JOURNEY THROUGH ROUMILI. 
769 
lated at four hours’ distance from the capital. At five o’clock 
we came to Beyuk-chek-rnaza. Both these villages are situated 
near branches of the sea, now inclosed within the land by 
embankments, and forming lakes similar to the Lymans gained 
in like manner from the Black Sea. At eight o’clock we halted 
for the night in the village of Bahadass, situated, like the pre¬ 
ceding, on the shore. 
January 31st. — The Janissary who had accompanied me from 
Constantinople, I found a much more intelligent and serviceable 
person than either of the Tatars who had been my conductors 
thither. This man was called Mustapha, and spoke English 
tolerably, with several other languages. We renewed our jour¬ 
ney at half past six o’clock this morning, and in the course of 
two hours reached Silviera, a town close to the sea. It pos¬ 
sesses some picturesque objects, in the remains of an ancient 
fortress, and two mouldering old churches; but a gay mosque 
and minaret announce its present masters, while the country 
around is covered with vineyards, from which the Greeks make 
a pleasant wine, not unlike the vin du pays of Germany. On the 
road we met a kind of carriage called an Araba, much used by the 
people of Constantinople in country excursions. It resembles 
our light four-wheeled waggon, having a kind of awning over it, 
hung with curtains to exclude the heat or cold. The bodies of 
these vehicles are often carved, painted, and gilt, in a tasteful 
style. They are commonly drawn by four buffaloes or oxen, 
gaily caparisoned, with metal ornaments in the form of stars, 
suns, &c. on their foreheads. From the outer sides of their 
yokes rise a couple of long elastic twigs that cross each other 
over the heads of the beasts, from which hang tassels and fringes 
of various colours. Indeed the whole together of the equipage 
5 F 
VOL. II. 
