'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.' [‎275] (342/905)

CHAP. XII.]
PEOPLE OF COLCHIS.
275
The two rivers at which we have glanced water large tracts Seat of Ham's
of fertile countries near the western side of Eden: and the desceDdants>
descendants of Ham 1 not only appear to have retained pos
session of the districts between the Euphrates and Halys, 2
but likewise to have occupied the Cush of Scripture, which
extended along the banks of the Aras, or Gihon, as far as the
shores of the Caspian. The former, or that part of Asia
Minor which lies between the Kizil-Irmak and the western
side of the Caucasus, has not been, as yet, perfectly explored;
but it is known to produce abundance of the very finest wool,
and to be exceedingly rich in different kinds of metals. The
mines which existed in ancient times are situated about Tokat,
Gumish Khanah, &c., and are still partially worked. 3
With respect to the second tract, the land of Havilah, Havnah, or
more correctly, Chavilah, Eeland, 4 after much pains and
research, concludes, that it coincides with the Colchis of the
ancients.
According to Herodotus, 5 this province is bounded on the
north by the Phasis; but other writers do not make it reach
further in that direction than Ophis. Moses Choronensis calls
the province Egeria, and divides it into four districts, viz.,
Mamalitia, Agrica, Chozia, and Zania, which last is also
called Chaldea. 6
It appears that, when the earth was divided in the days inhabited by
of Peleg, the sons of Cush directed their course towards this cush 0DS 0
region; and their progress may be traced as they turned
westward, at the foot of the Caucasus, advancing along the
1 Cronus, or Ham, reigned in Lydia, and built Byblus, in Phoenicia.—
Bishop Cumberland, 'Times of Planting Nations,' London, 1724.
2 Herod, lib. I., cap. Ixxix., and VII., cap. lv., brings Tyrrhenus from
Lydia. And Amos, ix. 7: "Have I not brought the Philistines from
Caphtor and the Syrians from Kur ?" (river Kur).
3 There are silver and lead mines at Ak-Tagh Ma'den, 30 or 40 miles
from Yuz-Kat, towards Tokat; but the greater part of this line of country
requires to be more thoroughly explored, in order that its mineral treasures
may be turned to good account.—See Journal of the Royal Geographical
Society, Vol. VI., Part II., p. 217.
4 De Situ Parad., p. 16.
5 Herod,, lib. L, cap. ii.
6 Geog., cap. Ixi.
* 2 N 2