'Narrative of a Residence in Koordistan, and on the Site of Ancient Nineveh; with Journal of a Voyage down the Tigris to Bagdad and an Account of a Visit to Shirauz and Persepolis.' [‎200] (235/450)

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PASS OF THE KUTAL I KEMARIJ. [LET. II.
precipice was, however, still in reserve for us; for,
where the hills seemed to shut up the ravine we
were ascending, an immense chasm had been formed;
I should like to say, poetically, by a convulsion of
nature, which would be in much better keeping with
the scene; but I fear homely truth will compel me to
look for the cause of all this havoc and ruin in the
more gradual but not less effectual operation of a
small stream of water which descends Irom the pla
teau above into the ravine, and has cut down its
course through the crumbling and shivering sand
stone. Whatever be the cause, however, the elfect
is not less terrific. The road grows steeper, and
continues its ascent along the perfectly perpendicular
side of the chasm, offering some terrible precipices,
whose effect was rendered more appalling by the
night. The eye sought through the gloom in vain lor
the bottom of the gulf, which seemed to lead to the
dominions of Chaos and Erebus. The very bad
places, however, were not of long continuance, and I
do not believe 1 walked more than a quarter of an
hour or twenty minutes ; but in one or two spots tor
a moment it was no bad trial for the head, even on
foot. This is called the Kutal i Kemarij. Alter
descending a very little, we arrived at the deserted
caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). of Kemarij, at half past eleven. The
night was delightfully coo), as soon as we began to
rise out of the narrow passes. The worst part of the
road is now over, and I find its troubles have been
greatly exaggerated.