DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0262
ClIAF. XIV.]
russian warfare.
233
I left Baibourt at one p.m. for Gumischkhana, and soon
reached the summit of a low range of hills, extending
from north to south, whence we descended into a narrow
plain, opening to the north into a large tract of level country
watered hy the river of Balahore flowing eastwards into
the Tchoruk. Several villages were scattered about this
plain, amongst which one was pointed out called Char,
where, during the late war, 100 Russians, who had quietly
entered the place after the capture of Erzeroum, were fallen
upon, and massacred by the Turks. In order to avenge
this unprovoked attack, General Paskewitch immediately
came from Erzeroum, drove away the inhabitants, and pil-
laged the surrounding country. The Russians visited Bai-
bourt three times while they had possession of Erzeroum.
On the first occasion they destroyed the fortress and the
houses in it; but it was not until their third visit that they
destroyed the town itself, in which a Pacha had shut himself
up with several thousand men. I reached Balahore at
half-past five, and started early the following morning for
Gumischkhana. Three miles from Balahore I fell in
with a party of Frank travellers, German missionaries,
proceeding from Trebizond to Tabrecz on their way to
the station in Karabagh. Within five or six miles of
Gumischkhana the river was so much lower than when I
passed it before, that the suriji led us for some distance
along its bed, crossing and recrossing it several times. As
we descended the heat became very oppressive, and the
valley being narrow, and confined between high granite
rocks, it was very tantalizing to be thus exposed within a
stone's throw of the shade of the gardens which lined the
river banks immediately below the road.
On reaching the lower town of Gumischkhana I deter-
mined, as my object was to see its silver-mines, to proceed at
°nce to the ixpper town, about a mile and a quarter further,
situated in a wild and picturesque glen about half way up
the mountain side. The road led through a narrow val-
russian warfare.
233
I left Baibourt at one p.m. for Gumischkhana, and soon
reached the summit of a low range of hills, extending
from north to south, whence we descended into a narrow
plain, opening to the north into a large tract of level country
watered hy the river of Balahore flowing eastwards into
the Tchoruk. Several villages were scattered about this
plain, amongst which one was pointed out called Char,
where, during the late war, 100 Russians, who had quietly
entered the place after the capture of Erzeroum, were fallen
upon, and massacred by the Turks. In order to avenge
this unprovoked attack, General Paskewitch immediately
came from Erzeroum, drove away the inhabitants, and pil-
laged the surrounding country. The Russians visited Bai-
bourt three times while they had possession of Erzeroum.
On the first occasion they destroyed the fortress and the
houses in it; but it was not until their third visit that they
destroyed the town itself, in which a Pacha had shut himself
up with several thousand men. I reached Balahore at
half-past five, and started early the following morning for
Gumischkhana. Three miles from Balahore I fell in
with a party of Frank travellers, German missionaries,
proceeding from Trebizond to Tabrecz on their way to
the station in Karabagh. Within five or six miles of
Gumischkhana the river was so much lower than when I
passed it before, that the suriji led us for some distance
along its bed, crossing and recrossing it several times. As
we descended the heat became very oppressive, and the
valley being narrow, and confined between high granite
rocks, it was very tantalizing to be thus exposed within a
stone's throw of the shade of the gardens which lined the
river banks immediately below the road.
On reaching the lower town of Gumischkhana I deter-
mined, as my object was to see its silver-mines, to proceed at
°nce to the ixpper town, about a mile and a quarter further,
situated in a wild and picturesque glen about half way up
the mountain side. The road led through a narrow val-