Page:Travels & discoveries in the Levant (1865) Vol. 1.djvu/331

Rh an attempt at road-making in Turkey, I have always observed that the traffic is not on the road, but alongside of it, in order to avoid the hard pavement. Large sums were promised for the subscription by the Greeks; but now that the time for payment has come, there seems to be difficulty in realizing their promises. The making this road has led to the discovery of considerable ancient remains. Beyond Caravan Bridge, on the road to Bournabat, is a large Turkish cemetery. Immediately beyond this cemetery great quantities of squared blocks of marbles and mouldings of buildings—all rough-hewn— have been recently dug up; also several sarcophagi, one with ornaments in bas-relief, of a late Roman period; a colossal head of Apollo or Bacchus, which I did not see, but which, judging from a drawing, appeared very hard and mannered; and a fragment of an inscription which seemed to be sepulchral. This spot is probably the site of an ancient cemetery situated outside the old town. At Caravan Bridge a marble lion was found in 1852, which probably marks the situation of a tomb. Part of the ground where these antiquities were discovered belongs to Mr. Whittall, who would probably make an excavation on a large scale if he could get a firman. He is very rich and very generous; he gives away immense smns to the poor, and keeps up a very princely style of hospitality at Bournabat.

At the special request of Mr. Hanson and Dr. McCraith, I went yesterday to see the British hospital, which, I must say, is a disgrace to any nation occupying the position which we hold at