194 THE CHIMERA. 



there were small jets issuing from crevices in 

 the sides of a crater-like cavity, five or six 

 feet deep. At the bottom of this was a shal- 

 low puddle of sulphureous and turbid water, 

 regarded by the Turks as a sovereign remedy for 

 all skin diseases. We met here two old Turks 

 attended by two black slaves, who had come from 

 a distance to procure some of the soot deposited 

 from the flames, valued as efficacious in the 

 cure of sore eye-lids, and also as a dye for the 

 eyebrows. They had been enjoying themselves 

 by this ancient fireside for two days, cooking 

 their meals and boiling their coffee on the flames 

 of Chimsera. A number of hewn blocks of stone 

 built into more modern walls, and lying around, 

 may be remains of the temple of Vulcan, which 

 anciently stood here. On one of them was an 

 inscription, which we copied. 



April 16th. — We left Deliktash for Tekerova, 

 guided by a peasant from the neighbouring 

 village of Tchiralee. Instead of taking us along 

 the shore as we had expected, he turned into a 

 narrow valley a few hundred yards beyond the 

 custom-house. The Oolooboonar Tchy, a con- 

 siderable stream, flows through this valley, and 

 there is a Turcoman village of that name in its 



