32^ Account of a Journey to Choy in Verjla. 



that of the mountains on each nclc of this valley. At about 

 the h;i!f of their height lie in o-eneral the villajres, which, 

 accordmg to the Afnitic mode, are built with flat roofs. 

 Where anv of the princes re(;de, the villac;c is furrounded 

 with a high wall, ftrengthencd by old roLUid turrets. In 

 this manner, two or three villages often lie one above the 

 other, each having its gardens and fields laid out on the de- 

 clivitv of tljc mountain ; lb that it appears wonderful how it 

 is poflible to cultivate them. Rivulets every where fall, in 

 the form of cafcades, from the rocky brows of the mountain ; 

 and this diHrici:, in an amphitheatrical form, extends above 

 fixty werlls* with the molt agreeable variety; fo that a more 

 beautiful landfcape can hardly be found either in Swiflerland 

 or Italv. 



Wiicn compared with this beautiful neighbourhood, Tefiis, 

 the capital, makes a very poor appearance. It is about eight 

 werfts in circumference, and is divided into two parts by the 

 river Kur, vi'hich flows through it. 'l"he principal part of 

 the town lies on the declivity of a high mountain, which ter- 

 minates at the river with rocky banks of from eight to eleven 

 fathoms in height. On the land fide it is inclofed by a wall, 

 built in the old form, eight fathoms hi height, and at the 

 diftancc of every fifteen fathoms Itands a large round tower 

 ■which fupplies the place of a baflioa. On this fide, the city 

 has three gates; and to^.vards the mountain, which rifes al- 

 moft perpendicularly behind the wall, it is proteftcd by an 

 old callle, which is exceedingly ftrong, and which exhibits 

 the true old method of building. Tbis caftle is iiluaied at 

 the elevation of at lead two hundred fathoms above the level 

 of the city. The other part of the citv is conne6led with 

 the former bv means of a wooden bridfre, which is only 

 twenty-five fathoms in length ; as the river Kur, thcjugh in 

 other places from a hundred to two hundred and eighty fa- 

 thoms in breadth, is here confined on both fides by high 

 rocky banks, fo thnt it never can become broader; and its 

 real breadth under the bridge amounts only to twenty fa- 

 thoms. This part of the city is fortified in the fame maimer 

 as the former, and contains the czar's palace, a church, and 

 a few hoiifcs belonging to the citizens. In the whole city 

 there are feventeen churche:^, Gegrgian and Armenian, with 

 one catholic church and three mofqucs. The num})er of 

 the houfcs in proportitMi to the extent of the ground is very 

 great, as the breadth of each houfe in front is only from four 

 to twelve fathoms. They are all irregularly built; fome of 

 them have neither windows nor chimneys, as the flat roof 



* A V. cifl. ii about 4200 Englilh ttct. 



3 has 



