MOUNTAIN-SCENERY OF TAURUS. 
393 
light, mingling with the pale illumination of the moon, rendered 
every object perfectly distinct, which before were lost in the 
partial obscurities of the mountain-shadows. The view which 
opened upon us, was overwhelmingly grand. Words cannot 
describe it; and all 1 can say is, that Taurus, in this point, might 
vie with any part of the Caucasus, for sublimity in form, hue, 
and bearing. 
On reaching the top of a tremendous steep, which terminates 
this almost insurmountable pass, we found ourselves in sight of 
a small lake, whence begins the romantic mountain-vale of 
Kourood. This body of water is artificially produced, by the 
retention of a considerable stream, which would otherwise have 
rolled over the face of the rock, and pouring down the side of 
the shelving abyss we had just ascended, have formed another 
stupendous object in the scene. It is preserved from such pre¬ 
cipitation by a very strong walled embankment, of an enormous 
thickness. The absence of so noble a feature as the fall must 
have been, may be regretted by a picturesque eye ; but the 
agricultural purposes of its confinement, more than compensate 
for any abstraction from the pleasures of taste merely. 
Much of the water, however, is lost to the inhabitants of the 
vale, by oozing through the earth at the bottom of the lake, and 
descending into the lower dells, forms the sinuous and rapid 
stream which we crossed and re-crossed so often during; the 
preceding night. 
Two miles more of difficult road, brought us to the entrance 
of the little vale, which is deservedly the boast of this part of 
the country, being in the highest cultivation from one end to 
the other. Here I found all the usual trees of Persia, large, 
healthy, and luxuriant. The fruit-trees were particularly fine, 
VOL. i. 3 E 
