I 
VALE OF MARAGA. 493 
lages, breaking its pale and glittering surface. About a couple 
of farsangs from Meando, we passed through one of these vil¬ 
lages called Azenkandu, bearing every mark of rural prospe¬ 
rity ; and after crossing numberless frozen irrigating channels, 
we arrived at Gallyak, a very small but flourishing winter 
establishment of a few Eelaut families. It stands close under 
shelter of one of the mountains which bound the plain to the 
east, the highest point of which is called Mandeelsir. Our 
general course this day, ran N. 20° E., reaching our menzil in 
five hours, over a distance of from fifteen to sixteen miles, or 
four farsangs. 
December 22d. — We had found the simple people of Gallyak 
most cordially active in giving us every accommodation; and 
we left them this morning at nine o’clock, to meet a most in¬ 
hospitable blast. Indeed, it proved a most terrible one; bringing 
the lately fallen snow from the hills in tremendous sweeping 
eddies, adding new heaps to the already deeply obliterated tracks 
in the valleys ; for so vast a quantity had been showered down 
in the night by the yet heavy clouds, that the road would have 
been perfectly untraceable, had we not been preceded by one of 
the villagers, by whose assistance we tracked it with some diffi¬ 
culty over a range of rocky hills for two hours. These steep de¬ 
scents at last conducted us into a more open country ; and thence 
gradually expanded before us the fine vale of Maraga, at the 
northern extremity of which stands the once celebrated city of 
that name. In our way towards it, over some gentle slopes in our 
path, we crossed several small mountain-streams ; which, uniting 
in the plain, form the river Subzee. It takes a meandering 
course through fine cultivated tracks, and washing the walls of 
the city, glides on to the lake of Ouroomia. Our ride this day 
