{270} The manuscripts of the journey through Hindostan as far as
Mosul miscarried for more than a year and a half. I gave them up as
lost. This was the cause of the delay in the publication of my
"Journey round the world."
{279} I had picked up enough of the language between here and Mosul
to understand this much.
{287} Mela is the name of the Indian religious festivals at which
thousands of people assemble. The missionaries frequently travel
hundreds of miles to them in order to preach to the people.
{305} Tradition says that the country about Erivan is that part of
the earth which was first of all peopled. Noah and his family dwelt
here, both before and after the deluge; the Garden of Eden is also
said to have been situated here. Erivan was formerly called Terva,
and was the chief city of Armenia. Not far from Erivan lies the
chief sacred relic of the Armenian Christians - the cloister Ecs-
miazim. The church is simple in construction; the pillars, seventy-
three feet high, consist of blocks of stone joined together. In the
Treasury were, formerly, two of the nails with which Christ was
crucified, the lance with which he was stabbed in the side, and,
lastly, a seamless garment of Christ. It is asserted that in the
centre of the church is the spot where Noah, after his delivery,
erected an altar and offered sacrifice. Besides these, the church
is in the possession of innumerable important relics.
{308} This is carried to such an extent that if a traveller has his
horses already put to, and is in the carriage, and an officer
arrives, the horses are taken off and given to the latter.
{309} Georgia was called Iberia by the ancients. Formerly, this
country extended from Tauris and Erzerum, as far as the Tanais, and
was called Albania. It is a country of mountains. The river Kurry,
also called Cyrus, flows through the midst. On this river the
famous conqueror of Persia, Cyrus, was exposed in his childhood.
Tiflis was formerly one of the finest towns of Persia.
{312} His wives I dare not speak of, as the Mussulmen consider this
an affront.
{314} The River Ribon, also called Rione, is considered to be one of
the four rivers of Paradise, and was known by the name of Pison.
Its waters were formerly held sacred. On account of the number of
trunks of trees, it is unnavigable for large ships.
{320a} The Circassians are so wild and warlike that no one dare
venture into the interior of the country. Little is known of their
habits, customs, or religion. Bordering on Circassia are the
Atkans, who inhabit the coast country between Mingrelia and
Circassia, and are also wild and given to plunder.
{320b} Large plains covered with short grass.
{321} Mithridates lived in Pantikapaum. The hill at Kertsch is
called to this day "Mithridates' Seat." During the excavations in
it, which have been made since 1832, many remains were found, such
as funeral urns, implements of sacrifice, Grecian inscriptions,
handsome figures, and groups.
{330a} Constantinople is not lighted - whoever goes out without a
lantern is considered suspicious, and taken to the next watch-house.
{330b} The streets of Constantinople are narrow, full of holes, and
uneven, so that carriages cannot be taken everywhere and people are
obliged to manage with small fire-engines carried by four men.
{335} Here, where I arrived about four weeks after leaving Odessa,
the sun appeared as hot as with us in July. The vegetation was
greatly in want of rain, and the leaves were almost dying from the
heat; while in Odessa they were already killed by the cold.
*** END OF A WOMAN'S JOURNEY ROUND THE WORLD by Ida Pfeiffer ***
