, he exchanged no kind of welcome. She merely hobbled about
here and there, but gave no help, and might as well have remained
where she was lying, as the others.
