ON THE GARDEN OF EDEN. 109 
depth, said to exist on the summit of Nimrud Tagh, and 
which communicates with the source now in question. ‘Thus 
it appears, as is often the case, that local tradition coincides 
with the results of physical investigation. St. Martin also 
notices this fountain on the authority of Armenian writers, 
as being near the Nimrud Tagh, and being very remarkable. 
The waters at their issue are very clear and pure, but being 
soon spread over a wide district of marsh, the Kara-Su 
becomes afterwards one of the few rivers that are so called 
and are entitled to the epithet.”* 
He again writes, with reference to the same subject, thus: 
—“TI have previously remarked that the main features and 
leading points of contrasted configuration in the great 
Armenian upland are derived from the alteration produced in 
a country of recent sedimentary deposits reposing on low 
hills of schistose rock beimg broken up by one or more great 
eruptions of volcanic rocks. The ii erktob, or Barmahsiz 
Tagh, is an example of simple upraised sedimentary deposits ; 
the Chekmah Tagh, of the volcanic rock occurring in dykes 
in micaschists, even to the crest of the hills, while on the 
acclivities are upraised and altered limestones. The Bingol 
Tagh isa vast mass of volcanic rocks, with altered formations. 
“This Mountain of a Thousand Lakes, concerning which 
many ridiculous traditions are current among the Armenians, 
is not so much a distinct mountain, as a long crest upon an 
upland district. From these circumstances, although at so 
considerable a height above the level of the sea, it gives no 
impression of loftiness from the uplands around. Its long 
continuous crest, protected at the same time by bluff ridges 
of volcanic rock, is more favourable to the perpetuation of 
glaciers and snow patches than an isolated cone like that of 
Supan Tagh,t which is also visible from Khinis. Hence 
the Bingol Tagh may be considered as somewhat below the 
lower limit of perpetual snows in these parallels, although it 
has snow patches (whence its numerous lakes and water 
rills) all the year round, while probably the Supan Tagh 
expresses the height of the same inferior line pretty 
accurately.” } 
* Ainsworth’s Travels in Asia Minor, vol. ii, page 376. 
+ Soobhan Dagh, vide two pages ante. (Si’pan in Govt. Survey.) 
t Ainsworth’s Travels in Asia Minor, vol. ii., page 386. 
Mr. W.J. Blandford, of the Persian Boundary Commission, mentions in 
his work on the geology of Persia, that volcanic rocks are of unimportant 
extent in the southern districts, ‘“‘ but occupy a considerable tract near the 
Lakes of Wan and Urumiah, and culminate in Mount Ararat.”— Zastern 
Persia, Zoology and Geology, vol. ii, page 444. 
