363 
his people pressed forward to offer me their services, 
and to entertain me. They sent for horses, and assured 
me that I should be able to set out the next day. 
The position of this town, according to the map of 
Arrowsmith, does not agree with my geodesic esti- 
mate of the route; but I suspend my judgment until 
I shall have arrived at another known geographical 
point. 
According to that map, the town faces the south- 
west, and the celebrated Meander, which rises in the 
neighbouring mountains, flows in the same direction. I 
found,. on the contrary, that the situation of the town 
is to the north-east, and that the river, which I crossed, 
by a bridge not far from the town, takes the same 
direction. 
Assiom Karaissar is a large town with several 
mosques, one of which appears magnificent. This 
town, like that of Akschier, has streams and rivulets in 
all the streets; they flow from the mountains which 
bound it on the south side. 
The houses have as dull an aspect as those of the 
other places through which I had lately passed. There 
was excellent fruit to be had, notwithstanding the 
severe cold which then prevailed. The principal kinds 
were grapes, melons, and most delicate apples. The 
bread is good, and formed into cakes an inch thick. 
The country people were employed every where in 
threshing out the grains. 
There is an isolated rock in the form of a sugar . loaf 
to the south-west of the town. It is formed by the union 
of irregular upright prisms, so that it appears almost 
precipitous on all sides. The summit is crowned by an 
ancient castle, which must have been in its time a for- 
tress of the same kincj as that of Gibraltar. 
