Book contents
- Frontmatter
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- LETTER XVI
- LETTER XVII
- LETTER XVIII
- LETTER XVIII (Continued)
- LETTER XIX
- LETTER XX
- LETTER XXI
- LETTER XXII
- LETTER XXIII
- LETTER XXIV
- LETTER XXV
- LETTER XXV (Continued)
- LETTER XXVI
- NOTES ON PROTESTANT MISSIONS IN URMI
- LETTER XXVII
- FAREWELL IMPRESSIONS OF PERSIA
- LETTER XXVIII
- LETTER XXIX
- LETTER XXIX (Continued)
- LETTER XXX
- LETTER XXXI
- LETTER XXXII
- LETTER XXXIII
- LETTER XXXIV
- LETTER XXXV
- APPENDIX A
- APPENDIX B
- INDEX
- Plate section
- Frontmatter
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- LETTER XVI
- LETTER XVII
- LETTER XVIII
- LETTER XVIII (Continued)
- LETTER XIX
- LETTER XX
- LETTER XXI
- LETTER XXII
- LETTER XXIII
- LETTER XXIV
- LETTER XXV
- LETTER XXV (Continued)
- LETTER XXVI
- NOTES ON PROTESTANT MISSIONS IN URMI
- LETTER XXVII
- FAREWELL IMPRESSIONS OF PERSIA
- LETTER XXVIII
- LETTER XXIX
- LETTER XXIX (Continued)
- LETTER XXX
- LETTER XXXI
- LETTER XXXII
- LETTER XXXIII
- LETTER XXXIV
- LETTER XXXV
- APPENDIX A
- APPENDIX B
- INDEX
- Plate section
Summary
Lake Irene, July 27.
Yesterday we marched through narrow defiles and along hillsides to this lake, without seeing a tent, a man, or even a sheep or goat, following a stream which bears several names and receives several torrents which burst, full grown, from powerful springs in the mountain sides —a frequent phenomenon in this country—from its source till its entrance into this lake. Its two sides differ remarkably. On the right bank rise the magnificent ranges which form Shuturun, broken up into precipices, deep ravines, and peaks, all rocky and shapely, and absolutely denuded of soil. The mountains on the left bank are great shapeless masses of bare gravel rising into the high but blunt summit of the Sefid Kuh, with only occasional outcrops of rock; here and there among the crevices of the rocky spurs of Shuturun the Juniperus excelsa plants itself; otherwise, on the sunscorched gravel only low tamarisk bushes, yellow salvias, a few belated campanulas, and a very lovely blue Trichodesma mollis remain.
On reaching the top of a very long ascent there was a unique surprise, for below, walled in by precipitous mountain sides, lies a lake of wonderful beauty, owing to its indescribable colour. Wild, fierce, and rocky are the high mountains in which this gem is set, and now verdureless, except that in some places where their steep sides enter the water willows and hawthorns find scanty roothold.
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- Journeys in Persia and KurdistanIncluding a Summer in the Upper Karun Region and a Visit to the Nestorian Rayahs, pp. 87 - 125Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1891