'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.' [‎336] (394/516)

336 LAKE OF S1VAN.
much to ascertain its geographical position, as to see a part of the
country scarcely ever visited by European travellers. I was accom
panied by Parsik aga, an Armenian of great respectability, under whose
charge many of the Armenian villages of this district are placed. We
set out at about three hours before sunset, and stopped at a village call
ed Guk Klisseh, where we passed the night each in a small tent. This
village is entirely composed of Armenians, whose houses are built like
those of Georgia, under ground. They first choose a sloping piece of
ground, where they excavate to the size of their habitation; they then
build up a front, and cover the whole with a terrace; thus presenting
but a small surface to the cold, three sides of the house being formed
by the excavated ground. We departed hence in the first grey of the
morning, and saw no inhabited spot until we reached the lake.
The country over which we passed was mostly pasture, intermixed
with tracts of rock. It was similar in height to Aberan, to the level of
which we concluded, by the coolness of the weather, that we had
reached. The mountain of Karniarekh was on our left, whilst hills
were close on our right. The lake did not present itself until we
were within two or three miles ot it. It is surrounded by wild moun
tains, and cheered by no habitations. Its most striking feature is a