194 
DEPARTURE FROM EITCH-MAI-ADZEN. 
country around abounds in game, free to every man’s gun ; 
wlli-le the lake of Erivan (a fine expanse of water, not far 
distant to the north-east) furnishes them with excellent trout, 
carp, barbel, and other fish. 
After taking leave of my venerable host, and the friendly 
brethren of Eitch-mai-adzen, I turned my course due east, 
towards the province of Erivan, one of the most fertile districts 
of the Persian empire. My road lay over the plain, having a 
fine view of the windings of the Araxes on the right: Ararat 
bore due south; the lesser head south-east. For several wersts, 
the country continued rich and well-cultivated. At one part, 
we passed a small picturesque convent, an appendage to the 
patriarchal seat of Eitch-mai-adzen, and was there shown the 
gardens and vineyards, which supply the whole fraternity with 
fruits and wine. On setting forth, an ample store of the latter 
had been lodged on the backs of my cattle by the patriarch’s 
orders ; and, in consequence, so long as it lasted during my journey, 
I could not taste its refreshment without some grateful remem¬ 
brance of the fair and bounteous plains of Ararat. Turning 
our backs on all this verdure, and generous fare, we began 
an ascent, which gradually left all fertility behind us; tra¬ 
velling over an arid high country, covered with fragments 
of rocks and stones, of the same nature with those which had 
strewed the road in our descent to the plain. Here I could 
not but think, how much more would have been in character 
this rugged scene with my late wild escort, than the rural 
objects and occupations, amongst which I had seen them grouped 
at Eitch-mai-adzen. Such men would rather gather grapes at 
the point of their kanjar, or sickle corn with their swords, than 
sit down at the most sumptuous orderly board in Christendom. 
