122 THE DEMBRA GORGE. 



ley of Kassabar, and having visited them all ex- 

 cept Erness, which still remained a forbidden spot, 

 we prepared to move to Myra early this morning. 

 So, starting before our baggage was ready, we 

 hastened towards the gorge of Dembra, to loiter 

 once more amidst the ruins of the cathedral, 

 previous to our finally quitting the district. The 

 morning was gloomy, and threatened heavy rain ; 

 dense clouds rolled along the hill-sides, now 

 and then breaking asunder and affording glimpses 

 of the snowy peaks round which they were fast 

 gathering. We were now sensible of the great 

 altitude of this magnificent chain of mountains; 

 for the mass of clouds intervening between 

 their bases and summits, had the effect of 

 making them appear nearly twice the height 

 they seemed when view T ed through the usually 

 brilliant and clear atmosphere. We reached 

 the cathedral just in time to take shelter from 

 a sharp shower, and employed ourselves in 

 making sketches of the interior, until the shouts 

 of our surigees announced the arrival of our bag- 

 gage. Remounting, we commenced the passage 

 of the gorge of the Dembra, at times a very for- 

 midable undertaking, since a great part of the 

 journey lies in the bed of the torrent, which, 



