Account of a Jmrney to Choy in Vcrjia. 219 



of about five ridges running parallel to each otlicr, the mid- 

 dlem(.)(t or Ligheit of which role above the clouds. Each 

 ridge is from a half to three quarters of a German mile in 

 breadth. When we reached the fummit of the firft moun- 

 tain we experienced a moli: violent cold, and the fnow lay on 

 the ground above an arfchine and a half in depth. As lliis 

 mountain was not very fteep, we pafied it williout much dif- 

 ficultv. When we reached the bottom we had to crofs the 

 river Terek ; but no bridge was necclliiry, for the river is 

 continually frozen, and the ice is covered bv fiiow accumu- 

 lated for m-anv )cars, and which never dilfolves in lunimer 

 however hot the'wcather may be; and if it were not for tlie 

 prodigious noife which the water makes, no one would fuipect 

 that u) rapid a Oream flows under it. 



We then pallid the fecond ridge, wliich however f.-emed 

 to be far more dangerous, as it is remarkably (ieep. When 

 we had afc^ended halfway the road became io narrow, that 

 between the perpendicular rock on the one fide, and the pre- 

 cipice, more than 400 fathoms in depth, at the bottom of 

 which is the bed of the river, only two or three feet were left 

 for us to pafs. While in this fituation a violent wind 

 arofe, as is connnonly the cafe, and drove down a prodigious 

 quantity of fnow, which, as misfortune wonld have it, fell 

 upon our ambalfador, his (leward, and a riding boy, and 

 hurried them all together, with their horfcs, to tlie bottom. 

 Luckilv there happened to be in this place a projection of 

 rock, on which they all three fell; but fo covered with fnow 

 that for fomc minutes they could not be feen, until they had 

 forced their way from the fnow with their heads. We im- 

 mediatelv let down to them, by means of ro'pes, a few Coflacs 

 and Ollelines, who are very expert on iuch occafions. Tliele 

 people, having defccndcd in this maimer at leaft 140 fa'homs, 

 helped the ambafTidor and the other two perfons from the 

 fnow., and, having made them fait to ropes, they were drawn 

 up without any further accident. Amidil fear and terror we 

 proceeded with the caravan through this dangerous place, 

 dreadino- every moment tiiat a new fall of (now roiling down 

 from the mountain would hurry us to the bottom of the pre- 

 cipice. By the protection of Providence., howx\-er, we were 

 prefcrved, and arrived in fafety at the top of the mountain. 

 Our amball'idor was not hurl by his tall, but greatly friy;ht- 

 ened. Two of the horfes, coiUrary to all expectation, found 

 means to clamber up the (teep lide of the mountain ; and 

 though they oncn fell among the fnow fo that nothing of 

 them was to be feen except llie liead, they made their way 

 through it; but tlic third was too weak ; and while exerting 



the 



