There was such a number of passengers detained at Tiflis, _en route_ to Batoum, and all anxious to go to Vladikavkas by road, that I found I should have to wait long for my turn.

Accordingly, after six days' stay with my hospitable friend, I went back to Baku and took steamer to Petrovsk, whence I travelled by rail to Moscow and St.Petersburg on my way to England _via_ Berlin.
A great petroleum field is now being developed near Grosnoje, a station on the Petrovsk Vladikavkas railway, north of the main Caucasus range; and an English company has had the good fortune, after venturing much, to find the fountain for which they and others have long looked.

After carrying on 'sounding' operations for some time, and sinking several wells, oil was at length 'struck' towards the end of August at a depth of three hundred and fifty feet, and it came up with such force as to reach a height of five hundred feet above ground.

The well was on a hillside, and the valley below had been dammed up previously to form a reservoir capable of holding a large supply of oil.

But such was the flow from the fountain, that after a few days it rose above the dam, and, although every effort was made to raise and strengthen it, the oil overflowed, and the top of the dyke was carried away.