CHAPTER XVI.
THROUGH THE SYRIAN GATES.
An Inauspicious Departure — The Ruined Church of St. Simon — The Plain of Antioch — A Turcoman Encampment — Climbing Akma Dagh — The Syrian Gates — Scanderoon — An American Captain — Revolt of the Koords — We take a Guard — The Field of Issus — The Robber-Chief, Kutchuk Ali — A Deserted Town — A Land of Gardens.
"Mountains, on whose barren breast
The lab'ring clouds do often rest."
We left Aleppo on the morning of the 9th, under circumstances not the most promising for the harmony of our journey. We had engaged horses and baggage-mules from the capidji, or chief of the muleteers, and in order to be certain ot having animals that would not break down on the way, made a particular selection from a number that were brought us. Wheu about leaving the city, however, we discovered that one of the horses had been changed. Signer di Picciotto, who accompanied us past the Custom-House barriers, immediately dispatched the delinquent muleteer to bring back the true horse, and the latter made a farce of trying to find him, leading the Consul and the capidji (who, I believe, was at the bottom of the cheats a wild-goose chase over the hills around Aleppo, where of course, the animal was not to be seen. When, at length,
