88 APPROACH TO TPIE VALE OF HAMADAN. 
open valley, where, the animals being tired, we halted at Kan- 
dalan, a small place about four farsangs distant from Chumeen. 
Here, the country again appeared after our own taste, since we 
could discern numerous intersecting springs glittering in the star¬ 
light. We found a clean and hospitable mesched, like that at 
Amerat, where we spread our nummuds, and took a few hours’ 
repose. But having once had a view of Orontes, my impatience 
so increased to visit the ancient remains in its vicinity, that I 
summoned all my people before dawn, and was off again by five 
in the morning. 
September 12th.—We found the valley abundant in fine crops 
of corn, already gathered, and safely stowed near the house of 
each proprietor. The road lay in a direction north 10° west, on 
what, in this mountain country, is denominated a plain ; but its 
actual line was a long and gentle ascent, while the surface of the 
ground heaved up and down into the various shapes and ele¬ 
vations of countless low hills. This track had nothing to boast, 
but its being in the neighbourhood of more desirable districts ; 
for here, all was inexorable rock, and black sterility. Having 
thus regularly ascended, for about four farsangs, over heights 
and depths, which traversed our path like furrows in a ploughed 
field, we at length gained the top of the acclivity, and, bending 
a couple of points eastward of north, commenced our descent 
towards the valley of Hamadan. Still shut out from any exten¬ 
sive view, by similar obstacles to those which met us on the 
other side of the eminence, we yet, at times, had a momentary 
sight of the fair and classic vale to which we were descending, 
by occasional glimpses through openings in the hills. But, as 
our path now lay nearer the stony skirts of Elvvund, our eyes 
wanted no food for contemplation. At a point of particular 
