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Diary entry by Gertrude Bell

Reference code
GB/2/10/2/20
Creator
Bell, Gertrude Margaret Lowthian
Creation Date
Extent and medium
1 entry, paper
Language
English
Location
Coordinates

37.8380162, 27.8455601

Sat Ap 20. [20 April 1907] Went with the chowwish who had been here
with Hamdy to see the latter's excavations. An interesting temple site
of a curious shape and a niche in the inner wall towards the south.
Saw a stone carved with heart shaped leaves like the decorations of
the theatre at Priene, Ionic. What looked like Stoa near it. Here there
were 4 stones carved with figures said my zaptieh but I cd not see
them because they were turned over on their faces. Then down to the
oblong building through a Corinthian gate - Murray says all here was
Ionic. Hamdy did some work here too. From it and in front a wall
goes along with round engaged columns breaking it looking towards
the oblong wall. Lots of columns sticking out of the ground further on
and a water conduit below ground - one sees it in one place. So off
about 7.30 and across grassy paths to the China [«ine] which was
very deep. We crossed in a buffalo waggon leading the horses. Got
to Gyroba at 9.15 and waited till about 10.15 for horses. No carriage
to be had and if there were it could only have taken us to the
Maeander [B¸y¸k Menderes]. Off in a thunderstorm. 25 miles to Aidin
[Aydin] and a very good road along the China till we got to the
Maeander valley. Very wide and beautiful with Aidin lying on the
great hills beyond. All the near part under water. Passed a dead
gypsy lying on the road with a little girl wailing beside him. Fattuh said
"It is hard to die out of one's house." At the ferry they refused to bring
the body in saying it had to wait till his people saw it, or to do anything
for the girl. She had to wait there to keep the dogs off and a boy had
gone in to her village an hour beyond Aidin. We cd do nothing; when
she was afraid said Fattuh she wd come in. The bridge broken, we
crossed the Maeander in a ferry boat. The road was swamped and
we had to ride by an old paved path through deep mud and rushing
water. When a camel train passed we had to get off the path and
plunge into the mud. At last we got onto dry land, wonderfully fertile,
deep crops and fruit trees. And so at 5 to Aidin, saw the station
master, arranged about my carriage and got myself lodged in a dirty
khan opposite. Here I got the news of Elsa's engagement.

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