Today when travel has become impersonal, we find in this book a personal account. Here are fresh and highly individualistic impressions of the Turkish people living in the wilderness of the Isfendyar Mountains on the coast of the Black Sea. Starting in complete ignorance and with no preconceptions David Beasley and through him the reader experience the warmth, generosity and touching enthusiasm of the Turks for contact with a foreigner. Through Paphlagonia With A Donkey is an awakening of a Westerner to an Eastern culture on the one hand, and an amusing, sometimes sympathetic appreciation of the independent personality of the donkey, Bobby, on the other.
Genre: TRAVEL / Asia / Centralout of print
It was especially disturbing to know that this kind of battle would recur often. If I were going to have the upper hand, I would have to resort to the goad. A sense of hopelessness swept through me. How could I hope to be master and not use force?
As if to put my question to the test, the donkey began to rebel again. It walked zig-zag from one side of the road to the other. We moved sideways almost, like a boat tacking against a strong wind. It was like sailing a vessel in a stormy sea. Perhaps the animal thought it would make me sick and I would tumble overboard. Its intention was to exaggerate the directions I gave it. When we reached the ditch and it gave every indication of entering it, I pulled on the reins to turn it away. It went directly to the ditch on the other side. I resolved not to use the goad again that day. Enough blood had been shed. Instead, I grimly endured the ride until the donkey got tired and set a straight course in the centre of the road. The relief of traveling in the ordinary way returned my confidence. I even began to feel at home. I sang "Home on the Range" to raise my spirit. Gratefully I saw that the enemy had lost much of his. But I didn't want to overdo my jubilation.
