The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-14
ARMENIAN CITY
OF THE DEAD
The Ruins Of Ami, Oae OF the Ancient
Capitals Of the Kings.
In THE SHADOW OF MOUNT ARAFAT
1t Lies Near the Resting Place of
NOah's Ark and Met u Fate Like
That of POmpcii When 1t Was dc.
strOycd in the Fifteenth Century by
au Earthquake..Visit by French
Scientist.

Mons. F. de Moieau. a French scien-
t!st, gives in the st. Louis Globe Dem
ocrat an interesting account of recent
visit to the ruins of Ami the Armenian
Pompeii in the following:
Alenandropol, since 1878 a Russian
fortress defending Transcaucasia, be-
longed at one time to the ancient
kingdom of Armenia, when 1t was
known as Gumri. Today it is a Turkish
town in sentiment. customs and Ian
Suage, like the City of Kars, situated
thirty-five miles to the northeast, and
boasting of n Muscovite garrison quite
as strong as AleNandroDol. On leaving
the latter place en- route for the other
my Armenian host advised me to step
over at the buried and abandoned cap
ital of his race. ancient Ami, or Ami,
that has lain in ruins for 200 years.
| confess the request and the infOrma-
tion conveyed by it startled me. |
dimly remembered having read the
terrible fate of the town of towns. and
that its destruction was regarded as a
most interesting volcans phenomenon
in past centuries, but of its physical
existence at this late day I had no
idea. THE coachman have provided
for YOU" said the Armenian, knows
the way; If the horses hold out you will
reach Ant at sundown."
We rode fifteen miles, maybe tWen-
ty, over the basalt terraces of the
Alaghez mountain range: gloomy.
monotonous country, deep valleys.
heaven-storming heights. no trees, no
brushwOod as far as the eye travels.
only here and there n bunch of dried
up grass. but not II living sound, no
bird. no game, no human being; every
in, CT in, llnN li.l, i,tS
rocks, sand and sparse vegetation.
Only the armament, "A wonderful Greek
blue. At nightfall we reached Sum-
lati, village composed of caverns with
single entrance for man and beast,
devoid of outlets for smoke and other
exhalations. The richest peasant of this
Hellenic colony offered to harbor us
till morning. and, armed with a torch
led the way to his subterranean castle.
This consists of a low-celinged exca-
walton at the end of 4 passage way,
which latter is just broad enough to
admit buffalo. Thank the Lord, our
host, being wealthy man, lodged his
cattle in separate compartment,
wher after profound discussion. our
horses We're likewise installed. The roof
of the hall rests on heavy beams. but
by a single poie in the middle. like a
tent. Opposite the entrance was the
fireplace, to the left and right were
constructed recesses 3 or 4 feet above
the Moor. They had coverings OF furs
or blankets, and We're intended for
resting places during the night.
The meal cooked over fire of dried
COW manure and straw consisted OF
milk, fresh bread. eggs and tea. and
was served on stone plates. They have
no trees In this part of the world. and
almost all articles of necessity and con-
venience are made of either iron or
stone. After prayers our host and
family prepared for bed In the right
alcove, while my companion and my
self withdrew into the left, though not
to sleep. The myriads of insects in
habiting the earth walls and crevices
probably held council of war while we
were taking supper. and now marched
upon us In closed columns, overpower-
ing us by the first savage attack. The
agony lasted six solid hours. our pre-
dicament being the more annoying as
the Greeks evinced, by their powerful
snoring. the enjoyment of perfect rest.
NO wonder they had welcomed us so
effusiVely. Probably they knew their
creepers' preferences for foreigners.
The GREAI ARARAI.
At 3 we were I'm. and after a hasty
breakfast got into the wagon. An
hours sharp driving brought us within
sight of the great Ararat. whose snow
canned sImmits were clnthed in a red.
dish bue nv the rising sun This NOM.
tain is the traditional resting n,ace of
Noab's ark and our driver who scanned
to be very well read in holy script, ex-
planned at length the mythical situa-
lion of tho ,iant shin after tho fond
IncidentaIIv II NAV hs mentioned That
hw an aa,tbnuora of ,eio tha for,n of
10 n,onntain ha 9 Noon greo tiv ohanged
co that Nonh 10 ba na,,a hooE tnSov
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,,aIf '.,,nr, ho on5oa "star b,s ,,a,,ntra
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49,, ~. NY, a,a'.s ,,ano,' aot.oa ~
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W., MN ;., ;u'',s 'y a. ~, ,, ~ S,;ii
.l'e wy ~ @ h,ms' sn.' ia. "t.', 81,
uS r"e t ho, om h;s,or, o,,iG a,,o, ,n .m
sIa.sei " ', iie. i',s.! t ,ri, ts.ei i.. U