'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎3] (44/905)

chap. i.] sources of the kizil-irma'k.
3
The elevated plateau 1 which extends from the base of Plateau of
Mount Ararat into Northern Armenia, Kurdistan, and part w^eatrivers
of Asia Minor, contains the sources of four noble rivers issuin £ from it-
having their estuaries in three different seas ; and thus, from
Armenia as from the centre of a great continent, giving an
easy communication to the several nations of Europe and
Asia. A reference to the Index Map will show that by
following the Kizil-Irmak through Asia Minor we reach the
Black Sea; from whence there are inlets to Russia, Austria,
Turkey, &c. In the same way the Aras, by terminating in
the Caspian, opens several routes towards Great Tartary, as
well as towards the rest of Central Asia and China; while
the Tigris and Euphrates, with their numerous ramifications,
afford abundant means of communicating with Persia, India,
Arabia, and the continent of Africa. An extensive mer
cantile intercourse is also maintained with the same regions
by means of numerous caravans, which, since the time of
Abraham at least, have traversed the countries watered by
those four rivers.
The Kizil-Irma'k.
The most westerly of these rivers, the Kizil-Irmak, has Source of the
its sources at two places, both of which are much farther ^ lzll ' Irma ^
to the eastward than they are generally represented to be
on the maps. Of these sources, the most northern are on
the sides of Gemin Beli Tagh ; 2 but the others are on the
western slopes of the Kara-bel group, which separate the
springs of this river from those of the Euphrates, 3 at a spot
about 70 miles E.N.E. from Sivas, the seat of one of the
local governments of Asiatic Turkey. The united waters of
the several springs alluded to, having scooped a bed through
sandstone and salt deposits, which occasionally form salt
1 The bridge over the Aras is 5478 feet above the Black Sea.—Mr. Brant's
Journey, Vol. X. Part III., p. 431, of the Journal of the Royal Geographical
Society of London.
2 In about 40° N. lat., and Si 0 45' E. long., as traced by Mr. Consul Suter.
3 Mr. Ainsworth's MS. on the river Halys and its affluents.
B 2