VIII. 
320 RUINS OF TELMESSUS. 
CHA1>. these tomhs, the most magnificent are those cut 
in a precipice facing the sea. Many of them 
have the appearance of being inaccessible; but 
by dint of chmbing from rock to rock, at the 
risk of a dangerous fall, it is possible to ascend 
even to the highest. They have in front several 
rude pillars, whose capitals exhibit the curva- 
ture, or horn, which is generally considered as 
denoting the Ionic style of architecture; and 
those pillars are every one of them integral 
parts of the solid rock, although some be 
twenty feet high. The mouths of these sepul- 
chres are closed with beautiful sculptured imita- 
tions of brazen or iron doors, with hinges, knobs, 
and bars. The porous nature of the rock had 
occasioned filtrations, and a stalactite deposit 
had nearly covered a very long inscription by 
the side of one of them. All that could be 
discerned was a repetition of the words 70 
[j.vy}[j^ziovj as in the former instance. A species 
of sage, growing, in great abundance, to the 
size of a large shrub, also covered the rocks 
here, yielding a fine aromatic smell. Enough 
has perhaps already been said of these monu- 
ments; and yet not more than a third part of 
them has been described : the whole mountain 
facing the sea is filled by their remains. After 
examining that which has been last described, 
we ascended to one above, appearing larger 
