158 EARLY HISTORY OF LYCIA. 



which the earliest inhabitants of Lycia, the So- 

 lymi, were driven by the first Greek colonists 

 who, commanded by Sarpedon, entered the country 

 from Crete. The story of Bellerophon, the king 

 of western Lycia, having crossed the boundary of 

 the people of Solyma and conquered them, seems 

 also to indicate the existence of some great 

 natural feature or barrier, offering a comparative 

 security, between the Greek invaders and the 

 place of retreat of its ancient inhabitants. And 

 by this great arm of the Massacytus, terminating 

 in the sea at Cape Phineka, Lycia is naturally 

 divided into two great sections, that on the west 

 formed by the valley of Xanthus, and that on 

 the east by a deep valley which penetrates 

 upwards of thirty miles into the heart of the 

 mountains of Solyma. 



