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180 ARMENIA AND THE NEAR EAST
measurements are so great, but from the valley the face of
the mountain appeared to be 2,000 feet high (it is really
about 500 metres). The road, constructed by the Russians,
was an excellent piece of engineering. Wc drove at a great
rate up the never-ending series of bends, and often the turns
looked very sharp, with the sheer precipice underneath ;
but they never were so sharp but what our long car could
take them without stopping, so long as it went close to the
edge. Wc ascended higher and higher. Below us was the
desolate valley, and the road winding up the naked flank of
the mountain. There was not a tree to be seen, but at any
rate there was green grass. Far, far down, the river foaming
through the bottom of the valley looked like a long thread
of white cotton, Far beyond, wc could see the main valley ;
and on the other side of it the Pambak Mountains rearing aloft
their blue ridges and peaks.
At last wc reached the top and could go ahead. Wc were
on the crest now, and what a sight ! Beneath us lay another
valley with the most beautiful leafy woods on the steep slopes ;
and ridge upon ridge of forest-clad hills—refreshing, indeed,
after all those parched plains. In the luxuriant greenness
of the valley below big red patches showed among the trees ;
they were villages with red roofs. M. Carle was so enthusi
astic about the place that he got out, announcing his intention
to stay there and botanize till wc came back. Wc had no food
with us for such a contingency, but that did not seem to worry
him ; there were a few biscuits, and these were all he needed.
So wc descended the hill by the sharply zigzagging road,
and soon reached the woods, composed of oaks, beeches,
limes, walnuts, and other foliaceous trees. Still wc continued
down and down towards the valley. Wc drove through
several villages totally unlike those wc had seen up to then—
it was quite like being in another country. The houses had
a pleasantly trim appearance, with whitewashed walls, wooden
window-frames, and sloping tiled roofs, which shone a
cheerful red in the sun against the background of green
foliage. These are Russian villages, most of them built by
Russian dissenters, Dukhobors and Molokans who had to
leave Russia a hundred years ago for the sake of their faith
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