460 
VALLEY OF MAHOTT. 
a scene of enchantment, that for a moment I forgot my cus¬ 
tomary horror of the dizzy height from whence I saw it. Indeed, 
without exception, it was the finest specimen of romantic rural 
beauty I had seen since entering the East. The whole ap¬ 
peared field and garden, thickly planted with shaded villages, 
and watered by the noble river Kara-Choran, and its many 
little tributary streams. This luxuriant spot forms the small 
district of Mahott, and takes its name from its principal village, 
so called. Our descent into this mountain-paradise, was by a 
zig-zag road, steep, rocky and difficult; but the view beneath 
seemed to invite our animals as well as ourselves, and we went 
eagerly, though cautiously forward. In about a quarter of an 
hour we reached the left bank of the river, and halted to repose 
our cattle. 
This short breathing gave me an opportunity of examining a 
very singular kind of bridge which here crossed the stream. It 
consisted of six piers; the two centre ones were distant about 
thirty feet; the two corresponding, fifteen feet; and the two 
succeeding piers rose on the sloping banks. The whole were 
united above, by a sort of platform made of wicker-work, 
additionally supported for a few feet from the top of the inner 
face of each pier, by the thick arms of trees, whose natural 
crooks and projections were so ingeniously disposed, as to unite 
with the rude masonry below ; thus, by their bracket-like support, 
giving strength to the elastic path-way above them. The height 
of this curious bridge was thirty feet from the water; presenting 
an interesting specimen of perhaps the first principles of pon- 
tific architecture, amongst a primitive, and still world-uncultured 
people. It stands on a particularly romantic spot, just where 
the river takes its course through the rocky hollow I mentioned 
