and steep ridges from 500 to 1500 feet high, ran north and south at right angles to the coast, up to a curving ridge of limestone that seemed to be 3000 feet or more in height, and distant from four or five to ten or twelve miles.
Extensive forests and underwood covered the larger portion of these ridges and valleys, especially towards the interior; whilst near the coast the valleys were less wooded, and were in parts cultivated; but the cultivation was very sparse.
The position of Kosloo was recognized by the few houses forming the settlement that stood near the shore of the little bay, as well as by the heap of coal, about 9000 tons, accumulated near it ready for shipment when the anchorage in the bay was considered safe for the coast-craft that removed the coal to Erekli (as the local dépôt) before transhipment for Constantinople,—the favourable season for this not commencing, in general, before the middle or end of May.
I anchored in the little bay of Kosloo about noon, at about a quarter of a mile from the shore, and was immediately joined by Mr. Barkley, who I found had been in charge of the district, as its Manager, for the last three years. With him there were four Englishmen as foremen of the miners, who were chiefly natives, Sclavonians and Hungarians. But during this time Mr. Barkley's English colony of artificers, first introduced by him, had suffered greatly from the malignant fever that prevailed in the autumn months all through the district, as usual throughout Asia Minor—several having died, and others having been obliged to return home.
Having completed arrangements for the immediate shipment of about 100 tons of the screened coal, so as to fairly test its steam-generating properties on my return voyage to Constantinople, I landed with Mr. Barkley and proceeded up the valley with him to examine some of the mines or seams that were being worked by him; for, as the seams were seen cropping out on the sides of the valley between the associated shales and schists, they were worked by simple horizontal drifts or slightly inclined tunnellings into the hill, as far as the seams were thus traceable.
From the beach I found a tramway leading up the valley for a distance of nearly two miles, with branches to the different drifts or mines then being worked.
During the remainder of this and the following day I examined the different seams worked under Mr. Barkley, and entered three or four mines or drifts that were then being so worked, as also one or two that had already been worked out in consequence of faults (or "troubles" as they are technically termed) that cut off the continuance of the seam, and left no indication whether it was the result of a downcast or otherwise.
These drifts extended from about 100 to nearly 400 yards only into the hill; for the district was so disturbed by faults and displacements, which occurred at every 200 or 300 yards, that several had
