CAUCASUS. 



Rivers. 



Mineral 

 waters. 



Caucaiui. obtaiucd towards exciting the principles of fertility 

 .-"' inherent naturally in a soil, or adding to those whicli 

 thus i- veil in their original state they possess. T 

 are found here, in different quarters, arable land of 

 ;ni excellent quality, meadow*, pastures, and extensive 

 and valuable tracts of woodland ; which last produce 

 the finest forest-trees of various kinds, furnish an in- 

 exhaustible supply of fire-wood, and by affording pla- 

 f refuge tor a profusion of useful game, make 

 amends for the inconvenience with which, indeed, al- 

 so they are in some degree attended, of offering haunts 

 to animals of prey. 



In the same tract of territory, several important ri- 

 vers run in different directions; such as, on the Rus- 

 sian side of the mountains, the Terek, the Cuban, and 

 Kumma ; on their southern quarter, by which they 

 are connected with the Persian dominions, as well as 

 more immediately with several other less considerable- 

 states, the Rian, the Kur, and the Aras. The whole 

 region, too, is intersected in all its parts with a vast 

 profusion of minor streams tributary to these or other 

 considerable rivers. 



Amongst the other divisions of their natural pro- 

 ductions deserving of consideration, may be reckoned 

 the mineral waters that have been discovered in some 

 of the Caucasian mountains. These occur chiefly 

 upon or in the neighbourhood of the Metshuka, al- 

 ready mentioned, and the immediately connected hills. 

 The first of them that may be noticed, is a cold spring, 

 situated in the vicinity alluded to, and at the distance 

 of 35 versts from the fortress of Constantinohor, to- 

 wards the N. W. It has its origin in a kind of pit, 

 between two rivers of fresh water, issuing from seve- 

 ral crevices in the rocks. Thence the limpid mineral 

 water rushes forth with a violent motion, continually 

 ejecting large bubbles, together with a ferruginous 

 brown and sleek sand, thus perfectly resembling cof- 

 fee in a state of ebullition. The violence with which 

 this sand is forced to the surface is more or less con- 

 siderable at different times, and frequently on immer- 

 sing a glass a little way downwards, it may be taken 

 out more than half full of it, but as it is immediately 

 precipitated, the effervescent water then appears as 

 clear as crystal ; and even in the spring itself, the 

 sand by its own weight falls to the bottom, so as not 

 to be carried into the channel of the bason. The 

 great mass of water that is sent forth from the exten- 

 sive cavity through which immediately the fluid is 

 brought into contact with the external air, having 

 foamed about for some time, and thrown up its sprays 

 in various directions, is finally discharged, by the hol- 

 low channel mentioned, into one of the rivers by which 

 it is surrounded in the form of a semicircle. Its junc- 

 tion with this, and through it with the other body of 

 water, though each of these be more considerable 

 than itself, is yet attended with the remarkable effect, 

 that the barbel and trout, which are very numerous 

 in the upper parts of those streams, cannot exist in 

 the placed where they receive this mixture : an effect 

 to be attributed, no doubt, to the remains of carbo- 

 nic acid in this mineral water, and of which, in the 

 upper parts of the spring where its force is more en- 

 tire, the influence is such, that fish taken and plunged 

 into it immediately float motionless on the surface, 

 and recover but slowly when replaced in the water of 

 the rivulets. 



The stream proceeding from the mineral source is 



distinguished, in the language of some of the adjacent 

 tribes, by the name of Nartzan, or Nar T/ana, \v 

 name, after its junction with the contiguous rivulets, it 

 communicates also to them, so that for sorne length in 

 its course, the same continues to be the appellation of 

 the whole body of these united waters. The spot 

 whence primarily the Nart/an derives its origin is con- 

 tained in a valley situated at the foot of lofty moun- 

 tains of limestone, by two high ridges of which de- 

 scription the valley is nearly enclosed, while it i, 

 fronted by a third of greater elevation than either of 

 the others. The source of the spring may perhaps 

 be found to be in a horizontal line of sandstone be- 

 low the calcareous strata of these surrounding moun- 

 tains, and from which bed it is that it appears to 

 convey with it the brown sand. The traces of the 

 actual existence in this quarter of such sandstone may 

 be perceived in various places in the vicinity, as well 

 as the fact legitimately inferred, from different con- 

 siderations that will suggest themselves to the atten- 

 tion of the careful observer. 



In addition to the principal source, the mineral wa- 

 ter in question is transmitted also through several in- 

 ferior veins of different sizes, some of which occur 

 here and there in the shallow parts of the bason it- 

 self. On plunging the hand into this water, no re- 

 markable sensation of cold is felt ; on the contrary, 

 it seems in some veins to be luke warm, particularly 

 during the cold air of the morning. It appears cold, 

 however, when drunk, especially when the heat of 

 the sun promotes its evaporation, and thus imparts to 

 it a degree of freshness. If it be drunk while the 

 body is heated, it has an effect on the stomach simi- 

 lar to ice. The thermometer of Reaumur indicates in 

 it a temperature of about 10 degrees when the at- 

 mosphere is at 16. It stimulates the tongue with, 

 an agreeable acid taste resembling that of Selt- 

 zer water, a quantity of the carbonic acid equal to 

 that contained in the strongest of which waters it 

 still continues to hold, notwithstanding its disposi- 

 tion to part with a great proportion of that with 

 which it is originally impregnated, and is in fact su- 

 persaturated. When recently and properly drawn, 

 it has a briskness equal to that of the best Cham- 

 pagne wine; and if put up with due care for keeping, 

 it will remain for any length of time fresh and clear, 

 notwithstanding the magnesia contained in it. It 

 effervesces with all kinds of wine, and in general 

 may be drunk in any quantity at pleasure with- 

 out danger. It has been examined by different 

 persons capable of judging of its merits, and some 

 of whom were sent purposely by government to 

 ascertain its nature ; when the result, it is said, 

 proved it to be in reality possessed of medicinal vir- 

 tue. It is reported evidently to refresh and invigo- 

 rate the body insomuch as to have produced wonder- 

 ful effects on several sick and debilitated persons. It 

 is stated to be of the greatest efficacy in hsemorrhoi- 

 dal obstructions, after inveterate fevers, and the sub- 

 sequent chronic complaints thence originating, as also 

 in cases of the suppression of the menses, and similar 

 indispositions which are frequently the forerunners 

 of disease. There seems, moreover, reason to be- 

 lieve, that if brought into more general use, so that 

 its properties might become better known, it would 

 be found serviceable also in various other maladies. 



For its remarkable briskness, the water of this mi- 



