'Central Asia. Part V. A contribution towards the better knowledge of the History, Ethnography, Topography, and resources of part of Asiatic Turkey and Caucasia' [‎142] (157/360)

142
etc—eup
consists of 500 Armenian works, of which 91 are on historical subjects and
the rest are treatises on religion, lives of Saints, and copies of the Evan-
ovlists. A catalogue was made of it in 1836 by the learned Frenchman,
Brosset. .... . , -
The Patriarchate at Etchmiadzin is of incalculable importance to the unity
and nationality of the Armenian people. It is the central point where
pilgrims from the Ganges and the Indus, the Euphrates and Nile, the V'ol-
ga^the Neva and the Bosphorus first meet and become acquainted and form
ties of fraternal union. From all these countries the priests come to fetch
the holy oil which the Patriarch alone can consecrate : thus the unity of the
national church is constantly recognised and cemented afresh.— [Chemey—
Van Haxthausen—Morier.)
EUPHRATES—Lat. Long. Elev.
A river of Asiatic Turkey, which rises from two great sources in the
Armenian mountains. It bears the name of Frat in its whole course from
the most northern of these sources, which is situated in the Anti-Taurus,
25 miles north-east of Arzrnm. The branch from thence takes a westerly-
direction at first, and, after passing within seven or eight miles of the capi
tal of Armenia, it is joined, a few miles further west, by two small feeders
coming also from the north; then after a course of about 40 miles further
to the west-south-west, it receives a third coming from the west near
Kather-kopri; and again, a little lower, but on the opposite side, and coming
from the Judi Tagh range, the Mahmah Khatum, which is its first large
tributary, and runs into it through the plains of Terjan. From the river,
which is now a considerable stream known by the name of the Karasu,
makes a circuit, winding through the mountains and over rapids, into the
plain of Erzinjan. Here the KarSsn enters a narrow, difficult defile, which
continues as far as Kemakh, a mountain town.
At the eastern side of Kemakh, a large tributary, called the Komer Su,
enters from the westward, beyond the town of Devrek, after a course of 70
or 80 miles, with a sufficient body of water to carry timber, which is after
wards floated along the Karasu for the use of Keban Maden.
Immediately after the junction of this branch, the main trunk passes
under a wooden bridge, and enters a deep chasm in the mountains, through
which its united waters have forced their way.
The stream continues nearly south-west after passing the defile, as far as
the ferry of Khostu, three miles below; and, near the village of Pash-tash,
it enters a vast rent in the mountains, with precipices on both sides, rising
to the height of 1,000 or 1,500 feet. After passing this chasm, the river
makes a short bend to the south-east, but soon resumes the general direction
of south-west, and flows the deep valley of Egm. The mountains rise to
about 4,000 feet on each side of this singular fissure, which is so narrow
that it is crossed by a bridge between lofty limestone precipices, seeming to
overhang the town, and as it were to threaten its destruction.
Below Egm, on the right bank, the river maintains the general direction
south-west through mountain valleys, till it arrives at about five miles short
of the Keban Maden ferry and the lead-mines, where it is joined by the
Murad Chai or Su, being, at this point, about 270 miles from its course.
The latter is the great eastern branch of the Euphrates, and, from its
size, it ought perhaps to be considered the principal stream. It rises on the
southern slope of Ala Tagh, a mountain about 9,000 feet high, and takes a