My courage brought its reward, for I reached the goal of our journey thoroughly shaken, but without mishap.

During the time that we travelled at a foot-pace, I had found leisure to contemplate the scenery around us.

For half the entire distance we ride from one valley into another; as often as a hill is reached, there is a limited prospect before the traveller, who has, however, only to turn his head, and he enjoys a beautiful view over the Sea of Marmora.

After a ride of two hours and a half we arrived at a little khan, {71a} where we rested for half an hour.

Proceeding thence a short distance, we reached the last hills; and the great valley, at the end of which Brussa is seen leaning against Olympus, lay stretched before our eager eyes, while behind us we could still distinguish, far beyond hill and dale, the distant sea skirting the horizon.