ILLUSTRATED and CONFIRMED. 47 



The Courfe of the Simois. 



From Teni-cheyr, which is the Sigean promontory, and 

 which commands an extenfive view of the plain, M. Chevalier 

 particularly obferved the Simois, which interfecfts the plain along 

 the north fide. " Its waters were then dried up ; but the width 

 ** and irregularity of its channel fufficiently demonftrated the 

 " nature of its devaflations, and its rapidity." (Ch. III.). The 

 Turks call it Mender e. An extenfive marfh occupies the ground 

 at the place of its difcharge on both fides, and reaches almoft to 

 the fortrefs called Koum-kaleh. This marfli is taken notice of 

 by Strabo by the name of '^rof^a'ki^vfjy the mouth lake. On his 

 way from this place, M. Chevalier pafled the Simois near its 

 mouth, and found it to be more than 300 feet broad. In the 

 marfh, on its banks, he obferved certain fmall lakes of frefh and 

 of fait water, and was ftruck with the prodigious quantity of 

 reeds and tamarifks he met with, as he proceeded along the 

 coaft. (Ch. IV.). He travelled onwards for half an hour, and 

 faw a large barrow, the monument of Ajax, which he examin- 

 ed, as we fhall by and by mention. Having then proceeded 

 as far as Il-Guehies or Erin-keu^ he returned, and refolved to af- 

 cend towards the fource of the Simois ; and had not proceeded 

 far, when he was fo fortunate as to difcover, to the right, the 

 bed of a fmaller river, at that time dry, and covered with plants 

 and turf. This proved, on a nearer inveftigation, to be the old 

 bed of the Scamander. If Mr Wood had adverted to this, in- 

 flead of flill fearching higher up for the confluence of the two 

 rivers, he probably would have given a more rational accouilt 

 than he has done of the prefent ftate of the fcene of the Iliad. 



Afterwards, when M. Chevalier had examined the Sca- 

 mander, its fources, and the fituation of ancient Troy, as already 

 mentioned, he refumed the defign of tracing the Simois ftill 



higher ^ 



