346 
ARZ-ROUM TO AMASIA. 
fine river that runs through the village. Close to the mosque is a large 
corn mill, which also is worked by two large wheels. 
We proceeded from Turkhal in the evening, and travelled for the 
distance of six hours. On passing through two masses of rock, which 
in the obscurity of the night were extremely grand, we espied a strong 
light, illuminating a hut and two or three lofty pine-trees. This was 
one of the guard-houses, called durand , which are stationed at the 
interval of about four hours, and are common to the territory of 
Chappan Oglu. They are at once places of security and rest. 
There is generally a party of eight or ten men kept in them to watch 
over the safety of the roads. This one, which we were approaching, 
was peculiarly picturesque. The Tatars , the Mirza , and I, dismounted 
from our horses; whilst we permitted the rest of our caravan to pro¬ 
ceed. We entered an enclosure of stone-walls, built at the foot of a 
high pine-tree. In one comer blazed an immense fire. An old Turk, 
who received us, immediately spread goat’s-skins for our seats ; whilst 
a young man prepared to give us coffee. He first placed the water to 
boil on the outer-embers of the fire, and then begun to pound the 
coffee in a wooden vase, which he continued with much activity to a 
sort of musical stroke, until the whole was beat into an impalpable 
powder. He then put the pounded coffee into the water, and boiled 
it up three or four times ; when he poured it into his coffee cup, kept 
neatly bright, on a circular platter. We then resumed our march, 
and in six hours from Turkhal made a halt at a large caravanserai 
where we slept in the open air until the morning. The caravanserai 
was an extensive building, of strong materials and in good repair. 
Besides ourselves there were many peasants with their carts drawn by 
buffaloes, who were waiting the dawn of day to proceed on their 
journey. Our route led over a mountainous country, till we descended 
towards Amasia , through a narrow pass bordered on each side by 
rocks of a surprising size. The opening was not seen, until we were 
close upon it, when it formed a beautiful and curious picture. The 
