Wed May 17. [17 May 1911] At 5.45 Temp 61?, Bar 28.45. The sun
rose in a hot mist. Photographed the mosque. All the work is Arab,
but some cut and uncut acanthus (one garlanded) skilful imitation of
Amida period work but quite different cut of the leaf. Also great
capitals with adaptations of Samarra patterns. The huge columns are
I suppose ancient. The only base I saw was Arab, but one of the
capitals (acanthus) may have been ancient. It was much worn. Then
photographed the fine citadel; then the small mosque which is quite
late. The caravan got off at 8, we at 8.45. No guide or soldiers but the
way quite clear. Nearly every mound has its village, the water from
saharij, very good. (The Harran [Altinbasak (Carrhae)] water is a little
brackish. F. [Fattuh] told me an absurd tale of how he was taking 2
Islam women, an ajuz and a sabiyeh across the Euphrates in his
carriage at Birijik [Birecik]. The ajuz refused to get out, the river was
very full, the shahtur jesmeskil[?] ful and the carriage overturned and
namat fil ..... The ajuz was frightfully angry but took no harm. "I did not
fear for her but for the carriage." At Aleppo [Halab] she refused to
pay, but he drove off the carriage with all the afsh to his house and in 3
days came the payment. "The women of the Islam are muta' alimin[?]
muta' widin - in everything the Islam are more muta' widin than the
Xians. They live much more cheaply. A rich Islam will live on bread
and burghul without semneh. We spend all we have on food and
clothes. A friend of mine in Aleppo has £70000 - he goes about in
shirwal that cost 4 ps and all ragged, holes everywhere." Tell Hunta
9.35, Minara 10.15 Chekran 10.50 Mezyed 11.35. Bridge over the Nahr
el Kut 12.10-12.40. The huge Sultan Tepe 1.15. Kanjar 2.15, Urfa
[Sanliurfa (Edessa)] 3.45. A small thunderstorm cleared the air before
we arrived. Urfa lies exquisitely in the foothills. We rode through the
town to the seraya where a policeman from Deir [Dayr az Zawr] took
us up to the deserted casino built by Edhem Pasha above the town,
on the terraces of which we camped. The caravan did not get there till
5. A little kiosk with water running through it. Exquisite camp.