734 
HERIKAH. 
sometimes led so close to the rolling-in of the sea, we were co¬ 
vered with its spray; a salute rather animating than disagreeable, 
from an element no Englishman can recognise after a long ab¬ 
sence, without feeling he is touching home. This face of the coast 
is occasionally marked by steep and bold rocks, or hills gently 
sweeping down to its beach, sometimes tinted with only a scanty 
verdure, but most often luxuriously clothed with shrubs of 
every leaf and hue, intermingled with fruit-trees, vineyards, and 
groves of cypress. At eight o’clock we reached a little village 
called Herikah, on the edge of the water; and not far off, we 
observed the ruins of a fortress on its nearest height. In a 
stable of the coffee-house where we halted, I found the wooden 
beams which supported the roof, resting on several white marble 
capitals ; all were sadly mutilated, but sufficient remained to 
shew they had been of the bastard Corinthian order. From 
hence we began to ascend the higher ground on our right, and 
in a direction more to the north of west than any we had for 
some time taken. The complexion of the sky changed as we 
advanced, and also the aspect of the country ; a few miles bringing 
us amongst barren hills, where the clouds, which had been col¬ 
lecting during the latter part of our march, opened on us in an 
incessant pour of rain. Through this thick veil of waters, we 
made our way to the town of Gaybaissa, estimated at nine hours 
from Is Nikmid; and, though then only one stage from Con¬ 
stantinople, I could not prevail on myself to go forward with the 
same obscurity between me, and all I might view in a clear 
atmosphere from this place to the ancient capital of the eastern 
Caesars. Hence, as the weather seemed decidedly wet for the 
remainder of the day, I determined on staying where I was till 
the next morning; hoping by that time the rain would be all 
