Note 1 — Chapter X · RETURN TO THE BORDER RANGES—ΘΆΛΑΤΤΑ, ΘΆΛΑΤΤΑ!

Since writing this description, General Sir Charles Wilson’s most admirable Handbook for Asia Minor (London, Murray, 1895) has come into my hands. He gives the distance between Erzerum and Trebizond, measured in miles along the chaussée, at 199¼ miles. Another account makes the total 196½ miles. I enquired in official circles at Erzerum whether there were extant any exact record of the distance; a search was made in the archives with a negative result. A certain proportion of the milestones are still erect; but many have disappeared, the course of the road has been changed in places, and the milestones have been replaced, probably in an arbitrary manner. My own record, which is based on careful estimates of pace and time, is as follows:—Erzerum—Ashkala, 33 miles; Ashkala—Pirnakapan, 10 miles; Pirnakapan—Southern Kop Khan, 2 miles; Southern Kop Khan—Kop Pass, 5½ miles; Kop Pass—Northern Kop Khan, 5⅓ miles; Northern Kop Khan—Maden Khan, 6½ miles; Maden Khan—Baiburt, 10¾ miles; Baiburt (bridge)—Varzahan, 6 miles; Varzahan—Osluk Khan, 6 miles; Osluk Khan—Khadrak, 8 miles; Khadrak—Vavuk Pass, 4½ miles; Vavuk Pass—Murad Khan, 10⅓ miles; Murad Khan—Lower Gümüshkhaneh, 16¼ miles; Lower Gümüshkhaneh—Ardasa, 16½ miles; Ardasa—Southern Zigana hamlet, 9½ miles; Southern Zigana village—Zigana Pass, 4½ miles; Zigana Pass—Upper Hamsi Keui, 10⅛ miles; Upper Hamsi Keui—Jevizlik, 15¼ miles; Jevizlik—Trebizond, 20 miles. Total, 199¾ miles. A carriage (victoria) can be obtained in Trebizond. Such a vehicle, drawn by two horses, together with a cart for the luggage with a team of three, costs for the whole journey £13 : 10s. But, if I may offer a recommendation to the traveller, it is to render himself independent of the chaussée by purchasing horses and riding. Large deductions from the mileage may be made in this way, and the jolting avoided which is inseparable from a metalled road kept in bad repair. Indeed wheeled traffic is as yet quite an anomaly both in Turkey and in Persia. On the other hand, it is extremely difficult to buy good horses in Trebizond, although they may be readily purchased in Erzerum. ↑