Natural Prodiictinns, and History of the Crimea. 229 



Tartars have given the name of Ichoban-Kal(i (Shepherd's 

 Fort). Ouskot, a populous village, is not very far from 

 Touiak, situated in a warm and agreeable valley, al- 

 most entirely planted with lint. A little distance from 

 Kourou-Ozen is the valley of Alouchta, which separates 

 the eastern part of the high mountains we have just men^ 

 tioned from the western part 'we are about to explore with 

 our traveller. Alchouta, an episcopal see, is the first place 

 which presents itself. This citv, placed oti an isolated 

 situation, contains a considerable population. Vestiges of 

 an old Greek fortification are seen there. The habitations 

 of the Tartars of this region, built upon the declivities of the 

 hills, are low, and covered with earth. " They have niore- 

 over a custom of building their houses against the rugged 

 shelves of the mountains. The front wall is composed of 

 rude stones, and the roof is a platform of earth which serves 

 them to walk upon, and on whiph they lie in siiramer time. 

 The inside has a large fire-place, with a wide chimney. 

 Coarse carpets, of woollen cloth, and some cushions are 

 their only moveables." The buflalo is the onlv domestic 

 animal of these Tartars, who employ it In labour. In front, 

 of the village of Koutchouk-Lambat, which has a fine har- 

 bour, is seen the Ayou-dagh (or Mountain of the Bears), and, 

 near it is the village of Parthenit, almost entireU' inhabited 

 by Greeks. The valley into whiph it stretches is intersected 

 by a great riunjber of spj-iiigs, and embellished by numerous 

 gardens. Near the hamlet of Kourkoulet, at which he 

 arrived by mounting an almost inaccessible rock wiih a 

 double summit, are to be seen the remains of Genoese forti- 

 fications. Behind the promontory of Nikita are some vil- 

 lages, among which arc Magaratch and Marsendaj formerly 

 inhabited by eniiuiant Greeks from Mariopolis. Between 

 these two last villages lliere is a chapi.'l in ruins, shaded by 

 old walnut-trees, and under which a rivulet takes its source. 

 A wooden cup, constantlv placed upon a piece of the rock, 

 serves to allay tlie ihiiat of travellers, who respect this rude 

 but benevolent niaik of 'I'artar hos[)itality. From Derekoi^ 

 the environs of whieh present a copious and beaulii'ul ii;ioss 

 to botanists, he descended into the superb valley of Yalta. 

 i'4 The 



