SOUTH COAST OF THE CRIMEA. 
and olive grounds ; and, beginning to ascend the 
mountain, arrived at the village of Shuma. Here 
the Tahlars brought for our breakfast the enor- 
mous kind of cucumber which was before men- 
tioned : the seed of it, since brought to England, 
has not thrived in our country. The fruit is as 
white as snow, and, notwithstanding the pro- 
digious size and length it attains, has all the 
crispness and fresh flavour peculiar to a young 
cucumber. It would become a valuable plant 
for the poor, if it were possible to naturalize it 
in other parts of Europe. This, and other va- 
rieties of the same vegetable, together with 
many different kinds of melons, and the Cucurbiia 
pepo, or pumpkin, cover the borders of a Tahtur 
garden. The custom of boiling, for their meals, 
the tendrils and young fruit of the pumphin, 
is common not only in the Crimea, but over all 
the Turkish empire. Wewere often treated with 
this vegetable, and found it very palatable. 
The weak state of the author’s health would 
not allow him to ascend the summit of the 
Tchetirdagh ; but Mr. Cripps left him at Shuma, 
for that purpose. The common road conducted 
him along the western side of the mountain, and, 
after all, at no great distance from its summit; 
as his companion, having gained the highest 
point, called to him, and was distinctly heard. 
