400 NOTES ON THE GEOLOGY 



Etchmiazren, of the state of the mountain, and that no eruption 

 has occurred. Had one taken place even earlier, it is hardly pos- 

 sible that i?omc account of it should not have been preserved. 

 We may infer, therefore, that this mountain is to be reckoned as 

 an extinct volcano. 



As it is generally imderstood, that on this mountain the ark of 

 Noah rested, it is not strange that a deep interest should be felt 

 in every thing relating to it. It is an ai-ticle in the creed of the 

 Armenian church, that no one can ever reach its summit, where 

 that nation suppose a piece of the ark still remains. Hence the 

 inhabitants of that whole region still persist in denying that Prof. 

 Parrot has ascended it. This is not so strange as it respects ihe 

 Armenians ; although Parrot was accompanied by a deacon of 

 that chm-ch, and since that time a young man, Mr. Antonomoff, 

 holding office in Armenia, has ascended the mountain. This 

 was in 1834, and PaiTot's ascent took place in 1829. But it is 

 not so easily explained why the Musselmen, and even the English 

 gentlemen who have resided of late in Tabreez, Erzeroum, &c. 

 have all refused to believe that its summit has been reached. 



This mountain has two principal summits, the Great and Little 

 Ararat ; the former seventeen thousand seven hundred feet above 

 the sea, and the latter tlnree thousand feet less. The highest peak 

 is, of course, always covered with snow ; but it disappears usu- 

 ally from the lower summit in the summer. As this mountain 

 rises abruptly fourteen thousand feet above the vast plain on its 

 north side, it forms one of the most magnificent objects which 

 can be imagined. IVIr. Perkins has now passed five times along 

 its western side, and once along its eastern side, where runs the 

 Aras, or ancient Araxes. 



In describing Ararat as it appeared from the east side, or look- 

 ing towards the northwest, Mr. Perkins says : 



" We had near, advantageous, and delightful views of Mount 

 Ararat, on our way to Persia. It is altogether unique in its appear- 

 ance, and a very beautiful as well as most impressively sublime 

 object. We saw its towering summit several days before we reached 

 the mountain, overtopping all other mountains far and near. When 



