THE CITY OF BROOSA. 191 THE CITY OF BROOSA. THIS large, populous, and busy town, although now hardly second to any other in the Turkish dominions, and formerly the capital, for one hundred and thirty years before the capture of Constantinople, occupies a site undistinguished in ancient days. We have but to figure to ourselves the extensive and irregular terrace which occupies that important part of the interior of Asia Minor, where were situated the countries of Galatia, Cappadocia, Phrygia, and Lycaonia, with the cities of Lystra, Derbe, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia. The plain is bordered by mountains on three sides, being open only toward the east, having Olympus on the north, and Taurus on the south. Mr. Schreider speaks of no- ́ ble forests of oak and birch on the north, and yellow pine on the sides of some of these mountains. From its borders the land descends by gradual slopes toward the shores of three seas: the Black, Ægean, and the Mediterranean; and in those regions were found the ancient Pontus, Bithynia, and Pamphylia on the north; on the west, Lydia, Mysia, and Troas; and on the south, Caria, Lycia, Cilicia, and Paphlagonia. Within those districts are the sites of nearly twenty cities of antiquity, whose names we find in the Scriptures. The situation of Broosa is near one corner of the broad terrace abovementioned, and at the foot of the range of Olympus. Our countryman, Mr. Goodell, in describing the scene as he enjoyed it from one of those elevations, speaks of it as exceeded by nothing in the whole empire except the capital itself. Turning our eyes to the engraving, we may form some conception of its general features. The long ranges of many of the buildings, indicate the wealth of the inhabitants; some of the numerous slender towers shooting above, serve the criers, who five times a day, call the moslem to prayers in the name of Mahomet, and here and there a wide dome shows the position of a mosque. One of these minarets may be seen near at hand, on the left of the print, with the narrow balustrade, in which the crier takes his stand, after having ascended by a winding staircase within; and the two indolent Turks on the terrace below, smoking their long pipes, are such figures as might be seen in many a splendid mansion in the city, quiescent almost all day long, except when roused by his voice giving the cry of Illaillahee. The provinces of Asia Minor, for natural attractions, are to be numbered with the most favored portions of the earth. At present, notwithstanding the oppressive and even desolating influence of the government and of the dominant religion, they are estimated to contain upward of 4,000,000 of people, and anciently, the population must have been much greater. Asia Minor, when traversed by the apostle Paul, is said to have contained no less than 500 rich and populous cities, connected together by public highways substantially built and paved. There paganism and |