CHAPTER XV.

FROM ALOUCHTA TO SIMPHERÓPOL, KARASOUBAZAR, ESKI KRIM, AND THEODOSIA.

Valley of Alouchta—Obelisk—Valley of the Angar—Tavshan Bazar—Fortified Gorge—Yenisála, a Greek Colony—Aian and the source of the Salghír—Ascent of the Tchatyr-Dagh—Yaila—Snow reservoirs—From Tchafki to Simpherópol—Excursion up valley of Little Salghír to caves of Kisilkoba—Caverns—Simpherópol to Karasóubazar—The Shireen family—Eski Krim—Theodosia, or Kaffa—B.C. 700, Theodosia founded by Milesians—A.D. 250, totally destroyed by the Huns—Desert for 1000 years—A.D. 1280, Kaffa founded by Genoese on site of Theodosia—Short history of it—A.D. 1475, taken by Turks—Its decline—Revival in seventeenth century—1781, taken by Russians—Description of ruins—Their destruction by the Russians—Position of Kaffa in commercial point of view—Arabat—The wall of Asander—The approach to Kertch 236