From the uppermost Plain of the _Promontory_, on which, as I observed, stood the Church of St. _Sophia_ and the _Hippodrom_, by an easy Ascent of a thousand Paces, you climb the Ridge of the second Hill up to the _Porphyry_ Pillar, erected on the Top of the second Hill, which is bounded on the East by the first Valley, which divides the first from the second Hill. It rises at the Plain of St. _Sophia_, and extends itself from South to North. This Valley represents exactly the Figure of the Letter V; one of whose Sides extends itself full East, the other North. Thro’ the Middle of it runs the Wall, which divides the _Grand Seignor_’s Palace from the rest of the City. The lowermost Plain of the _Promontory_ extends itself in Length and Breadth so far into this Valley, that from the Bay to the Church of St. _Sophia_, you may walk a thousand Paces almost upon the Level. From the Entrance of it on the Sea Side, ’tis all a plain Ground to the Length of five hundred Paces; afterwards winding itself into this Vale, it rises with a small Ascent, which is more easily perceivable by a gentle Fall of the Water, than by the Eye or Foot. At the Beginning of it ’tis somewhat wide, afterwards ’tis narrower, and at the End of it ’tis straighten’d into two lesser Valleys; one of which, near to the Church of St. _Sophia_, is four hundred Paces long. It rises gradually, and is so very narrow, that the publick Way takes up the whole Breadth of it. CHAP. IX. _Of the second Hill._ The Ridge of the _Promontory_ rising a little higher, and the two Valleys adjoining to it, make the second Hill. The first Valley divides, at East, the first from the second Hill; the other Valley, Westward, divides the second from the third. On the North ’tis bounded by a Plain on the Sea Shore. The Ridge of the _Promontory_ extends from South to North to the Distance of one thousand Paces in Length, and four hundred in Breadth. The different Breadth of the Vales varies the Breadth of the whole Hill. For where the Valleys which bound the Sides of it at the Top are more contracted, the Hill widens, and at the Foot of the Hill, where they are much wider, the Hill is less. The lesser Hills which stand upon it, extend its Length, two of which hang over the Bay. Its Height varies according to the different Height of the three Clifts, or small Hills which rise upon it. For the Clift lying to the South-east, rises moderately, from the lowest part of the Valley to the Top of the Hill, to the Height of about a thousand Paces; afterwards, as the Valley widens, it grows less, and is rendered more steep by two small Valleys (branching out of the great Valley) which indeed are somewhat upon the Descent, but not above a hundred Paces high. The different Heights of the Clifts which hang over the Bay, may be best discover’d by considering the different Heights of the five _publick Ways_, which reach from the Ridge to the Foot of the Hill.