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HOTEL DE LA GARE AT KONIA 283
and made fertile, for it is all a question of water.
The plain, called on some maps the Salt Desert, is
really fertile for the larger portion of its area, and
will grow anything with water. And water can be
brought to it from the highland lakes, forty or fifty
miles away—where is Beyshehr, for one, with a surface
of 300 square miles— but the work involves
considerable outlay. The scheme in progress— a
beginning to show what might be done—was of
course in German hands, with the Deutsche Bank
as enterprising and hopeful provider of capital.
On arriving at Konia station one finds the surroundings
unexpectedly European, for the old city
is some distance away, and buildings which have
sprung up near the railway are in the European
style. There is a large Hotel de la Gare in wellkept
grounds, and towards the city runs a wide,
straight, tree-lined road along which trams come and
go. But these appearances are so much veneer. At
the other end of the avenue is Konia, a Turkish city
in every sense, mean and depressing though once a
capita], and perhaps destined to be a capital again.
At the Hotel de la Gare I found their charges
adjustable to circumstances, seeking to ensure, if
not a profit, at least the avoidance of loss on any
individual guest. In this spirit the alarmed management
informed me, after one experience of my morningappetite,
that I had already consumed all the milk
in the hotel, as well as several breakfasts at the one
sitting, and at this rate must be charged double for
meals. Li the end, however, we arrived at a friendly
compromise, by which the charge for breakfast was
doubled, but for other meals w^as to remain unchanged.
Konia stands on the Great Plain, more than 3000
feet above sea -level. Low hills rise a few miles
away in the north and east, and the snow-covered
Taurus appear in the south, but the city has no
charm of situation. Summer is said to be fiercely hot,
and the rainfall deficient ; winter, however, seldom
brings deep snow and temperatures below zero sucj^v^**''* .f^,.