Chap. 12.] ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, ETC. 21 



chain. The chief cities are Cabalaca, 90 in Albania, Harmastis, 91 

 near a river 92 of Iberia, and Neoris ; there is the region also 

 of Thasie, and that of Triare, extending as far as the moun- 

 tains known as the Paryadres. Beyond these 93 are the deserts 

 of Colchios, on the side of which that looks towards the Ce- 

 raunian Mountains dwell the Armenochalybes j 94 and there is 

 the country of the Moschi, extending to the river Iberus, 

 which flows into the Cyrus ; below them are the Sacassani, 

 and after them the Macrones, upon the river Absarus. Such 

 is the manner in which the plains and low country are par- 

 celled out. Again, after passing the confines of Albania, the 

 wild tribes of the Silvi inhabit the face of the mountains, 

 below them those of the Lubieni, and after them the Diduri 

 and the Sodii. 



CHAP. 12. (11.) THE PASSES OF THE CAUCASUS. 



After passing the last, we come to the Gates of Caucasus, 95 

 by many persons most erroneously called the Caspian Passes ; 

 a vast work of nature, which has suddenly wrenched asunder 

 in this place a chain of mountains. At this spot are gates 

 barred up with beams shod with iron, while beneath the 

 middle there runs a stream which emits a most fetid odour ; 

 on this side of it is a rock, defended by a fortress, the name of 

 which is Cumania, 96 erected for the purpose of preventing the 

 passage of the innumerable tribes that lie beyond. Here, then, 

 we may see the habitable world severed into two parts by a pair 



90 Now called Kablas-Yar, according to Parisot. 



91 Parisot says that this can he no other than Harmoza on the river 

 Cyrus, in the vicinity of the modern Akhalzik. 



92 Probably meaning " of the same name." 



93 To the west. 



94 " The Armenian workers in iron," or " Chalybes of Armenia." See p. 9. 



95 There are two chief passes over the chain of the Caucasus, both of 

 which were known to the ancients. The first is between the eastern 

 extremity of its chief north-eastern spur and the Caspian sea, near the 

 modern Derbend. This was called " Albania?," and sometimes, " Caspiae 

 PylaB," the " Albanian " or "Caspian Gates." The other, which was 

 nearly in the centre of the Caspian range, was called " Caucasiae " or 

 " Sarmatica? Pyla3," being the same as the modern pass of Dariyel, and 

 probably the one here referred to. 



96 Probably the same as the present fortress of Dariyel. 



