Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 2.djvu/101

 Boundaries, Climate, and Natural Divlsions. 85 it appears that Manlius, breaking up from Abbassus, reached Aleander, halting at Tyscon, Phtendus, and Alyatti in turn ; after which he entered the " Axylos " district.^ The pithy description of the great Roman writer accurately corresponds with the dreary, barren, woodless tract that rose before me as I travelled on the route followed by his countrymen nearly seventeen centuries ago. Only the day before, I had been able to enjoy the noon siesta under the grateful shade of great pines ; but these were now reduced to mere sprouts, apparently of no use, save to half- starved goats. This applies generally to the table-land, and particularly to the whole of eastern Phrygia ; the lower hills which form the belt and the supporting walls of the plateau are alone densely wooded.^ The formation and consequent general character of these hilly ranges are not consistent throughout. We propose, therefore, to divide them into three groups, according to their special physiog- nomy. The northern group, with some fifteen or twenty mounts, known under the generic name of Olympus, to distinguish them from other chains of mountains, we will call the Olympian range. The best-known, or at least that venerated by the ancient Greeks, was the Mysian Olympus, near Broussa ; then came the Bithynian Olympus, the Galatian Olympus, etc. It is worthy of remark that nothing can well be more confusing than the orography of this region, which consists of broad hilly masses, parallel one to the other, with progressing declivity towards the sea. The rivers that rise on the plateau, after having successfully broken through the rocky ridges which, like mighty walls, oppose their passage, discharge their waters into the Euxine. Forests, as stated, are found on the slopes, in the intervening valleys, and wherever there is a stream. As a natural consequence, more rain falls here than in any other part of the peninsula ; the air is cooler, and the growth of plants and pastures manifests greater luxuriance than on the southern slopes of the peninsula, where the sky is unclouded during the greatest part of the year. The most important forest of Asia Minor is the Agatch-Denizi, or sea of trees, which covers the country east of the Sangarius, ^ Duci inde exercitus per Axylon, quam vocant, terram coeptus. Ab re nomcn habet: non Hgni modo quicquam, sed ne spinnm quidem, aut uUum aliud alimcntum fert ignis (Lib. xxxviii. c. 18).— Editor. ■^ (i. Perrot, loc. cit.