The San Francisco call., 1897-12-26

that no part of the globe which I
have visited has presented one-half of
the weird grandeur, the continuous
magnif1cence, of this portion of Asia
Minor. 1t is incomparably beautiful,
and my great regret is that neither
my pen nor my words can do my sub
ject the justice which I vainly long
to accord to it. A few miles from the
Black Sea we found ourselves in the
midst of an assemblage of mountains,
some of them young and small, while
others are hoary with age, rising
above their neighbors as a giant tow
ers in a group of children, their sum-
mits covered with eternal snow.
"Trebizond was only ten miles in the
rear when we ran across very inter
esting natural eccentricity. The rocks
on the hillsides looked so like castles
that l expected to hear the clanking
chains of drawbridge and the tramp
ling feet Of troops of mailed warriors.
The illusion was startling and COM
plete. 1 had to look a second and third
time before 1 could convince myself
that these castles were only a dream.
Then we met long trains of camels-
wonderful creatures. We saw, too, all
sorts and varieties Of men, picturesque
fellows, who might be dangerous to
meet after dark. Unless their looks be-
lie them, they wouldn't hesitate to send
you on an exploring expedition into the
future and then appropriate all your
worldly possessions"
The second letter is from Zigana
village and dated November 16. "At
$50 o'clock we reached this point in
our journey, after being seven hours
Il --rIN~1 ~1f,ly
''Twice at least we had perilous points
to pass, but the Anatoliaa horse has
sure and cautious feet. One slip and he
falls 500 or 1000 feet, and that is the
last of him and his rider. We passed
both Of these points, however, without
accident, and If we were profoundly
grateful for two narrow escapes Vol,
will not blame us. The other day a
caravan of twelve loaded camels went
over the precipice at q spot like these
and of course met their DEATH The last
part of our journey to the top Of Ziga-
ma was like a fly climbing a window
pane but it was delightful and fasci-
mating to a degree which makes de-
scription hopeless. The snow shone and
it was like acres of glistening dia-
mondS.
Tall peaks all about us had a
majesty and a dignity which were
more than heroic, and when we
dropped from our saddles at the sum-
nit for half an hours rest and saw
other mountains on the southwark
equal in magnificence, stretching as
far as the eye could reach, the spec
tacle was almost too imposing for
human endurance, but why continue
the story? 1 can only repeat what I
have said before, that such monotonv
of splendor cannot be conceived nv
any one who has not toiled to the ton
of Zigana in winter. If I should live
for a thousand years 1 could hardly
hope to see such a spectacle again nm
less 1 revisited Asia Minor, which 7
hope kind fate will prevent me from
doing, for the hardships and priva-
tions are terrible to think Of"
Erzeroum was reached the tenth dav
out from Trebizond. Under date Of
November "a, DR.. Hepworth writes.
"Only one night in ten did we sleen
in civilized fashion or in a civilized
place. To undress was, of course. i'm
possible, and If we managed to get to
bed without our topboots we thought
ourselves lucky. Strange, is it not2
Two hundred miles on a military high
road with khans everywhere. and not
one of them fit for any one unless he
has the nightmare"
The writer tells in detail of the