140 ATKINSON'S JOURNEY THROUGH PASSES [Feb. 28, 1859. 



entered the narrow chasm beyond. Its bed was covered with large 

 and small rounded stones, proving that water had once flowed 

 through this part of the gorge, and I have no doubt it does still 

 during the great storms in the mountains. As we proceeded onward 

 the ravine narrowed into a mere rent with over-hanging rocks, 

 rendering the place dark and gloomy. Through this part our 

 progress was slow and tedious, but in about an hour we came to a 

 place where the gorge divided into two branches, one going towards 

 the north and the other to the north-east. The guide said the latter, 

 which was the widest, did not extend far into the mountains, but I 

 found it a very picturesque ravine. Many flowering shrubs and 

 bushes were growing from the crevices, and a small torrent was 

 rushing down its centre. The high overhanging cliffs at this part 

 of the gorge were dolomite. 



We continued our march by the side of the torrent : sometimes 

 it was bridged by huge masses which had been hurled from their 

 beds above ; in one place our passage seemed completely stopped, 

 the whole gorge being filled with fallen rocks to the height of 200 

 feet, over which we found it no easy matter to climb. This mass 

 of debris extended about 500 yards, and had recently fallen, apparent 

 by the shrubs with their withered green leaves strewn over the 

 rocks. We crossed this chaos with much difficulty and no very 

 agreeable sensations, caused by several huge blocks which were 

 hanging on the cliffs as if ready to fall with the slightest shake, and 

 in about an hour arrived at another rent in the mountain. This 

 chasm extended to the westward, down which came a rushing 

 stream hissing and boiling on its course. 



From the loud roaring in the great fissure I was certain there was 

 a waterfall at no great distance. The guide could not be induced 

 to enter this dark and gloomy cleft, so one Cossack remained with 

 him, and the other accompanied me into the chasm. It was not 

 more than 50 feet wide, with precipices rising 1000 to 1200 feet 

 above us. Having proceeded about 100 yards, I came to a sudden 

 turn in the cleft where the rocks overhung so much that the sky 

 could not be seen. It was indeed a gloomy twilight and a dismal 

 looking place, in which all objects were but dimly shadowed forth 

 — even the sparkling water, which was dashed into spray as it 

 broke over the rocks, had a most Tartarean appearance. It now 

 required care in stepping over the green and slippery stones, which 

 rendered our progress slow, but the roaring of the fall became louder 

 every few minutes, adding much to the fearful effects of the place. 



After groping our way on about 300 yards without getting a 

 gleam of daylight, we entered a wider part of the chasm, and 



