Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

308
TRAVELS IN ASIATIC TURKEY,
whose house we risided. The town and environs of Stanco are
supplied with water by an aqueduct, which has its source on the
summit of an adjacent mountain, to which we rode. It is called
Vohreeney, and is distant from the town about five miles. In ascending
the mountain, we had to follow our sjuide by several rua-
ged and winding oaths, which at length conducted us to the source.
Over the spring a building is erected; and a narrow passage, nearly
an hundred feet in length, constructed in masonry, leads to the
rock. We passed through this passage with the help of lights,
and came to a circular elevated chamber, having a vaulted roof,
beneath which we perceived the hole in the rock whence the wa-
ter issues incessantly in a copious stream. It enters the aqueduct
by a narrow channel, and is thus conducted, round the interposing
mountains, to Stanco, leaving on its way a portion of its supplies,
collected in open reservoirs, for the use of men and cattle.
On our return we took a different route, and passed through se-
veral villages lying to the west of Stanco, the environs of which
were principally occupied by fields of bearded wheat and barley,
which were in ear, and had a very promising appearance. We
met also with several vineyards, and gardens of lemon-trees, which
bore an immensity of fruit. The fig, almond, pomegranate, and
mulberry-trees were cultivated in stone enclosures, which gave to
the face of the country a neat and compact appearance. From the
summits of the mountains over which we rode, we had a distinct
view of the suburbs of Stanco, situated in a fine and extensive
plain, lying in a direction east and west of the town; as well as
of the low country towards the sea- shore. On the sides of the
mountains a few firs, cypress, and olive-trees are scattered; but
the country in general, whatever may be its fertility, is not so abun-
dant in trees and other vegetable productions as Rhodes. The partridges
natural to the island are very large, being nearly
of the size
of a pullet, with red legs, and die other characteristic distinctions
of those of the coast of Barbary. We saw several braces of them
in our excursion, and a considerable number of quails. In general
tiie island of Stanco appears to abound with game. With respect
to its rising population, the children of the peasants are numerous,
well nourished, robust, and of agreeable features, indicating, in
their general appearance, the comparatively easy circumstances of
those to whom they belong. The island was, at the time of our
visit, in a very healthy state, not having been visited by the plague
during the last five years.