Hamilton, William John: Researches in Asia Minor, Pontus, and Armenia: with some account of their antiquities and geology ; in two volumes (Band 1) (London, 1842)

CuAr. xi.]

dogs at erzeroum.

177

is here eight or ten miles wide, and about double that dis-
tance in length, is surrounded on all sides by abrupt and
lofty mountains; in the neighbourhood of the river the
ground is wet and marshy, the soil in general is a rich allu-
vial clay, and not a doubt can exist of the whole plain having
been once a lake, before the Euphrates burst through the
mountain ranges lower down. The great drawback to the
beauty of the country is the total absence of trees or wood
of any kind, whether on the plain itself or on the surrounding
hills. At a quarter after nine we reached Erzeroum: the
low and flat-roofed houses of this city are built entirely of
mud, with terraces of the same materials, but more than
half of these are in ruins, and the narrow and filthy streets
are more infested with savage dogs than those of Con-
stantinople. These animals, however, make invaluable
scavengers, and are more necessary here than in the less
elevated districts of Asia Minor, which, during the summer,
are visited by thousands of vultures. We rode up to the
house of Mr. Abbott, who was then Mr. Brant's vice-consul,
and from whom and his companions we received a very
cordial welcome.

vol. i.