1836.] Memoir of a Hindu Colony in Ancient Armenia. 333 



" Having taken our departure from Thordan, we intended to pro- 

 ceed to Carin and Hare. St. Gregory was informed by some of the 

 princes of the existence of two idolatrous temples in the province of 

 Taron, the inhabitants of which offered sacrifices to the devil. Here- 

 upon, our course was changed to the place where these temples stood, 

 with a view to effect their demolition. Having arrived in the Country 

 of Palunies, in the extensive village called Keisaney, near the town of 

 Kuars, we met there some of the heathen priests. Having ascertained 

 from the prince of Hashtens that on the following day the great 

 images of Keisaney and Demetr were to be levelled to the ground, 

 they repaired to the temples in the dead of the night, and removed 

 from thence all the treasure into subterraneous places. Intimation 

 of the impending danger was forthwith sent to the heathen priests in 

 Ashtishat, who were earnestly urged to collect warriors, and quietly 

 join them on the morrow in order to take an active part in the battle, 

 which was to be fought by the great Keisaney with the apostate 

 princes. In like manner the inhabitants of Kuars were also instigated 

 to lie in ambush in the hedges of gardens, and ruffians were sent to 

 waylay the Christians in the forests. The head priest, called Arzan*, 

 and his son Demetr, took the command of the troops stationed at 

 Kuarstan, and halted there, awaiting the arrival of reinforcements 

 from other quarters. On the following day they made a descent to 

 the skirts of the mountain, in order to indulge in marauding and 

 pillage. 



"St. Gregory, accompanied by the prince of Arzruniesf, the prince 

 of Anzevazies, and the prince of the house of AnglJ, and followed by 

 a small number of troops amounting to about three hundred, ascended 

 the mountain in the third§ hour of the day, where Arzan lay in am- 

 bush. They had not the least knowledge of the position of the ene- 

 my, and never expected to meet him there. On a near approach to 



* lLP«HJ.1f Arzan, literally means in Armenian, statue, image or idol. 



"*" U.Pc^rnK'ub'f Arzrunies was the tifc le of a satrapy in Armenia, and 

 signifies eagle-bearers. The Satraps known by this appellation, used to carry 

 eagles before the Arsacian king Valarsaces and his successors. 



JlVb ( H?'USnMi An 9 Mn > the genitive of which is H'b ( M?'U$lL*b 

 Angltan, means the house of Angl H *u°p<l, or vulture. This was a title of 

 distinction, conferred on a noble family in Armeniaj compared to that bird of prey, 

 on account of the ugliness and deformity of their features. 



§ This is to be understood according to the mode of the computation of 

 time, obtaining in eastern countries. The hour mentioned here, corresponds 

 with nine o'clock in the morning. Thus we have in the Acts : " For these are 

 not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day." 



