112 THE PRRS[AN POST-ROAT). 



CHAPTER V. 



THE PERSIAN POST-ROAD. 



Tho. Eanks of the Kur — Troops on the March — A Romantic Valley — 

 Dclidschan — A Desolate Pass — The Gokcha Lake — Ararat — Erivan — The 

 Kiu'ds — The Valley of the Araxes — A Steppe Storm — A Dangerous Ford 

 Nakhitchevan — A Money Queston — l)jiTlfa — Charon's Ferry and a Modern 

 Cerberiis — A Friend in Need — A Persian Khan — Marand — Entrance to 

 Tabreez — Chez Lazarus. 



We left Tiflis on May 20th. The road, once clear of the 

 rough pavement of the capital, follows the valley of the Kiu\ 

 The suburbs of Tiflis stretch far in this direction, and the 

 views of the town and castle from this side are often striking. 

 At the first station we got a better 'paraclodnaia,' which, by 

 bribery and argument alternately, we contrived to keep for 

 several stations, and we further improved our condition by 

 taking a second cart for the men, which was a great boon, 

 both to them and to us, as we had been sitting previously 

 in a terribly cramped position. The new high-road from 

 Tiflis to Erivan, which will run along the Kur valley, is 

 yet unfinished, and we had to make a detour of four 

 stages, over low hills and high plains, before we rejoined 

 the river. The steppe was fortunately, for once, in fair 

 driving order, and we made good progress. A curious 

 circular hollow, containing a lake at its lower end, is 

 crossed before reaching Kody, the second station, distant 

 twenty-seven versts'^ from Tiflis by the road, but only 

 twelve by the short cut over the hills, which we made a 



* Tliree Russian rersts equal two miles. 



