338 Journal of a Tour through Georgia, $c. [July, 



through the broad and shallow passages the river ran at the rate of from 

 three to three and a half miles an hour only, in proportion to its 

 depth. 



As the day was mild and warm, I waded through the water from one 

 cluster of rocks to another, visiting all the little islands which obstruct- 

 ed the passage of the Araxes : and it must be confessed that, to the 

 admirers of wild and majestic scenery, nothing could be more roman- 

 tically picturesque. Towering mountains were formed on each side the 

 river of immense masses of basalt and black granite, heaped one over 

 the other, and hanging in an endless variety of fantastic forms, while their 

 broad shadows threw upon the surface of the stream a fine deep gloom, 

 quite in unison with the scene. In the centre of the river were again 

 seen smaller combinations of rocks, which formed innumerable islets, over 

 some of which the water partially flowed, while their sharp points cut- 

 ting the current in its course, created foaming breakers in miniature, 

 the murmurs of which were the only sounds that disturbed the stillness 

 of the calm. In some of the hollows formed by the annual friction of 

 the rising inundation, when the Araxes was at its height, a bed of rich 

 alluvial soil had been deposited, from which had sprung up young trees 

 and bushes, the isolated verdure of which derived a higher beauty from 

 contrast, and appeared like little Edens encompassed by a wilderness. 

 The very rocks themselves too exhibited all the variety of form and co- 

 lour ; while their adamantine surfaces, exposed to the constant stream, 

 were worn to a smoothness of polish, which art could scarcely give to 

 them ; and by the infinite variety of their positions, reflected the rays of 

 an unclouded sun from every point like dark steel mirrors. Here were gi- 

 gantic mountains of basalt, and rose-coloured granite, the latter crossed 

 with veins of the finest porphyry and smaller lines of brilliant quartz, 

 changing at every yard their hue of shade, and quality of grain : 

 while the sublime solitudes of this dark and silent valley gave to the 

 pure canopy above a brighter blue, and produced altogether a splendid 

 picture of nature in her wildest garb. 



Such a magic combination of forms and colours could not possibly be 

 sketched with fidelity. Were the whole to be drawn and coloured on 

 the spot, it would require the pencil of a Claude to catch the beauty 

 and the expression of the shades which vary with every hour, from the 

 dawn to the close of day. The sun was sinking when we returned to the 

 encampment ; and I retired to my tent as much overcome by the mag- 

 nificent impressions of the scenery I had beheld, as by the fatigues 

 of our circuitous and lengthened route of wading through the islets 

 of the Araxes to enjoy their beauty. 



