MIRACULOUS RELICK. 
325 
other miracles, to have the power of stopping the progress of the 
plague, appears to be a new acquisition, for it is not mentioned 
amongst those which Chardin saw.* The arm of St. Gregory, and 
the scalp of St. Repsime, are still there, but so incased in gold and 
ornaments, that neither of them can be distinctly seen. The descrip¬ 
tion, in other respects, which Chardin has given of this church, is in 
most cases applicable to its present state. It is built of excellent ma¬ 
terials, and in a most solid manner; and nothing, except an earthquake 
or a bombardment, is likely to bring it to the ground. 
The Patriarch made great efforts to keep the Ambassador one day 
more; but the heat was so intolerable, and we longed so much to get 
into the mountains, that we begged to be excused. Accordingly, the next 
morning we went to a large Armenian village, called Ashtarek, situated 
on the borders of a considerable river, which, running through a very 
deep channel of rock, winds through the plain, and at length falls into 
the Araxes. Ashtarek bears all the marks of having been a place of 
* It formerly was kept in the church of Keghort, built, as it is said, on purpose for its 
reception; but being abandoned, the spearhead was removed to Etchmiatzin. — See Ta¬ 
vernier’s Travels. 
