and the merchants permitted us to partake of their apartment,
in which we all flept on the floor, as many as it could contain.
T he merchants had free accefs to the Aga as traders, and the
Hungarian, as his phyfician. We delivered to them the letter
from the Aga of Suki, to be prefented to him, and Hi the morning
went to pay our vifit. He was fond of the national and warlike
diverfion called the Jarrit, and we found him, though in a
bad ftate of health, engaged in this violent exercife, with leve-
ral Turks of diftindtion, in a large area or court before his houle.
The beauty and l i a b i l i t y of the horfes, which had very rich
trappings, was as furprizing as the agility and addrefs of the
riders. They were gallopping from all fides at once with a con-
fufed regularity; throwing at each other the Jarrit, or blunted
Dart-, and recovering it from the ground, at full fpeed, with
amazing dexterity. The mufic founded, and acclamations, when
any one excelled, filled the air*
W e waited in a gallery with the Hungarian and other fpec-
tators, until the game ended. We were then introduced into a
fpatious apartment, with a fopha, on which the Aga was fitting,
crofs-legged, the Mufti and a Turk or two on his right hand,
his officers and attendants ftanding in a row, filent and refpedtful.
He was a comely perfon with a black beard. We made our obei-
fance, as ufual, putting the right hand to the left breaft, and
inclining the head; and taking our places on the fopha produced
our firhman. The Aga on receiving it, kiffed and laid it
to his forehead, and then gave it to be read. We were entertained,
each: with a pipe ready lighted, a fpoonful of fweet-meat
put into our mouths, and a cup of coffee; after which we retired
with full permiflion to employ our time at Mylafa as we
C H A P . L V I ,
O f Mylafa— the temple o f Augufus— A column— O f Euthydemus
_- jin arch or gate-way — Other remains — A fepulchre -
One cut in the rock — temples o f Jupiter — O f the doublehatchet.
M Y LAS A or Mylaffa was the capital of Hecatomnus, king
of Caria, and father of Maufolus. It has been defcribed; as
fituated by a very fertile plain, with a mountain riling above it,
in which was a quarry of very fine white marble. This, being
near, was exceedingly convenient in building, and had contributed
greatly to the beauty of the city, which, it is faid, if any;
was handfomely adorned with public edifices, with ftoas or porticoes
and temples. The latter were fo numerous, that a certain
mufician entering the agora or market-place, as if to make proclamation,
began, inftead of (axA a«mi) Hear ye People, with
(Axsele Naw) Hear ye temples. The founders of the city were
cenfured as inconsiderate in placing it beneath a fteep precipice,
by which it was commanded. Under the Romans, it was
a free city. Its diftance from the fea, where neareft, or from
Phyfcus oppofite the ifland of Rhodes, was eighty ftadia or ten;
miles. It is commonly called Melaflb, and is ftill a large place.
The houfes are numerous, but chiefly of plafter and mean, with
trees interfperfed. The air is accounted bad; and fcorpions
abound as antiently; entering often at the doors and windows,
and lurking in the rooms. The plain is furrounded by lofty
mountains, and cultivated but was now parched and bare, except
fome fpots green with the tobacco plant, which was in
flower, and pleafing to the eye.
O ur firfl: enquiry was for the temple, erefled, about twelve
years before the chriftian asra, by the people of Mylafa to
A a 2 Auguftus