Читать книгу The Antiquities of Constantinople - Gilles Pierre - Страница 15

THE third Valley, which lies between the third and the fourth Hill, seems to be a double Valley; for in the Middle of it, it rises high, which makes it doubtful whether it be a part of the Valley, or the Promontory. That the Height of it is a part of the Valley, seems plain from the Height of the Arches, which reach from one Side of the Valley to the other; and it may be look’d upon to be the Ridge of the Promontory, from the Descent of the extreme Parts of it falling to the right and left, on each Side of the Promontory. On the right Side of which, it descends into a very low Plain, which, at its first Entrance, is three hundred Paces broad, and continues on upon a Level to the Length of five hundred Paces more; and though it sinks at Bottom into an equal Depth, yet the Pitches or Sides of it, in some Places, are higher than in others. For where the Plain is most hollow, there one of the Sides of it is three times higher than the other. From this Plain you ascend by easy Steps to the Top of the Middle of the Valley, which is six hundred Paces wide, except that small part of it in the Middle, where it is not above four hundred Paces in Breadth. Through the Top of this Valley, or Promontory, run the Arches of an Aqueduct from the fourth to the third Hill, of the same Height, at the Top of them, with the Hills themselves. The Altitude of these Arches discovers how great the Descent is from them. For though they are alike equal in Height at the Top of them, yet this Height is very different, according to the Difference of their Situations. For they are very high at the Top of the Valley, which is a plain level Ground, but upon the Descent of the Hills not near so high, and continue to the Length of eight hundred Paces in the same Height, though the higher they stand upon these Hills, they are less tall. The Top of this Valley or Promontory, descends with a gentle Fall of seven hundred Paces into a Plain, which divides the Promontory from the seventh Hill, and from thence extends itself to the Propontis. The City from the Bay to the Propontis, passing thro’ the third Valley, is more than ten Furlongs in Breadth.