SUFFER-KAJAR. 
297 
difference between the political state of these Asiatic countries, 
and that of our nations in the west, than the sight of every little 
village, surrounded by military works, like a frontier town ; a 
plain proof how close invasion, from one point or other, is 
thought to be to every man’s door. 
The level of the plain was still more varied by high mounds 
of earth, similar in form to the tumuli of the steppes, but much 
too immense to have been erected for the same purpose. These 
stood along the side of the valley, but too distant from the bases 
of the hills to spring naturally from them. This fact, added to 
the perfect regularity of their form, enormous as they were, put 
their construction by manual labour out of doubt; but how, or 
why they were erected, remained to be explained. There ap¬ 
peared no hollows any where, whence their component parts 
might have been dug; and the ground immediately round most 
of them, seemed particularly flat. Perhaps, the earth and 
stones thrown up, in making the wells and subterraneous water¬ 
courses, (a style of aqueduct which is very ancient,) may account 
for some of the materials; and the rest, it is possible, may have 
furnished employment for the captive Israelites, to bring from 
afar. 
The direction of this day’s march did not differ from that ol 
our last; and thus moving continually onward to the south-east, 
we had the pleasure of keeping the baude Caucausan in our rear; 
and reached our halting-place, the village of Suffer-Kajar, at 
three o’clock, P. M. after a journey of seven farsangs and three- 
quarters, with no more fatigue than if we had taken only a 
morning ride. This place, though small, is honoured by having 
a royal residence in its vicinity; a country-seat of his present 
Majesty, which is built on the summit of one of the mounds, and 
Q Q 
VOL. I. 
