552 
AMASIA TO CONSTANTINOPLE. 
We departed from Osmanjik about an hour before sun-set, and 
paced the banks of the Halys as far as our next stage Haji Hamza, 
called eight hours from Osmanjik. The scenery of the river appears to 
partake of every quality which can make landscape admirable. Very 
fine lands rise above it; along which, still following the stream in all 
its windings, the road is carried, presenting to the travellers at every 
reach new and striking pictures. Here and there we came to fine 
collections of walnut-trees ; and then crossed large plantations of rice, t 
which, for the facility of irrigation, were situated immediately on the 
borders of the water. At about two hours from Osmanjik we turned 
to the left, and ascended a very steep part of the mountains, on a broad 
paved road, which, as far as the dusk of the evening permitted me to 
observe, seemed good. On reaching the extreme eminence, I perceived 
that we were on the brink of an immense precipice, under which the 
river was winding ; and that we were enclosed on all sides by stupend¬ 
ous heights. The obscurity and stillness of the night gave a solemnity 
to the scene which I cannot describe. We continued along this 
precipice, viewing the same grandeur of scenery for some time, but in 
perfect security : for we were travelling on a road of a smooth and easy 
surface, and guarded on the side of the danger by a parapet wall. My 
Janizary told me that the road was cut into the vivid rock by the 
Genoese. He was probably right in the materials, as in the present 
age nothing but rock would have been in so good order: perhaps he 
was right also in the founders, to whom he ascribed the original work; 
but the darkness prevented my forming any judgment of the correct¬ 
ness of his information. 
We came to Haji Hamza in the dead of the night. The post-house 
is on the banks of the river. There are few other habitations, except 
indeed the fort. We had scarcely taken the rest of an hour, when we 
were again on our horses, on the road to Tosia , called a distance of 
twelve hours. We came to Tosia about four hours after sun-rise, after 
having met several caravans, the mules of which were the finest that I 
