We found Mustuk Bey a man of very prepos-
sessing manners and appearance, with a noble
bearing, and the eye of a hawk. He soon effaced all
unpleasant feelings or prejudices, and after an
hour's interesting conversation, we left him very



176 SYRIA, PALESTINE, AND

much impressed in his favour, and I believe taking
all in all, he is about as good a Governor as Turkey
can boast, and peculiarly fitted for the manage-
ment of the mountaineers, who, though now
seldom guilty of any outrage, would become
very troublesome, if not ruled with an iron rod.
We found the castle in pretty good repair, and
the dungeons and cells made one's blood curdle.
Damp, unearthly smells came up from them,
and the wind moaning mournfully through
crumbling apertures, sounded like the moans
of their ancient inmates. The mosque was a
magnificent ruin, full of exquisitely chisseled
marble pillars, and with a perfect mosaic floor-
tj^ ing. We climbed up the tottering minaret, and
from its ruined summit, had a fine view of the
surrounding scenery. Thence we passed through
the lofty and desolate-looking bazaars, which
must once have given occupation to hundreds
of soids.
A solitary old man sold coflfee and tobacco
in a miserable corner, and with this exception,
not a soul did we meet amongst the ruins of



ASIA MINOR. 177

the towD, or till we got back to the modern
village, which is evidently a flourishing one ;
and the air of contentment and cheerfulness
in men, women and children, who were all
merry-making, as it was the eve of some festival,
spoke much in favour of the present government,
and strangely contrasted with the past history of
the far-famed moxmtain.
