180 SOOREN. 



the mountains above, turning a water-mill, be- 

 sides fertilizing the spot by numerous irrigating 

 channels, led over the terraces. Expecting to find 

 some ancient remains near a place now so well-cul- 

 tivated, and in every way advantageous for the 

 situation of a city, such as was usually selected 

 by the ancients, I was greatly disappointed to 

 find none, after spending an hour in examining 

 around, as well as inquiring among the natives. 



" The house for the accommodation of 

 strangers here, was one of the best amongst the 

 group of cottages, and belonged to a civil old 

 Turk, who commenced preparing it for our re- 

 ception by turning his wife and her spinning 

 utensils out of the upper room into the lower 

 part, as soon as he learnt that I intended to 

 remain. But I changed my plan and resolved 

 upon proceeding to the next village to the 

 southward, called Sooren, where they informed 

 me there was an ancient castle. As the road 

 between the two places was seldom traversed, 

 and difficult to follow, the old man called his 

 son from working in an adjoining garden, to 

 accompany us. 



"The route was tedious and uninteresting. At 

 dusk we reached Sooren, five or six cottages on 



