KASSABAR. 



87 



driven from the mountains by the families of 

 Urook wood-cutters inhabitants of Gendevar, a 

 village on the west side of the plain of Kassabar. 

 The women took no pains to hide their features, 

 and their dark brown countenances showed that 

 they underwent considerable fatigue and expo- 

 sure in this mode of gaining a subsistence as 

 Taktagees, or wood-cutters. The trees when 

 felled, are generally cut into lengths of from 

 six to eight feet, each of which is sawn into 

 planks of about half an inch in thickness, as 

 being the easiest form for transport. From An- 

 tiphellus they are conveyed in small boats to 

 Kastelorizo, from whence they are generally 

 shipped for Alexandria. 



Before reaching Kassabar, we crossed three 

 streams flowing from the hills on our left. The 

 plain was poorly cultivated, but the goodness of 

 the soil was indicated by the abundance of ane- 

 monies and spring flowers which decorated the 

 green sward. Many exquisite species of orchis 

 and ophrys accompanied them. Our servant, 

 Pagniotti, having preceded us, we found him in 

 possession of an excellent, but unoccupied, house 

 belonging to the Agha. It stood on the right 

 bank of a broad torrent, which issues from the 



