292 VILLAGE OF ARSA. 



brute, who soon disappeared in the dense wood. 

 Six hours after leaving Armootlee, we reached 

 the summit of the pass, about six thousand eight 

 hundred feet above the sea. We had to cross 

 two deep ravines, however, before we came in 

 view of the valley of the Xanthus, by which time 

 it was nearly sunset. We hailed with delight 

 the familiar peaks of Cragus, and the wide and 

 luxuriant expanse of our cherished valley, which 

 lay far below us in all the richness of its sum- 

 mer garb, whilst we stood among spring flowers 

 and alpine plants. It was an hour after dark 

 before we reached Arsa, guided by the lights 

 in the cottages. 



May 20th. — Arsa is a small village of about 

 twenty scattered stone-built cottages, delightfully 

 situated on terraces overlooking the valley of 

 the Xanthus, and watered by rills which pour 

 down the craggy sides of the highest peaks of 

 Massicytus. We found a comfortable stranger's 

 house, the proprietor of which, a civil old Turk, 

 offered to be our guide among the ruins, our 

 chief inducement in visiting this place. Crown- 

 ing a precipice overhanging the valley, we found 

 an extensive ancient fortress, the walls construct- 

 ed of loose hewn stones in every part, excepting 



