684 
TOMB OF ABDALLAH. 
it is seldom a menzil for travellers. The name of the village is 
Bagdali, and a striking object stands about a stone’s throw from 
it, in the shape of a high pointed hill, surmounted by a tomb. It 
is said to cover the remains of some illustrious personage called 
Jacob Abdallah. The village is estimated at six hours from 
Kara-Koulak. 
November 12th. — Started this morning at seven o’clock, with 
the same horses, riding up the valley in a direction S. 70° W., 
and in an hour cleared the gorge of the pass so much dreaded. 
From that point we galloped on to the rise of the opposite hills, 
where pulling up, our Tatars bade farewell to our trusty guide; 
and most heartily congratulated me and themselves on there 
being no more objects of fear, all the way to Constantinople. 
On our left, we saw the village of Saddock, and near it a little 
river of the same name, which finds its way to the Sormaun, 
after having wound through the valley where our road lay, 
S. 70° W. At ten o’clock we opened into an extensive vale in 
high cultivation, whence the river turned off nearly west, while 
we continued our former course in a gallop. Having ridden 
about three miles at this pace, we passed as swiftly through the 
village of ChifHick, a respectable looking place, with the ad¬ 
ditional novelty of the houses boldly shewing themselves above 
ground! This circumstance alone imparted a life, and air of 
civilisation to the scene, I had been some little time a stranger 
to ; besides, there were no works of defence about it, (nor, as we 
advanced, did I see any around other villages,) and that increased 
the freedom and cheerfulness of its appearance. Two miles 
further brought us to the post-house of Germelli, where we 
made a short halt, it being the best of eight in the same neigh¬ 
bourhood. For the greater part of the way we had certainly 
