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UNUSUAL SCENERY 103
Turkhal. Derelict as it and the surrounding country
are now, town and district have not been so always.
In Bvzantine times this was a rich and well-cultivated
land of great estates, one of which belonged to the
Byzantine emperors, and inscriptions of the period
are numerous still. And Turkhal of old was Ibora,
and near it was the estate of Annesoi, where Basil
and his brother Gregory the Illuminator were born.
Less than an hour's walk from the town is a wild
gorge of roaring water and great cliiFs, in which Basil
lived a while as hermit. One may find perhaps in
his choice of place for retirement some influence of
his boyhood's memories. At Annesoi he must have
visited this dark gorge : possibly found it an attractive
spot, and, boy-like, slipped off to it when he
could. Impressions he received then may have drawn
him to it when he resolved to retire from the world.
So at least one likes to think. Of Ibora, too, Gregory
became bishop, though much against his personal
wishes. He declined the See at first, it is told,
and only accepted it on the urgent advice of the
Bishop of Amasia.
The scenery of this plain is of a kind unusual
in Asia Minor ; and in days of better cultivation
must have been even more attractive than now.
Glimpses of its peculiar charms I saw when leaving
Turkhal. The road went along the bank of the
Iris ; beside the water was a white tehke overshadowed
by trees ; trees bordered the river above
and below the building ; and tekke and trees were
reflected in the water's surface as in a mirror. The
reflection was so perfect that for accuracy I could
not choose between similitude and original. On
either side of the river were bright green meadows,
from which the ground rose and went to the hills
in gentle undulations ; and on hills and mountains
and river and green plain lay evening light as
exquisite as man's eyes ever saw. It was a scene
of softness and peace such as I had never beheld
in Asia Minor before, and did not seem to belong