C H A P . LIV.
Enter Carta— A t Ghauzocleu— Booths of the Turcomans —
Iafus— Remains of the city— The fepulchres— Infcriptions—
lafian marbles at Scio — Journey continued.
IN a preceding chapter we conducted the reader from the
promontory Pofidium and the temple of Apollo, to the confines
of Ionia and Caria. We lhall now purfue our journey over the
Carian mountains.
W e afcended mount Grium, and. defcended by a difficult
winding track. About five in the evening, we arrived at Ghauzocleu,
a village fronting a pleafant bay, which is land-locked
hy the mountain. The fituation is romantic, amid naked rocks,
pine and olive-trees, the latter then laden with black fruit.
Under the trees were feveral wells,-and women palling to and
fro with their faces muffled. Some children, who were gathered
about a fire, on feeing us, ran away. The aga entertained us
very holpitably. We fate on a carpet after the Turkifh fafhion
crofs-legged, the table a large falver, on which the difhes were
placed one at a time, and removed, in quick fucceffion. We had
been expofed this day, without any fhelter, to the fun. An accidental
fire had fcorched the bufhes by the way, and deftroyed
their leaves, and the ground was bare and parched.
W e were on horfeback again at feven in the morning, and
after a few minutes in a beautiful plain covered with vines. Some
houfes were difperfed in it. We then paffed over huge mountains,
branches of Grium, clothed with pines j and by immenfe
precipices. The fire had laid wafte large tradts. At ten minutes,
after ten we had in view feveral fine bays, and a plain full of
booths, with the Turcomans fitting by the doors, under fheds.
refembling
refembling porticoes ; or by fhady trees, furrounded with flocks
of goats. We turned to the right, and riding by a well in the
plain, and then along the fhore, arrived at Iafus, now called
AfTyn-kalefi.
T he Iafians, a colony of Argives, and afterwards of Mile-
fians, inhabited a rocky iflet lying near the continent, to which
it is now united by a fmall ifthmus. The city was only ten ftadia
or a mile and a quarter in circumference. It had a port, and was
maintained by the fea, which abounded in fifh; its territory being
rough and barren. Several ftories were current, of their ea-
gernefs to purchafe that article, and one is recorded. A citharift
or harper was difplaying his fkill, and the Iafians were very attentive,
until a fale of fifh was announced by the found of a bell.
Immediately they all hurried away, except one perfon, who was
hard of hearing. Sir, fays the artift to him, I am indeed infinitely
obliged to you for the honour you do me, and for your love
of harmony. Every body befides left me on the ringing of the
bell. How! he replied, has the bell rung ? then, fir, your
fervant.
T he north fide of the rock of Iafus is abrupt and inacceffible.
The fummit is occupied by a mean but extenfive fortrefs. At
the foot is a fmall portion of flat ground. On that and on the
acclivities, the houfes once flood, within a narrow compafs,
bounded by the city-wall, which was regular, folid, and hand-
fome. This, which has been repaired in many places, now m-
.clofes rubbifh, with remnants of ordinary buildings, and a few
pieces of marble. Single pinks, with jonquils, grew among the
thickets of mafticj and we fprung fome large covies of partridges,
which feed on the berries. In the fide of the rock is the
theatre, fronting 6om, eaft of north, with many'rows of feats
remaining, but covered with foil or enveloped in bullies. On the
left wing is an infcription in very large and well-formed characters
ranging in a long line, and recording certain donations to
0 0 Bacchus