ANATOLIA. 



ANATOLIA. 



!,. 



through the pith, when the mp exudes In a day or two, and 

 in the opening, after which it U collected. The water of the 

 lake M brackish, with a strong taste and smell of sulphuretted hydrogen 

 CM ; it U very hallow, and u covered with wild-fowL 



The Lake of fhantak, the Anaua of Herodotus (TIL SO), supposed 

 to be the salt lake Asoania, mentioned by Arrian (' Anabasis/ L 29), 

 h sitoaud about 14 mile* north-wart of the Lake of IluMur ; it u 

 about 20 milos long from east-north-east to wert-eouth-west, and from 

 8 to 4 milw wide : it is urrounded by high hill*, with precipitoui and 

 lofty clifla. In summer the lake u very shallow, at least near the 

 buik*. which are inuddy, but in winter the water rises. In the dry 

 [on the water U perfectly saturated with salt, which crystallines on 

 the surface, and is scraped off the mud with large wooden spades. 



The Lake of Irnik, the ancient Locus Asoania of Bithynia, u 

 situated 10 or IS mile* cart of the head of the gulf of Mudanieh, 

 into which it* outlet runs. This lake, the clearest and most pictu- 

 resque sheet of water in the peninsula, is about 15 miles long from east 

 to west, and from 4 to 6 miles wide. The country in the immediate 

 vicinity of the lake is a natural garden, abounding with flowers and 

 evergreens the dwarf daphne, many varieties of laurustinus, and 

 among them the strawberry-tree (Arbutut taudo), which here grows so 

 large and so abundantly that it forms the principal firewood of the 

 inhabitants. At a little distance to the south, the basin of the lake 

 is screened by a grand mountain-ridge, backed by the snowy range of 

 Olympus. The modern name of this lake is taken from tin- litt!" 

 village of Iznik, situated within the walls and among the ruins of the 

 ancient city of Nicsja. 



Climate md Proditett. No general description would convey a 

 correct idea of the climate of Asia Minor, which presents probably 

 more varieties than the peninsula of Spain and Portugal, with which 

 it may also be compared as to extent of surface. In the numerous 

 chains of lofty mountains which traverse them, in their high plateaus, 

 and in the diversity of climate depending on the configuration of 

 surface, there is a considerable resemblance between the two countries. 

 The western shores of Asia Minor have been celebrated in all ages for 

 their genial climate, and for the fertility of their valleys. The 

 summers here, as generally throughout Asia Minor, are hot ; but even 

 on the west coast severe cold is occasionally felt in winter. The snowy 

 peaks of Taurus continue even to the valley of the Mjeander on the 

 south side. The high plains of the interior are excessively cold in 

 the winter season. 



The northern shore of Asia Minor being exceedingly humid, parts 

 of the mountain slope from the edge of the high plains are covered 

 with magnificent forest-trees of great variety. The forest stretching 

 west from Boli, the great and almost inexhaustible source of supply 

 to the Turkish navy, contains ash, elm, plane, poplar, larch, and beech, 

 and some oaks of large size. (Morier, p. 359.) It is known to the 

 Turks by the significant name of Aghach Denim, or Sea of Trees. 

 Major Bennell assigns to this forest a length of 120 miles from west to 

 cart, and a breadth of 40 miles. The Sakariyeh passes through the 

 western part of it Few parts of the world present, within the same 

 limits, more striking contrasts than the Sea of Trees and the high 

 levels of Lycaonia, which Strabo characterises by the expressive terms 

 of ' cold and bare.' 



On the southern shore the immense man of Taurus leaves between 

 the Mediterranean and its base a comparatively narrow slip, and given 

 to the climate of the southern coast, combined with its geographical 

 position, a character very different from that of the north side of the 

 peninsula. The amount of rain is much less, and the summer-heat 

 of the coast is excessive. Some portions of the Lycian shore, where 

 the mountains prow clone on the sea, have no water from April to 

 November, but what can be kept in reservoirs. The winter torrents 

 eease with the rains. The mountains of Karamania are in general 

 well wooded, and Alexandria is mainly supplied with fuel from them. 

 The mountains of Taunts contain a great variety of forest-trees and 

 "hruhs. Volcanic products are abundant in the peninsula ; and the 

 Greek name K<rr<ut<ra</MVi), or 'burnt,' which was applied to the 

 district on the confines of Lydia and Phrygia, preserves perhaps the 

 only historical record of great physical revolutions in this region. 

 The western part of Asia Minor has also often experienced most 

 destructive earthquakes. 



Olive and mulberry-trees are extensively cultivated for the production 

 of oil and silk ; and the white poppy, from which the best opium in 

 made, is grown in vast quantities, especially in the neighbourhood of 

 Afi'im. Tobacco is an important crop ; it u grown of the bert quality 

 near the town of Melamo, to the east of the gulf of Mandeliych. 

 Ysst quantities of figs, grapes, and other fruits are grown. Melons 

 grown on the margin of the lake of Abullionte are exported in 

 great quantities to Constantinople. Other product* include rice, 

 rfcy. maue, sugar, madder, cochineal, valonia, mastic, wool, cotton, 

 goaU -wool, some linseed, and flax. The principal trading places are 

 Smyrna, Bruaa, and Trebitond ; but this Urt town is more properly 

 an Armenian port Pairs for the sale of imports and exports are 

 heldta many of the .mailer ports, which carry on a considerable 

 < ?* lU ?J I "f U - 59*"* A'"*"*. Franc*, nd the United States are 

 the principal countries traded with. The chief exports an dyestuflk, 

 i41a, raw oottop, dried fruits, wool, opium, wax, silk, liiiles and skins, 

 carpets, goaU'-hair, ftc. The imports include woven 



tissues, coffee, metals, hardware and cutlery, pottery, glass, rum, Ac. 

 The manufacture* of the country are confined to carpets, leather, and 



- DM ' D -i:i-i '.'.:, ' .:! 



Mining skill is hi a very low state in this country. There are copper- 

 mines near Bakir-Kurehri, not far from the Black Sea, in the plateau 

 of Iflani ; near Chalwar, on the eastern ride of the Laziau group ; 

 near Tireboli, on the Black Sea ; near Tokat ; and at many other 

 places ; iron-mines near Unieh, on the Black Sea ; silver with copper, 

 in the mines of Tireboli; silver and lead at Denek, in the Begrek- 

 Dagh, east of the Kizil. Nitre is got at Kara-Bunar, in the south- 

 eastern part of the central table-land. Rock-salt abounds in all parts, 

 especially in the north-eastern part of Asia Minor and in the tract 

 round Angora. Hot springs occur in all the province* ; those of Brusa 

 are celebrated, and are even visited by European patients. The hot 

 springs near Krrgli, in the south-eastern part of the central tbl. 

 issue out of narrow crevices on the summit of a ridge of low hill*, 

 near the Ak-Gol Lake, and form a succession of small pools and < 

 hills, which hut have been created by the gradual deposit of the 

 earthy matter with which the water is charged. The confined water 

 and gases are heard bubbling under ground. Some of these spring* 

 deposit pure salt round their orifices, others pure sulphur, and others 

 sulphate of lime, or gypsum, which is the most frequent. 

 mineral products are limestone, gypsum, marble, granite, meerschaum, 

 clay, ic. 



Population. In Lycia the Greek population is not one-tenth part of 

 the population, and in Bithynia the Turks are at least three times as 

 numerous as the Greeks. The Greeks are more numerous in the 

 western part than the east, and they form a considerable portion of 

 the population of all the commercial towns, and several districts in 

 the western part are exclusively inhabited by them. All those who 

 call themselves Turks are not of Turkish origin, and there are several 

 hundred thousand so-called Turks who are descended from Greek 

 ancestors. There ore also Mohammedan Armenians in the east 

 Those among the Turks who style themselves Osmanlis are settled in 

 the country, and lead an agricultural life, though many of them live 

 during the summer-time in tents, which they carry to those places 

 which ore used exclusively for agricultural or pastoral purposes, 

 leaving their houses empty in the villages. The Turkomans are most 

 numerous in the east ; but such among them as are shepherds, and 

 lead a real nomadic life, wander as for as the table-lands of the 

 western provinces. Yuruks are nomadic Turks, probably of the same 

 origin as the Osmanlis, and are more numerous in the northern, 

 middle, and eastern parts. In the same districts there is a considerable 

 number of Kurds, who are either permanently settled, or wander 

 with their herds to the western table-lands, and sometimes as far as 

 Brusa, Religious prejudices are less strong in the peninsula tlinti in 

 European Turkey, and generally the population of Anatolia may be 

 considered the best part of the population of the Turkish empire. 



Comrxunitationt. Of roads, in the common acceptation of the term, 

 there are none in the Turkish empire. In Asia Minor there exist 

 some traces of Roman roads, and of Roman bridges ; many are still 

 in use. The mode of travelling in the country is on horseback 

 exclusively, and all traffic with the interior, as well as the transit trade 

 with the east, is carried on by caravans of dromedaries or camels. 

 Some of the most important routes are here given. 



Across the north of Asia Minor runs the great route from Constan- 

 tinople to Amoxieh, starting from Scutari and skirting the coast as 

 for as I/mid, whence it runs to Boli, through Usmanjik, Maraiwan, 

 and Kawsah, where the roads from Kastamuni and Sonwun meet it 

 From Kawsah the route turns to the south-south-east, and after 

 reaching Amosieh is continued through Zilleh, to Tokat and Siwas, 

 whence it branches off north-east to Trebizond, and eastward to 

 Malatiyoh and the Euphrates. From Trebizoud a coast road runs 

 through Uuieh and Sauisun to Sinub or Sinope. 



From I /.in id, mentioned in the preceding paragraph, a recond route 

 runs south-east, crossing the Sakariyeh at Geiwo, and reaching the 

 river again near the junction of the Enguri ; whence a branch runs 

 eastward through Angora, which is continued through Chorum to 

 Amasieh, whilst the original route keeps on south-easterly to the 

 Anlij-Dugh where it divides into two branches. One of these runs 

 by a mountain-pass to the eastern side of the Baranli-Dagh, and thenco 

 down to Kaisariyeh, whence it is continued eastward to Malatirrh. 

 The other branch runs on in the original south-cart direction across 

 the Ardij-Dogh to Kulu, where it divides also into two branches, 

 running round tin- Tuz Lake and meeting again at Ak-Shehr, whence, 

 through Nigdeh and the Cilicion pass, it reaches Tarsus and Adanah, 

 and skirting the northern and eastern shores of the gulf of Iskenderun, 

 runs down to Antioch through the Beilan pass in the Amouus 

 Mountains. 



Again, a third route runs from Itmid southward through I/.nik 

 nml Kiitaliiyrh to Afiom, whence one branch runs south-east through 

 li to the south coast, and another through Dinoir and Buldur 

 to Adalia. 



i Smyrna the overland route to Constantinople crosses the 

 mountains northward into the valley of the Susugherli, which it 

 descends to Muhalich, and thence north-east to Mudanidi, \\h' n< . 

 the Sea of Marmara is crossed. From Mudanieh, a route, running 

 eastward through Brusa, connects this with the preceding route. 



