462 
TAHITE MOUNTAIN. 
I 
heights stretched far to the north-west. A river which rises in 
the mountains to the eastward, near Merida, flows through this 
oval valley; and having received the waters of the Kara-Choran, 
not far from the base of the Tahite, takes the name of that 
mountain ; and pouring on in a rather zig-zag course, though in 
a general direction of nearly west, through a great line of hilly 
country, marks the southern boundary of the Persian influence 
over Courdistan. Where that terminates, like a sentinel no 
more required at his post, this fine stream throws itself into the 
bed of the little Zab, and we see no more of the Tahite. 
During our still descending march through the oval valley, 
which continued very rocky, and with a bad road, I frequently 
caught picturesque views of the dark and rugged abysses, through 
which the rivers had worn a passage to their junction; and on 
completing our descent we forded the Tahite, then so low that 
the water only reached the bellies of our horses, but the rapi¬ 
dity of the current almost forced them down the stream : here 
it measured thirty yards across. We were now to climb the 
Tahite mountain itself. Our course lay N. 40° W. up its steep 
face, growing every yard more precipitous and difficult. Mid¬ 
way we passed a village taking the name of the mountain, and 
which, as we approached it, appeared looking down upon 
us from the clouds; those sublime accompaniments to such 
scenery partially shrouding the heights in all directions. In 
about an hour and a half’s hard toiling, we at length attained, 
not the highest point of the mountain, but that stage of it along 
which our road was to lie. This elevated region seemed a world 
of itself, with a new order of hills and dales ; carrying us on a path 
of easy slopes, over the brows of numerous receding hills; and 
sometimes, descending into their valleys, shewed immense rocks, 
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