Page:The travels of Macarius, Patriarch of Antioch - Volume I.djvu/34

6 Aga of Turkomans from Damascus. Before noon we came to Khan Bairam Pasha, and alighted on a bank of the river Jakut. In the evening we arose, and marched the whole night through woods and over stony ground. It was very dark, and we suffered the greatest terrors. The morning brought us to the Fort Kolik; and we passed Kozlook Khan, that is, "The Khan of Walnuts," for around it are walnut-trees in great numbers. Before noon we alighted at Takir, which is the celebrated Eilet of Ibn Ramazan.

Early next morning we arose, and passed through Sultan Khan; the fort of Anasha remaining on our right hand. We then passed Ak Kupri, that is, "the White Bridge," which was formerly the limit between the Emperors of the Circassians and the Othmans. Thence we crossed the River Kirk Ghetchi, or the Forty-Ford River; for we forded it forty times, well counted. Before noon we arrived at Chifta Khan, that is, Coupled Khan. It is certain that these roads are impassable in winter, from their narrowness, and by reason of their overflowing waters and numerous rivers. We halted for the space of two hours; and then arose to march on to the Khan Mohammed Pasha, which is Yenghi Khan, or Olen Kushluk; and the evening came on before we had yet reached it: we therefore alighted at some houses of the Turkomans; being, as I have mentioned, in the company of their Aga, and slept this night with them. Early in the morning of Wednesday the first of the month Iloul, the commencement Of the, we arose, to come to Bor; and began our march through its territory, which is properly named Bor (uncultivated). For a day's journey, either in length or breadth, there is not a green herb to be seen, but the earth is burnt black. During this day we suffered extreme affliction, till we arrived in the evening at Bor, which is a beautiful village, of cheap supplies, abounding in streams of water, and multiplied in riches. Every thing here is cheap. The Ritl, Litre, or Pound, Aleppo weight, of flesh-meat is four Paras: and the Ritl of bread, three. A Ritl, or Litre, of the best old wine is five Paras: the new is sold at one. There is abundance of rob, or treacle, of grapes. Here is also a very wonderful manufactory of gunpowder, worked by wheels, similar to those of a water-mill for corn: they are very large; and, as the streams of water turn them, they raise and sink beams of wood placed in a row, to pound the powder, which only one man is employed to stir and move by day, and another by night. It is a great and effectual contrivance, attended with little fatigue. The Christians in this place are very religious, and their language is the Turkish. They made us alight with them, and gave us the handsomest reception.