One road between Trebizond and Erzeroom is described in Rte. 59. Of the two other roads there mentioned, one leaves that described at Jevezlik, and rejoins it again at Baiburt, where it again diverges. The post-stations upon it are as follow:— 

The distance is about 180 m.

Behind Trebizond the mountains rise in lofty peaks, and are wooded with noble trees. Innumerable streams force their way to the sea through the ravines. The more sheltered spots are occupied by villages and hamlets, chiefly inhabited by a hardy and industrious race of Greeks. On each side of the road between Trebizond and Gumish Khaneh grow rhododendrons and yellow azalias (azalia pontica), which last are supposed to give to the honey of Trebizond its intoxicating quality mentioned by Xenophon. In the valley through which the road passes, on the N. or sea side of the pass, a land-slip has formed a natural bridge over the stream. Just at this spot there is a chalybeate spring of a pleasant taste. As far as the foot of the pass the woods are of beech and oak; on the other side, and from Zighana to Gumish Khaneh, the pine woods, the architecture of the cottages, and the scenery in general, recall those of Switzerland: but for the inscriptions being Arabic instead of German, the houses can scarcely be distinguished from chalets.

Between Gumish Khaneh and Baiburt, a short distance to the left of the road, is the small Armenian village of Varzahan, the only place of any interest in the route to Erzeroom. It was formerly a much larger place, and contains the ruins of 3 early Christian churches, or baptisteries, destroyed some 50 years ago by the Lazes, as the inhabitants informed Mr. Layard. “These remarkable buildings, of which many examples exist, belong to an order of architecture peculiar to the most eastern districts of Asia Minor, and to the ruins of ancient Armenian cities, on the borders of Turkey and Persia. One is an octagon, and may have been a baptistery. The interior walls are still covered with the remains of elaborate frescoes representing Scripture events and national saints. The colours are vivid, and the forms, though rude, not inelegant or incorrect, resembling those of the frescoes of the Lower Empire, still seen in the celebrated Byzantine church at Trebizond, and in the chapels of the convents of Mount Athos. The knotted capitals of the thin tapering columns grouped together, the peculiar arrangement of the stones over the doorway supporting each other by a zigzag, and the decorations in general, call to mind the European Gothic of the middle ages. These churches date probably before the 12th century.” Layard’s ‘Nineveh and Babylon.’

Baiburt, a town of 6000 Inhab., surmounted by the ruins of a Genoese castle. Marco Polo mentions a silver-mine at this place, worked under the Seljukian Sultans. The Turkish government draws much silver from this.

From Erzeroom to the Persian frontier, and thence to Teheran, the post-stations are as follow: —

The entire distance from Erzeroom to Tabriz is about 350 m.

Bayezid, the Turkish frontier fortress, is not on the post-road, but 2 or 3 hours to the N. of it, about halfway between Diadin and Awajik, the Persian frontier village. Bayezid is described in Rte. 59.

A shorter and more picturesque road may be taken by travellers with their own horses, from Sultaniah to Kasvin, through the hills to the N. of the post-road.

Kasvin is a prosperous and well-provided town, with some handsome mosques and substantial brick buildings.

At Sultaniah is the ruined mosque of a Moghul sovereign of Irak— a conspicuous object from a great distance round. The building is octagonal, having once had minarets at each corner; the dome, which is now cracked, was formerly covered with blue glazed tiles, of which few remain; the walls within and without were lined with encaustic tiles. There are many very beautiful inscriptions within; some very finely carved on stone.