CURIOUS PHENOMENON. 
3U9 
forming themselves into-two armies engage in battle, and leave the 
field strewed with their dead. 
To the northward of this mountain is Alanjek, a fort situated upon a 
strong natural position, which has frequently been resorted to by the 
natives in times of anarchy. It is mentioned in the history of Timour*, 
or Tamerlane, who ordered his General Mirza Mirancha to besiege it, 
but no mention is made of its having been taken. Probably it is the 
site of the ancient Olana, which, with Babyrsa, according to Strabo, 
were the treasure cities of Tigraiies and Artabasus-j-, situated near 
Artaxata. We also saw Ararat, but the haze would not allow me to take 
a distinct bearing of it. To the southward, we could discover many 
fine mountains ; one bearing N. 69° W., covered with snow, in the 
district of Soker, bounds the great panorama to the westward. It is 
the residence of the tribe of Dumbelu, the head of which, Jafer Kuli 
Khan, is now a refugee with the Russians in Georgia. Another, on a 
bearing of S. 40° W. in the district of Kerist, forms one of the bound¬ 
aries of the plain of Khoi. The range towards Marand, under the 
name of Koh Nishan, and bearing S. 24° E., was also pointed out 
to me. 
This part of the country had not been refreshed with rain for forty 
days, and as ill luck would have it for us, it set in on the day of our 
arrival, accompanied by unceasing thunder and frequent lightning. It 
rained during the whole of the night, and so soaked our tents, that 
they were not in a fit state to be moved, and consequently, we were 
obliged to remain during the 5th at Nasik. In the evening, we wit¬ 
nessed a very curious phenomenon, the sky was overcast with tempes¬ 
tuous looking clouds, and we were expecting a shower, when a most 
awful noise was heard, like the rushing of a great body of water. Every 
man in the camp, almost as if by general agreement, ran towards the 
place whence the noise came, expecting to find a rapid torrent flowing 
* Cherefeddin All, b. iii. c. 62. Petit de la Croix Transl. 
j Ou ttoAu 8* aTTcadsv Ifl t»)j %6\£u>; xu) tu 'Tiycave xu) 'AgraSafftov ya^ofuXaxta, fpspta oqmUj 
Bci^vpaa Tt, xeti Lib. xi. p. 529. 
