Thursday June 10. [10 June 1909] Off at 6 and rode through gardens
to Ordasu (6.30) itself buried in gardens. So up to Parnieh (6.45-7)
where there is a ruined church or monastery. The present building is
reconstructed but there are the remains of a N door leading into what
is now a church and probably it dates from the 8th century or so. Then
to Arslan Tepe (8-8.10) a very fine site at the end of the opening of the
hills, all surrounded by cultivation. Then to Eskisheher [Eskimalatya]
(9-9.45). There are a few houses here. The hedges are all poplars
50 ft high. The walls with polygonal or triangular bastions all dropping
into the poppy fields. The whole town has disappeared except for a
few ruined mosques. The Ulu Jami very fine work of the best later
period. It stands round a court something on the Samarra plan but
small. To the S a domed square. The big arch leading into this has
fine blue tiles and inside are decorations of coloured bricks. Old
carpets, a mulberry tree fills the court. We saw too an Armenian
church, a single vaulted chamber not I shd say very old. Slabs with
Latin crosses and leaves sprouting at their foot. Also some Armenian
inscrip. Otherwise of no architectural interest. So off and soon got out
of the cultivation onto bare country with occasional villages buried in
trees. 10.20 Khatunsieh about 1/4 mile to the L. 11.20 Mezreh, road
passes through it, 11.45-12.15 Chiflik where I lunched. 12.85 [sic]
Saman K with a big tepe, possibly a Hittite site. In a graveyard shortly
after were 2 fragments of round columns. At 1.25 we crossed a deep
valley, the village of Shehna Khan a 1/2 mile or so off to the R lower
down. Then out onto quite bare country across which we rode to
Elemendik where we arrived at 3.10 and found the camp pitched.
There is nothing here but a great horse breeding chiflik of Abd ul
Hamid's like a huge khan with a sentry box at the door. I hear all his
lands are to be sold. Storm of rain and delicious peaceful evening.