Thursday 14 May 1840
to Gassaiskii } 12
cross the Astapha river
9 1/2 to 10 3/4 Gassaiskii to Prireska Taus 16 1/2
11 13/60 to 12 54/60 to Prireska Dzeagash 15 1/2
1 1/2 to 3 20/60 Prireska Dzeagash to Shasporsiais 28 1/2
4 5/60 to 6 25/60 Shasporsiaia to Elizabethpol 25 1/2
98
Up when we ought to have been off - but George never calls us - had forgot his watch! lies to the last minute and we awake when we can
Breakfast - our rice as at Tiflis - very fairly good room and good station house on an eminence as usual - fine views of the mountains and the 2 headed giant Kasbek peering above the rest towards the eastern extremity of the range in sight
Off at 7 25/60 - Ann and I and George and our Cossack and all our baggage on a large high heavy chariot drawn by 4 oxen and our Kibitka followed - 25 minutes in getting down to the river Astapha 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the house prettily situated on the high ground above - safer in a chariot because the great high wheels not so soon overturned by the big stones brought down by the current, lifted high above the water and at liberty, if anything should happen, and oxen generally more to be depended on than horses! the low wheels of a tarendass, or a light calêche easily upset - an officer's wife and 2 children lost 2 years ago (in May) - the people wished them not to go but the officer persisted and his wife could not be persuaded to go in a chariot, and she and the 2 children upset in the tarendass (like ours said George) and lost - the officer maid and other 2 children in a chariot escaped
The water now 2 archines deep in places (1 archine = 28 inches) we over in 5 minutes - the empty kibitka followed and over in 3 1/2 minute at 7 58/60 - rapid stream well there was no great breadth 2 archines deep - streams and intervening beds of gravel and bouldery gravel 150 to 200 yards broad - 4 more rivers to pass between this and Elizabethpol, as under each close to the station
39 minutes packing the kibitka, and off again at 8 1/2 - gave the men 4 abasses - George said some gave 1 abasse some 2, 3, or a silver ruble a gift, for and pay including in the money paid for horses at the post
At 8 50/60 (right) a projecting mountain, in advance from the high range, having exactly the appearance of a huge pyramid probably about the same dimensions as seen here at this considerable distance as the great Cheops seen near
At 9 10/60 pass our Caravan of Camels that had started 1 1/2 hour before us this morning from our station - all along side us from the station and river Astapha fine range of high snowy mountains left some tops or ditto ditto peeping out right just above the green hills - the mountains (left) seem all along except where our road lies, as once or twice, in a hollow - station house as the last (Astapha)
From here (Gassaiskii) oak copse wood along our road in the bottom and very pretty amphitheatre of green hills (mountains) ahead and all round us - the station house on an eminence as usual - a fine hare ran across our road - plenty of game hereabouts 3 gradins of green mountain (high perpendicular white rock rises) up to the magnificent range of snow moutain (left) and the Kour? along the foot of the lowest gradin - yellow spanish-like broom - dead wolf (killed recently) lying in the middle of our road at 10 20/60
At the river at 10 40/60 - over in one minute - at Prireski Taus at 10 3/4 4 minutes from the little rapid river Taouski - low range running across the valley and terminating in high bold conical, rocky head called Kāruaōo (as pronounced) seen ahead all this stage - at river Zagamski at 12 34/60
Very fine hot, sunny day - our Cossack forded the river first - narrow stream and very rapid and muddy - over in 3 minutes - and at the station house at Prireske dzeagash in 14 minutes at 12 54/60 - nice house like the rest, in a walled court, 2 windows on each side entrance door front and back
shrubs - white thorn
prickly myrtle-leaved shrub
small leafed ditto shrub without thorns
Dog rose and bramble
En route again at 1 1/2 - at 2 or before the minaret in sight - at 3 20/60 at the station house within the inclosure of the old ruined Persian fort, fine old minaret of nine little domed Mohammedan chapels or mosques (metchets) being just outside - at the foot of the ruined walls of the fort is a narrow moat along which a narrow stream of running water which we had to drive thro' - very hot - the fort an oblong enclosure - minaret base about 5 yards square and 13 feet high up to bevel of corners, and the bevel about (near?) a yard more - those 8 feet of octagon counting 3 bricks and the thick mortar between = 1 foot - then 5 yards up to narrow square topped loophole window - and as much more from bottom of loophole to bottom of cornice including the inscription immediately below the cornice - say cornice = 4 feet at least formerly supporting a gallery as at minarette in the valley du Terek & as at Bolgari - then say 4 yards of top (round like the rest of the shaft) surmounted by one yard of octagon in each side of which
Ann is sketching door at the bottom to the South West and above (opening on to the original gallery) to the South? towards mecca? a large white owl, or heron, or what? sitting alone on the top - oblong fort, on rising ground - largeish round tower at each corner, and little ruined round tower at each side entrance gate we entered by, and 2 square bastions in the wall to the entrance on north side
What a fine view there must be from the top of the minaret! the steps at the bottom very bad - much worn - all ready - had not time to try to climb - but what a view there must be!
East (left as we came) long range of snow-mountains west (right) peep of snow mountains thro' a col or hollow in the range of the near mountain - traces of old walls an ancient city? and the minaret once within its walls? - Remains of old bridge spanning the broad, deep-valley bed of the Shamfort a rapid streamy river - have to go down stream from water to dry gravel bed, and then water again till we find a place on the opposite gravelly bouldery bank to get out at
Reaumur 28 and Fahrenheit 95 in the Kibitka on alighting at Shamfort as called by our Cossack alias Shasporsiaia of our marche-route - the river took us 4 minutes - Few snow-mountain views (can any?) in Switzerland can exceed this from Shamfort - East (left on entering) long line of snow-mountain magnificent - to the well fine, long, green, ridge-above-ridge valley closed in by bold amphitheatre of snow mountains which as we proceed onwards soon peep up again in a longish line from behind the green crête of the ridge of the grassy mountain - should we have this snowy range peeping up (right) before had it not been hid by clouds - perhaps our road has all along lain too much to the right to admit our seeing the snow mountains on both sides of us - from nearer the centre of the valley, where the 2 ranges can be seen at once, how magnificent the valley must appear, - unrivalled in Switzerland certainly - what width from the Kour to the green hills on our right?
Steep, high, sandstratified left bank of Kour seeming from here (doubtless a wide plateau above) and 1st. gradin of the base of snow-mountains - at the Kushkara river (dry in summer) at 5 32/60
Enter Elizabethpol - pass sort of irregular walled fortress right - cross stream - drove thro' the picturesque platanus shaded oblong place du Bazaar and alight at the caravanserai at 6 25/60 - sent our letter to the commandant Mr. Charlamoff with cards and compliments and saying we should be off very early in the morning he sent immediately to know of we were in want of anything and to know what he could do for us - very civil
Ann sketched the caravanserai gate from the great square or Place and I sauntered about - Mr. Charmaloff came to call upon us - received his visit in the square where I happened to be standing - sorry we had not driven to his house - we should have done so, but meant to be off immediately and therefore drove to the post where finding we should have to wait perhaps till late for horses determined to stay all night - promised to drive to his house on our return where his wife would be glad to see us - - regretted he could not speak anything but Russian - had George to interpret
Streets behind the bazaar - magnificent Platanus trees round the place and court yard of the handsome mosque (metched) at the end of the Place opposite the caravanserai - some of the trees 4 or 5 yards in circumference just above the ground and the setting on the great roots - a little tank of water just before the mosque entrance door - the court enclosed by low houses inhabited - in monastery style - the interior of the mosque painted glass windows in the Persian arabesque style very pretty - interesting town
Ann found all our 9 pounds rice jolted out of the basket! - all lost
Tea over at 9 1/2 - then sauntered in the caravanserai court by the fine moonlight - did job - the bird singing a nightingale? tho' her notes not quite equal to those of our own nightingale Reaumur 14 2/3 and 65 1/2 at 9 50/60 p.m. very fine day.
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