578 
BORDERS OF THE LAKE 
tinued along the serpentine margin of the stream for about a cou¬ 
ple of miles, when we forded it near the village of Jayran ; and 
four miles farther carried us to Teppa Turcoman, where we took 
up our quarters, after a march of twelve hours and a half. The 
distance is called ten farsangs, but I should say it is nine at the 
most, which brings it, in our measurement, to thirty-six miles; 
a pretty fair journey for horses and laden mules, without an 
intermediate halt or morsel of refreshment. By this may be 
judged how these animals in the East are accustomed to fatigue 
and privation. 
September 7th.—Left our menzil this morning at five o’clock. 
It was a village adjacent to a town bearing the same name, and 
in a few minutes we entered it; a place containing about 100 
families, twenty of which are Nestorian Christians. Our course 
lay N. 25° W. through a populous country, abundant in bar¬ 
ley-fields, melon and grape grounds, and also fine villages 
embosomed in gardens. Amongst their numerous names were 
those of Gur Teppa, Hanjol, Tabbat, Bahram-lee; and imme¬ 
diately under the mountains, we saw Kara-Plase and Sara-Lan, 
very large villages. While still advancing, we passed Sara-Jab, 
and Islam, with indeed many more, to our right; and after 
a ride of three hours along this Arcadian plain, reached the 
southern bank of the river Shar. We crossed its extensive bed 
over a fine brick bridge of seven arches. This is the principal 
river of Ouroomia, and, like the Balandooz, has its source in the 
mountains to the west; but it is so drawn off by various little 
sluices for the purposes of husbandry, that not until the season 
of melted snow fills its channel, does any part of the stream 
reach the great basin of the lake. Having passed it, a very few 
minutes more brought us before the walls of the ancient city of 
