44 GEOLOGICAL MEMOIRS. 



its southern base, near Astarab, on the rocky banks of the Abarran, 

 excellent wine is obtained at a height of 2462 French feet. On the 

 south-western declivities of the mountain, owing to the favourable 

 influence of the neighbouring plains covered by volcanic beds, the 

 vine was formerly cultivated to a much greater height. Independently 

 of historical report, this is proved in the environs of the remarkable 

 fortress near the ruins of the old iVrmenian towns of Talyn and Eschnak, 

 where the many deserted vineyards regularly arranged in terraces one 

 above the other, with the vine-dressers' huts still in existence, are, ac- 

 cording to my measurements, at an absolute height of 4254 French feet. 



By means of uninterrupted volcanic deposits and a series of hills of 

 various physical characters, the Alaghez is in geological connexion 

 with the lofty dome of the table-land of Agmangan, which is partly 

 formed of eruptive matter of a doloritic nature. It stretches down in 

 a S.W. direction opposite Mount Ararat, along the Goktschai (lake), 

 and has a circumference of about 140 wersts. The level of the great 

 crater-lake Kanly goell (Blood lake) gives the nearest average state- 

 ment of the elevation of this flat dome, viz. 92/8 French feet. The 

 state of cultivation along the S.W. and S.E. sides of the Goktschai 

 lake resembles that of the north of Europe ; but on the S.W. of the 

 Agmangan plateau, the lavas of the Naltapa and Agmangan extend 

 into the district of the celebrated orchards of Erivan. The culmi- 

 nating pomts of the above-mentioned flat dome are fixed — 1st, by the 

 magnificent erupted cone, of a vesicular character, of Agmangan, 

 11,160 French feet in height, where at the bottom of a moderately 

 deep crater, is the most elevated lake in Armenia ; 2nd, further to 

 the S.E. by the majestic crater of elevation of Agdag (Akdagh or 

 White mountain), 1 1,480 French feet, and Bosdag (Grey mountain) 

 or Altundag, 10,728 French feet above the sea. 



These magnificent systems of trachytic porphyry are, in conse- 

 quence of the predominance of certain vitreous modifications, minera- 

 logically connected with the great obsidian moimtains of Mexico. The 

 high plain of Agridja, which forms the south-eastern prolongation of 

 the Agmangan table-land, and is celebrated for its fertile meadows, 

 leads by a gradual ascent to the flat ridge of the three volcanic systems 

 which, closely connected together, complete the southern mountain 

 barrier of the Goktschai. These are, 1st, the great crater of eleva- 

 tion, the Karanlysch dagh (Dark mountain), with its summit reach- 

 ing to an elevation of 10,431 French feet; 2nd, the Tik Pilakan 

 (Steep Step), or Tasch Pilakan (Stone Step) ; and, 3rd, the Goeseldara 

 Baschi (head of the beautiful valley) . The southern slopes of these fine 

 mountains, the Barancos of which stretch down in parallel lines to the 

 lake, keep up a direct communication by means of a gentle inclination 

 with the lowest southern member of the vast chain of table-lands above- 

 mentioned. This well-watered and extensive upland, the luxuriant 

 grassy plains of which swarm during the summer Avith countless hordes 

 of Nomadic Tartars and Kurds, is washed on the S.E. by the Akaran, 

 and on the S.W. by the Bazartschai, which at a distance of 12 wersts 

 from the Araxes, form by their junction the acute angle of the Ber- 

 guschet. It assumes the form of a long ellipse, the short diameter of 



