CHAPTER VI 



ANTIOCH TO ALEPPO 



We reached Antioch at 11 o'clock that night. 

 It was the longest eight-hour ride I had ever 

 taken. Shortly after we had left Baylan it 

 began to become dark and Moore fell asleep 

 in the carriage. Sneddon had been groaning 

 with his fever. The soldiers were afraid to 

 ride on for fear of Circassian bandits, who con- 

 sider that part of the country their own. A 

 tire came off the front wheel and the near horse 

 dropped a shoe, but we hammered both on with 

 rocks. It was getting quite dark, and jackals 

 were barking here and there. 



After miles and miles of valley road, we cir- 

 cled a lake towards some high rocky peaks. 

 As we got near to Antioch we crossed an old, 

 odd-patterned rock bridge, crossing the 

 Pranties River and I woke Arthur and the sick 

 man, as the carriage rattled onto the Roman 

 pavement of the city. Our repeated knocks 



[61] 



