Ararat^ Pison, and Jerusalem. 257 



of our oldest towns of Europe seem to date only, as it were, from 

 yesterday, when compared with the ages which have rolled over 

 the magnificent ruins with which these countries are still co- 

 vered." 



The descriptions of the English traveller Morier are in en- 

 tire accordance with those of Porter. I will only select one of 

 them, as Morier viewed the mountain from the opposite, the 

 southern side *. " After," says he, " we had traversed the 

 plain from Abbas-Abad to Nackchivan, we enjoyed a beautiful 

 view of Ararat. Its form is extremely elegant, its gigantic pro- 

 portions extraordinary ; compared with it, all the adjoining 

 mountains sink into insignificance ; its form is complete in all 

 its parts ; its contour is bold, but without any irregular promi- 

 nence; all is harmony, all appears so connected, as to form the 

 most elevating natural object. It is raised on an immense base; 

 the slope to its summit is gentle, except the portion covered with 

 snow, which is more abrupt. A little hill rises as an ornament 

 on the same base as this wonder of nature, which, from its form 

 and proportions, would in any other situation be called a high 

 mountain. No man seems to have reached its summit since the 

 deluge, and the steep ascent of its snowy peaks seems to mock 

 all attempts to reach them. We may be sure that in modern 

 times it has continued quite inaccessible." 



To these pictures of Porter and Morier I may add the fol- 

 lowing from Ritter's Geography f. " None ever appears to 

 have reached the summit of Ararat. Haithon, Prince of Ar- 

 menia (about A. D. 1300), says of it, that no man, on account 

 of its eternal snows, will attempt to ascend it. It is so high as 

 to appear quite isolated when seen from Derbend on the Cas- 

 pian, behind the snowy ridges of Caucasus ;{:. The Armenians 

 beheve that it still contains remains of Noah's ark ; they throw 

 themselves on the ground, make the sign of the cross, and pay 

 their adorations whenever they see its summits free from clouds. 

 Shah Abbas sent people to search for the remains of the ark, 

 but it was told him that it was inaccessible. The Persians call 



" Morier's Second Journey, French translation, Part ii. p. 237. 



t Ritter, Part ii. ]>. 747—750. 



* This would give an immense height to Ararat, as Derbend is i'ully 2/0 

 miles distant. Hitter cites ibr this fact, P. H. Brute's Memoirs, Loudon, 

 172.3, ito. ]). 283. 260. 



