170 CONSTANTINOPLE. ' 
CHAP, daily drawing water out of ivells which were 
sunk into it. I entered by chance a house 
where there was a descent into it, and went 
aboard a little skiff. The master of the house, 
after having lighted some torches, rowing me 
here and there across through the pillars, 
which lay very deep in water, I thus dis- 
covered it. He was very intent upon catching 
the fish wherewith the cistern abounds, and 
speared some of them by the light of the 
torches. There is also a small light which 
descends from the mouth of the 7vell, and 
reflects upon the water, whither the fish usually 
resort for air. This Cisterxa is three hun- 
dred and thirty-six feet long, a hundred and 
eighty-two feet broad, and two hundred and 
twenty Roman paces in circumference. The 
roof, and arches, and sides, are all of brick- 
work, covered with terrace, which is not the 
least impaired by time. The roof is supported 
by three hundred and thirty- six marble 
columns. The space of inter columniation equals 
twelve feet. Each column is above forty feet 
nine Inches in height'. They stand longitudinally, 
in twelve ranges ; and latitudinally, in twenty- 
(1) Vide Gyllium, lib. ii. De Tapog. Constant, cap. 20. apud Gronov^^ 
I'haaur. Grecc. Antiq. vol. VI. p. 3281. L. Bat. 1699. 
