For this list of birds I am indebted to the kindness of my friend Mr. Calvert of Erzeroom, to whom I take this opportunity of expressing best thanks for a communication so interesting to lovers of natural history. my RUINED TOWER IN THE CASTLE OF TORTOOM, BUILT BY THE GENOESE, OR PERHAPS BY THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS. To face page 155. CHAPTER XI. Excursion to the Lake of Tortoom Romantic bridge effect of the lake-Singular boat Gloomy "Evaporation" of a pistol — Kiamili Pasha — Extraordinary marksman - Alarming illness of the author - An earthquake Lives lost through intense cold-The author recovers. BETWEEN the days of arrival and departure of the tatars, or couriers, to Constantinople, and the struggles to keep the peace and explain the simplest transaction with our colleagues, we found time for various expeditions to the neighbouring countries on all sides. The most remarkable of these was that to the deep unfathomable lake of Tortoom, about three days' journey off. Our main object in going there was to fish, and we encamped for that purpose on the upper streams of the Batoum river and other places. In the valley of the castle of Tortoom the trout abounded, and were of that unsophisticated nature that, fishing one hour in the dawn and one ho r before sunset with two fly-rods, we caught every day enough to feed our camp, and to send a horse-load (no small quantity) in the evening to our friends at Erzeroom. This was one day's march, and the horses travelling all night brought the fish, though in the hot weather, in great perfection to the city in the cool of the morning. We were not aware, till it was too late, of the deadly nature of the malaria in these rocky valleys, where the precipice shot up clear and straight to the height, sometimes we used to judge, of above a thousand feet. On our way through one of these romantic dells we all rode, bag and baggage, over a bridge to be compared only to the bridge of Al Serat, over which the souls of the judged will have to pass from the Temple of Jerusalem, over the Valley of Jehoshaphat, till they reach the other world; which bridge is as narrow as the edge of the scimitar of Mohammed. The fright I was in is not to be described, when I saw the first horseman, who was at the time filling his pipe, walk his horse unconcernedly over this bridge, which was composed of two pine-trees thrown over a torrent which roared and tumbled thirty feet below. However, being afraid to show I was afraid, I rode over too, and certainly thought myself a bold fellow when I got safe to the other side. To ride safely over such a bridge a horse ought to be brought up to practise on a tight-rope. I would |