François Pouqueville - Këlcyrë

After a short time, the Aous [ Vjosa ] river changed course from north to northwest, and the travelers came across a wide valley, surrounded by mountains. At its beginning, the river penetrated westward between high and gloomy rocks, forming the famous Këlcyrë Gorge, which Pouqueville calls Grouca. He describes the gorge as a formidable place, formed by the rugged sides of two parallel mountains, the space between them, at its widest, being about 130 yards, and the greater part occupied by the river. The travelers continued along the right bank, on a narrow and difficult path, between blocks of rocks fallen from Mount Trebeshinë. Along the way, Pouqueville noticed several underground springs that flowed into the Aous, pushing its waters with force. About 850 yards into the gorge, he spotted one of the bastions of the Këlcyrë fortress, which he considered a strong defensive point, from which the passage of any enemy who did not possess the heights could be prevented.

Further on, they reached the bridge of Mitchioiou, about three-quarters of a league below the bridge of Malëshovë. Pouqueville describes both bridges as being of Roman construction. Near the bridge of Mitchioiou the valley widened slightly, while on the south side waterfalls and other subterranean springs were to be seen. About 60 yards below was the farmstead of Gryka, where the travellers stopped to eat. Almost three miles below, they passed the ruins of a town called Chamoli, the ancient name of which remained unknown. Further on, the river passed near the high ground on the north bank, leaving a dangerous path to Dracoti [Dragoti], a large village marking the western end of the Aos Gorge. Pouqueville noted that the houses were provided with ramparts and turrets and surrounded by trees. He describes the inhabitants as people with powerful looks, courageous attitudes, and a high reputation for bravery.

At the Gryka farmstead, Pouqueville met Suliots displaced from the Sul country after their subjugation by Ali Pasha. They lived in difficult conditions and openly expressed their suffering. Pouqueville relates that, upon returning to Ioannina, he presented their situation to Ali Pasha, but the latter’s response was that they were destined to die and that he had not sent them there to live. Many of the Suliots bore marks and wounds from fighting; these warriors were called boûre in Albanian and palicari in modern Greek. After leaving Dragoti, the travelers passed by a large cemetery and, across the river, saw the village of Codras or Codrion. Behind it rose the Mërtçika mountain range, called Melchiovo along the gorge, while Trebeshinë, on the northern shore of the Aos, was named Maile-Dam, or “the mountain of Dames”. Near Codras, Vjosa joined several streams, among them the Celydnus, which came from the valley of Dropulli, or Argyrocastron. From Dragoti, Pouqueville says that it took him about three-quarters of an hour to descend along the northern bank of the Vjosa and emerge in front of Tepelena.