We had now determined our course for _Birghée_, towards which our way lay over the mountain _Tmolus_. In pursuance of this design we mounted quickly after three this morning, and by that time it was full day we had ascended the first edge of the hill, where we halted to enjoy the entertaining prospect of the plain of _Sardis_. We had here the opportunity of viewing the castle hill, the antient seat of the city, the whole course of the _Hermus_[31], and the full extent of the _Gygaean lake_, about five miles in length, and three in breadth, mentioned in all ancient accounts of _Sardis_; but what renders it most remarkable, celebrated of old by _Homer_[32], and well described by _Strabo_ to be about forty furlongs from the city[33]. This sight had now highly satisfied our curiosity, when we turn to the right hand more into the body of the hill, and contrary to our expectation rarely encounter any difficult ascent, by reason of the artificial windings of the way. _Tmolus_ is in general so pleasant, that it was easy to conceive ourselves in a theatre, where the scene changes every half hour; for sometimes we were surprized with an impending rock, sometimes with a perpendicular precipice, and sometimes with the murmurs of a falling brook; the whole being curiously garnished with trees, shrubs, and herbs of an infinite variety. In four hours we had at length conquered the highest eminence of the mountain, whence we continue our journey thro a fruitful vale, enclosed on each side with two lofty ridges of the hill. On each of these remains a large quantity of snow, which, as it gradually melts, supplies a rapid current, that descends hence into _Pactólus_. It was observable, that the air of the whole vale was chilled to that degree by the neighbouring snows, that it was still winter in this place; nor could we here discern any buds or leaves on the same sorts of trees, which we had seen green and flourishing on the kinder parts of the mountain. This cool and refreshing vale lasted an hour, after which we begin to descend the hill by a more steep and dangerous way, than we before had mounted; but nothing was more disagreable, than so sensible a change of air, which we now experienced, being as it were at once translated out of the frigid into the torrid zone. Such was the difference betwixt the valley we had left, and the southern part of the hill we were now traveling. This heat being added to the laborious and tedious circuits, without which the descent was absolutely impossible, brought us at length by one of the clock almost half dead to _Birghée_. Nor were we capable of being refreshed, either with the remembrance of that pleasant mountain, we had passed; or with the view of the _Caýstrian_ plain, which we had then before us.