_ 309 _ settlements around it he took from Shah Tahmasp. On the other there is no more than a monastery of virtuous Armenian monks, who I was told often perform miracles. On Tuesday two hours before sunrise we left here towards the west along the sea, which from here on goes around again and leads in another direction along some high ranges of mountains. We travelled until it was light along that stretch, where there are along the shore three or four other villages with the same people and way of life. When the sun rose we entered a narrow valley surrounded by very high mountains, where we passed over rough, muddy roads, until we went up a very high, steep ascent called Cabud Coag. On the way up, in a northerly direction, in a valley encircled on all sides by very high mountains and hills, there is a monastery of Armenian monks, very cool and pleasant, with a few houses, also inhabited by Armenians, which in their language is called Surpagup. This means Saint James, because it is dedicated to him. We continued the ascent for more than an hour, because it is very high. From here I saw, as far as the eye could reach, no more than an infinity of hills and mountains, very high and steep on all sides, white with the great quantity of snow with
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