308 
NAZIK. 
the number is but small in proportion to its extent. To the eastward 
of it arise two masses of white schistose rock, upon which are large 
remains of fortifications, much better in their construction than those 
of the present day, but they cannot claim any pretensions to the 
extravagant antiquity which the natives are inclined to ascribe to 
them. A flight of very good stone steps leads to a stone gate, over 
which is an inscription in Persian, not older than one hundred and 
fifty years. These masses are remarkable from their shape and from 
their walls, which collectively form a rude and striking outline. About 
their bases extends a great number of trees and cultivated fields, 
interspersed with mud houses of the peasantry. At Chors, and in¬ 
deed at every village by which we passed, we found it the fashion for 
the Ket Khoda and the inhabitants to come out, stand by the road 
side, and make a regular donative of the village to the Ambassador, 
by saying, “ This village is yours, and we are your slaves.” 
On the 4th of June we arrived at Nazik, and were accompanied 
thither by the Hakim (Governor) of Chors, a man of considerable in¬ 
formation, who among other things told us that he had studied Euclid. 
Leaving Khanaka we entered upon a very fertile valley, watered by 
an abundant stream, called Chai Pereh, and which runs by a village 
of Armenians, by name Kara Ziadin. The inhabitants here also came 
out, to make a present of their place to the Ambassador. On the left 
of the road were two or three large villages. As we approached 
Nazik, a magnificent view opened before us, for we saw a large extent of 
the Araxenii campii so celebrated for their fertility, through which we 
could trace the windings of the Araxes. A distant smoke pointed out 
the exact bearing of Nakhjuwan ; whilst a magnificent range of snow- 
topt mountains filled up the view, as they took a long semicircular 
sweep from west to east. 
These mountains, called Capan daghi, (most likely Caplan dagh, or 
the Mountain of the Tiger,) separate this district from Kara-bagh and 
Megri. A very remarkable rock or mountain is conspicuous on this side 
of them, called Ilan daghi, or the Serpent Mountain, near which the 
natives say that serpents annually collect in considerable numbers, and 
