RUINS. 



119 



foot of a narrrow ravine or pass, were about 

 half-a-dozen round black tents, the habitations 

 of an equal number of Turkoman families. As 

 we drew near, the barking and rush of five or 

 six large dogs towards us, informed the inmates 

 of our approach, and a man came running from 

 one of the tents, whom we soon recognised to 

 be our guide of the previous day, at the ruins 

 of Yarvoo, and from whom we had learnt of 

 the existence of the ruins we were now in 

 search of. He enlisted himself immediately in 

 our service, by pointing to two or three sar- 

 cophagi that were standing on the sides of the 

 ravine. We pushed on to them immediately, 

 declining the hospitality of the people, who had 

 begun to prepare yaoot and ekmek for our 

 refreshment before proceeding, and halted abreast 

 of the first we came to. A loud shout from Ni- 

 colo, who had the lead of the party, informed us it 

 contained some " grammata." Mr. Daniell dis- 

 mounted immediately on the announcement of 

 an inscription ; it was a moment of interesting 

 excitement, as we waited anxiously whilst he 

 hastily read it over, in hopes of finding the 

 name of the new ruins. We were not long in 

 suspense, " Here is Cyanea) again !" was an an- 



