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C H A P . X I I I .
A t Giaurkioi— Profpedl of the plain — Farther account of it —
News of the conful — Our plan difconcerted— Fhe evening —-
Barrows, of Achilles &c. — A t Chomkali.
I T ■ was Saturday when we arrived at Giaurkioi, and our
Jews were prohibited by their Law from going out of the village.
Our janizary had bound over his eye, which was much
inflamed, a piece of empty honey comb, and the yolk of a boiled
egg, but neither recipe had relieved his torture. Our mariners,
except one or two, were employed in rowing the boat to Chomkali,
the town by the Afiatic caftle; the place, where we had
landed, being expofed to winds, and infecure from the force and
rapidity of the current. Some Turks of Chomkali vifited our
companions. Their converfation, as was evident, turned on us,
our drefs, manners, and purfuits, which muft have appeared to
them ftrange and unaccountable. They were fond of hearing us
repeat the words of their language, which we had learned, and
called for this difplay of our talents fo often, that we began to
think them troublefome and impertinent.
F rom the brow by the church we had in view feveral bar-
rows, and a large cultivated plain, parched, and of a ruflet colour,
excepting fome plantations of cotton. On it were flocks
of fheep and of goats; oxen treading out corn ; droves of cattle
and horfes, fome feeding, others rolling in the wide bed, which
receives the Scamander and Simois united. Near the mouth of
the river was lively verdure, with trees ; and on the fame fide
as Sigéum, the caftle and Chomkali; above which, by the water,
were many women, their faces muffled, wafhing linen, or fpread-
ing it to dry; with children playing on the banks.
W hen
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W hen the heat of noon had fubfided, a moor or black, who
was known to our janizary, with one of our Turks, armed,
was ready to attend us. We defcended from the church into
the plain, and crofting the river above the women, to avoid
giving offence, walked about two hours up into the country.
We.faw in this ramble fome villages confifting of a few huts;
and were worried more than once by the dogs, which are kept
to guard the flocks and herds from wild beafts. They were very
fierce, and not eafily repelled by our muflelmen. The ground
in many places appeared to have been fwampy, and had channels
in it worn by floods and torrents. The Turkey-wheat {landing
had the ear turned yellow, and feemed ripe. In the fields were
pieces of marble and broken columns. The bed of the river
was very wide, the banks fteep, with thickets of tamarifk growing
in it. We faw fome fmall fifh in the water, and on the margin
found a live tortoife, the firft I had feen. I pafied the ftream
feveral times without being wet-fhod. We had advanced in fight
of fome barrows, which are beyond the Scamander, and of a
large conical hill, more remote, at the foot of Mount Ida, called
antiently Callicolone, when the fun declining apace, to my great
regret, we were obliged to go back.
A rumour had prevailed that the conful, after parting from
us at Tenedos, had been attacked by robbers in his way to
Gallipoli. At our return to the village we found this intelligence
confirmed, and our Jews in affliction. He had gone
with company in a boat from the Dardanell. They landed to
dine, as ufual, afhore; when the banditti rufhed fuddenly down
upon them, and fbon overcame them. The conful, as we were
told, ran into the water up to his chin, where they ftill fired at
him, and he was much hurt.
W e had purpofed tarrying a few days at Giaurkioi, and after
recovering from one late fatigue, to traverfe and examine the
plain minutely; and to penetrate to the fources of the Simois
F and