MSKETT. 
105 
and an altar of the same rough materials, still show memorials 
of the pious Nunia, who there performed her vigils. In re¬ 
verence of her memory, this melancholy cell bears the name 
of Saint Nunia’s Chapel. 
The cathedral, or patriarchal church, stands in the heart of 
the fortress. It is a large and stately building, with a turreted 
spire, faced with smooth stone. The rest of the exterior 
workmanship is of the same character as that of the church at 
Annanour, intricate and full of labour; but the interior would 
be very plain, were it not for the ill-painted legends of saints 
on the walls : and they are the less to be tolerated, since their 
gaudy colours disturb the fine shadowy solemnity of the grey 
tombs which cover the remains of departed patriarchs and 
deceased tzars. Amongst the latter, we were shown the place 
where the great and unfortunate Heraclius, the last king of 
Georgia reposes, with his sons, from all the troubles of his 
reign; — he sleeps at rest, unconscious that the foot of a foreign 
sentinel treads and retreads the earth near his grave! 
The good father who accompanied me mentioned, as other 
objects usually interesting to travellers, several holy relics. 
Those of the greatest note he named, were the vest of our 
Saviour, and part of the mantle of Elias. The first, for many 
years back, had been consigned to the safe-keeping of a finely- 
wrought shrine, within the precincts of the high altar ; and the 
latter, with other treasures of similar character, could not be 
shown to me, the archimandrite being absent, to whose charge 
the relics were committed. 
On a desolate tract of ground, nearly half a mile northward 
of the walls of the fortress, stands another church, surrounded, 
not with tombs, but the melancholy silence of innumerable 
vol. r. p 
