DELIKTASH. 193 



view is seen ; the whole line of coast as far as 

 Phaselis, and the remote snowy summits of the 

 Cilician range of Taurus, lie before us : but the 

 grandest object in the view is the not far-distant 

 towering peak of Taktalu, the crowning summit 

 of the ogoq |&£ya, Mount Solyma itself. A few 

 hundred yards beyond the hole in the rock is a 

 small stone house, the residence, office, and store 

 of a custom-house officer. Here is consequently 

 the landing-place for boats trading to this part 

 of the coast for wood, corn, tobacco, honey, and 

 wax, the produce of the neighbouring country. 

 A great plane-tree grows close by. Around its 

 trunk, and under its shade is a broad raised plat- 

 form of wood. This is the lounge of idlers 

 during the day, and the bivouac of travellers at 

 night. On it we spread our carpets for two days, 

 whilst visiting the objects of interest in this 

 picturesque neighbourhood. 



April Ibth. — Not far from the Deliktash, on 

 the side of a mountain, Captain Beaufort dis- 

 covered the yanar or perpetual fire, famous as 

 the Chimsera of many ancient authors. We 

 found it as brilliant as when he visited it, and 

 also somewhat increased ; for besides the large 

 flame in the corner of the ruins described by him, 



o 



