'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.' [‎345] (405/516)

SNOW-WORMS.
845
snow, and if the old inhabitants may be believed, this great congealed
mass has visibly increased since they first knew it. One of the great
features of this mountain is the immense chasm that extends nearly
half way down it, and is very visible from Erivan, and all its sur
rounding territory. A large mound of earth apparently foreign to the
original and natural conformation of the mountain, is to be seen in the
vicinity ol the chasm, in the deepest recess of which is a mass of
ice, whose dimensions, according to the natives, may be compared to
those of an immense house, or tower. It has evidently fallen from a
cliff, discernable at a great distance, which impends very consider
ably over the chasm. The Armenians who watch the progress of the
accumulating ice on this cliff, expect that another mass of equal di
mensions to the former, will shortly separate itself from the mountain,
and be precipitated into the abyss. Experience has taught them that
this fall takes place after a lapse of twenty years ; and some credit is
due to their testimony, for they look upon Ararat as a most sacred spot,
and consequently are frequent and regular in their observations of it.
The mass of ice that is now seen in the chasm, has fallen in such a
situation that it only receives the heat of the sun upon its surface for
about two hours during the day, which is just sufficient to dissolve so
much of it as to produce a fresh congelation as soon as it is again
immersed in shade.
The snow-worms, so confidently mentioned by Strabo as existing
in the Caucasus (lib. xi.), and as generally believed by the Persians and
Armenians to exist at the present day in the snows of Ararat, ap
pears to be fabulous. We repeatedly offered rewards to those who
would bring us one, but never succeeded. The Persians represent
them as a small white worm, so excessively cold that one will effeo
tually cool a large bowl of sherbet. In the month of August, on ap
proaching towards the top of Ararat, and even at the village of Akh-
ora, the noise of the cracking ice is said to be heard during the
hottest part of the day, which is from the hours of two to four.
When near the snow the sound is described as most awful, but those
y y