THE BOLI FORESTS. 
727 
doubtless the navies of Mithridates were built, which so long 
disputed the power of Rome on the Pontic sea; and from the 
same, the Grand Seignior now draws all his stores of timber and 
pitch for the construction of his fleets; which may be said to 
grow from age to age, in this dark world of exhaustl ess forest; 
while its underwood exhibits the fabled scene of Tasso’s enchanted 
wood, evergreen laurel, myrtle and box, with a variety of other 
beautiful shrubs of a similar character, mingling their aromatic 
branches : and as the season had been uncommonly mild, I had 
the gratification of finding all in rich verdure, even to the foliage 
of the trees being not more than slightly tinged with the hues 
of autumn. Three hours at least were expended, before we got 
through the quarter of the forest which lay in our route; for 
besides the length of way, we found the path in many places nearly 
covered in by the quick shoots of the undergrowth ; but the 
paved road continuing with us, was an unerring guide. On leav¬ 
ing the woodland, we came out on a fine level country, of 
which our horses, taking prompt advantage, galloped on to 
Doozchee, the place of regular halt. They reached it, after a 
journey altogether of six hours (commonly called twelve), without 
any apparent fatigue. The distance, I suppose, twenty-four miles. 
I had some leisure, while my Tatars were regaling themselves, 
to look about me; the village being at present too poor a place 
to care much about the observation of a stranger, one way or 
other. That it has not always been so, is evident, from numerous 
fragments of fine marble, some plain, but others bearing traces of 
the beautiful chissel of Greece or Rome : and just before the door 
of the post-house, a particularly striking specimen appears in the 
form of its well. On examining it, I found a circular mass of 
white marble, most probably the base of some immense column, 
