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NEW PLANS FOR IRRIGATION 195
masses of water suddenly sweep down in a devastating flood
with nothing to hinder them, and that which would bring
fertility and life if properly distributed brings death and
destruction instead. Water is a good friend, especially in
Armenia ; but, like its opposite, fire, it must be kept under
control. Luckily no catastrophe like the one described had
happened for fifteen years.
In the afternoon (June 26th) wc had a meeting with the
Government committee, with Mr. Muravian, the Vice-
President of the Government, in the chair. I informed them
that the result of the investigations wc had made so far was
that the Sardarabad plan was feasible and would render
possible the cultivation of large areas of fertile land ; but the
cost of carrying out that project would be so great that wc
saw no likelihood of being able to raise such a sum for the
time being ; and accordingly wc could not recommend that
the plan should be proceeded with at present. The next
question was, could any other land be found which could be
made fertile at a lower cost ? Wc had formed the impression
that there was a good deal of land answering to this description
in the neighbourhood of Erivan.
The Government and its committee would no doubt have
preferred us to adopt the great Sardarabad plan, which
involved the largest expenditure, and was therefore the most
difficult for them to carry through unaided ; but they were
very anxious that wc should bring the Armenian refugees to
Armenia, and gave it as their opinion that there were still
two other alternatives. On both sides of Erivan were exten
sive uncultivated slopes, the so-called North-west Kirr and
South-east Kirr regions, which could be supplied with water
from the Zanga, according to a plan that had been drawn up
provisionally. And secondly, there was the marshy land wc
had previously seen on the plain near Arax. This, as already
stated, could be drained and irrigated.
These proposals sounded encouraging ; wc at once decided
to set out next day and investigate the Kirr plan ; and then,
perhaps, have a look at the marshy lands the day after.
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