310 
PASSAGE OF THE ARAXES. 
through the bed of a small river adjacent to the camp. Having arrived 
there, we saw no water. Still the noise increased, and appeared to 
approach close to us : we then became really alarmed, for nothing could 
be more awful. Every one expected either a hurricane or an earthquake^ 
when the falling of some very large hail stones, nearly of the size of 
pigeons’ eggs, informed us that the commotion was over our heads ; and 
on looking up, we could plainly discover two violent currents of air 
impelling the clouds different ways, whose concussion produced the 
rush which had before appeared inexplicable. The rain drove from 
their holes many noxious reptiles that infest this part of the country, 
and we ourselves killed a scorpion, a tarantula, and a snake. 
On the 6th we departed, and reached our tents, which had been 
pitched in a pasture, between Abbasabad and Nakhjuwan. We first 
descended gradually towards the Araxes j and then, for some time 
owing to the formation of the road, kept on an almost due easterly 
bearing. At about three miles from Nasik, we turned to the right of 
the road, to see that which appeared like a castle at a distance, but 
which we found to be nothing but an abrupt rock. It goes by the 
name of the Kiz-caleh in the country, and formerly was a frontier mark 
of the tribe of Karagouyonlu. The name of kiz or virgin, intacta, we 
find is very generally applied to all places that are impregnable by 
their natural position. 
The passage of the Araxes, was the greatest difficulty that had 
threatened the Ambassador and his family on their departure from Per¬ 
sia. The impetuosity of the river during the winter had destroyed the 
bridge of boats, and nothing had been left at the passage of Abbasabad, 
but one boat of no very commodious construction. In order to facilitate 
our passage, an English artificer was sent forwards some days previous to 
our departure from Tabriz, either to repair the bridge, or to construct 
a raft. He had found the former so totally broken up, that he applied 
himself to make a boat, which we found nearly complete on our arrival. 
It was flat bottomed, forty feet by twelve, with a mast at each end, 
to which were fastened ropes. Men were stationed on both sides 
of the river to veer and hawl, and when we appeared, we found 
