THE TROAD. 



571 



the island and Jane of Tenedos would here be within his view. II. A. v. 38. 

 Such are the circumstances which induce me to adopt the opinion sanc- 

 tioned by Strabo, that the uccva-raQ^og, or station of the Grecians, was on 

 the western side of the mouth of the Mendere, and not at the harbour 

 called in after-times the MMHN AXAIX1N. From the nature of the 

 alluvial plain described by Strabo, and existing at this moment near 

 the mouth of the Mendere, we cannot now expect to point out with 

 precision the spot to which Homer alludes ; we know that it was not 

 extensive, from the crowded manner in which the Grecians ranged 

 their ships ; the Mendere, however, at different times must have 

 varied the direction of its course, before it formed the point on which 

 the modern castle of Koumkale is situate. No argument drawn, 

 therefore, from the present form of this sandy and alluvial shore, 

 would induce me to reject Strabo's position of the Naustathmus, as 

 it is confirmed by Homer. 



Between this camp too, and the city of Troy, we find repeated 

 mention of the fords of the Scamander. II. O. 1. 1. and subsequently 

 XI. 1. 350. and 692. Whether, then, the Mendere or the stream of 

 Bounarbachi be looked on as the Scamander of Homer, the camp and 

 the city were on different sides of the river ; and in assigning to Troy 

 the position of Tchiblak, we should still come to the same conclusion 

 that the camp was at Sigceum. When the Trojans were encamped 

 near the walls and ships of the Grecians, their fires were lighted be- 

 tween the ships and the Scamander, Mea-viyu veu>v tie EdvQoto ^oduv 'lXioQi 

 Trgo, in front of Ilium, Now, in the position assigned by you to the 

 post of the Grecians, and to the ancient city at Tchiblak no river in- 

 tervenes except the Thymbrius. If Hector also and the Trojans were 

 " between the river and the ships" in this memorable night, the tomb 

 of Uus, where the council of the Trojan chiefs assembled, was in this 

 Scamandrian plain, and, as Heyne justly observes, the ^uo-^og ml'mo 

 was probably on the side of the river next the ships, dyyj veav. We 

 must then look for it on the other side of the Mendere, to that which 

 you seem to have discovered, and which was probably pointed out to 

 Strabo. That the monument of Ilus was near the ford, and probably 

 close to the Scamander, but on the other side of the ford, appears 



4 d 2 



