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Chap.IV. o/Monfieur Tavernier. 15 



The Platform of Erivan and the SuburbSo 



A. The Town and Fort. 



B. The Suburbs, inhabited by the Armenian Chrifiians. 



C. The Church. 



D. The Convent. 



E. The River of Sangui-cija. 



F. The Stone-Bridge. 



G. The Highway for the Caravans. 



H. The Fort which Sha-Sefi built to batter the City. 



I. The River that falls font the Mountain. 



K. The Highway to Tauris. 



L. The Way to Teflis the chief City of Georgia \ and the Way to the Mountain 



where the Kan of Erivan goes twice a Summer to drinks 

 M. The Marketplaces, for Sale of (foods. 



CHAP. IV- 



A Continuation of the fame <I{oad from Erivan to, Tauris. 



T ufually takes up ten clays journey for the Caravan to go between Erivan 

 and Taurus • and Nacksivan is almoft in the mid-way between both. The 

 firft days journey you travel thorough large Plains ibw'd with Rice , and 

 water'd with feveral Rivulets. The next day you continue to travel through 

 Plains of the fame nature , in fight of the Mountain Ararat, which is full of Mona- 

 ftcries, leaving it upon the South. The Armenians call this Mountain Mcfefoufar, 

 The Mountain of the Arkj, becaufe the Ark of Noah refted upon it. It is as it 

 were unfaften'd from the other Mountains of Armenia , and from the half-way to the 

 top, it is continually cover'd with Snow. It is higher than any of the neighbouring 

 Mountains*, and in my firft Travels I faw it for five days journey together. So 

 loon as the Armenians difcover it , they kifs the Earth , and lifting up their Eyes 

 to Heaven , fay their Prayers. Yet you are to take notice , that the Mountain 

 is hid in Clouds for two or three Months together. In the Plains that you crofs 

 in this fecond days journey, to the Southward a League and a half from the High- 

 way, is to be ieen a Work of great Art •, being the Ruincs of a Magnificent Caftle, 

 where the Kings of Armenia were wont to refide in the time of their Hunting 

 Divertifements •, more efpccially when they continu'd their Sports at the Mallard 

 and Heron. I he next day we lodg'd near to a Village where there was good Water, 

 which conftrain'd the Caravan to flay there •, there being none to be met with for 

 ten Leagues farther. The next day you mull travel one by one through the 

 Pafs of a Mountain , and crofs a large River nam'd Arpa-fou , which falls into Aras. 

 It is fordable when it is low, but when the Snow melts and lwells the Stream, you 

 mutt go a League out of your way to the Southward to crofs it, over a Bridge of 

 Stone. From thence you go to lodge near a Village call'd Kalifakiend, where you 

 are fore'd to fetch your Water a good way off. The firft days journey is through 

 a Plain , at the end whereof you meet with an Inn , call'd Kara-baglcr, (landing upon 

 a Rivulet •, which was hnifh'd in 1664.. The Head of this Rivulet fprings three or 

 four Leagues higher toward the North-, and half a League below Kara-baglcr , the 

 Water congeals and petrifies *, and of thofe Stones is the Inn built. The Stone is 

 very flight; and when they have need of it, they make Trenches all along the 

 Stream, and fill them with the fame Water, which in eight or ten Months turns 

 into Stone. The Water is very fweet, and has no bad taft ■, yet the Country-men 

 thereabouts will neither drink it , nor water their Grounds with it. The Arme- 

 nia?^ lay, that Scm the Son of Noah caus'd the Rock to be hollow'd, out of which 

 this River iflues •, which four or five Leagues from its Head, and two from the Inn, 

 falls into Aras. From this Inn to Naksivan is but a imali journey. Naklivan, 



according 



