DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0287
Chap. xlvi.J
ASCEND ARG.4EUS.
275
with all his neighbours. He bore a charmed life, and no
weapon could injure or destroy him. At length he was
taken prisoner, and carried to the summit of Argseus, where
he was placed in a deep well, from which he made his
escape, with the assistance of a large snake. Another
fable ran as follows:—A traveller once came from Frangis-
tan, in search of a rare plant which grew only on the summit
of Argseus, having ten leaves round its stalk and a flower
in the centre. Here it was said to be guarded by a watch-
ful serpent, which only slept one hour out of the four and
twenty. The traveller in vain tried to persuade some of
the natives to accompany him, and point out the way;
none of them would venture, and at length he made the
ascent alone. Failing, however, in his attempt to surprise
the dragon, he was himself destroyed. The story adds that
he was afterwards discovered, transformed into a book,
which was taken to Cajsarea, and thence found its way
back into Frangistan.
Two miles and a half from Everek we reached the base
of the mountain, and began a gentle ascent over hills of
black basalt; on reaching the first plateau, we passed a
conical hill of more recent appearance, consisting of sand
and ashes, with a partly broken crater, rising above the
basaltic plateau. On this rugged soil there was little culti-
vation, except here and there a few small patches of corn;
wild pear-trees, dotted about the lower portion of the hill,
were the only trees we saw. As we ascended more rapidly,
we became sensible of a great increase of cold, particularly
at a yaila where we halted a little before one, when I was
glad to have recourse to my cloak.
At half-past one we again began ascending steep hills of
sand and pumice. My guides pointed out the village of
Gerameh, two miles off to the W.S.W., where they reported
the existence of ruins. As we reached a greater height the
vegetation, which in the plains below was quite burnt up,
was green and flourishing, and the ground enamelled with
flowers. Higher up we crossed an extensive tract sloping
t 2
ASCEND ARG.4EUS.
275
with all his neighbours. He bore a charmed life, and no
weapon could injure or destroy him. At length he was
taken prisoner, and carried to the summit of Argseus, where
he was placed in a deep well, from which he made his
escape, with the assistance of a large snake. Another
fable ran as follows:—A traveller once came from Frangis-
tan, in search of a rare plant which grew only on the summit
of Argseus, having ten leaves round its stalk and a flower
in the centre. Here it was said to be guarded by a watch-
ful serpent, which only slept one hour out of the four and
twenty. The traveller in vain tried to persuade some of
the natives to accompany him, and point out the way;
none of them would venture, and at length he made the
ascent alone. Failing, however, in his attempt to surprise
the dragon, he was himself destroyed. The story adds that
he was afterwards discovered, transformed into a book,
which was taken to Cajsarea, and thence found its way
back into Frangistan.
Two miles and a half from Everek we reached the base
of the mountain, and began a gentle ascent over hills of
black basalt; on reaching the first plateau, we passed a
conical hill of more recent appearance, consisting of sand
and ashes, with a partly broken crater, rising above the
basaltic plateau. On this rugged soil there was little culti-
vation, except here and there a few small patches of corn;
wild pear-trees, dotted about the lower portion of the hill,
were the only trees we saw. As we ascended more rapidly,
we became sensible of a great increase of cold, particularly
at a yaila where we halted a little before one, when I was
glad to have recourse to my cloak.
At half-past one we again began ascending steep hills of
sand and pumice. My guides pointed out the village of
Gerameh, two miles off to the W.S.W., where they reported
the existence of ruins. As we reached a greater height the
vegetation, which in the plains below was quite burnt up,
was green and flourishing, and the ground enamelled with
flowers. Higher up we crossed an extensive tract sloping
t 2