584 Journal of a Tour through [NoV. 



In winding round the same range of mountains which surround Ta- 

 briz, and which are a ramification of the Sahand branch, we observed 

 innumerable villages, embosomed amongst trees, while the snow-capt 

 heights of the Sahand mountains rose above the valley, and gave the 

 whole a most picturesque effect. From this village to Dehkargam, a 

 distance of full twenty miles, the country is a level plain, over which 

 we saw flocks of the bustard, and several large foxes ; but owing to 

 their extreme shyness, we could not approach either sufficiently near 

 to obtain a shot at them. Shortly before we caught the first view of 

 the town, we could observe Lake Ourumia spreading its unruffled waters 

 through a succession of rugged promontories, of which, a towering 

 snow-peaked range, which fringes the horizon, forms the most magnifi- 

 cent feature. Dehkargam is encircled by a mud wall, and surround- 

 ed with extensive gardens and orchards. Trees were now assuming 

 their dress, their foliage shot forth in great luxuriance, and wore a 

 charming colouring to the landscape. This town was the head-quar- 

 ters of the Russian cavalry at the time Field Marshal Paskewitch 

 was carousing in the capital of the province. The whole district is 

 wonderfully productive, and a beautiful foraging countiy. 



April the 2nd. — We proceeded to Khaniah over a tract of mountain 

 glen of about sixteen miles, destitute of the smallest symptom of habi- 

 tation or culture. The very rills disappear, and the water oozes out of 

 the rocks in springs, which no frost can congeal. Now and then a 

 little noteless bird darted across the road, and appeared to eye us from 

 a distance, as he balanced himself on the point of a reed. Cattle, near- 

 ly as wild-looking as deer, snuffed the wind as we neared them, and 

 gambolled on the firm footing which they well knew among the marsh- 

 es. We distinctly heard the hawk's cry as he skimmed along the 

 rugged cliffs, and the yellow-winged earth-bee boomed round us, and 

 with a bold hum spun away to the marshy shore of Shahi. 



The hamlet of Khaniah lies upon the margin of the lake, and were it 

 a little more elevated, would command a grand view of it. The face of 

 the mountains which gird its western shore, wear all the appearance of 

 a volcanic region. The rugged aspect of the Kurdistan chain, the 

 deeply furrowed ravines on either side, the romantic forms of the jag- 

 ged rocks, all prove that the surrounding country has been the scene of 

 some convulsion of nature. A little before we entered the hamlet, we 

 saw several chalybeate springs bubbling from the earth, and a few 

 yards further on, some curious petrifactions are situated. These con- 

 sist of several pieces of water contained within the circle of a mile, 

 whose sluggish shallows stagnate and petrify by a slow and regular 

 process, producing that stone which in the country is called Tabriz 



