TIMUR BEG. 
91 
and is a very favourable specimen of that description 
of architecture in this mountainous region. Its con- 
struction is somewhat singular. Several strong beams 
are imbedded in masonry, and supported by the 
rocks on the precipitous banks of the stream. They 
are securely fixed in the interstices of these natural 
receptacles, and clamped together by means of strong 
wooden wedges, inserted into mortises — for there the 
workmen employ no iron in any of their structures. 
A space of several inches is left between the beams, 
which increase in length from the buttress formed by 
the rocky sides of the channel, the longest on either 
side reaching to within about a fourth part of the span 
of the bridge. Planks, upwards of two feet wide, are 
then placed on the uppermost and longest of the pro- 
jecting beams on each side of the stream : upon these 
planks small transverse joists are laid, and other 
planks again placed over them, the whole forming a 
steady and substantial floor. These bridges may be 
passed with perfect safety, and are no doubt precisely 
the same as those employed in the days of Timur. 
Some of the modern bridges built upon this principle 
have covered ways the entire length, and are protect- 
ed by a straight railing. Such, however, occur only 
in the neighbourhood of a castle, a palace, or some 
building of consequence. 
The whole of Western Tartary, all the country 
lying between Khorassan and the Caspian Sea, Hun- 
gary, Russia, Circassia, Georgia, Armenia, and Persia, 
were now under the dominion of the Jagatay mon- 
arch, who had in each and all committed the most 
barbarous excesses. Having laid waste the Mus- 
