'A second journey through Persia, Armenia, and Asia Minor, to Constantinople, between the years 1810 and 1816. With a journal of the voyage by the Brazils and Bombay to the Persian Gulf. Together with an account of the proceedings of His Majesty's embassy under Sir Gore Ouseley, Bart. K.L.S. With two maps, and engravings from the designs of the author.' [‎312] (365/516)

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MOUNT ARARAT.
place of a district bearing the same name, which is divided into the
smaller divisions of Nakhjuwan (in which the town is situated,) Alanjek,
Ourdabad, and Aligez. The revenue of this district, is at present cal
culated at 2000 tomauns per annum ; the town itself, although long in
ruins, is still on the decline, particularly since the building of Abbas-
abad. Both from its situation and general appearance, it bears great
marks of an ancient city. It is built upon a hill, which overlooks the
Araxenian plain ; and enjoys a fine climate and good water. Many re
mains of its ancient Mahomedan grandeur are still to be seen, but we
could neiiher find nor hear of any vestige beyond that era. An Arme
nian priest, with more wine than wisdom in his head, conducted us to
what he called the tomb of Noah, where we saw a modern brick wall,
and where he consequently had the satisfaction of being laughed at for
his pains. Several curious Mahomedan buildings are to be seen in decay,
most of them crowned with the picturesque nests of the stork; one
of these, the most conspicuous, is an exceeding fine piece of brick
work, and is called the tomb of Atta Beg, the Vizier of the celebrated
Ussun Hassan.
As we crossed the plain from Abbasabad to Nakhjuwan, we had a
most splendid view of Mount Ararat. Nothing can be more beautiful
than its shape, more awful than its height. All the surrounding moun
tains sink into insignificance when compared to it. It is perfect in all
its parts, no hard rugged feature, no unnatural prominences, every
thing is in harmony, and all combines to render it one of the sublimest
objects in nature. Spreading originally from an immense base, the slope
towards its summit is easy and gradual, until it reaches the region of
snows, when it becomes more abrupt. As a foil to this stupendous
work, a smaller hill rises from the same base near the original mass,
similar to it in shape and proportions, and in any other situation entitled
of itself to rank amongst the high mountains. No one since the flood,
seems to have been on its summit, for the rapid ascent of its snowy top,
would appear to render such an attempt impossible. Of this we may
be ceitain, that no man in modern times has ascended it, for when such
an adventurous and persevering traveller as Tournefort failed, it is not