'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎409] (490/905)

CHAP. XVIII.]
TOWN OF ^EiLiN.
409
baths, and other ruins of Bayas, once Baiae; with the three Bay of isken-
villages of Kuretur in the neighbourhood, situated in the derun '
midst of groves of orange and palm trees. Again, five miles
southward is the pass above noticed of Sukal-tutan, and at
nearly the same distance onward the fine bay and anchorage
of Iskenderun, with an open but convenient landing-place on
a bold beach; but, in consequence of the accumulation of
the sand by which the mouths of the streams descending
from this part of the Amanus are choked, a pestilential
swamp extends from the very edge of the sea almost to the
foot of the mountain. In the marsh towards the latter are
some trifling ruins, which may possibly be the site of ancient
Myriandrus; and within a mile of the shore are the remains
of a castle and bridge constructed by Godfrey of Bouillon.
There is, however, but little to mark the site of Alexander s
commercial city; but there are several buildings which served
for stores at the period when this was the most flourishing of
all the landing-places in the Levant A geographical area corresponding to the region around the eastern Mediterranean Sea. . The success of the
small cut made by Mr. Martinelli, in 1833 and 1834, sufii-
ciently proves that a trifling outlay, including the use of a
small machine, would make the place comparatively healthy;
and, in addition to the advantages to be derived from drain
ing the marshes, there would be obtained access to the town
of Beilan at the distance of eight or nine miles from the
shore. This prettily situated and healthy town, which was
at one time celebrated for its gold embroidery and saddlery, is
now reduced to about 700 half-ruined houses, which occupy 1 Re™™* "ear
both sides of an elevated gorge, having the two portions con
nected by a bridge. Near the town are the remains of two
aqueducts, and a part of the Roman road between Chalcis and
the sea. The tract lying to the westward is a mere strip,
which stretches from Iskenderun along the lowest slopes of
the wooded range of Mount Rhosus, passing by Karatch,
Arsus, and the village of Karousein to Cape Khanzir. It is
thinly peopled by Turkish and Greek peasants, who are but
1 Pocock thinks this is the Pictanus of the Jerusalem Itinerary .—Description
of the East, p. 174, vol. II.
VOL. I. ^ G