744 
THE BOSPHORUS. 
the valley, at the house of the Marquis de Riviere, the French 
ambassador to the Porte. His pleasant abode was one of the 
many belonging to foreign residents which adorn the enchant¬ 
ing shore I then ascended. Most of those personages were yet 
there ; the prevalence of the plague on one hand, and the con¬ 
tinuance of delightful weather on the other, detaining them 
from their winter-palaces in Pera. Having gazed about to my 
satisfaction, on this their summer menzil , in “ as fair a paradise 
as deck’d Mahomed’s dreamand taken our leave of the 
circle, who had the taste fully to enjoy it, we re-embarked, to 
return to the British quarters. At that point we were about 
four miles from the mouth of the Euxine, and twenty to the 
Scutari verge of the Bosphorus. I have already expressed 
my admiration of the European shore of the strait; but when 
we compare it with the diversified beauty and grandeur of the 
Asiatic coast, it becomes tame and monotonous. There, we see 
hills and forests, rocks and fortresses; some near the water’s 
edge, others at a distance crowning the boldest heights. In 
some parts we descried groves and villages ; in others palaces 
also of the Grand Seignior, vineyards, and gardens. Beyond, 
stretch the more mountainous hills ; and one of the highest is 
pointed out by name as the Gianfs Bed; no doubt the Bed of 
Hercules , of classic writers. Lower down we see successive 
ancient sites of renown, mingled with other old though compa¬ 
ratively modern foundations. One, towards the mouth of the 
canal, is very striking, being the ruins of a Genoese fortress; 
the style of its miltary architecture showing its date amongst the 
Greek emperors. At that time it must have formed an impreg¬ 
nable defence ; but since the introduction of gunpowder, and its 
attendant modes of attack, these walls and towers having proved 
