Sunday June 6. [6 June 1909] Left Maden at 6.20. Misty and
occasional showers. Followed the narrow winding valley of the
Maden Su. Very wild and steep, a little green on the hills and poplars
by every steep watercourse with willows and zezafun. Found a lovely
sort of campanula(?) white with recurved petals. Passed many camel
trains loaded with coffee. At 9.40 we reached the Khan of Punoz[?]
(the village is up the valley to the R) and here we got out onto a little
fertile plain, like Europe, with the tiny Tigris flowing peacefully through
it from willow clump to willow clump. We turned off from it at about 4
hours from its source. Heavy rain through which we came to Kazin
Khan where I lunched (10.55-11.30) and waited for the caravan. We
rode on together and at 11.55 reached the shores of the brackish
Gˆljek - very lovely lying among misty hills. We left the carriage road
and followed a very beautiful path running over the hills above the
lake. A little snow on the high peaks on the opposite side. So we left
the lake and at 1.40 came to the small village of Shabgan which lies
near the top of the watershed. Shortly after we reached the top of the
hill and saw the whole plain of Kharput [Harput] below and Kharput
itself and the Euphrates winding through the hills far away to the left.
We did not follow the road down. Got into Keghvauk at 4 and
encamped among mulberries poplars and willows - very delicious.
An exquisite view across the plain set with poplar embowered
villages. Keghvauk is Armenian.