Erivan [{305}] is situated on the river Zengui, and is the capital of Armenia; it contains about 17,000 inhabitants, and is built upon low hills, in a large plain, surrounded on all sides with mountains. The town has some fortified walls. Although the European mode of architecture already begins to predominate greatly, this town is by no means to be reckoned among either the handsome or cleanly ones. I was most amused by the bazaars, not on account of their contents, for these do not present any remarkable features, but because I always saw there different, and for the most part unknown, national costumes. There were Tartars, Cossacks, Circassians, Georgians, Mingrelians, Turkonians, Armenians, etc.; chiefly powerful, handsome people, with fine expressive features—particularly the Tartars and Circassians. Their dress partly resembled the Persian; indeed that of the Tartars differed from it only by points to the boots, and a less lofty cap. The points on the boots are frequently as much as four inches long, and turned inward and towards the end; the caps are also pointed, and made of black fur, but not more than half as high. Very few of the women of these tribes are seen in the streets, and those are enveloped in wrappers; nevertheless, they do not veil their faces.
The Russians and the Cossacks have stupid coarse features, and their behaviour corresponds completely to what their appearance indicates; I never met with a people so covetous, coarse, and slavish as they are. When I asked about anything, they either gave me a surly answer, or none at all, or else laughed in my face. This rudeness would not, perhaps, have appeared so remarkable if I had come from Europe.
It had already been my intention in Natschivan to travel with the Russian post; but I had been dissuaded from doing so, as I was assured that, as a solitary woman, I should not be able to agree with the people. However, here I was determined to do so, and I requested Dr. Müller to make the necessary preparations for me.
In order to travel in Russia by the post, it is necessary to procure a padroschne (certificate of permission), which is only to be had in a town where there are several grades of officials, as this important document requires to be taken to six of the number. 1st, to the treasurer; 2nd, to the police (of course with the passport, certificate of residence, etc.); 3rd, to the commandant; 4th, again to the police; 5th, again to the treasurer; and 6th, to the police again. In the padroschne an accurate account must be given of how far the traveller wishes to go, as the postmaster dare not proceed a single werst beyond the station named. Finally, a half kopec (half kreutzer), must be paid per werst for each horse. This at first does not appear much; but is, nevertheless, a considerable tax, when it is remembered that seven wersts are only equal to a geographical mile, and that three horses are always used.
On the 26th of August, about 4 in the morning, the post was to have been at the house; but it struck 6, and there was still no appearance of it. If Dr. Müller had not been so kind as to go there, I should not have started until the evening. About 7, I got off—an excellent foretaste of my future progress.
We travelled certainly with speed; but any one who had not a body of iron, or a well-cushioned spring carriage, would not find this very agreeable, and would certainly prefer to travel slower upon these uneven, bad roads.
The post carriage, for which ten kopecs a station is paid, is nothing more than a very short, wooden, open car, with four wheels. Instead of a seat, some hay is laid in it, and there is just room enough for a small chest, upon which the driver sits. These cars naturally jolt very much. There is nothing to take hold of, and it requires some care to avoid being thrown out. The draught consists of three horses abreast; over the centre one a wooden arch is fixed, on which hang two or three bells, which continually made a most disagreeable noise. In addition to this, imagine the rattling of the carriage, and the shouting of the driver, who is always in great activity urging on the poor animals, and it may be easily understood that, as is often the case, the carriage arrives at the station without the travellers.
The division of the stations is very irregular, varying from fourteen to thirty wersti. Between the second and third stations, I passed over a very short space of ground, where I found a kind of lava, exactly resembling the beautiful, brilliant, glassy lava of Iceland (black agate, also called obsidian), which was stated to be found in that island only. The second stage led through a newly-erected Russian village, extending to Lake Liman.
August 27th. Today I had another evidence of the pleasure of travelling by the Russian post. On the previous evening I had ordered and paid for everything before-hand; yet I was obliged in the morning to awaken the post officers myself, as well as to see after the driver, and to be constantly about among the people, in order to get away. At the third station I was kept waiting three hours for the horses; at the fourth they gave me none, and I was obliged to stay all night, although I had gone only fifty-five wersti the whole day.
The character of the country changes before reaching Delischan: the valleys contract to narrow gorges, and the mountains seldom leave space for small villages and plots of ground. The naked masses of rock cease, and luxuriant woods cover the heights.