712 
LEAVES AMASSIA. 
should suppose the simpler style of tomb, on the southern 
brow of the fortress-rock, the most ancient; and that the gor¬ 
geous princes of the time of Mithridates were architects of the 
more northern and adorned. But his remains were denied a 
place in these sepulchres ; Pompey sending the royal corpse to a 
distant grave at Sinope, while he himself played the despot in 
this capital; dictating, from the very hill on which we stood, to 
all the sovereigns of the East. 
On our return from the fortress, mobs of men and boys had 
collected at the bridge to meet our coming back, and we were 
surrounded instantly. No molestation was attempted, but end¬ 
less questions addressed to the Saied and the Tatar respecting 
my object in visiting the hill; and no assurances being able to 
persuade them that I had no other design than to look into the 
empty holes in its sides, they continued questioning, and with 
something of a less quiet demeanor, all the way to the post-house. 
There the crowd dispersed a little ; but Ahmed Aga beginning 
to apprehend that something very disagreeably serious might 
ensue from having gratified my curiosity, hastened our horses; 
and the instant they were ready, we mounted, and set off. 
It was four o’clock when we had again thrided the narrow 
streets at a pretty quick pace, and took our course along the 
edge of the river, completely overshadowed by its thickly pres¬ 
sing houses. In this track, we passed the outer wall of a fine 
mosque, dedicated to Sultan Bayazed, and soon after crossed the 
Yekil-Irmak over a fine bridge of seven arches. The water 
beneath seemed very turbid and foul, and yet is used for all 
domestic purposes. But the banks being steep at various points, 
the inhabitants are obliged to raise it for use into wooden 
aqueducts by means of large wheels charged with leathern 
