'ROUTES IN PERSIA. SECTION II.' [‎59] (84/122)

59
Route No. 34— conid.
No.
of
Names of stages.
Inter
mediate.
D istattce in
miles.
R emabks.
Total.
the Sbai mouniains. To the west the town is
separated from the lake by a track of flat,
marshy ground, some 1,530 yards in extent.
From south to north the plain extends 5 leagues,
and is bounded on both sides by two ranges of
hills, ^
From its north-east extremity, to its furthest
point to the south-west (the Bay of Ted van)
the Lake of Van has an extent of 28 leagues.
The depth of water varies. I found a depth of
84 feet at a distance of 2 miles to the west.
The water is saltish and very disagreeable to the
taste. The northern and eastern shores are
generally low and flat; the southern shore is,
on the contrary, abrupt and rocky. The princi
pal rivers and streams that pour their waters
into the lake are 11 in number.
The lake is 5,500 feet above the level of the sea.
The navigation on the lake is scarcely worth men
tioning.
If steam navigation existed on the lake, a shorter
and more convenient route to Erzerum and the
Black Sea would be ensured : and in the event
of war between Russia and Turkey the trade of
Persia would find greater security by following
this route.— (Millingen.)
A town, capital of the Province of Van, Asiatic
Turkey, south-east of Erzerum, south-west of
Bayazid, west-north-west of Tabriz, north of
Mosul, east-north-east of Diarbekir. It is situ
ated in a large plain, said to be 43 miles in
circuit, -studded with villages and gardens. The
imposing mountains of Warak, Sipan, and
Erdoz are in full view, bounding the plain on
the north-north-west and south-east, while to
the west lips the beautiful Lake of Van, dis
tant one mile and a half. The Rock of Van is a
most striking object. It is shaped somewhat,
like a camel's back, rising in the centre and
falling at both ends. The ridge runs east and
west, and is about 600 yards long, divided into
three parts, each of which is about 200 yards
in length. The rock stands alone without any
other hills in the vicinity, and is therefore
more remarkable in its appearance. The mid
dle and highest part is separated from the two
ends by dykes, which are cut through the solid
rock, so that each part is a separate fortifica
tion, the capture of either extremity by no
means ensuring that of any other portion.
The middle division is about 120 feet in height
and perpendicular on the south side : on the
north it is formed in part of a very abrupt