SOURCE OF THE KARS, OR ARPATCHIA. 
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over yawning gulfs, and interlacing each other, stems and 
branches, in the wildest and most extraordinary growths. 
Through this stupendous valley, whose abundant beauties were 
its terrors, (for all this luxuriant vegetation and romantic in¬ 
tricacy of avenues, by leading to the remoter regions of the moun¬ 
tains, only rendered it more liable to ambuscade and secure 
retreat;) through its deep hollows flows the Kars, which we now 
traced to its source, and found its spring-head not more than a 
yard wide. At two o’clock we attained the highest point of the 
Pass of the Saganloo Dagli, that being the name of this branch 
of the Tchilder mountains ; which also, under the appellation of 
the Mossian Hills, embraces the Arasian plain on the north-east. 
All the surrounding heights, in like manner with those we had 
passed over, were covered with similar eternal woods; and 
where they stood more to the north, we discerned snow, not 
merely on the summits of the mountains, but lower down, 
lying thick amongst the trees. Our own elevation, gave us 
now a pretty smart taste of the winter; but the extreme of 
its cold, might rather be attributed to the piercing violence of 
the wind, than to the absolute temperature of the atmosphere. 
In one of the intersecting valleys, we saw the ruins of a large 
khaun ; and a few yards beyond it, observed a second fountain¬ 
head ; the clear sparkling rills of which, forming into a fuller 
stream, winds westward amongst the mountains, till its aug¬ 
mented waters fall finally into the Aras. Our course now bent 
more to the south, in order to pass over the commanding brow 
of the last of these sylvan hills ; the long and steep descent from 
which, would bring us down to our night’s lodging. When we 
had gained this apex, a glorious mountain-view spread before us ; 
and amidst the deep openings, between the multitudinous piles 
