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NYPL RESEARCH UBRikRIES
3 3433 08159082 4
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THE HEWtC5*K
•PUBLIC LIBKAKT
ASTOK, LENOX AMD
I2I1DSR FOUNDATIOMB
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""iirnddi
MOTTTJS TMOM
BAGIXAD TO SUUHANIA,
SINFA.MIFEVEH & MOTTSUL
PBOM ACTUAL 8 ITKVBY
Ai^jvETED Bri!rryEER.iyus astsonomioal osssaj^uqxs
» I I/I I i. » I »»' • *•' ' I
NARRATIVE
RESIDENCE IN KOORDISTAN,
AND ON THB
SITE OF ANCIENT NINEVEH;
WITB JOUBMAL Of
A VOYAGE DOWN THE TIGRIS t6 BAGDAD
AXD XV ACCOUNT Of A VISIT TO
SHIRAUZ AND PERSEPOLIS.
BT THB IiATB
CLAUDIUS JAMES BI£H, ESQ"?
THE HON. XAST INDIA COMPANY*! BX8IDXNT AT BAOOAD,
Author of '* An Account ofAndaA Babylon.**
EDITED BY HIS WIDOW.
Two Volumes. — ^Vol. I.
LONDON:
JAMES DUNCAN. PATERNOSTER ROW.
MDCCCXXXVI.
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Stamford Street
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CONTENTS OP VOLUME 1.
FAOB
Notice respecting the Maps • f •••••• "C
Preface . • • • "
Brief NotiMof the Life of Mr. Bieh sv
CUAPTBR I.
Departvit fffim the Besideney-— Manner of tia?ellipy— P e e etipt ion of
ourParty— Thundep-storms— Kifri—Sassanian RuiBB-<-Beial OhieTs
Hospit^ty— Naphtha Springs at Teoskhoonnattee. . • • 1
CHAPTER II.
Pefiarhiie from Toozkhoonnatf ee— X^e Valley of Leil^i— TusnCAgik'f
camp— His hospitality — Entrance into Koordistan— Cultivation and
appearance of the country— rPiesent of provisions from the Pasha of
SuUmania — ^Arrival at our camp before Sulimania — Visit of the
Pashas— Of KoQidish gentlemen. •••••• 9S
CHAPTER III.
Osmaa BeyT-^nirance mto SulimaBia^-Visit to the Pash»— Beseiip*
tion of our Houae^Attachment of the Koords to their Chiei^—
Aneodotes — Partridge Fighting «- Afghans in Shehiiaooi'— XeB#-
phoB and the Ten Thousand. •76
CHAPTER IV.
Conversation with the Pasha— Kai Khosroo* Bey— Koordish Tribe of
the Jafs— CUmate of aulimania— Bveak&st with the Pashar^Bopn-
latioA of Sulimania— Firing at a Mark— Tahhti Suhflsaa— Ancient
Excavationfr^Musical Party-rThe 8or Khaneh, or Oynnashrai—
Dinner at Osm^n Bey's— Oriental praycN-r-Snlimaa Bey— Feats
of Swordsmanship-- Agriculture— The Kamasau. • • .111
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IV CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
PAOK
Brave Russian Soldier— Cruelty of the Prince of Kermanshah — Great
Mahometan Siaint — Natural Prodnctiona of Koordistan — ^Piety of
Mahmood Pasha— Anecdote — Abdullah Pasha arrested — ^The Bai-
ram— Koordish Tribes-— Anecdote — The Bulbassi Tribes— The
reigning Families in Koordutan — Arrival of Delli Samaan with
Antiques. •«.•••••••• 139
CHAPTER VI.
Departure from Si^1imai)ia for .the Mountains— The Pass of Giozheh— '
Tents pitched at Gherradeh — Beauty of the situation — Noise and
bustle of loading — High Mountains — ^Vineyards — Corn — Beautiful
Country— Officer of the Chief of the District of Kizseljee— Laugh-
abl6 Equivoque — Steep Ascent — Sons of Khaled Bey — Cantonment
at Ahmed Kulwan — ^Reapers singing the Tale of Ferhad and Shireen
— Locustsr—Temperature of Springs — Green Frogs — Curious Game
—Leave Ahmed Kulwan — Journey to Beestan — ^Artificial Mounts —
Unhealthiness of Beestan — Our People all taken ill — Leave Beestan
— Penjween — Jaf encampments — Moving parties — Lady and her
servants — Jews« • • « • • • » • • 159
CHAPTER VIL
Entrance into Pei;3ia — Lake of Zeribar-^Kai Khosroo Bey — ^Jaf en-
campment — Djereeding match-— Cross Mount Zagros — ^Garran pea-
santry— 'Inclement winter — Jaf quarrel — Sinna — Magnificent colla-
tion — ^The palace — Tyranny of the Vali of Sinna — General mourning
— Rebellion — Ikiath of the Vali^s son — Despair and cruelty of the
Vali'— Terror of his subjects — ^Change in our plans^Constemation of
the Vali's ministers — Entreaties of the council — Are successful—
Their joy ^and gratitude — Departure from Sinna for the camp of the
Vali 185
CHAPTER VIII.
Leave Sinna— Appearance of the Country— Tents of Gulaneh— The
Koords great politicians— The Kizzel Ozan River — Encampments— >
A Peasant's remark — ^Lawless conduct of the Jafs — Precipitous Road
—Refreshments of Honey and Butter— Arrival at the Village of
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CONTENTS. Tf
PAOS
Meek— Mrs. Rich taken on to another Village— Bee-hive^R«join
Mra. Rich— Present of Fruit from the Vali— Arrival at Bana— The
Vali's Son— Fine Fruit. •••••c»» ^1
CHAPTER IX.
Visit to the Vali of Sinna— The Castle of Banna— Conversation of the
Vali— Marriage of his Son— The Vali returns my visit— His cruelty
at Banna— Preparations for our departtire — Unexpected "hindrances
— Difficulty of obtaining Cattle — Vali's Apologies— The Sultan of
Banna — Begin our march — Village Chief— Refuses to allow us to
proceed on our journey — Disagreeable situation — Determine to fight
our way — ^The Chief alarmed-^Allows us to proceed— Mountains^
Enter the B«bbeh Territory — Omar Aga*s retainers — Ruins of
Karatcholan— Fine Fruit— Precipitous Hills— Arrival at SuUmania 242
CHAPTER X.
Failure of Vaccination — Death of Osman Bey's Son — ^Sorrow of the
Pasha — Antiquities of Shehrizoor — ^Alexander the Great and the
Indian Princess — Names of districts — Omar Aga — His persecutions
• and' imprisonment — ^Attachment of his Followers*-His disinterested-
ness — His dislike of Osman Bey— Rahmet ullah Tartar — His jour-
ney through the wild and inaccessible Mountains inhabited by the
Chaldean Christian Tribes— Amadia — ^The Pasha's advice, to the
Tartar — His difficulties and dangers — Chaldean Cantonment — Rice-
bread — Astonishment of the Chaldeans at the sight of Rahmet
ullah— Their contempt for Mahommed— Yezids — Van— Names of
Koordish Clans— Wedding feast — Ladies dancing — Condition of
the Koordish Women — A Koordish Marfisa — Dress of the Men —
Tale of Darishmana— A Bebbeh Patriarch • • » • 268
CHAPTER XI.
The Pasha melancholy and depressed — His eldest Son sent a hostage
to Kermanshah — Sickness of the youngest— Dissensions in his
family— Ahmed Bey of Darislynana— Tribes of Rewandiz— Koordish
funeral — Bebbeh family — ^Series of Bebbeh Princes — Death of
Pasha's child by Small-pox — Affliction of the Pashar— Sulimaa
Bey Commerce of Sulimania — Conversation with Osman Bey—
The Pasha's desire to abdicate— Omar Aga— His intelligence and
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^i contents;
PAOB
acetmey — Comparison between the Koords, the Tnrki, and the Pei-
siait8-=^Lokman-^FareweU visit to the Pkisha-^-Religlous conversff-
- tiotf— Osifian Bey ordered to hii^ Gov^nmeAt-^Refuses to obey— '
Traits of Koordish character — Flight of the great Dervish Sheikh
Khaled— Pasha's last visit to Mr. Rich^Iuteresting conversation —
Pasha's grief for the loss of his Son — His character — ^Preparations
for leaving Koordistan — Sorrow at bidding adieu to its interesting
People 298
APP£NDIX<
I. Fragment of a Journal from Bagdad to Sulimania, by Mrs. Rich 331
II« Information, collected from Natives, concerning Jezira and the
adjacent Country •••••••• 375
III. A Series of the Princes of the Bebbeh Family . • • 381
Dates and Facts connected with the History of Koordistan • 385
IV. Routes procured at diKbtent placet « • • « * 38^
V. Particulars relating to the Topography of Koordistan « • 390
VI. Specimens of the Km^dish Language, in various Dialecti • 394
i!
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'1
DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING THE MAPS, PLANS, AND
PLATES.
VOLUME I.
Route from Bagdad to Sulimania, &c.
An Officer of the Pasha of Sulimania
A Man of the Jaf Tribe
Koordish Soldiers of Avroman
Koordish Marriage • • .
PlOB
. to face Title
67
. 112
. 202
. 282
VOLUME II.
Map of the Country between Sinna in Persian Koordistan,
Arbil, and Mousul • • . .to face Title
TheCityof Arbela . . . . . 14
Plan of Nineveh opposite Mousul • • • • 29
Nineveh ••#.«*«»34
A Yezid Man and Woman • • «^ • 85
Convent of Rabban Hormuzd . • • • 99
Nestorian Family • • • • • •111
Bricks from Nimrod • • • • T • • 13J
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NOTICE RESPECTING THE MAPS.
With respect to the Maps which accompany this Work,
it has been considered necessary to give a brief description
of their construction.
In the Map of Koordistan and the adjacent countries*
the line of routes and all the detail were protracted^ in the
first instance, by Mr. Rich, from his bearings and distances ;
after which a considerable number of observations for lati-
tude and longitude were put into our hands ; having com-
pared the differences of latitude that were determined by
observation, with those which were protracted by Mr. Rich,
they coincided with remarkable accuracy; and therefore
required very little correction to adjust the positions by the
observed latitudes. With respect to the longitudes, we have
placed Sulimania in 45° 27' 45", by mean of a great num-
ber of eclipses of Jupiter's satellites. We have selected this
position in preference, because Mr. Rich made a great many
more observations at Sulimania than at any other place in
Koordistan ; it was likewise the connecting point from which
his routes either began or terminated. The differences of
latitude by Mr. Rich's survey, having agreed so nearly with
his observed latitudes, we have not hesitated to adopt his
differences of longitude by his survey, in preference to those
by celestial observation which he made in the course of his
journey, because, in short distances, it is almost impossible
to determine the difference of longitude with any degree of
accuracy, by one or two observations.
In the small general Map, the position of Mousul and
Sulimania are taken from that of Koordistan. The longi-
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X NOTICE OF THE MAPS.
tade of Bagdad has been determined by the mean of several
sets of lunar distances, taken by Mr. Rich, and which have
been calculated and worked by Mr. Coleman, and also by
a great number of eclipses of Jupiter's satellites ; the mean
of the whole makes Bagdad in 44° 25' 21". The latitude
has been settled by the mean of a great number of observa-
tions. The river Tigris has been laid down from a minute
survey by bearing and distance on a large scale by Mr.
Rich, and adjusted by several observed latitudes between
Mousul and Bagdad. In any map which could be brought
within the compass of a book, it would not have been pos-
sible to give it on a scale sufficiently large to show the
detail with which this Survey has been executed ; we have
therefore contented ourselves with merely giving a general
outline of it."** The routes between Bagdad and Sulimania
have been laid down by bearing and distance, from Mr.
Rich's Journal, and adjusted by several observations for
latitude, in the course of his journeys.
J. Walker.
* Mrs. Rich has allowed a copy of this Sui\cy of the Tigris, on
a large scale, to be made for the use of the East India Company.
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PREFACE,
The account of the Author which is contained in
the following Introduction supersedes the necessity
of any biographical notice in this Preface. For that
account the editor is indebted to the kindness of a
friend, who does not wish his name to be mentioned,
and of whom, therefore, she will say no more, than
that his personal knowledge of the subject, and his
intimate interest in it, well qualified him for the
office which at her request he undertook.
The volumes now submitted to the reader are all
which exist of a work begun by Mr. Rich on a
Very extensive scale. He therefore applied himself
diligently to the study of various scientific subjects,
by the knowledge of which he hoped to accomplish
his design. He felt that a very different book of
travels in the East would be expected from one who
had enjoyed so many advantages as himself, than
could be claimed from the generality of travellers ;
lor he had spent many years in Asia; he spoke
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Xll PREFACE.
several Asiatic languages fluently ; and he was inti«
mately acquainted with the character and manners
of the people. It will be found, accordingly, that
he is evidently at home in the countries which he
describes; that his observations, being in his own
mind the result of long experience, are not given as
new discoveries, but as well ascertained facts ; and
many allusions are made which indicate his intimacy
with the feelings and habits of the country, but
which will perhaps either appear obscure, or pass
unheeded by those who may not be equally well
acquainted with the subject. If he had been spared,
and had himself published his materials, he would
have added alike to their interest as to their bulk, by
introducing very full details of his personal narrative,
and of his daily intercourse with the people.
As it is, his papers now published record chiefly
those particulars which he noted down at once, lest
they should escape his memory, and the whole value
of which depended upon their accuracy. These he
would probably have compressed, after finishing his
map, for the purpose of constructing which, he was
thus minute in his observations on the face of the
country, and other points connected with geography.
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• ••
PREFACE* XIU
However, though these volumes are less filled up
with the incidents which occurred in the journey,
than would have been the case if they had passed from
the author to the press, the Editor hopes that they will
not be without their use. They in great part de-
scribe a country little visited by Europeans, and never,
it is believed, described by any Englishman ; and, in
that view, if in nothing else, they will, it is hoped,
repay the reader.
If it be asked why this work was not published
sooner, the Editor can only answer that the delay
arose from many circumstances, with the recital of
which she need not trouble the world.
Under a deep consciousness of her own inability
for such an undertaking, she long shrunk from at-
tempting it, but she has been encouraged and cheered
in her task by the sympathy and assistance of many
kind friends, among whom she cannot forbear nam-
ing Sir R. H. Inglis, who, in the midst of his
numerous avocations, spared no pains to make her
work easy to her, and was always ready to afford her
help and counsel.
Clapham, 5th March, 1836.
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BRIEF NOTICE
OF THE
LIFE OF MR. RICH.
CiAUDius James Rich, the writer of the follow-
ing Journal, was born on the 28th of March, 1787,
near Dijon in Burgundy : and while yet an infant,
was carried to Bristol, where he spent the first years
of his life under the eye of his parents.
At an early age he discovered a very extraordi-
nary capacity. Even while passing through the
usual course of instruction, the elements of the Latin
and Greek tongues being taught him by a relation
of his own, his active and successful curiosity led
him to acquire several modern languages, without
a teacher, and assisted only by books. When but
eight or nine years old, having seen some Arabic
manuscripts in the library of a gentleman at Bristol,
he was seized with a strong desire to make himself
aequainted with that language ; and this accident,
which gave a particular impulse and direction to a
passion that was already working in his mind^
probably decided, more than any thing else, the bent
of his studies towards oriental learning, and had a
powerful influence on the whole current of his future
life. By the help of a grammar and dictionary,
and of some manuscripts lent him by Mr. Fox of
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XVI NOTICE OF MR. KtCtt.
Bristol, he not only learned to read and write that
very difficult language, but to speak it with consider-
able ease and fluency. By the time he had attained
his fifteenth year, guided by this decided bias which
his mind had taken, and aided by unwearied appli-
cation, he had made no mean progress in several
oriental languages, and among others, the Hebrew,
Syriac, Persian, and Turkish.
Abont this time, as he was taking an evening's
walk on Kingsdown, near Bristol, he happened to
meet a Turk, and being desirous of ascertaining
whether his pronunciation of the Turkish were suffi-
ciently correct to be understood by a native, he
addressed him in that language. The Turk, after
expressing his plej-sure and surprise at being so
unexpectedly accosted in his own tongue, informed
him that he was a merchant, but was then in distress,
having been recently shipwrecked on the coast of
Ireland. Besides the satisfaction arising from his
successful experiment, Mr. Rich had the still higher
gratification of contributing to the stranger's relief.
His uncommon proficiency in a line of study so
remote from the beaten road, excited the attention
of those immediately around him. Mr. (afterwards
Dr.) Marshman introduced him to Dr. Rylaiid, at
that time a divine of eminence in the place : and he
was enabled to cultivate the society of several other
men of letters in Bristol, particularly of Mr. Fox,
of whom he always spoke with peculiar aflfection
and gratitude, and who, by his advice and the use of
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RESIDENCE IN KOORDISTAN,
CHAPTER XII.
Departare from Sulimania — Description of the Country — ^Village
of Derghezeen — Omar Aga — His Son — ^The Pass of Derbend —
Leave Koordistan— >New8 from Sulimania — Omar Aga's dis-
appointment — Fine Plain — ^Villages — Artificial Mount — The
River Caprus, or liCsser Zab — Altoon Kiupri — Camp of Paris
Aga — His inhospitality — First Sight of Arbil — Description of
the City — ^The Plain of Arbela — Gaugamela — Mount Makloube
— ^Yezid Village of Kellek — ^The River Zab or Lycus — Face of
the Country— The Ghazir Soo or Bumadus — ^HajeeJuijees Aga
— ^Town of Kermelis — ^Ruins of Nineveh — ^Arrival at Mousul.
October 21 . — We bade farewell with unfeigned sor-
row to many friends, and mounting our horses at
about half-past six in the morning, we quitted the
garden of our estimable and kind friend the Pasha,
and proceeded over an undulating countiy across the
plain of Sulimania, passing on our left hand the large
village of Ak Boolak. The whole plain is higher on
this than on the western side, and slopes down
more than half way to the opposite hills. At about
a mile and a half from Sulimania we reached the
Tanjeroo or Sertchinar river, which we had passed
on our journey from Bagdad, and which was now
a mere brook, though its bed is not less than a
hundred yards over. On its right bank was the
Vol. IL B
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2 DESCRIPTION OF [CH. XII.
village of Eliaseh. After passing the large village
of Bavun Mirdeh, or Father-is-dead^ at twenty-
five minutes past nine we came to that of Kelespee
or Teperesli, which is situated a little below the
mount near which we encamped on our road to
Sulimania from Bagdad. Here we halted for the
day, notwithstanding the village is but an indiflFerent
one. The peasants were all busy getting in the
cotton harvest, which contributed to enliven the
scene. The lands hereabouts are watered by a little
stream, which, running south and a little east, falls
into the Tanjeroo river. Goodroon was at this spot,
just opposite to us, forming a wall of rock, and
inclining about, north-west and south-east. The
western range of hills was visible about a mile or
a mile and a half oflF, crowned generally by a crest or
line of rock, which grows higher as it proceeds
southward. The rock shows itself also from the
sides of the hills in some craggy fragments, as if the
hills were in a state of decay. Northward, at the
distance of two or three miles, these hills send forth
a low range which joins Goodroon, and seems to
close the vale of Sulimania in that direction. On
this low range is the mount and remains of Ker-
wanan *. Farther on behind Goodroon appear the
huge bare rocks of Koorkoor.
Thermometer— 2 p.m. 85^; 10 p.m. 59°.
* One of the roads from Sulimania to Keuy Sanjiak passes by
Kerwanan, and keeps through Soordash along Goodroon. Distance
fourteen hours.
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CH. XII] .pjjg COUNTRY. 3
October ^2. — We mounted at twenty minutes past
six this mornitig, and were obliged to go a good
deal to the north-west, in order to avoid a morals.
The aif about sunrise was very sharp. Soon after
-seven We came to the Mount of Taslujee, the place
where the line of hills is broadest and lowest, and
has not the stony crest which appears at intervals
^long the summit of the rest of the range, whose in-
crease in height above the plain to the south-east is
probably from the sinking of the plain in that
direction towards the river Diala. The same is the
case with the plain of Bazian, into which wd de-
scended after a very gentle ascent about eight
o'clock. This plain is divided in the centre by a
line of lower hills than Karadagh, which appeared to
terminate a little to the south of our road, and the
composition of which was sandstone, the layers rising
to the east and inclining down to the west. We
met hereabouts some men leading a colt for sale
to Sulimania from Kerkook. I took a fancy to it,
and struck a bargain and purchased it for one hun-
dred and fifty Eyn piastres *. This transaction did
not detain us, as the men turned back and bargained
with us as we jogged on f .
* The value of the Eyn piastre was at that time from S^* to
2«. M.—Ed.
t The perpendicular rock, of which I observed the azimuth at
Sulimania, and which is put down in my astronomical journal as
Ardalan, was on our right in a north-west direction. It is a crest^
B2
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4 VILLAGERS GATHERING COTTON. [CH. XII.
At twenty-five minutes past ten we turaed south-
west to the village of Derghezeen, the hills which
divided the plain making a similar bend, and eoon
gradually tenninating. Derghezeen lies under a
little range of hills which come from near Derbend
and runs towards those which divide the plain;
though it terminates before it reaches them, leaving
an opening in the western division of the plain of
Bazian. We arrived at the village at ten minutes
before eleven, and occupied our old encamping
ground. •
Tlie inhabitants of all the villages we passed were
out gathering cotton, which was a very pleasant,
cheerful, and even novel sight, as, except on occa-
sions like the present, the roads are very still and
solitary throughout the East. The people of Derg-
hezeen are of Turcoman origin, and still retain their
language, and their appearance is suflSciently distin^
guishable from that of the Koordish peasantry. Our
excellent friend Omar Aga, I am happy to say, is
^till our mehmandar. I applied to the government
at Sulimania to restore to him some villages, of
which he had been deprived in a most shameful
way. They have promised to oblige me, and he has
remained behind to secure them, but he has sent
most of his men with me. Nearly two hundred per-
sons depend on him and look to him for support.
on the top of the hills which form the west boundary of the plain
or vale of Sulimania.
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GH. XII.] PASS OF DERBEND. 5
The family of a person like him in Koordistan soon
becomes quite a tribe. Two of his men, Faki Kader
mid Awraman, have taken a great liking to me :
they stick to me wherever I go, and follow all my
motions. If I stop, they are both by me in an in-
stant ; if I look at any thing, they prick up their
ears, look in my face, and then in the direction I am
looking at. They are quite my shadows.
Avla, Omar Aga's youngest son, a boy of seven
years old, arrived at our camp to-night from Suli-
mania, with only a lad about his own age. He had
just got his father to say he might go with us, when
in a moment he took him at his word, and while he
was engaged at breakfast very quietly packed up his
little baggage, saddled his horse and made a journey
at one ride which we had been two in performing.
Thermometer— 6 A.M. 56°; 2 p.m. 84°; 10 p.m.
64^
October 23. — We were off by half past six this
morning, and proceeded up the valley formed by
a small line of hills just behind Derghezeen, and
another similar one opposite, also coming north-west
from Derbend and running to Bazian. At twenty
minutes past seven we passed through Derbend. The
layers of the mountain are bent down on each side as
if on purpose to form the pass. Just outside the
pass rises a layer of rock parallel with the mountain
as if it were part of its ruin ; and outside of all, at
the foot of the mountain, which is a prolongation of
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6 THE CAULDRON. [CH. XII.
the Kftradagh ♦, the strata are very curiously bent
and undulating. In the mouth of the pass is a little
square ruin like a fort, and in it a well lined with
very large stones has lately been discovered.
From the Pass of Derbend we proceeded in a
south-west direction. Before us rose the little fur-
rowed line of hills of Gheshee Khan and Kara
Hassan, running north-west and south-east. On
our right hand the level of the country sunk at once
in an abrupt and ruinous manner, as if it had
fallen in to the depth of more than a hundred feetj
and was curiously marked by parallel ribs of sand-
stone at equal intervals, all running from north-west
to south-east, and like all the strata we have just
passed, rising to the east and falling to the west,
with a very considerable dip. The bottom of this
Cauldron was again furrowed and cut up by water-
courses, in many of which nitre was discoverable^
The soil was generally of a very dark red colour.
We descended into it at half past seven, and kept
through it for the remainder of our day's journey.
• The Karadagh runs up to Derbend i Bazian, and thence^
after running a little way straight like a wall, it runs a little west
and fyrtOB the hill of Tchennala ; thence it turns more west and
forms that of Khalkhalan. The Karadagh diminishes in height
all the way from the Seghirmeh, which is very high, and towers
above all the other mountains in the distance. Tchermala and
Khalkhalan are inconsiderable. They seem of earth, and their
sides are much furrowed. Soon after this line of hills terminates
or loses itself. Aghjalar is a district beyond Tchermala, reaching
to the Keuy Sanjiak river, aud contains ten villages.
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Gfi. Xli.] THE ](6RK00K HILL6. 7
We spon ^fter pame to tl^e little village of Sheikh
Wfsisi in the district of Shuan, and here we found
we had come ^ little out of our way, and we turned
S. 45 W. in ordpr to regain our right road.
W^ observed great quantities of oleander growing
by the sides pf the little streams. We reached
our true road at a quarter to nine. The country
round us had a most strange appearance^ and looked
as if it hp.d been ruled off into parallel oblique lines
by layers of crumbliiig sandstone just rising above
the soil.
At half past ten we came to the large village of
Ghezalan, where we saw some Jews. The people of
this part of the country seem to be TcheragU Sonde-
rans^ or light-extinguishers*. Soon after leaving
this village, the level began to rise again, and our
road was very brokei^ and hilly. We arrived at oi|r
resting-plaae fpr the day ^t the village of Ghulum"
kowa, in the district of Shuan» at ten minutes pas|;
twelve ; haying been five houis and foii;y minutes oqi
our march, and having had ^ very unpleasant day'§
journey over very troublesome roads, and through ft
hideous country. The Kerkook hills appeared fropi
hence like a flat plateau, descending by a step
brpkefl and furrowed, into the tract of country be-
tween them and Derbend,
Thermometer— 6 a.m. 62° ; 2 p.m. 84° j 10 p.m. 64^
October 24, — Mounted as usual about a quarter
* See note, Vol.!., p. 26.
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6 SINGULAR TERRITORIAL REGULATION. [CH. XII.
after bIx, and ascended out of the narrow ravine in
which the village of Gbulumkowa is situated. The
soil of the country was now all of earth and pebbles,
which seemingly cover the ribs of sandstone, seen in
the very hollow part we came through yesterday, and
the colour of the earth was not so red.
The whole tract, however, is still thrown up into
little hills, as I believe all such gravelly tracts are,
and scooped out into deep, abrupt ravines, sometimes
cut down by water-courses to the depth of sixty feet,
and in such places the soil alone was apparent ; that
is, even at that depth, no sandstone was to be seen.
The pebbles that I chiefly recognized were sand«-
stone, marble, or gypsum, and limestone. We passed
two very deep and somewhat diflGicult ravines^ the
ascents of which were more considerable than the
descents, and soon after reached the village of Ghiul-
kowa. We were still in the district of Shuan, which
is regulated by a kind of territorial canon which I
do not thoroughly comprehend : the soil belongs to
Kerkook, but the peasantry to Koordistan. This
district sometimes depends on Sulimania, and some-
times on Keuy Sanjiak.
From Ghiulkowa our road wound along the tops
of this furrowed and hillocky country, which re*^
sembles and is indeed a continuation of Kara
Hassan; but it is now of a very burnt and bare
appearance, and except a few fniit-trees seen here
and there in the hollows, nothing green is visible ia
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<JH. XII.] LEAVE KOORDISTAN. 9
any direction. We often thought of the pleasant
vales of Koordistan, beautiful even in their autumnal
decay. Old Goodroon still reared his head in the
distance.
All the waters, yesterday and to-day, ran to our
left hand. At half past seven, a road branched off a
little to the south of ours to Kerkook. Soon after
^ight we were obliged to halt, to replace isi sho6
which my horse had cast. Khalkhalan and Keuy
Sanjiak were hence due north of us. We mounted
Isigain at half past eight. The country now was
rather less cut up, or at least not to that great depth ;
and at ten minutes before ten we arrived at the
Village of Kafar, our place of rest for to-day. The
peasants are mostly in tents about the village. Here
both lands and people belong to Kerkook, and we
have fairly bid adieu to. Koordistan. We were three
hours and thirty-five minutes performing our journey
of to-day-
Omar Aga joined us last night from Sulimania^
He tells us thut Osman Bey has at length consented
to go to Keuy Sanjiak. Poor Omar Aga has failed
in his application for the restoration of his villages,
and has brought with him all his men and familyi
except the women* I will yet do what I can for him.
Thermometer— 6 a,m. 50° ; 2 p.m. 88^
; October 25. — ^We were off by six this morning;
oup rofi^d N. 30 W* We descended into a valleyi
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10 ARTIFICIAL MOUNTS. [CH. XII.
watered by a stream, which supplies many villages^
and a great number of mills with little square towers,
each in a cluster of trees, looking at a distance like
village churches. The valley gradually widened
down into the plain, I believe of Gieuk Dereh. The
stream runs into the Kiupri Soq, We passed many
villages, and, among the rest, one large one of the
, name of Omar Bey JCeuy. We had now entered s^
fine wide plain, still covered with pebbles, but much
cultivated. It was all corn land. Large villq.g&9
were seen scattered about in every direction. Thera
was one at the entrance of the valley into the plain^
with a small artificial mount close to it, the name of
which I could not learp. The Kizbeer hills were
before us, stretching from our left, and the plain
extended to the foot of theip ; and on our right WM
a continuation of the broken, hilly country we have
just left.
At half past ten we passed Gieuk Tepeh, a village,
and a very large artificial mount, on our left. It was
due west and less than a mile from the road. The
mouut was like a truncated pyramid, and had a lower
one projecting from it on the north-west, the whole
looking very Babylonian. About half an hour after-
wards, we passed another lesser mount, close to our
road ; and at mid-day arrived at Altoon Kiupri. The
day was extremely hot, and the stage much longer
than I had expected. We occupied si^ hours and a
half in performing it.
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CH. XII.] THE ALTOON SOO. 11
We descended to the river* over immense beds of
pebbles, the bed and rocks of the river being con*
cietions of pebbles also. The town is not seen till
you descend upon it. On th0 south bank a large
party of horse-artillery and bombardiers were en*
camped, who were just arrived from Constantinople
for the Pasha of Bagdad's service. There were four
troops ; one company of bombardiers, fifteen pieaes
of artillery, five hundred camel-loads of stores. We
passed over the very sharp high bridge which has
been lately repaired, and then through the town aiid
over the other bridge, and encamped on the flat
space near the north-west or right quarter.
The Tigris is eighteen hours' travelling from
Altoon Kiupri, and when the river is very full a
kellek or raft will go in a day, but at this season of
the year it takes three days. The artillery above-
mentioned forded it^ and found not more than three
or four feet water along a bank which sloped across
the stream t- Keuy Sanjiq^k, which lies N. 35 E.,
is twelve hours' fast walk of a horse from hence, and
eighteen caravan hours. There are two roads, one
of which lies along the right bank of the river,
which it quits about six hours from Keuy Sanjiak.
It is broken and hilly all the way, but there is no
mountain to pass.
* The Altoon Soo, or the Caprus of aatiquity ; called the
Lesser Zab by Abulfeda.
t They also forded the Zab.
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12 THE KYDEER HILLS. [cH. XIT*
A little below Kiupri, on the riglit bank, are
some wharfs and store-houses for grain, &c. Here
the kelleks or rafts from Keuy Sanjiak unload, and
those for Bagdad are made up. The river h floatable
for kelleks from Keuy Sanjiak to the Tigris. The
river just above the town is about a mile broad, but
runs oflF into two arms, which join below, both
equally considerable, and leaving the town on an
island* Many houses are commonly carried away in
the spring. The town then is completely washed by
the river, both arms joining round it. On the side
of the great bridge the river is confined by a strong
bank of concrete pebbles till about the height of the
bridge, where the high bank retreats about a quarter
of a mile and slopes up gently. On the north side
16 a low plain, sandy and pebbly, confined by broken
hills at about the distance of a mile. This space has
evidently at times been filled by the river up to the
hiUs. The Kybeer hills, with flat tops and broken
sides, run round our left, and are said to terminate
in the Koordish province of Shemamik ; and behind
these hills, in the direction, where the river passes
through them, is Karatchuk.
Thermometer— 6 a.m. 59°; 2 p.m. 90° ; 10 p.m. 62^
^ October 26. — We marched at six in a north-west
direction, through the area left between the river
and the broken hills, or higher country, which begins
above Kiupri, and running off from the hilly country
we have left, comes round again at Kybeer. At
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CH. XII.] CAMP OP PARIS AQA- 13
•
twenty minutes past six the road to Shemamik broke
off on our left, and soon after we came to the termi-
nation of the area. We then passed over detached
sand-hills ; after which the level of the country rose
considerably, and on our left was furrowed and
sloping up to the Kybeer hills. On our right, at a
greater distance, was a continuation of the broken
hilly country we had left, and which is here called
Hallejo Bistana, being a province of Keuy Sanjiak.
Behind this again was the prolongation of the
Azmir mountain, higher mountains peeping out still
fai*ther back.
We passed the village of Makhsuma on our left,
and a little river running into the Altoon Soo*.
The road along which we were travelling appears
at some former period to have been marked by
little artificial mounts, at the distance of an hour or
an hour and a half from each other, several of which
we have observed- The country, although a little
pebbly, was a very fine plain, extending to Kybeer
and Hallejo Bistana. Several villages were observ-
able on our right and left, and the country was well
cultivated. The peasants were ploughing.
At ten we reached the camp of Faris Aga, the
Bizzei chief, at the village of Koosh Tepeh, which
takes its name from one of the little mounts before-
* I believe it is wrong to call the river Altoon, an epithet only
belonging to the bridge, from what it cost— Altoon meaning gold
or money.
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•14 FIRST SIGHT OF ARBIL. [ctt. XII-
•
mentioned. The Dizzei are a tribe of Koords, for-
merly belonging to Keuy Sanjiak ; but the Pasha of
Bagdad has lately takeathem from under the com-
mand both of Keuy Sanjiak and Arbil, and keeps
them under his own authority. In consequence of
this, they care for no one. Paris Aga dismissed our
quarter-master, saying that he was the servant nei-
ther of the Vizir of Bagdad, the Pasha of Koor-
distan, nor the King of Persia ; that he was his own
master, lived in his own country, and would receive
no visitors ; that therefore the best thing we could
do would be to go on to Arbil. There Was no help,
and indeed I was rather better satisfied to go on,
and thus gain a day : so we marched again after a
few minutes' halt. At half past eleven we alighted
at a little water-course, to take a cup of coffee, and
to allow the baggage to get well on before Us. We
mounted again at twelve, and travelling in a north
direction, at half past one came in sight of Arbil,
bearing N. 10 E. ; soon after which I took a sketch
of it*, the view of the high flat mount, probably
the burial-place of the Arsacidae, crowned by a
castle, and backed by the Carduchian mountains,
being really very impressive. Near the town we
were met by the lieutenant-governor, at the head
of about thirty or forty Turkish horsemen, with
tchaoushes and kettle-drums. I could well have dis-
* See Plate.
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' 'iii't'iil)Elr¥oi[E
PUBUCUfeilUftY
TiiDEN ^6yiioi4i
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Ctt. XII.] OMAR AGA. 15
pensed with this honoui-, as we were ahnost suffo-
cated with dust before we came to our ground, where
we arrived at half past three. .The time of our
march had been eight hours and forty minutes.
We encamped near a kahreez, or water-course, be-
longing to Hajee Cossim Bey, a little south-west of
the town. Near us was encamped a small party of
Arabs of the Harb tribe. The Arabs, now I have
not seen them for a long time, look a squalid, yellow-
skinned, ill-favoured people. The people of Arbil
are Koords and Turks. '. v^* •
On the road to-day we niet a carayalii going to
Bagdad, loaded with onions and onion-seed.
I found awaiting me at Arbil my old mehmandar
Hussein Aga, sent by the Pasha of Mousul to escort
me on ; but I intend halting here for a day or two,
in order to rest the people, to procure fresh mules,
and to take leave of Omar Aga*.
Thermometer — 5 a.m. 58° ; half past 2, 94° ;
10, 59^
Oetoher 27. — I was up by peep of day, and begian
my operations immediately t. I first went to the old
minaret, which is the most conspicuous object in this
neighbourhood. The mosque to which it belonged
is quite in ruins, and bricks are dug up on its site all
* There is no further mention of this noble character. He arid
Mr. Rich parted at Arbela, and it was too affecting a scene to
say much about. This accounts for its being passed over in
silence in the Journal.
t See Appendix,
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16 VALLEY OP TCHEKUMEN. [CH. XII.
around. The minaret is by measurement one hun-
dred and twenty-one feet high. The circumference
of the shaft is fifty-one feet. It stands on an octa-
gonal base, each face of which is nine feet eleven
inches^ and the height of the base is between thirty
and forty feet. Two stairs wind, without commu-
nicating, up to the gallery, which is destroyed, as
well as all above it, except two small fragments of
brick-work, the remains of the shaft which once i-ose
above the gallery. It is in the style of the minaret
at Taouk, and is apparently of the age of the Caliphs,
or rather perhaps of the Sahibs of Arbil. * All around
are ruins, or rather heaps of rubbish, like those in
the ruins of Old Bagdad. Remains of the wall and
ditch are also traceable, especially on the side where
our camp is situated, which is pitched close to it.
The town was once evidently very large, probably
about the size of modern Bagdad. Arbil is situated at
the foot of the artificial mount, principally on the south
side, and contains a bath, caravanserais, and bazaars.
Some portion of the town is situated on the mount,
or what is called the Castle. On the east, or a little
north of the town, is a hollow, called the Valley of
Tchekunem, where it is said Tamerlane's tent was
pitched when he besieged Arbil. A holy Sheikh of
Arbil struck a panic into his army, which began to
disperse; and Tamerlane is reported to have cried
out in Persian, "Tchekunem?" that is, "What shall
I do ?'' and this gave name to the valley or hollow.
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CH. XII.] PARTHIAN BURIAL-PLACE. 17
Thermometer— 5 a.m. WP \ half p3t 2, 90';
10, 64^
Octoher^^. — I continued my observations at in-
tervals during the day, among a crowd of Arbil
people, who squatted down in a semicircle at a rer
spectful distance, and speculated among themselves,
over their pipes, about the nature of my operations.
None offered the least molestation ; and I could not
help smiling when I reflected on the different treat-
ment Delambre («i licet parvis) experienced in the
neighbourhood of Paris, from that which I met with
in this savage out-of-the-way place* I had no guard
or attendants with me.
The artificial mount on which the castle of Arbil
stands is, I conjecture, about one hundred and fifty
feet high, and three or four hundred yards, in dia-
meter. It was once doubtless much higher, and it
is probable the summit of it was ruined by Caracalla.
Some time ago, when Hajee Abdulla Bey was build-
ing on this mount, he dug up a sepulchre, in which
was a body laid in state, quite perfect, the features
fully recognizable ; but it fell to dust shortly after it
had been exposed to the air. If, as I believe, this
was the burial-place of the Arsacidse, may not this
have been the body of a Parthian king ? Hajee
Cossim Bey infoimed me that the interior of the
mount is divided into compartments by brick-work,
composed of large bricks, with no inscriptions on
them, as he ascertained by digging into it from a
Vol. II. C.
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18 LOCAL TRADITION, [CH. XII.
slrdaub or cellar in his house which standa in the
castle. The perpendicular height of the mount he
estimates at forty large cubits.
There is a local tradition, peculiar to the place,
that Arbil was built by Darius *, which is the more
dCurious, as there is no connexion in any oriental tale
or history between Darius and Arbela; and the
easterns are totally ignorant of the battle of Arbela
or Gaugamela.
Hares and antelopes abound in this plain, and the
ground is covered with immense flights of kattas, or
desert partridges. Hawks of the Balaban species
are also caught in this plain, and exported chiefly to
Koordistan.
Thermometer — 6 a.m. 67°; half past 2 p.m. 84°;
10 P.M. 74° ; wind S.E. ; cloudy.
October 29. — ^We had a most disagreeable day
yesterday— ^true Gherara weather t— the wind blow-
ing in squalls from the east and south-east, and the
air charged with dust, which defiled every thing,
and filled our eyes, noses, and mouths. We marched
* Darius, or Darah, was, like Pharaoh and Caesar, rather a title
than a name ; and the tradition therefore may perhaps mean no
more than that the city was founded by one of the kings of that
dynasty.
t Gherara was the name of a reach of the river Tigris, a few
miles south of Bagdad, where Mr. Rich and his family were in the
habit of encamping, after the great heat of the summer was over,
in October until the beginning of January, during which period
the south-east wind often prevailed which is here referred to, and
the effects of which were peculiarly disagreeable in tents.- — Ed,
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CH. XII.] MOUKTAIN RANGES. 19
at half past five this morning in a north-^aat di-
rection, and about an hour after we parsed the vil-
lage of Reshki, on the left hand of the road. Here
another road branches off to the left, and joins the
main one again at the village of Girdasheer. The
whole of the country seems very well cultivated, and
is rather more undulating than that to the south of
Arbil. The peasants were all ploughing. They
did but just scratch the ground. In one plough we
saw a small bullock and an ass yoked together*
The mountains seem here to retire and form a bay
eastward ; they then advance again about the Zab to
the Westward. I now C£^n distinguish several chains ;
1st, the broken country, which is a continuation of
Shuan ; 2d, hills, a little higher ; then one or two
other higher and more rocky chains before Zagrps,
which peeped over all, and seemed higher and more
broken into points, than any part of it we had yet
seen. The lines of hills seem, I think, rather closer
* together than they are in Koordistan. Before us
Mount Makloube ; still farther to the left of it, Ka-
ratchuk, a mountain which is. said to extend to Jezira
and Mardin. To the right of Makloube are two wall-
like ranges of hills, which run through Akra, and
which, together with Makloube, form the district of
Naokor *, a very rich pi-ovince of Amadia.
* Kaokor is dcBCriptive of the situation of the province — a plain
between two ranges of hills. The hills, or chain, on the east of
Naokor is a prolongation of Azmir, and is called the Akra moun-
C 2
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20 PLAIN OF THE ZAB. [OH. XIU
The country still continued increasing in undula*
tions as we advanced, but was not very considerably
indented, and was without any particular feature. At
some intei-vals we perceived one or two little mounts,
as if the road had been traced in the same manner
as I remarked on the other side of Arbil. About
half-past eight we passed Girdasheer, a little fort
on a mount, with a village at the foot of it : this
is called half-way to the Zab. Soon after we passed
Little Girdasheer on the right of our road. The
level of the country now began to descend : the Zab
was on our right, with the village of Elbesheer on
its banks. At eleven o'clock we reached the village
of Kellek on the pebbly banks of the Zab*. The
bank opposite to us retires ; below it advances, and
the bank on our side retires, leaving a plain of about
one mile to one and a half mile's extent, in which
the Zab divides itself into two or three streams. We
descended into this plain, and passing two branches
not above a few inches deep, at half-past eleven we
arrived at the main stream under the right bank,
which is a pebbly cliiff. We went over on a kellek
or raft, and our horses and attendants forded a little
tain, then Naokor, Zaaferania, Zakho. This, consequently, vras
the first mountain Xenophon and the Ten Thousand ascended.
The Koordish, like the languages of all mountains, is very fertile
in terms descriptive of natural objects and situations.
* All the Koords and people of these parts call the Zab, Zerb.
The Zab seems the Arabic name taken from the Chaldean.
Bochart's etymology is ingenious and plausible.
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CH. XII*] FORDS OF THE RIVER. 21
below, where the water was scarcely above four
fiset deep, the river in that place spreading itself
over a wide surface. At the place where we crossed
it, the stream was, at its narrowest, not above four
hundred feet over, but about two or three fathoms
and a half deep. The current was very rapid, run-
ning at the rate of about two or three knots ; the
water beautifully transparent, and of a sky-blue
colour. In spring it often spreads itself over the
^hole plain. On the cliiOf at the passage is the
Yezid village of Eski Kellek, where we halted for
the night, and where I recognised many old acquaiut-
ances among the Yezidis*, who had escorted us to
Mousul on om' former journey. .
Our travelling to-day was slow for the first hour,
then very excellent going for the rest of the way*
The stage is called seven hours for a caravan, but we
did it in five hours and fifiby-five minutes.
There are many fords in the river between this
village and the mouth of the Zab at Kushaff, on the
"^ris, which is about five hours ofi^f. The junction
* Called by tbeBebbeh Koords, Dassinee.
t The following are the fords of the Zab :— 1. At Ssitteihh, an
Arab vfllage above Kushaff; a very bad ford, deep, the bottom
large slippery stones. 2. At Shumeisat — Arabs — a bad ford;
above Ssitteibh, nearer Eurdek. 3. A ford above Eurdek,
4. At Eski Kellek; the best ford of aU. 5. At New Kellek.
There are three fords above New Kellek, between it and the
mountain. None of these fords are now passable : they disappear
at the first rains.
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22 THB GHAZIB BOO. [CH. XII.
of the Ghazir or Bumadus with the Zab takes place
about three hours below this place. The Bumadus
rises out of the rock about five hours beyond Akra«
Both the Zab and the Bumadus wind much. Just
below their junction^ on the west bank of the ZaK
is the village of Eurdek, and I have satisfactorily
ascertained that there is no ravine, tract, or discharge
rf water whatever in or near the Zab after the junc-
tion of the Bumadus.
Thermometer — 6 a.m. 68° ; half-past 2 p.m. 88° ;
10 P.M. 68^
October 30. — We marched at twenty-five minutes
past six. The country rose by two steps to its general
level from the river. The first rise was from the
water to the village on the pebbly cliflF ; then came
a level space, and then again a second rise about the
height of the cliffs, that is, about fifteen feet, looking
as if it had been the bank of the river at some very
ancient period. We marched from the village to
the second step ; then having ascended to the level
of the country, we proceeded at seven in a westeiHi^
direction. The country between the two rivers, the
Zab and the Bumadus, is of an undulating surface,
biit not broken nor abrupt. The peasants were
ploughing in many places. At ten minutes before
eight we reached the Bumadus or Ghazir Soo, which
very much resembles the Zab, and, like it, has
a high pebbly bank alternately retiring and leaving
a plain between it and the ordinary bed of the river.
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CHr XH.] CHRISTUK CONVBNT. 23
We still kq>t west through the plain, (the village of
Minkoube was above us on the banks,) with the river
on our rigbt, which we forded at ten minutes after
eight. The depth was nearly the same all through ;
that is, about two and a half or three feet, just up to
my stirrups. The breadth was about three hundred
feet It is now at its lowest, and is more rapid than
the Zab. In spring it sometimes swells so as to
cover the plain up to the banks, and is then unford^*
able ; but it never remains at that extreme height
above a couple of days. It is said to rise a short
distance from Akra, The west bank, which we
came to after fording, is not so high as the east, and
the country gradually subsides^ — if I may be allowed
the expression — 'into an immense plain, level as far
as we could fee, and for the most part under cultiva^
tion* The village of Zara Khatoon is at a little
distance below the ford *. From the river we pro-
ceeded in a north-west direction, and at half'-past
eight (N. 68 W.) we brought Karatchuk in one
with Makloube, which it covered. Before we lost
sight of Makloube, we saw on its steep side, about
half'*way up, the convent of Mar Mattel, or St. Mat*
thew, a very celebrated place among the Christians
of these parts. We observed likewise, on the top of
Karatchuk, the remains of a church. From the
Bumadus we advanced even more rapidly than before.
* The Ghazir joins the Zab three caravans or two horsemen's
hours below Old Kellek. Just before its junction, on its west
bank, is the village of Eurdek.
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24 RUINED CHURCH. [CH. XIT.
Hajee Jirjees Aga*, my old friend and mehmandar,
now Kaftan Agassi, met me beyond the ford of the
Buniadus, with a party of Kaouklees f , sent by the
Pasha of Mousul to escort me and welcome me into
his dominions; and we marched together to Keimalis,
a miserable Chaldean village, where we arrived at
twenty minutes to ten, after travelling at a very
good rate all day. The march is called two hours
and a half to the Bumadus, and the same from
thence to Kermalis, for a caravan. Kermalis was
once a considerable town, which was ruined by
Nadir Shah, and is now a very poor village, ex-
tremely dirty, like all Christian villages in the
East. There is a large and very ancient church
here, which from a date appears to have been repaired
one hundred and thirty years ago, but it is now in a
very ruinous condition. There is also a smaller
church, built not long ago, and a very wretched-
looking building it is. Behind the village, about half
a mile (N. 80 W.) from our tents, is a high artificial
mount of ancient date. I ascended it to take some
sights with, the compass of some of the surround-
ing objects. I succeeded but indiflferently, as the
evening was dusky and squally, and distant objects
were but imperfectly visible and the needle not very
steady* Villages were visible in every direction in
the plain, level, like the sea, all around us.
* An officer of the Pasha of Mousul.
t Or government officers ; so called from the peculiar turban
they wear.
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CH- XII. ] GA U6 AMELA. 25
Major Rennell suppfoses Kennalis to be Gauga-
mela*; but Gaugamela appears, both from Arrian
tind Quintus Curtius, to have been on the Bumadus,
which Kermalis can in no respect be said to be.
Indeed it is not possible, among the great number
of villages scattered over this plain and all along the
Bumadus, to decide which is Gaugamela. We know
well that Gaugamela was, even in Alexander's day,
a village of no consequence, which was the reason
why the Greeks called the victory by the name
of Arbela, the nearest remai'kable place to the field
of battle* Gaugamela was sought after merely to
establish the locality of the battle ; but we have
now no occasion for this, and, in fact, if we want to
find Gaugamela, we must seek it from our know-
ledge of the field ; but this would be useless, if not
impossible. There can be no reason for selecting
Kermalis for Gaugamela, more than any other of
the villages by which it is surrounded. Ignorance
of its situation, or a fancied analogy in the name,
may possibly have led to its selection. It is about
the centre of the plain, and not very remarkable for
its situation f.
* See " Major RennelPs Illustrations of the History of the
Expedition of Cyrus,'* pp. 153, 154.
t A little stream rises at Terjilla, and passing by Shah Kouli^
comes to Kennalis, at which village it is used for cultivating
cotton ; and when it is not entirely drawn off at Kermalis by the
cultivation, it runs by Karakoosh, where there is a little bridge of
one arch over it, and finds its way to the Tigris,
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20 OUTSKIRTS OF NIKEVEH. [CH. XII.
Thermometer—e a.m. 58'' ; half-past 2 p.m. 80^ ;
10 P.M, 64°.
October 31.— We mounted at a quarter past six ;
the road from hence to Mousul was N. 75 W. We
rode over the level plain till eight, when the country
became again pebbly and unequal, the level country
still continuing at a distance on our right. At half-
past eight we came to still higher ground, and lost
sight of the plain in every direction. We soon after
descended into a ravine called Shor Dereh, or the
nitrous valley, which was dry, but which, in winter
and spring, is sometimes impassable for two or three
days together from the water and deep mire. We
met here a large caravan of camels going to Bagdad,
laden with gall-nuts and copper.
At twenty minutes to ten we came to a large
rampart, then to a hollow like a ditch, and then to
another rampart, which my Mousul Turks called the
beginning of Nineveh ; and shortly after we reached
another ditch and wall, which seemed to indicate
that Nineveh had a double wall. Under or in this
second wall is a spring or well covered over with.
an arch of very ancient masonry, composed of large
stones. The well is called Danilamajeh, and the in-
habitants believe its water is efficacious in many com-
plaints, not from its medical qualities, but from some
superstition connected with it. They all believe it
to be haunted by genii, and nobody durst approach
it after nightfall. Hussein Aga told me that one
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CH. xil] arrival at mousul. 27
nighti as he was passing by the spot after dark, he
heard a tremendous drumming and turmoil in the
well, and that he put out his horse at Rill speed to
escape, as the man that, however involuntarily, be*
comes a spectator of their rites, either dies soon after
or loses his senses. I tasted the water, and found it
good, and it was remarkably clear and pure.
I remained ten minutes at the well, and then rode
on, passing through the area of Nineveh, under the
village of Nebbi Yunus on our. left hand. The walls
of Nineveh on the east have become quite a concre*
tion of pebbles, like the natural hills. At twenty-
five minutes past ten we arrived on the banks of the
Tigris, where we were ferried over to our place of
residence during our stay at Mousul, at Naaman
Pasha's garden, south of the town, which my kind
friend the Pasha had prepared for us, as likely to be
more agreeable than living in the city.
The stage from Kermalis to Mousul is reckoned
four hours. We occupied four hours and a quarter
in performing it, and our rate of going was good,
though not first-rate.
Thermometer— 6 a.m. 58° ; 2 p.m. 78°.
[Mr. Rich's daily Journal stops here. There is
little more personal narrative. He was so fully
occupied in examining the country and its antiqui-
ties ; in making observations connected with its
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28 MousuL. [cH. xn.
geography and history; in visiting and receiving
visits from the chiefs and principal people of the
tovtrn and neighbourhood^ during his residence of
four months in Mousul, that he had little leisure for
writing; and therefore he committed to paper such
particulars only as might be likely to escape his
memory, or required mathematical exactness, leav-
ing the history of his personal intercourse with the
people to be narrated :at a future period.
This was Mr. Ricli^^ fourtji visit to Mousul. He
was most kindly received by his old friend Ahmed
Pasha ; a fuller account of whom, and of the town
and its neighbourhood, is contained in a journal kept
by Mr. Rich during a former journey to and from
Bagdad and Constantinople, which it is purposed
soon to publish.]
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THE NEW TOftK )
PUBLIC LIBRARY
AfiTOR, LBNOX AND
I TXLDJSN FOUNDATIONS
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CH. XIII.] 29
CHAPTER XIIL
The Ruins of Nineveh — ^Village of Nebbi Yunus — Stones covered
with Cuneiform Writing — Inscription in the Wall of a House
— The Mosque of Nebbi Yunus — formerly a Church — ^The
Area of Nineveh— The Walls— The Mount of Koyunjuk— The
River Khausser — Another high Mount — Large hewn stones-
Bitumen adhering to them — Thisbe's Well — East boundary
Wall — Nadir Shah — His Encampment — Story of the dispersion
of his Army — Bridge of Boats over the Tigris*
November 8. — ^We have had stormy weather since
our arrival at Mousul ; easterly winds, and some rain.
This morning the weather cleared up, and the moun-
tains to the north, called the Gara mountains, show
snow on some of their summits. That snow lies
all along this chain from one year to another, in
clefts and sheltered situations, I have no doubt ; but
I am informed that some of these mountains have
snow on their open, exposed summits, all the year
round ; and I have so often heard this where it was
not the case, that I am now rather hard of belief.
They say here also that snow, if it lies a thousand
years on the ground, becomes the mineral called
Dehneh or Dehlij *, of which they make great use in
diseases of the eye.
* When I was formerly at Mousul, the Pasha of that place put
into my hands the substance called dehlij, which name is not to
be found in any dictionary, not even the Kamoos. It is produced
in a gold mine in the mountains of Hakkaie in Koordistan, which
are a prolongation of the chain of Taurus, in various parts of
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30 RUINS 01^ NINEVEH. [CH. XIII.
The day being fine, we sallied forth to take a
general inspection of the remains of Nineveh ; and
we crossed the river in the boat at our garden. The
current of the river, which is now at its lowest, is at
present not more than a knot ; nor had the late day's
rain made any difference in it. The breadth where
we crossed was about four hundred feet ; the depth
not above two fathoms. At the bridge* it is deeper
and narrower ; below the ferry it is wide and shallow,
and leaves an island in the centre, which is covered
over at the first rising of the river.
We first went to the village, or rather little town
of Nebbi Yunus, which contains about three hun-
dred houses, and is built on an ancient artificial
mount, the whole of which it does not cover. Its
antiquity is well ascertained by the remains found
on digging into it very deep ; when fragments of
bricks, whole bricks, and pieces of gypsum, covered
with inscriptions in the cuneiform character, are
found. I have many of these, one in particular
which both gold and copper mines exist. The dehlij is tiBed by the
people of Mousul as a remedy for the eyes, when reduced to an im-
palpable powder, and mixed with twice as much loaf sugar. It is
in very small nubs, some a light blue, or turquoise colour, some of
a green colour, and more or less mixed with earthy matter. On
being split, the nubs have a shiny appearance in the inside like
spar. It appears to correspond exactly with what Hauy calls
granuliform carbonate of copper— blue and green. Iteflfervesces
in nitric acid.
* Near this bridge a battle was fought in the year 521, between
the Emperor Heraclius and the troops of Chosroes the king of
Persia.— See Gibbon, vol. viii. p. 248.
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CH. XIIL] CUNEIFORM IKSCRIPTIONS. 31
which measures one foot four inches in thickness,
covered with writing, that was dug up in this mound '*' ;
and to*day we were shown some fragments built up
in the foundations of houses. One of these, a broken
piece of gypsum with cuneiform characters, was in
the kitchen of a wretched house, and appeared to be
part of the wall of a small passage %vhich is said to
reach far into the mount. Some people dug into it
last year ; but as it went under the houses, and they
were afraid of undermining them, they closed it up
again with rubbish, and only that portion of it which
had been laid open, and forms part of a kitchen, is
now visible. A little farther on, in a small room
occupied by the women of an inhabitant of the town,
who very politely went out to allow us to inspect it
at our leisure, was another inscription, in very large
cuneiform letters, on a piece of gypsum. It faces
south, and runs east and west. Only about three
feet of it are now open, though it is said to extend
several yards west ; but it has since been plastered
over with mud. This inscription is the more curious,
as it seems to occupy its original position. It is not
much above the floor of the room, is about two feet
high, and below the level of the surface of the mound.
The cuneiform characters are in their proper posi-
tion. The insoription is said to have been discovered
in building the room, and was left just where it was
found, only plastered over with mud like the rest of
* Now in the British Muaeum. — Ed»
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32 TOMB OF. JONAH. . [CH, XIU.
the room. It is exactly parallel witb, and very near
the passage noticed before ; which appears to hwe
been continued into, and even beyond, this spot^
from some lines or traces seen in the ground, but is
now broken down and laid open here. I doubt not
but many other antiquities might be found in this
mound ; but the greater part of it is thickly covered
with a labyrinth of small houses, and it is only on
the repairing or falling down of these that such
tilings are discovered.
From this we went to the mosque which covers the
tomb of Jonah *. It is on the north and higher end
of the mound, and is rather a considerable building*
The principal dome is ribbed and of a conical shape ;
it stands on an octagonal base, eight feet each face,
which is again placed on a square pediment, standing
on the terrace that covers the building. The dome
is of small circumference, whitened, and crowned
with a spike. The terrace, or flat roof, is about
fifteen feet above the level of the mound on the south
side, but on the noii:h it rises forty feet by measure-
ment above the mound, about thirty feet perpen-
dicular height of which remains between the foot of
* There was formerly a Christian monastery where the pre-
tended tomb of Jonah now stands, the Mahometan building^
being erected over the church, which is preserved entire ; but no
Christian on any account would be suffered to go near it. The
Christians named their church after the tradition that Jonah
preached in that place ; but they deny his having been buried
there. They believe, on the contrary, that, after his mission wa»
accomplished, he returned to Palestine.
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CH. XIII.] SUBTERRANEAN PASSAGES. 33
the wall, and level of the plain or area of Nineveh ;
so that the perpendicular height of the highest part
of the mound, above the level of the plain is about
fifty feet. There, are; several other domes^ but they
are semicircular, and rise very little above the
terrace- . On the east side of the court of the mosque
we were shown three very narrow, ancient passages,
one within the other, with several doors or apertures,
opening one into the other, which reminded me of
the interior plan of the Zendan at Dastagerda.* The
passages are quite dark, narrow, and vaulted, and
appear much as if designed for the reception of dead
bodies. They are said to be very ancient, but of
what age none of our conductors could specify;
and they extended much farther, but they have been
stopped up.
From the terrace of the mosque is. an admirable
view of Mousul. The whole population of the town
assembled to gaze at us, but none oflFered the least
molestation, though some of them were heard opining
that I was ascertaining if great guns would bear
upon Mousul from that position.
We afterwards rode through the area of Nineveh
to the j&rst wall of the enclosure. It is a line of
earth and gravel, out of which large hewn stones are
dug, as out of all the walls of the area. Beyond
this is a ditch, still . very regular, and easily trace-
* See Journal of an Excursion to the Frontiers of S. Kogr-
distan.
Vol. II. D
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34 AREA OP NINEVEH. [CH. XIII.
able, on the other side of which is another wall.
Under this wall is the well of Damlamajeh, noticed
before; and bey6nd it, leaving only a narrow
ravine or ditch, there is still another, and, I believe,
the largest wall.
We went no farther than the well to-day. It is a
few feet distant from the wall, in the ravine, and has
the remains of a little dome over it, in the inside of
which is an archway over the water, of massy stone
work. In the interstices over the entrance are the
remains of a great many nails, probably driven in to
hold shreds of cloth, — the signs of a person having
made a vow or promise, if he recover from any dis-
order by the intercession of a saint, or the virtue of a
spring. The water appears to come out of a conglo-
meration of pebbles and soil, of which also the base
of the wall seems to be composed, as may be seen
where it has been broken into at the foot. We saw
also some river shells among the pebbles.
From the well we rode north in the ravine, till it
opens a little at the river Khausser, which passes
through it. On the edge of the river, which in spring
sometimes swells so as to be unfordable for a short
time, is a piece of ancient stone-work, as if there had
been a bridge over it. From the Khausser we re-
turned home, leaving Koyunjuk Tepeh on our right
and passing close under the tomb of Jonah.
The area of Nineveh, on a rough guess, is about
one and a half to two miles broad, and four miles
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Orv.siowg/inf WWaZbarv.
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f^^^ -• ' ■^'^m^
■■■^m^^<
Jhnbt^iyCMMrnouuitiA
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CH.XIII.] PYRAMtJS AND tHISBE. 35
long, extending a little Way south of Nebbi YunUs.
On the river, or west side, there are only remains of
one wall, and I observed the same at the liorth and
south extremities ; but on the east side there are the
remains of three walls. The west wall appears to
have run a little inTront of Nebbi Yunus. Between
it and the river the ground is subject to frequent in-»
undations and changes; but it has not interfered
with the area*
In this pla(;e 1 calinot help remarking a passage
in Jonah ; that Prophet suffered grievously from the
easterly wind. This is the sherki so much dreaded
in all these countries, which is hot, stormy, and sin-
gularly relaxing and dispiriting *.
November 10. — I was obliged to call on the Pasha
yesterday, and therefore could not go over to Nineveh;
but we set off this morning at ten o'clock, although
the day was not quite so favourable for observation
* Amoiig the many recollections suggested by a fiutvey of tlie
ruins of Nineveh, the beautiful tale of Pyramus and Thisbt^ is cer-
tainly not the least interesting. It is most likely derived from an
Oriental story ; and if this be the case, Pyramus will be Bahram,.
which is commonly rendered in Latin Varatnus. I am not well
enough acquainted with ancient female n^mes to say what Thisbi^
may be ; but the whole story has a local air % which makes me
think it was not wholly the invention of the Roman bard.
* The only ancient writers •who tell this story are Ovid, Met iv..
55, and Hyginusj and both make Babylon the scene of it. Mr.
Rich has been led, doubtless by the " busta Nini" of Ovid, the
" Ninus^s Tomb " (Mids. Night's Dream), to suppose the true
locality to be where j as he believed, that tomb was really to be fotmr^,
viz., at Nineveh. See his Second Memoir on Babylon, pp. 58.
192. — Communicated by ajriend to the Ed,
D2
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36 MOUNT OF KOYUNJUK. [CH. XUU
as yesterday, it being rather hot %vhen we first went
out, but in the afternoon it got cool and pleasant.
We first went to Koyunjuk, crossing the Khausser,
which runs at its south foot, and is twenty or thirty
feet over, and about two feet deep in the deepest place.
I was enabled, from the Mount of Koyunjuk, to
form a general idea of the enceinte of Nineveh.
Koyunjuk is rather nearer the north than the south
extremity of the western wall, which adjoins it, or
rather did adjoin it, on both sides ; the western face
of Koyunjuk being aligned with the wall. The
same thing may be said of the mount on which the
village of Nebbi Yunus is built, which extends
inwards, or easterly, about as much, though its sur-
face is not so extensive as that of Koyunjuk. The
wall, after a little break at the foot of Koyunjuk,
where it is ruined, proceeds north in a straight line
up to its north-west angle or extremity. It is to be
observed, the angles are not marked by any tower,
bastion, or work of any kind.
At the southern foot of Koyunjuk runs the little
brook of Khausser, on the south bank of which the
wall re-commences. It is here broken abruptly,
and shows an interior construction of unburnt. brick,
but no reeds. The wall runs again in a straight line
to the north-west angle of Nebbi Yunus, where it is
again broken by the Kermelis road close by the
village. Beyond Nebbi Yunus it waves or bends a
little outwards to its south-west extremity. The
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CH..XHI.] BABYLONIAN FRA€l1tfENTS. 37
height of the wall is from ten to fifteen feet in the
highest part ; and it comes to a ridge or point in the
place where it is best preserved. Very large hewn
atones are dug out of every, part of its extent, I
believe generally near the bottom. . We remarked
one enormous hewn stone lying on the top of it.
The Mount of Koyunjuk is, except at its west and
part of its eastern face, of rather an irregidar form.
Its sides are very steep, its top nearly flat ; its angles
are not marked by any lantern or turret. . The per-
pendicular height is forty-three feet ; the total cir-
cumference 7691 feet. . While I was taking the
angles, :Captain Kefala* employed himself with four
sepoys in taking the measurement of the mount.
The top of the mount does not w^ar the appear-
ance of ever having been greatly higher than it is at
present ; , but it evidently has had building on it,
at least round its edges. Stones and bricks are dug
or ploughed up every where. There were also other
buildings farther in the mount ; and at a place where
they had been digging into it, . we saw the same
coarse stone and. mortar. masonry, and a piece of
coarse grey stone, shaped like the capital of a colunm,
such as at this day surmounts the wooden pillars
or posts of Turkish or rather Persian verandahs ;
but there was no carving on it. We also saw, in
many parts, a flooring, or pavement, on the surface
* Captain Kefala was a Greek, who had been to- India on pri-
vate business, and who, on his return, joined Mr. Rich, and
accompanied liim during part of this journey.
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38 STONE CQAIR, [c», Xl\h
of the mount, of small stones rammed down with
earth. Pottery we also found, and other Babylonian
fra^ents ; also bits of brick, with bitumen adhering
to them ; and I am informed that many brieks with
bitumen are found in these ruins. A pi^ce of fine
brick or pottery, covered with exceedingly small and
beautiful cuneiform writing, was found while we were
looking about the mount. It is of the finest kind, yeU
lowish, with a polished or hard sur&ce^ and apparently
belonged to one of the large cylinders. On the north-
east angle of the mound is the little village of Koy*
unjuk. Some part of the surface of the mound, pro*
bably where the buildings were either less solid or
perhaps entirely wanting, is ploughed over.
The greatest part of the curiosities from Nineveh
are found in the mount on which Nebbi Yunus is
situated. The curious little stone chair brought tq
ipe at Bulimania by my curio8ity*<hunter Delli Sa-*
maan, was &und here, with several written bricks
and cylinders. After having observed the mount
sufficiently, I proceeded to finish what I had to. do
north of the Khajaaser, reserving the southern divi-
sion for to-moiTow-
3ut I must first remark that the river Tigris
runs i)Si into a semicircle above the ruins and returns
below theiQ^ leaviqg a flat cultivated semicircle of
1§q4i At the north*«west angle of Koyunjuk is au
interval of two hundred and ten paces between it and
the recommencement of the wall, and here the Wall
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iOH. xiil] ancient bas-relief. 39
jseems to have decayed more. The interval has been
dug into for stones.
We now went along the wall in a north-west
direction on horseback* till we came to a part of it
higher and broader externally than the rest. Here,
some years ago, an immense bas*relief, representing
men and animals, covering a grey stone of the height
of two men, was dug up from a spot a little above
the surface of the ground. All the town of Mousul
went out to see it, and in a few days it was cut up or
brokea to pieces. I picked up at this place a piece
of a cornice of gypsum, or what is called Mousul
marble.
Hence we went along the wall to another high
mount on the wall, like the one we had last observed.
Here were some ruins, or inequalities of the ground,
stretched north-west into the area of the city ; but I
am inclined to believe they are only inequalities* All
the area from the* commencement of this inequisdity
up to the east wall is higher and not ^o smooth as the
western part of it. We continued riding along the
wall, which here was high and steep, to the place
where the Khausser runs through it, and where is a
mount on which I fixed as one of my stations for
observations. It does not seem to have been broken ;
and on the banks of the Khausser here, and also
a little higher up, is some stone- work, which may
have been part of a pier or bridge
On the outside of the wall, as far round as the
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40 EXCAVATION OF THE MOUNT. [OH, XIII.
last mount but on6, the country is hilly, or perhaps
it would be more correct to say, unequal ; and ti^m^
abouts it runs off to form the high bank of the river
on which the Sheikh* is situated.
November II. — ^There was some rain in the night,
but not enough to spoil my day's work. I therefore
went out at the usual time, and set Captain KefiUa,
with a working party of sepoys, to measure the base^
while I went round the southern part of Nineveh,
sketched the country, and took the remaining angles:
The wall up to Nebbi Yunus bends inwards a little,
and, except near the south-Avest angle, it is small,
low, and broken. The road from Karakoosh to
Mousul runs along it. Near the angle it becomes
high again, and continues, high and regular round
tlie south-west angle up to the south-east angle, and
then round to the double-headed mount, which I call
Station 8. The sides, though very steep, are ploughed.
On the south side or face of *the inclosure are
three openings, the centre one of which at least
seems to have been part of the original plan. A few
yards from it on the outride of the wall near the
Karakoosh road my attention was called to a very
curious object, seemingly of the remotest antiquity.
Some pebple had been digging for stones, and had
dug a hole in the ground, from which they had
turned up many large hewn stones with bitumeti
* The tomb of a Mahometan saint, but whose name I cannot
learn. — Ed.
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OH. XIII.] WELL OF damlamajeh; 41
ftdherifig to ihem. I examined the excavation,
which was about ten feet deep, and found, it con-
sisted of huge stones, laid' in layers of bitumen and
lime-mortar. I brought away some specimens of
them sticking together. I also saw some layers of
red clay i which were very thicks and had become as
indurated as burnt brick^, but there was not ihe
least appearance of reeds or straw ever having been
used. This mass appeared to have been a founda-
tion or substructure. -We found among the rubbish
some pieces of coarse unglazed pottery. It would not
have been possible to tell, from the appearance of
the surface of the ground, that there bad been build-
ing beneath — a water-course full of pebbles 'had
even passed over it. It is therefore very difficult to
say to what extent vestiges of building may exist
outside the inclosures, the area of which may have
been the royal quarter, but certainly was never suffi-
cient for the city of Nineveh.
We now went to Damlamajeh, which we had
agreed to call Thisbfe-s Well, to > refresh ourselves
for a little while; and I todk the ^ opportunity of
ascertaining the temperature of the spring, which
X found to be 66^ that of the air in the little
building which contains it being 65^. The spring
issues out of a concretion of pebbles. It is covered
by a little dome, which is evidently of Mahometan
* Red clay is still used by many as a coating for walls, instead
of plaster.
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42 VENERATION FOE CERTAIN SPRINGS. [CH. Xin>
workiuanship. The archway which forms the descent
to the spring inside the ante-chamber may be more
ancient, possibly old Christian arcbitectm*e. It
seems to be built with large fragments of stone
taken from the ruins of T^ineveh; and on each
side of the door*way is a pedestal or capital of
a column, exactly similar to the one we found at
Koyunjuk.
Once a year the peasants assemble and sacrifice a
sheep at the well, with music and other festivities;
This is a superstition far anterior to the religion
they now profess. This veneration for certain springs
is common both to Christians and Mahometans*
Captain Kefala, himself a Greek, remarked that thi$
well had every appearance of having been a spot
consecrated by the Christians. The Greeks are inr
deed much attached to grottoes and wells. There is
scarcely one in all Greece and the islands which i$
not consecrated to the Virgin, who seems to have
succeeded the nymphs in their guardianship of these
pAtces ; and where once on a rude basso relievo wa^
seen NYM^^AIS, we now find an equally rude
figure with a dedication to the Panagia. There i$
something very poetic in the worship of the Virgin..
As I proposed to devote a day entirely to the inr
spection of Nineveh beyond the wall, m^ was
besides anxious to take the angles at the base whil^
there was good light to see my distant signals, I re-
turned to the inclosure to take my last station.
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«?• Xin.] WALJiS OF NINEVEH, 43
r(^inarking on my way several stones which had been
dug out of the wall or elevation under which the
well is situated, between it and the inelosure wall,.
Most of these atones seem to be of the same kiud,
that is, a (soarser kind pf Mousul marble or gypsum,
of a grey colour*. I also observed sandstone cut
into blocks. Moat of the stones dug up were of
enormous dimensions.
Between the two walls the ground is ploughed
in many places, and I wondered to see how they
ploughed ground which se^mQ to consist almost,
entirely of loose pebbles; but I believe such ground
is the b^t for all plants of the melon kind.
We arrived at the east boundary wall by the
Kermelis road, which passes close by the well. The
wall on the north side of the road rises into two high
mounts, the southernmost of which is the. one which
I set with the compass from several stations. A little
way up it I saw an immense stone, or rather slab,^
with bitumen adhering to the underside of it> which
had just been dug up out of the mount.
While I was employed in taking angles, the
Seyd, with Hussein Agg^v went into the village of
Nebbi Yunus, where they discovered a^g^uarQ stone:
or slab* covered with a cuneiform inscription which,
was extremely perfect* This was in the wall of
* The natives distingui^li between this and the gypsum, caUing
the gypsum heilan^ or hhallariy and the other from Mousul, mer-
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44 WALLS OP NINEVEH. [CH. XIIL
a house, but the Seyd managed so cleverly, that he
succeeded in purchasing and bringing it away ; and
it is now safely lodged among my other curiosities.
After I had concluded my measurements I care-
fully observed the village and mount of Nebbi Yunus.
The village and the tomb are principally built on the
east boundary wall, and amountof parallelogrammic
form juts out from it easterly, on which is a burying-
ground.
The mound which projects out is not above ten or
twelve feet high. The tomb is on the highest part of
the whole, and on what appears to have been the
west wall, a few yards of which adjoins the village a
little in front of the tomb, and on it are some graves
and a very deep well; then comes the x)pening
formed by the road from Kermelis to Mousul ; after
which the wall is continued again up to the Kausser
under Koyunjuk. I fear there will be no means of
taking the dimensions of the mound of Nebbi Yunus
otherwise than by distant sights, on account of the
village being on and connected with it.
One thing is sufficiently obvious to the most care-
less observer, which is, the equality of age of all
these vestiges. Whether they belonged to Nineveh
or some other city is another question, and one not so
easily determined, but that they are all of the same
age and character does not admit of a doubt.
The vestiges or traces of building within the area
are, with the exception of Nebbi Yunus and Koyun-
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CH. XIII.] EXTENT OF NINEVEH. 45
j.uk,, extremely slight; and I am now confirmed in
tile opinion I formed in viewing the ruins many
years ago, that the inclosure formed only a part of a
great city, probably either the citadel or royal pre-
cincts, or perhaps both, as the practice of fortifying
the residence of the sovereign is of very ancient
origin. In the East, to this day the dwelling of the
prince, and indeed of many governors, consists of a
number of buildings inclosed in quite , a separate
quarter; and. from what we are told of the Baby-
lonian palaces, and see of that. of the Seffiyiyahs and
of the Sultan of Constantinople, this extent would
not. be too much to assign for the residence of the
Assyrian kings *.
* Most readers are acquainted with the extent assigned to this
city in the Scriptures, but it may not be so generally known that the
heathen authors agree likewise in giving the same account of its
vastness. " Strabon (says the Abb^ Sevin, Recherches : sur
PHistoire d^Assyrie) assure que cette ville occupoit I'espace qui est
entre le Tigre et le Lycus ; et cet espace, au rapport de Ptol6m6e,
n'a pas moins de 50,000 pas, si on le preud de Pendroit oil le Lycus
va se jetter dans le Tigre. II est aise de juger par-la quelle, deyoit
^tre la grandeur de Nin^ve. Je ne vois rien de plus magnifique que
la description qui nous a ^te laiss(^e par Diodore. Si on en croit cet
historien, elle avoit 150 stades de long sur 90 de large; etle circuit
(Stoit de 480 stades, qui font environ 60,000 pas. Une si prodigieuse
^tendue paroitroit sans doute incroyable, si on ne trouvoit express^-
ment dans I'Ecriture, que Jonas n'employa pas moins de trois jours
k faire le tour de cette fameuse ville. Apr^s tout, les murs n'en
fetoient pas moins dignes d'admiration. Leur hauteur tftoit de 1 00
pieds, et on rapporte que trois chariots y pouvoient aisement
marcher de front. II y avoit outre cela 1500 tours, dont chacune
fctoit de 200 pieds de haut. A juger par cette description, il n'.y. a
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46 SIEGE OP MOUSUL. [cH. XIlL
Nadir Shah when he besieged Mousul encamped
within this inclosure, and his own tents were pitched
on the Koyunjuk mount. He did not entrench
himself, indeed he found a kind of defence ready
made in the ancient walls of Nineveh ; and had he
chosen a less guarded position, he would have had
no occasion to throw up any works, as he was in no
danger of a sally from the garrison. There was no
army in the field, and the brave garrison of Mousul
were few in number and obliged to keep strictly on
the defensive within the walls on the other side of the
river, the bridge being of course broken down. The
inhabitants still talk much of the skill of Kazukjee
Mustafa Pasha, an engineer who had arrived from
Constantinople, in finding out and defeating Nadir
Shah's plans for mining and getting possession of the
city ; once in particular when he was working a
tunnel under the Tigris.
They also have a story about the dispersion of
Nadir Shah's army by the miraculous interposition
of St. George, St. Matthew *, and Jonah, who ap-
peared among them armed and mounted.
personne qui ne s*imagm&t, qu'a. peine un si^cle atiroit pu suffire
pour porter k sa perfection un ouvrage qui est si fort au-dessus des
plus beaux monumens de I'antiquitt?. Si l*on s'eii rapporte si
Eustathe, il fut enti^rement acheve dans Pespace de huit annexes;
et la cliose semblera d'autant plus vraisemblable, que 140,000
homines y travaillferent sans interruption.** — Academie des In-
scriptions, vol. iv. p. 500, duodecimo.
* Called by the people of Mousul, Sheikh Muttee, not the
Evmngelist. There is. a very ancient and celebrated convent (Deir
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CH. XIII,] BRIDGE OP BOATS. 47
November 12. — ^Tlje bridge of boats at the city is
three hundred and five feet in length, and consists of
twenty-one boats ; then comes a space of one hun-
dred and forty feet to the end of a stone bridge of
sixtieen arches five hundred and twelve feet, in all
nine hundred and fifty-seven feet, the whole of which
space is occupied by the river in the spring and
early summer. ^ I have seen it in this state twice on
two former visits to this place ; at present a small
stream of one foot deep only passes through it ; the
bridge forms an obtuse angle at its centre. The
bridge of boats is extended to the stone bridge, when
the river rises and covers the pebbly bed, which
is now a vacant space of one hundred and forty feet
between the two "bridges. The river is narrowest at
the bridge of boats, and deepest just below it, where it
is fifty feet in mid-channel ; it then widens and shal-«
lows to 38, 30,21, 18, 10, 11, 11, 12, 10, 9,10, 12,
10, 8, 7, 5, to the place below our garden, where it
throws out two branches eastwards, and forms the
two low islands now planted with melons ; this is
about two miles below the bridge, but these islands
and others above the town all disappear when the
river rises, and it then becomes one fine stream *.
Mar Mattel) dedicated to him half way up Mount Makloube.
The veneration of the Mahometans for him probably is inherited
from ante- Islam times.
* I may here observe that the measurements and soundings of
the river were taken by Captam Kefala.
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48 [cH. XIV.
CHAPTER XIV.
Continuation of the Examination of the Ruins of Nineveh —
Measurements— Hollow Way— Remains of Piers, Buttresses and
Pillars — Separation Mound— Stones with Bitumen — ^Vestiges
of another Mound— Great Mound called Eski Bari— The Ditch
— Conical Mound — Arrival of Delli Samaan — Antiques-
Country North of the Ruins — Large Stone-masonry — ^Thc
Wall— Tomb of Sheikh Ahmed— Convent of St. George-
Mounds of Ruins — Country South of Nineveh — ^Measurements
' — High Bank of Yaremjee — Mousul Winter — Cultivation —
Mode of Building practised — same as in Ancient Times.
November 13. — ^Went out as usual to Nineveh. My
object to-day was to inspect the eastern part of
the ruin^. I first went to the two mounts^ which are
about twenty-five feet high, and here I sketched a
view of Mousul*; this being a good point, as it takes
in Nebbi Yunus in the fore-ground. In the mean-
time I sent the Seyd to Nebbi Yunus to take the
dimensions of the mount which juts out from it ; he
found them as follows :
Length east and west ... .431 ^ feet.
Breadth north to south. . . .355 do.
He effected this without being observed ; whereas
had I gone I should have attracted a crowd round
me. He also saw in the village a very large stone
with one line of writing in the cuneiform character
on it ; but as this was all, he did not attempt to bring
it away, being very ponderous.
* See accompanying plate.
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CH/XIV.] HOLLOW WAY, 49
I also looked again at the western boundary from
Nebbi Yunus up to the Khausser. There are three
passages through this wall. The largest, which may
have been originally an opening, is the one nearest
to the Khausser.
While I was sketching, I detached the captain
with a working-party to measure on to the eastward
boundary. The measurement is as follows : —
Feet.
1295— To the edge of the ravine, in which is Thisb^^s well.
145 — Breadth of the ravine to its eastern mound.
395 — Breadth of the mound.
. 112— Breadth of the second ravine. After this comes the last
regular or considerable mound.
200*7 — Outside of the boundary to the inside of the last con-
siderable mound.
About half way between the boundary, and the
ravine is a hollow way about one hundred and fifty feet
broad, sunk a little below the level, and as straight
as if it had been drawn ^vith a line. It runs N. 7 W.
by S. 7 E. I at first was inclined to consider this as
a ditch, but a little way in it, on the left of a road,
I perceived some vestiges, which induced me to ride
through the hollow way as far as it went. I found
in it, about two hundred yards from the Kermelis
road, and near the middle of the ravine, some ves-
tiges composed of concretion or conglomeration rock;
which, had the forms been at all equivocal, might
have passed for natural objects on a slight inspec-
tion ; but though there was not enough left to make
out any regular plan, there was certainly quite suffi-
VoL. II. E
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60 SITE OF THI9BE*6 WELL. [CH. XIV.
cient to show that it was building, all the forms being
strictly and unequivocally artificial, consisting of
right angles, and stumps of piers, buttresses, or
pillars. These remains covered several square yards,
but are only a couple of feet above the ground. It i6
quite clear too that they are not cut out, but built.
They are no doubt formed by the common rubbish
of the country, that is to say, of pebbles and soil,
well rammed down, with perhaps what is called a
wash of lime poured upon it, which in a short time
would bind the whole together, and convert it into a
solid mass, exaetly like a natural rock : for in some
of these conglomerations, ^i^here they had crumbled
away, I found pieces of lime-mortar, and in others
some layers of indurated mud, as if it had been dis-
tilled, when wet, through the mass, and had filled up
the hollows which it had found near the bottom. I
still rode on in this sunken way, remarking, as I
went along, some other vestiges of building on the
sides. The bottom of it is ploughed. It appears as
if it had been closed up by building, possibly a gate<-
way*. A semicircular hollow way leaves it at
this end, and returns to it again a little south of the
Kermelis road ; and it is in this semicircle, or more
correctly arc, that Thisbfe's well is situated at four
hundred and ninety feet north of the Kermelis road.
1 rode all through the arc to its rej unction with the
* The level of this curious hollow way is much above the bed
formed by the inundations of the Khausser;
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CH. XIV.] OUR NAMES CUT IN THE ROCK. SI
straight ravine, atld examined the ravine itself to its
south termination, which isnorth of the south-east angle
of the inclosure. Here also the sides exhibit a great
quantitjr of solid conglomeration. The spot is called
by the natives Abdal Kaiasi, or the Abdal or Der-
vish Rock.
We now returned to rest at Thisb^'s well; and the
captain amused himself with cutting our names on
its walls. Some traveller in after times, when oui*
remembrance has long been swept away by the
torrent of time, and the meanest of mati's works
only remain^ may wonder, on reading the name of
Mary Rich, who the adventurous female was who
had visited the ruins of Ninfeveh. He will not be
aware that, had her name been inscribed at every
spot she had visited in the course of her weary pil-
grimage, it would be found in places compared with
which Mousul is the centre of civilization.
I next went to examine the ravine east df the arc>
from which it is separated by a mound or elevation
three hundred and ninety-five feet broad in front of
the well, and of no great height. The Kermelis
road passes over, and almost obliterates it. Farther
north the separation mound is much higher, probably
twenty-five feet high, and growing narrower at the
top. The ditch, or ravine itself, is ofle hundred and
seventy-two feet broad, and is bounded on the east by
another mound, the highest of all, and much higher
towards the ditch ; the level of the country being
E2
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52 DESCRIPTION OF THE DITCH. [CH. XIV.
higher than the bottom of the ditch. The upper
part of this mound comes to a ridge. The lower
part is broad, and seemingly rests on a bank or bed
of concretion, of which it is difficult to determine
whether it be artificial or natural, but I am rather
inclined to think the latter. The west side of the
ditch is lower, that is, between eight and ten feet
high; and from the road in a southerly direction,
'exhibits almost a regular wall of concretion up to its
termination, nearly on a line with the south-east
angle of the inclosure. The bottom of the ditch is
full of loose pebbles, possibly the decomposition of
the conglomeration. A few solid fragments are seen
near the middle ; but their forms are not such as to
enable me to say positively that they were buildings.
I must not forget to repeat, that from all these
mounds, large stones, frequently with bitumen ad-
hering to them, are dug out. In general, I think
there were but very few bricks used in the building
of Nineveh.
But to return to my survey. The ditch and mound
run S. 3 W. from the Kermelis road to its south ter-
mination, and N. 1| E. to the Khausser ; but it is
not quite so ruled a line as the first hollow way. I
went up the Kermelis road to the outer, or east side
of the eastern mound, and then traced it down along
the outside. Two ravines, or roads, descend through
it to the ditch, between the Kermelis road and its
termination. It decreases in height as you advance ;
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CH. XIV.] EXTENSIVE MOUNDS. 53
and the nature of the country outside/ which is not
flat, and over which the plough has passed for ages,
renders it almost impossible to ascertain to what
extent eastwards vestiges of the former habitations
of men might be found ; but I am inclined to think
that Nineveh extended still farther in this direction.
This uneven country is about four miles in breadth,
commencing from the eastern part of the inclosure
on the Kermelis road, and extends north up to the
first rising of the country to join the Koordish moun*
tains on the road from the village of Reshideh to
Vana. It then comes to the river's edge — how far
south it extends I am unacquainted with. What
part of this space was coveriefd by ancient Nineveh
it is, as I said before, nearly impossible now to
ascertain.
As I was riding along the outside of this mound,
towards the Kiausser, and where it becomes much
lower, I came to some vestiges of another mound,
about fifty feet still east of the former. This mound
winds a little, and is of no great length. Before it,
the great mound becomes very low and flat, and is
ploughed over. This second mound rises in one
place to the height of nearly thirty feet, and is
divided by a road. On the highest part of this
mound where I took my stand, in order to take an
observation, I had a good view of the country round
me. The mound on which I was standing runs
about N. 15 W. to S. 15 E., beginning near the
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54 ESKI BARI. [CH. XIV.
Khausser. The village of Hashamia lay on this
side of the river^ not far from its banks ; and on a
high spot opposite was the termination of this mound.
The Khausser, on quitting the inclosure, turns and
runs about N. 20 W., then about N. 40 W., up
from this mound. The great mound, which is called
Eski Bari, winds and follows the river up its eastern
bank. The other bank, after the elbow N. 40 W.,
is also high, and seemingly artificial likewise. The
country about the village of Hashamia is high and
uneven. The mound on which I was standing
grows less again, and soon terminates at a water-
course or ravine made by the rain forcing itself a
channel into the Khausser.
I now returned along the west face of the great
mound, which soon becomes higher again. I noticed
on its western boundary, which separates it from the
arc, or semicircular hollow way in which Thisb^'s
well is situated, a mount like an inverted bowl, with
a circle, or rather vestiges of building in a circle^
about half way up. I traced this ditch and mound
all along to its southern extremity, nearly on a line
with the south-west angle of the inclosure. Here it
opens into a lower country, and a small ravine or
water-course now dry passes by it, runs parallel
with the south face of the inclosure at a few yards'
distance, and discharges the waters that pour through
the ditch on very heavy rains ; but this water-course
does not commence with the ditch — it comes from the
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CH. XIV.] ANTIQUES FOUND AT NINEVEH. 5fi
east. Close on its edge, and indeed,, even in its bed,
is the recent excavation before mentioned, in which
were discovered large stqneei and bitumen ; and this
evening, as we were riding along it on our return
home, we saw some immense stones with bitumen in
several other places .
But I have a little outstripped my progress in the
.survey. In riding along in the ditch, when I came
to the place where the mound grows higher, I
ascended it and tool$: some sights with my compass.
My next station was at the southern termination
of the great mound. It here falls at once, without
being broken, into the common l^vel. A little conical
artificial mount, called Zembil Tepessi, was visible
fr^Hn hence, in the country outside the ruins, and
distant about half a mile in a south-east direction ;
and to the east I perceived another mound, on the
outside of Eski Bari, near its north end, on the
Khausser, but it was not considerable. The straight
hollow way I have already described terminates
abruptly in Abdal Kaiasi, a little before Eski Bari.
We returned home a little af);er sunset.
. November 16. — Belli Samaan, my curiosity-
hunter^ brought me to-day some fragments of cunei-
form inscriptions on stone, and a seal of agate with
the priest worshipping the sun, and other symbols,
similar in every respect to some I got at Babylon.
These he found in the mound of Koyunjuk, which
the natives call the Kalaa, or Castle of Ninewe.
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56 IRRIGATION CANALS. [CH. XIY.
November 17. — ^This morning I sallied forth to
visit the country north of the ruins of Nineveh. We
first went up to Koyunjuk, along the banks of the
Khausser, which skirts the greater part of it close at
the base. At the level of the water where the rains
had washed away some of the soil from off the mound,
we saw several layers of large stone-masonry, like a
solid foundation. This was near the village of Koy-
unjuk, where we crossed the Khausser ; it is about
a foot deep. As the passage is generally bad on the
Mousul road where it falls into the Tigris, people
are often forced after rain to come up thus far, even
when they are going to the village of Reshideh, as
there is no bridge. Here it widens, and has a bard
gravelly bottom. In the spring it is sometimes un-
fordable for a short time.
The Khausser is generally drawn off for irrigating
the cotton-plantations in the alluvial ground of the
river, and, when not used for irrigation, its super-
fluous waters run through a channel east of the
Tigris to the islands below the garden. There is a
small bridge of three arches over this channel, very
near the bridge of Mousul ; but when it is much
overflowed, it discharges itself into the Tigris above
the bridge. The lesser channel is properly the vent
of the irrigation canals. .
Leaving the Khausser we passed through the area
of the inclosure to station No. 3 ; remarking on our
left, that the higher country passes through the
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CH, XIV.] HIGH HOUNDS AND BANKS. 57
walls, which are built on it, at the mount between
stations 3 and 4, and runs all along that side of the
area, exhibiting in some places the strata of concre-
tion, which may not be building. It is not so
unequivocal as the specimens in the hollow way.
We passed through the wall and then rode over
alluvial soil covered with pebbles washed down
from the higher grounds, the banks of which were
from about fifteen to twenty and thirty feet high.
They advanced outwards from the mount above station
3, in a northerly direction, sometimes descending
very gradually into the lower ground, and sometimes
more abrupt and broken, where it shows a table or
stratum of concretion, about five feet thick, and ten
or fifteen above the alluvial soil^ which is horizontal,
and seems to run through the whole of the country.
The country is likewise much furrowed by rain, run-
ning ofi* the higher and harder ground down towards
the river ; and on the edge or step, especially, is worn
into hills, by the yielding and crumbling down of
the gravel. In such a country it is not easy to say
precisely what are ruins and what are not; what is
art converted by the lapse of ages into a semblance
of nature, and what is merely nature broken by the
hand of time into ruins, approaching in their appear-
ance those of art.
We went to the tomb of Sheikh Ahmed, which I
had set with my compass from many points. It is
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98 CHALDEAK CHURCH. [CH. XIV.
situated on a high promontory of this bank or gtep of
the higher country, overlooking the village of Kadi
Keuy. This gave me a good line of country, and I
took a set of angles with my pocket-sextant care-
fully rectified, each angle being taken several times.
I next took up the detail of the river down to
Nineveh; and when I had finished, we mounted,
and descending the cliff or bank again into the
alluvial ground, proceeded to the convent of St.
George. Shortly after we passed the promontory,
which is a cliff of concretion, out of which we re-
marked a fig-tree growing.
From this the bank retires into a semicircle fi>rm-
ing a bay. It advances again close behind the eon-
vent, and then runs westerly to the river beyond the
village of Shira Khan ; the area is alluvial. In the
bank, which is much furrowed and worn into hil-
locks, I observed some stones, lime, and other frag-
ments which seemed to indicate building. Some
mounds near the convent, and a line or mound about
a hundred yards long just before it, were quite
unequivocally artificial. The convent itself is situated
on a mound, and in this solitary bay it looked like a
hermitage on Sinai. It belongs to the Chaldeans.
The church is small and ancient. At the end oppo-
site the sanctuary or altar is a high place, on which
are two pulpits for readers, a sure mark that this was
an oriental church anterior to Romanism ; and pro-
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GH. Xnr.] STRANGHELO INSCRIPTIONS. 50
bably it belonged to the Nestorians. There are many
old strangheh* inscriptions ; but the kind of half-
priest, half-servant who showed it to us could not in-
form me the age of it. A Dominican missionary. Padre
Gaetano, is buried thez-e a.d. 1753. The convent is
more recent than the church. The terrace of the
church ivas clean and agreeable. In the spring it is
a favourite resort of the principal Turks of Mousul,
who probably come here to indulge themselves in the
unlimited use of wine, to which the people of Mousul
of all religions are much addicted.
On our return we kept easterly through the high
country^ which is, as I said before, furrowed by the
water making its way to the lower banks of the
river. Its surface is completely covered with pebbles,
among which I noticed many flints. We did not
observe anything hereabouts which could positively
be pronounced to be a ruin. The river throws out
several branches in the low country.
We entered the inclosure at station No. 3, and pro-
ceeded, as befpre, to the Khausser unfier Koyuqjuk.
* The different sects of Syrian Christians do not use the same
character in writing their ancient language. That employed by the
Maronites and son^e others is nearly the Syriac letter of European
printed books. It is said to have been introduced by the celebrated
divine and historian Abul Faraj, or Abulfaragius, Bishop of Seleu-
cia, in the thirteenth century. The truth is, however, that it was
formed by gradual changes ifrom the old Syriac alphabet, called
Siranghelo or Estrangheht which is of considerable antiquity, and
in which, of course, the most valuable MSS. are written. —
Communicated by a Friend to the Ed,
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60 SOUTHERN INCLOSURE. [CH, XIV.
We examined the break of the western boundary wall
on the Khausser, and another break or opening in it
a little farther south, the earth of which it is formed
lying in layers like unburnt brick ; but I cannot posi-
tively affirm that it was unburnt brick. No reeds were
visible, even where the fractures which showed the
interior were recent. I saw again several large
stones, dug out of the lower part of this wall.
We returned home just at sunset, the distance
from the convent being an hour and a half.
November 18. — ^This day I devoted to the exami-
nation of the country to the south of Nineveh. I
first went to the southern face of the inclosure,
which I measured, or rather the Captain measured
for me, with the chain, while I took the bearings
again, in order to serve as a verification. The di-
mensions are as follows : —
Feet.'
1. The part of the western wall (from Nebbi Yunus
down) where it is highest, and turns round the
south-west angle without interruption, to south-
west angle - - - - - - - 320
2. From south-west angle to first break in the south wall 520
3. From first break to the second or principal break
or entrance ------.. 1130
4. From the second break to the third - - - 510
5. From the third break to the south-west anele - 460
Total, from the south-west to the south-east angle - 2620
Or 873 yards, 1 foot.
The direction N. 84 W. The anglfe then rounds off
into the new direction, and the new alignment is
N, T 56' W. Hence the termination of the straight
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CEL XIV.] THE MOUND OF TAREMJEE. 61
hollow way is N. 24 E. The hollow way has a
fragment of concrete building just in the centre
of the mound at its termination. It is quite plain
that this hollow way is not a mere ditch or canal
dug or cut out ; for here especially its configuration
is quite clear. It rises from the foot of the eastern
boundary to the edge of the hollow way in an in-
clined plane.
From the south-east angle of the inclosure the
westernmost point of the high abrupt bank of
Yaremjee bore N. 18 W. I was determined to in-
spect this bank myself, although I was told it was
quite natural ; yet the level of the country rose so
much at one spot, that this alone was enough to
excite my curiosity. I was indeed very glad I went
there, for I found a high abioipt bank, which was evi-
dently artificial, broken down by some former over-
flowing of the Tigris. It was forty-two feet perpendi-
cular height, and one thousand one hundred and fifty
feet long from N. 85 W. to S. 85 E. At its western
extremity it turns a little south, and has there also
been eaten away by the water. It is on the prolon-
gation of the step from the river-bed to the higher
ground. On its south side it rises gently from the
ground ; and here is situated the village of Yaremjee,
the inhabitants of which are of the Turcoman race.
We observed likewise a few tents of the Beni Harith
Arabs. The north face of the mound is, as I said
before, a prolongation of the step which rises from the
low alluvial ground to the higher country. Here the
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62 THE RUINI AT TARBMJEE. [CH. XJY.
country has been cut down to a precipice by the waters,
and exhibits remains of building — such as layers of
large stones — some with bitumen on them^ and a few
burnt bricks and tiles* The interior looks like the
interior of the west boundary wall of the inclosure.
The layers of stone-work were to be seen likewise.
The breadth of the mound is inconsiderable ; but it is
difficult to say what it may have been before the
encroachment of the river. The river has not come
up to this bank within the memory of man. The
Turcomans of Yaremjee told me that there is a tradi-
tion among them that thid was the Pottery of Nine-
veh : that it seems to have been a part of Nineveh is
certain. I did not meet vrith atiy antiques deserving
of notice, except a Cufic coin or two, and a few
Agnus Dei belonging to Christian rosaries. None
of the stones that we observed here had any inscrip-
tions on them. The whole appearance of the face of
the mound is exactly similar to that of Koyunjuk
where it is broken down. Beyond or south of the
mound there are no appearances of ruins.
I also observed all the detail of the river, both
from here and the south-west angle, with the com-
pass, and sketched it on the spot.
We then returned home along the river. The
low ground, where it is uncultivated, is covered with
bushes of tamarisk ; but in every direction we went
the cultivation was very extensive, and there seemed
little ground wasted. The people were getting in the
cotton harvest, which was almost over.
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CH. XIV.] THE LANDS OP MOUSUL. 68
November 25. — We have had abundant rain yes*
terday and to-day. The first rain that falls, when it
is sufficient to soak the ground, is called '' pella" by
the people of these parts, and is always much needed
by the cultivation at that season. The Mousul winter
begins generally about the end of this mouth. The in-
crease of grain here is from eight to twenty on seed.
Liast year, which was a very good one, the crops yielded
twenty ; but this is not common. The lands in the
territory of Mousul are obliged to lie fallow every
other year. The farmers when they cultivate a spot
of ground with wheat dr barley one year, plough it
the next, and let it remain without seed till the
year after ; but the islands in the river are cultivated
fevery yeai*, without interniission. Some hemp is
grown about Mousul, but, I believe, no flax. A
great quantity of the castol'-oil plant is cultivated.
The oil is used for burning, and is said to be effica-
cious in bruises ; but they are not acquainted W^ith its
purgative qualities ; indeed I have never met with
any Orientals who were.
November 30. — ^We have had raiii for several days
past. At no season of the year is there ever so
much rain at Bagdad as has just fallen here. This
Mousul owes to the vicinity of the mountains. All
the grain of these parts is cultivated without artififcial
irrigation, which is applied to cotton only. On this
account cotton is cultivated along the banks of 4;he
river. Sometimes, by a sudden flood, the river
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64 SUDDEN INUNDATIONS. [CH, XIV,
inundates the cotton-grounds ; but this happens
generally at a season — that is, in the spring — ^when
no great damage is occasioned.
December 1. — ^We have had incessant rain. Last
night a violent thunder-storm, with very heavy
tropical rain, and one of the loudest claps, or rather
crashes, of thunder I ever heard. Such a quantity
of rain as this does not fall in Bagdad from one
year's end to the other. The Khausser now dis-
charges itself direct into the Tigris, and brings ait
immense body of water.
December 5.— -The rain still continues. This
afternoon it seemed inclined to clear up. The river
is now quite full, aiid has overflowed the melon-
grounds. The water-wheels are removed, and the
bridge of boats opened. So great a flood is not
common at this time of the year.
Bekir Aga, at whose expense the stone bridge
over the Tigris here was built, also built one over
the Khausser, on the Constantinople road; but it
was carried away one night by the violence of the
Khausser on a sudden inundation. The bridge over
the Tigris is built wholly of stones dug out of the
walls of Nineveh, which, as Jirjees Aga remarked,
is an inexhaustible resource.
I have learnt from Hajee Jirjees Aga a mode of
building which is still practised, and which throws
great light on some of the ruins seen at Nineveh.
Pebbles, lime, and red earth or clay are mixed to-
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CH. XIV.] BUILDING CEMENT. 65
gether. This in a very short time, especially after
exposure to water, becomes, as Hajee Jirjees Aga
said, like a solid rock. The lime for this purpose
must be slaked with water, and not merely burnt.
It was in this manner that he himself, by command
of the Pasha, lately caused the passage at the bridge
gate, and a part of the bank which had been carried
away by the river to be repaired. It is to be re-
marked that I learnt this, not by any inquiry about
Nineveh, but by accident, in the course of a conver-
sation on other topics.
Vol, II. F
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68 YEZID VILLAGES. [CH. XV.
half past three. The olive woods before the village
were extensive and the trees were fine ones, though
seemingly of a great age. A similar wood lies
before the neighbouring village of Baazani, and
much of the olive-oil used in Mousul is the produce
of these two villages. It is principally consumed in
the manufacture of soap, not being of a sufficiently
good quality for eating, probably from negligence in
the preparation. It has a singular taste, but all the
Christians of this country prefer kunjut or sesamine
oil, which to a stranger is extremely offensive.
The inhabitants of Baasheka are composed of
Yezids, or, as they call themselves here, Dassini *,
and Jacobites, who have a neat-looking church.
There are also ten families of Mahometans. The
neighbouring village of Baazani is similarly com-
posed with respect to Dassinis, but the Christians
there are I belief mostly Syrian Catholics. The
houses are built of stone, and we had very tolerable
quarters in what is called the palace, or house of the
proprietor of the village, Emin Bey, a gentleman of
Mousul, who sometimes visits it, as the people said,
" to make his keif, or enjoy himself;" that is, taste
* Dasin is another name for Sinjaar, and all the Yezids called
Dassinis seem to have been originally from Sinjaar. The others,
though professing the same faith, are never called Dassinis. Dasin
is likewise the name of a large village in the province of Hakkaria,
two or three days' journey on the other side of Amadia. There are
the ruins there of a convent dedicated to St. John. The village
too 1 hear is now ruined and abandoned.
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CH. XV.] RELIGION OF THE YEZIDS. 69
the liquor of his peasantry, who all make bad wine
and strong arrack, the Yezids being even greater
drinkers than the Christians.
Baasheka is situated just in front of a defile,
where there is a spring which seems to be an object
of veneration to the Yezids, as is also Ain u Sufra.
They repair to them in spring to the number of two
or three thousand, men, women and children ; they
offer sacrifices, play at various martial games, and
end by getting drunk. In these parties they are not
unfrequently joined by Turks and Christians. At
this season, the feast of Kliidder Elias, they have a
fast of three days, which they had just finished on
the night of our arrival. There is a very neat tomb
of some Yezid saint in the olive-grounds, covered
with a white stuccoed dome.
The Yezids seemingly have Christianity, or some
barbarous remains of it, amon^^em. They admit
both baptism and circumcision; believe in the
metempsychosis ; never say " such a one is dead,"
but " he is changed ;" never enter a Christian church
without kissing the threshold and putting off their
shoes. Their principal burial-place is at Bozan, a
village at the foot of the mountain of Rabban
Hormuz, and bodies are carried there from all parts.
It was formerly a Christian village with a monastery.
Tlie Khan of Sheikh Khan or Baadli is the Pope
of the Yezids. He is descended from the family of
the Ommiades, and is esteemed the Emir Hadje of
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72 MAR DANIEL. [CH. XT.
in some places^ looking like a small Koyunjuk^ was
visible about one mile distant in S. 7 W. This
mount is called by the peasants Tel Billa, and is veiy
ancient. On a pinnacle or broken part of the face
of the line of hills, just below or south-east of the
village, are the remains of a building called by the
easants Kalaa u Safra ; and they say Safra, of
whom they make a personage, resided there in very
ancient times.
The hill on which Mar Daniel*, another old
Christian church, is situated, and of which it occu-
pies the highest and central point, is abrupt on its
western and sloping on its eastern side, where it
descends to broken ground that runs along to the
southern extremity of the line of hills that screen
Makloube. These again are abrupt on their western
faces, and all broken into glens or ravines. On the
east they decline gently into a vale much higher
than the country (• their west. They (more cor-
rectly it, for it is one continued line) do not extend
very far north; and on the south they terminate
before they reach the extremity of Makloube. The
course seems east and west.
December 14. — ^There is a road by the spring Ain
u Safra through a defile in the hills into the vale of
Makloube, but as it is stony and troublesome we pre-
ferred going round by the southern extremity. We
* The only mention I can find of Mar Daniel is in Asseman,
torn. ii. p. 247.
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CH. XV,] SYRIAN CONVENT. 73
mounted at twenty minutes past ten and kept S. 84
E. along the foot of the hills. Soon after we came
to the little Yezid village of Hajee Jo ; and a little
after eleven, at the foot of the hills, we passed the
Yezid village of Kofan, where a great Peer or
Yezid saint resides. At a quarter before twelve
our course turned N. 20 W. over the hills, near
their termination into the broken valley which sepa-
rates them from Makloube. The convent from hence
lad a formidable and inaccessible appearance. At
noon we reached a little spring fringed wifli some
dwarf oleanders. The bare and broken hills of sand-
stone and limestone had put me much in mind
of some of the islands of the Archipelago, and the
oleanders strengthened the resemblance.
Soon after we passed the little Yezid village of
Meerik, shortly after which we began the steep ascent
of the mountain up to the convent, through the project-
ing wings of the rock. The road? not a bad one for
such a situation, wound in short sharp turns up the
face of the precipice. Mrs. Rich rode the whole way
up, but the example was not followed by many of us.
At a quarter to one we reached the gate of the con-
vent, the ascent having occupied just thirty minutes.
The convent has much the appearance of a strong-
hold, being composed of two large towers, or build-
ings resembling towers, at each extremity, united
indeed by a common wall. Had this curtain been
embattled, and the wall a little thicker, it would pass
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74 DESCRIPTION OF THE CONVENT. [CH. Xy.
for a very tolerable baron's castle of the foitr^enth
century. It; is situated on the very pdge of the pre-
cipice, apd the bare rock rises immediately behind
it, in which indeed are ensconced many chambers,
and parts of the structure. It is, in short, built in
the abrupt face of the mountain, like a martin's nest,
and the general plan is not very easy to describe.
It consists principally of the aforesaid towers and two
courts between them, with an infinity of little de-
tached holes, nooks, and chambers in the rock ; but
from a great many of them being now in ruins, it is
evident that the whole establishment must at one
time have been much n^ore considerable. Indeed it
formerly seems to have been a place of strength, for
Tamerlane took it by storm. He assaulted it from
the eastern side of the mountain, and entered just
above its south-east angle. There were then works
built on the rqck, which is now unprotected, and
commands it. The present habitable part, and the
church, which is in the south-east angle, have been
recently fitted up, under the protection of the Pasha
of Mousul's brother, Hajee Osman Bey, but the
skeleton of this part of the design seems to have
been preserved. In the highest part of the inclosure
up the hill are seen some lines of large stones, part
of the original building. This (convent belongs to
the Jacobites, and the abbot is always a Matran or
bishop. The present incumbent is an old man, and
besides himself he has only one monk, and a lad who
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Cp. xy.] ABULFARAJ. 75
is educ£|,tipg for the priesthood. According to the
abbot ]\|q.trau lyiousa, the conyeqt was founded in
334 A.D. by Mar ]\|£^ttei, a saint, and companion of
St. George, who fled from the persecution of Diocle-
tian, and took refuge here. Having by his prayers
healed the daughter named Havla, of the King of
the Assyrians, he obtained perinission to build this
convent. But this, to the best of my recollection, is
recorded in Assemanni, in a ini^ch piore authentic
manner.
The famous (Gregory Bar Hebrgpus, or A|)ulfi*raj,
is Ijuried here*.
* The following is taken from Assemanni : —
In the time of Shapour, King of Persia, two convents were
founded in Assyria, at or near Nineveh. First, St. Matthew, on
mount Elphaphius, also called Chuchta; the other, St. Jonah.
The first was occupied hy the Jacobites, the otjier by the Nesto-
rians. The ponyent of Mar Mattei is also mentioned, under Bar-
ebraeus the bishop of Seleucia, who was put to death by Firouz, in
^9,% of the Greeks, or a.d. 486*. It is also called Chuchta, in
Mount Elpheph. Isa^c of Nineveh was 9 monk in Mar lyfattei,
about the year 590 a.d. In the year 1171, when Noureddin
Zenghi, Lord pf Damascus, was at Mo^sul, the Koords broke into
' The era called Alexandrian is that of the Seleucidse, com-
mencing with tne entrance 0^ Seleucus Nicator into Babylon,
three hundred and eleven years and four months before the com-
mencement of our era. It was once much used, especially by the
eastern Greeks, and by the Jews, who call it the era of contracts,
from having bepi^ compelled hj the Macedonian kings to adopt it
in civil processes, jt is still used by some of the Arabs. The
Arabic name for it, Taarick-dheil-Karnain, the era of the two-
horned, seems to have given rise to the supposition that it began
with Alexander, whose well-known claims to descent from Jupiter
Ammon occasioned his being represented with horns, as was
Seleucus also, from some cause not so fully ascertained. — By a
Friend,
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76 MAR MATTEL [CH. XV.
From the terrace of the south tower where we are
lodged, we have a noble and extended view, com-
prising the whole of Alexander's operations from the
passage of the Tigris, to the arrival at Arbela, after
the battle of Gaugamela. The Bumadus meanders
at the foot or southern extremity of this mountain,
and I am now told it rises just below Amadia. I
can trace the Zab plainly.
December 15. — The morning was rather thick and
cloudy, so that I could not get any altitude for the
time. Nevertheless the distance was clear enough
to enable me to go on with my observations upon
the country, and this is indeed a noble station for
the purpose.
. I had a hard day's work, and to relieve myself a
little from the fatigue of the observations, I went
again to see the church. As I thought before, the
skeleton of the building is old. In a room or recess
adjoining the sanctuary, we were shown the tomb of
the convent of Mar Mattel, and slew Matthew the Archimandrite ;
and it was again ruined by the Koords in a.d. 1369.
The following is extracted from among other notes in Mr. Rich's
Journal, but without any reference. It is probably taken from
Assemanni.
Mar Mattel came from Nice to this place. Mar Behnan, son
of the King Sennacherib of Nineveh^ was martyred by his father
for having embraced Christianity from Mar Mattei. Sennacherib
afterwards repented, and becoming a Christian, from the persuasion
of Mar Mattei, founded the convent. Mar Behnan's sister Sarah
was also a saint. Sennacherib was a Mellik or Provincial Governor
under the Romans, as the Bey of Jezira, or Pasha of Amadia,
are now under the Turks.
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CH. XV.] STRANGHELO INSCRIPTIONS. 77
the founder. Mar Mattel, with that of his successor
Zaccheus, and several of his disciples. On the tomb-
stones, which project out of the wall like desks, are
inscriptions in stranghelo, or, as it is called here,
seringheli. On that of Mar Mattel was the date
of 1530, that is, of Alexander, or 1230 of Christ*,
at least this is what the priest told me, for I cannot
yet read stranghelo, though I hope soon to be able.
The name of the King of the Assyrians is said to be
Sem Hhareebs, and he was the father of Mar Behnan,
or St. Ellas, or Khidder Ellas. This is a jfine gali-
matias ! I hope to be able however to clear it up,
by reference to Assemanni.
On the terrace above is a smaller church dedicated
to the Virgin, but service is seldom or never per-
formed in it. We weiit into a cleft or hole in the
rock on the north end, where the water comes from
that supplies the convent. It is raln-Water collected
in the mountain, and it is conducted down to this
spot and let out by a brass cock as required. The
water is good, and though it be rain-water, the pas-
sage through the rock gives it the qualities of water
from a spring.
We next went to see the old bishop in his room,
in the northern tower. The room was good in itself,
but filthy and wretched in all its accompaniments.
* This date probably refers to a period whjen the tomb of Mar
Mattel was repaired, or when a new one was erected. The con-
vent was founded by Mar Mattel in 334, according to the present
bishop, and somewhere about that time, according to Assemanni.
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78 PICTURfeSQUE MOUNTAIN CAVES. [gH. XT.
Hie showed me a part of th^ Bible on vfellum in
stranghelo characters, which I was fortunate enough
to procure from him. It vrA^ indeed of v6ry little
use to him, and from the state it was in when it was
brought to me, I may flatter myself With having saved
it from total destruction.
After our visit to the bishop was over, we went
out of the convent to sfee a caVe and a spring, much
celebrated in thfes^ parts by all keifmdkers, or seekers
of pleasure. Turning a corner a little way north of
the convent, on the face of the rock, we canlfe to
a feces^, or platform^ planted with olives ; behind
which the rock forms a seihicircular recess^ hung
with weeds and femall bushefe, in a jiictur^sque man-
ner, the wd,ter droppirig down flrom the arch of a
rock above. TWo little doors cut in the rock admit
you ; one into a cave in tvhich is a few feet of water
collected by dfbppings from the roof, and discharg-
ing itself into a little relservoir in front ; and the
other, into a larger Cave, communicating with the
former, the air of which I felt quite tvarm. The
roofs of both are covered with stranghelo ivritiiig,
not of a very remarkable description. The tempera-
ture of the larger cave was 05° ; the water in the
smaller one 66°. Thefee caves may possibly have
been originally natural, but they have certainly been
improved by art ; and the entrances and communi-
cations, which are small and low, are no doubt arti-
ficial. This would form no contemptible summer-
retreat.
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Ctti XV.] THE BlSIiOP OP MAR MATTEL 79
I perceive that these people do not like to be called
Jacobites. The bishop corrected me frequentlyj and
said they were Syriaiis. The Roman Catholic Sy-
rians call themselves by that name, arid the others
they call Jacobites, as sectaries of Jacobus Baradeus.
These latter, again, will not allow they are sectaries,
and insist on being called by their national appel-
lation.
I must do the old bishop the justice to record a
fact, though it tells rather against myself. In affirm-
ing something, I made use of the common Maho-
metan form of " Wallah," by God. He stopped me
immediately. " Cannot you affirm simply," said he,
*' without taking God's name in vain ? If you believe
in the Gospel, do not swear." But unfortunately,
having learned all my oriental languages from Mfel-
homedd-ns, their profane modes of expression are so
very familiar to me, that I fear I must often uncon-
sciously have offended him in the course of conver-
sation.
December 16. — I was hard at work tiU near three
o'clock in the afternoon, sketching the country and
finishing my observations, and the day was delight-
fully clear and favourable for my purpose. I then
went to the top, and over to the other side of the
mountain, the ascent to which was extremely steep.
South-east of the convent in a cleft in the moun-
tain is a small olive-plantation, with a fine spring of
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80 MOUNTAIN RIVERS. [CH. XV.
water belonging to the convent. The mountain is
cut down in every part by deep and steep ravines,
which indent it^ and make it appear as if the centre
was supported by buttresses. Some small dwarf oak
bushes, which are found all over it, reminded me of
Koordistan. From a stand, not on the highest part,
but on one of the eastern buttresses, east a little'
south of the convent, I had a fine view over the
plain of Naokor, and the whole course of the Buma-
dus; from its issue out of the mountains to its junc-
tion with the Zab. Naokor, which is under Amadia,
begins on the east bank of the Ghazir or Bumadus.
Just at the foot of the buttress on which we stood, it
is joined by a smaller river called the Gomel *. The
plain of Naokor is quite flat, and alluvial-like, except
along the Ghazir, and where it is crossed by some
lines, of low broken hills slightly elevated above the
level of the plain. The most remarkable of these is
a straight line of furrowed and broken ground, run-
ning due south-east from the foot of Makloube and
junction of the Gomel and Ghazir up to the moun-
tain, to the place whence the Zab issues, or there-
abouts. The basin of the Zab is deep. Between
the Zab and the Bumadus a stream issues from the
* The Gomel comes from the first range of mountains. It is
now rather less than the Khausser, hut it is often swollen to a
much greater size than that river ever attains, that is, fiilly as
large as the Ghazir, and is then frequently impassable for days
together.
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OH. XY. ] SNOWY MOUNTAINS. 81
mountains, and falls into the Zab. Over a low range
of hills I observed a line of snowy mountains, among
which is Akra, a pointed summit covered with
snow; and some still higher mountains, which I
think must be Zagros, peeped behind them, espe-
cially to the north-east. The vale, or rather plain,
of Naokor is, at a rough guess, about ten miles
over *.
The line of broken hills, or rather furrowed groundi
I have already mentioned, rises, on its north face, as
if it had been struck with a ruler. On its south
side it is furrowed down gently towards the Buma*
duB. Arbil woula no doubt have been clearly visible,
had not a small line of furrowed hills on the other
side of the Zab interposed.
We observed on the sides of the mountain an im-
mense quantity of squills, seemingly growing in a
Yery luxuriant manner. There were many other
plants, with which I am unacquainted.
We returned over the mountain by a more direct
but more precipitous road. On a sudden, without
any previous menaces, my old giddiness in the head
attacked me, and I fell in a Yery bad place. I soon,
however, recovered, and I reached the convent in
safety. We started three red-legged partridges on
our way home. Wild boars are said to be found here.
* Resin, or Ras ul Ain, or head of the waters, is an old place
and convent under the mountain at the farthest extremity of
Naokor, on the Akra road.
Vol. II. G
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88 THK OCWVBNT, : [CH. XV,
The ruiuB of the convent extend a great way on
the right and left, and above the preaent buildingi
and some remains of towers indicate its former
strength. Up in the rock above is a chamber cut
out of the rock, with an inscription in it, said to
have been a place of retirement of the founder^ St»
Matthew^ where he lived before he obtained permis-
sion to build the convent. It was in too precipitous
a situation to admit of my attempting to visit it, so
soon after my attack of giddiness in the head*
The monk, who was our companion in our after-
noon's walk, told us that some time ago a few rob*
bers from Amadia got over the back wall of the
convent from the rock behind, and attempted to
plunder the church. One monk was killed, and
himself very desperately wounded. The Yezids of
the neighbouring village of Meirik heard some shots
fired, and immediately came to the relief of the poor
monks.
My accident had detained me beyond the time I
had fixed for my return, in order to have an observa-
tion of the azimuth. As soon as I came back, how-
ever, I ran up to the terrace, and took a few sights;
though I was still feeling very low.
Ihce$9^er 17. — My work in this neighbourhood
being finished^ I took leave of the monks, and left
the convent, descending by the road we came, which
indeed is the only practicable one ; but we all went
down on foot. At half past ten we mounted at the
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GH. XV.] YEZID VILLAGES. §3
foot of the rock, and proceeded on in the direction of
the Yezid village of Moghara,. slanting over the
Cohy and towards the other side of the Vale. At
twelve we reached the little Yezid village of Sherab
Airan, on a ravine descending from the line towards
the Gomel. We travelled but slowly to-day^ con--
stantly going up and down over stony ground.
After a short halt we mounted again, a little
before one, and proceeded in a north-west direction^
still going up and down, the ravines running down
perpendicular to our road. We passed the Maho-
metan village of Ahmed Bey, and then, following the
course of a ravine, we arrived about two at the little
Koordish village of Shorjee, in the hollow which
receives all the waters that come down, on this side.
In the bottom of the ravine is a stream *• All about
the country is very much cut up, and is something
like that about the neighbourhood of Derbend.
After leaving Shorjee we travelled faster, as the
country was less furrowed, and the descent to the
hollow more gentle. • The crest, or ridge of hills
parallel with us, was on our left ; and at three we
passed a large village under them, called Kani^
Maran. This village is inhabited by the Rozhbian,
or Rozhvian, and Bajilan Koords. Just before this-
is the high land that separates the waters of the
Khausser from those of the Gomel. It is rather
* The Gomel.
G2
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84 TUMULL [CH. XV.
curved on the north-west^ and descends from near
the top of the ridge.
From Kani Maran we descended over the ridge,
which soon terminates on the right, or rather is pro-
longed into broken ground. Soon after we came in
sight of the village of Seidkhan just before us ; and
close on the right of our road, a little stream called
the Naoran bursts from a place called Ras ul Ain,
and, passing through Seid Khan, after turning many
mills, it joins the Khausser. We now turned S. 25 E.,
keeping the ridge on our left, and going along the
foot of it In the plain on our right we remarked
there were many tumuli, or mounts, not far from
each other, some with villages at the foot of them,
some without. There was a large one, with an ex-
tensive flat top, like Tel Billa, and about the same
size and shape. At ten minutes before four we
arrived at the village of Imam Fadhla, inhabited by
Rozhvian and Bajilan Koords. It was a very large
pleasant-looking village, with good gardens about it,
and here we halted for the day.
We were obliged to wind mucb during this day*s
march, as the surface of the ridge of hills, among
which we were travelling, being an abrupt sandstone
cliff, the direct road over them would have been very
difficult, if not impossible, for loaded animals.
December 18.— We mounted at half past nine, and
retraced our steps to the road of yesterday, as far as
the mill on the Naoran, just above the village of
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THE IftW TORi
PUBLIC LIBKARY
AfeSOH., L£HOX AND
mAUM FOUNDATION* I
« *- J
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,^e^..^, .1-- ^^*^-^"
^YE ailD MAK & WOJSyiLAJ?^ IpmCDM SliPfJAM.
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CH.XV.] YEZID COSTUME. 85
Seidkhan/ where we halted for a little while. The
country was quite open and gently declining down
from the foot of the ridge to the Naoran in the plain*
At half past twelve we crossed the Khausser, and
passed Kelata, an Arab village, near which was a
mount on the west bank of the river; and at
twenty-five minutes past one we arrived at our
quarters for the night, at. the considerable Dassini
village of Sirej Khan. The famous Yezid capital
Baadli, the residence of Mir Sheikh Khan, is N. 40
E., three hours off, just under the first line of mdun«
tains.
We remarked here, as in all the villages about
Mousuli that the straw or forage is kept in little
heaps, generally circular, with a mud and straw
roofing over it. They look like graves at a dis^
tance.
All the women in the villages through which we
have passed wear the Tcharokia, but in the Turko-
man, not the Koordish way ; that is, knotted over
one shoulder and falling down before aqd behind,
leaving one side open. It had not a bad effect. It
is made of a checked woollen stuff, commonly rf
light blue and red, or dark brown and red colours,
sometimes resembling tartan.
The Yezid women's head dress* is something
like that of the Bebbeh Koordish ladies, but swellB
* See accompanyiug plate.
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86 TEZID MUSICIAN. [CH. XV.
out more in front, and is not so regularly con-»
structed ; and, being covered with white linen^ looks
like a pillow on the head.
The principal article of food in the territory of
Mousul, especially among the peasantry, is pilaw,
made of burgool, which is a preparation of wheat,
heavy and not agreeable to those unaccustomed to it.
Rice is scarce and dear. I believe that none is
grown in the territory, and that all that is used
is brought from Koordistan.
At night we had a musician of some celebrity
among the Yezids to entertain us. He played the
Tamboureh very fairly, and sang us some songs
of his own nation. The first was a Sinjar song,
about the carrying oflF of a very celebrated beauty
named Gazhala, from among the Yezids of Sinjar,
by Hassan Pasha, father of the celebrated Ahmed
Pasha of Bagdad. She was betrothed to a Sinjar
chief, and was within three days of her marriage.
Her beauty is still much celebrated in song by the
Siajaris *. He next gave us the lament for Hassan
Bey, the late chief of Sheikhkhan, who was treache-
rously murdered by Zebir Pasha, the late Prince of
Amadia. The present cliief of Sheikhkhan is named
Saleh Bey. Like the Druzes, the Yezids com-
monly choose Mahometan names. The family at
Baadli, called Mir Sheikhkhan, is of very great
♦ Sinjar is always caUed by the Koords Zingharra,
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CH. XVj THE YEZID8. 87
antiquity, and is recognized as the chief of all the
Yezids, whether Dassinis, Muvessins, or Dinnadis.
They call the family Pesmeer or Begzadehs.
He gave us many other songs, some traditional,
some amatory, but all in the same style; that is,
a kind of wild howl. Ouq of the Amadia i^irs
which he gave was more like the Persian or Turkish
melodies, and quite of a different character from
those of his own country^ He also improvvi^ed some-
thing in a kind of chaunt which was not at all
disagreeable. He ran over the words with great
rapidity and rhymed them* The Koordish language
affords great facilities for this exploit, but I could
only understand a word here and there : his dialect
differed so considerably from the one to which
I have been accustomed, as completely to puzzle
a stranger. Our musician, who was a merry fellow,
was named Liasso: he is blind, and has a brother
who is also blind, and likewise a musician. Much
curious traditional history might be learned from
such people at a favourable opportunity ; that is to
say, by passing a little time among them privately
without any Mahometans being present. From
what I have seen and heard of the Yezids, they seem
lively, brave, hospitable, and good-humoured. They
were delighted at this village to see us, and enter-
tained our people most hospitably. Under the
British government much might be made of them.
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88 FACE OF THE COUNTRY. [CH* XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
Appearance of the Country — Cultivation — Yezid Villages —
Boundary of the Pashalik of Mousul — Chaldean Town of Al
Kosh — Convent of Rabban Hormuzd — Its situation — ^Rocky
Road — Caves and Grottoes — The Church — Vespers — ^Thc
Monks — ^Their Appearance — ^Manner of Life — ^The Abbot—
The Monastery founded by the Son of a King of Persia —
liibrary destroyed-^Manuscripta fast perishing in the East —
Departure from the Convent — ^Description of the Scene —
Chaldean Village of Tel Iskof— Crowds assemble to stare at
the Party — Valuable Chaldean MSS.— Ancient Sepulchre —
Tclkeif — Chaldeans — Ruined Churches — Description of the
Country — Return to the Garden-house at Mousul — ^Visit the
Pasha — ^Bones and Skulls found at Rabban Hormuzd — ^Yezid
from Sinjar — ^Yezid Woman gifted with a Spirit.
J>eeember 19. — We mounted at nine this morning.
The weather looked threatening. We entered imme-*
^lately on the line or ridge we had skirted on our
right, during the latter part of our yesterday's
marchi which proved to be very confused broken
ground, consisting of ravines, bai'e ridges, and
crumbling sandstone ; yet here and there patches of
cultivation were visible. Indeed, but little of the
Mousul territory seems lost, every part of it being
cultivated that is at all capable of it. After passing
some Yezid villages we at length emerged from this
very broken ground, and began a long and gentle
descent, which only terminated at about a mile from
Al Kosh* On our right was a very fine, extensive.
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DH. XVI.] THE YEZID CAPITAL* 89
and perfectly level plain, very well cultivated and
studded with villages. Baadli> the Yezid capital
of Mir Sheikhkhan^ was on our right, close under
the bare stony mountainSi, and at the distance of
about nine miles, near the defile whence the Gomel
issues. The Pashalik of Mousul extends as far as
the Gomel, but Sheikhkhan is in the territory of
Amadia. Just at the defile of the Gomel a ridge or
line of hills, exactly like the line which fronts ]\iak*
loube commences and runs east, or rather east a
little south. This subordinate line is, I observe,
continued at intervals along the front line of the
Koordish mountains, which are, I think, higher and
more rocky than Giozheh. This face of them was
quite precipitous. On our left they rise again into a
hill, behind which is the territory of Doban belong-
ing to Amadia, and the Chaldean town of Dohok.
As we descended we noticed close on our left a large
and ancient artificial mount called Girghiaour, or the
Infidel's Mount. Most of the villages in the plain
had smaller mounts near them, and at a great dis*
tance on the east was a very large and remarkable
one, the name of which I could not learn. A little
farther on our left than Girghiour was the Yezid
village of Sherabi. This road was formerly much
infested by marauding parties of Yezids^ but, thanks
to the vigilance of Ahmed Pasha of Mousul, it is
now quite safe.
The town of Al Kosh, which is entirely inhabited
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90 CHALDEAN CONVENT. [CH. XVL
by Chaldeans, was before us, a little way up the foot
of the mountain ; and on the right of it, about a mik
higher up, in a rocky defile or opening in the nioun#
tains, was the Chaldean convent of Rabban Hormuzd,
whither we were journeying, and which from this
spot wore a most imposing appearance* Nothing was
clearly distinguishable but a heavy square building of
a dusky red colour, hanging quite over a precipice,
like some Lama pagoda. The dark clouds rolled
over the summit of the mountain almost down to the
convent, and greatly increased the gloominess of its
aspect and its apparent height. We seemed to be
retreating from the world and entering on smne
wild and untried state of existence, when we found
ourselves in the rocky strait by which it is* ap*
proached. The situation appeared to be well chosen
for devotion, but devotion of a savage and gloomy
character. The hills gradually rose very soon after
the slope had terminated. An immense torrent,
now dry» had brought down prodigious fragments of
rock. Keeping along its edge, we reached at eleven
the entrance of the defile, along a rocky and rough
road. This defile expands and scoops out the moun^
tain into a kind of wild amphitheatre, in which, not
half way up, the convent is situated. It was only the
latter part of the road which was very steep. The
red building we had seen from afar was part of
a church, or rather churches, there being several
together. All the amphitheatre, from the top to the
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CH. XVI-] VESPERS. 91
bottom^ is full of little caves and grottoes, those near
the church and extending up the rock far above it,
being appropriated to the use of the monks, of whom
there are fifty, only four or five of whom are priests.
Each monk has a separate cell, and the communica-
tions between them are by little terraces. The rocks
are craggy and broken, and of fine harmonious tints,
being of freestone, of which the church is built. It
is now undergoing a thorough repair in a very neat
manner. It stands on a platform elevated from
the precipice, but very little of the ancient fabrio
remains.
We arrived at half-past eleven : we were accom-
modated in rather an airy lodging, in a kind of
sacristy or chapel adjoining the church. Our people
established themselves as well as they could in the
surrounding caves, and the horses we sent back
to the village.
In the afternoon I went to vespers. The congre-
gation of rustic dark^looking monks, together with
the gloominess and simplicity of the church, which
is merely a narrow arched or vaulted room, with
no light but what is admitted from the small dome,
might well remind one of the solitude of St. Saba.
Indeed the monks were not less Thebaid in their
appearance, being dusky-looking men, clothed in
the coarsest manner, like peasants, but more sombre
in their colours ; their gown being of a dark blue or
black canvass, with a common Abba or Arab cloak
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92 THE MONKS. [CH. XVL
of brown woolleu over it. On their heads they wear
a small skull-cap of brown felt, with a black hand*
kerchief tied round it. The priests are rather b^ter
clothed, in black dresses, with black turbans on their
heads. The monks are of all trades — weavers,
tailors, smiths, carpenters, and masons ; so that the
wants of the convent are entirely supplied by the
convent itself. Their wants are indeed very few,
the order being that of St. Anthony, and very
rigorous in its observances. The monks never eat
meat, except at Christmas and Easter. Sometimes,
indeed, if any of their friend& bring them a. little as
a present, they are not forbidden to eat it ; but no
meat is provided for the convent. The daily fiood is
some boiled wheat and bread, and even this in small
quantities. Wine and spirits are altogether pro-
hibited, and none but the treasurer is allowed to
touch money*.
* The monks live separately and alone in their cells, when not
employed at their work, and are forbidden to talk to one another.
A bell summons them to church several times a day, besides
which they meet in the church at midnight for prayer : again at
day-break, and at sun-set, when they each retire to their cells with-
out fire or candle. Some of these cells are far from the others, in
very lonely situations, high up the mountains in steep places, and
look difficult to get at by day ; how much more so in dark and
stormy nights ! They are surrounded by wild plundering tribes of
Koords, who might come down and murder them in their different
retreats, without their cries for help being heard ; but their poverty
preserves them from such attacks. There were several young
men among them, who had retired here, being, as they told us,
weary of the world, and hoping to find rest in this solitude, and
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cm: XVI.] THE ABBOT. 9$
- December 20, — ^The abbot, who had been absent,
returned last night, and came to pay me a visit this
Biorning. He is a native of Mardin, but studied at
Diarbekir, under my friend Monsignore Agostino
the patriarch, and speaks Turkish tolerably. I liked
him much. When he was appointed Abbot of the
convent, about twelve years ago, he found it nearly
in ruins. He is now repairing the churches. The
principal one is of course dedicated to St. Hormuzd ;
the one next to it to the four Evangelists ; one
above stairs to the angels: they are all under the
(Same roof. The principal part of the new pile is
reddened with sheep-ruddle, in order to preserve the
freestone from the action of the weather. The build*
ing costs but little, the monks being the artificers,
and the mountain all around supplying tbem with an
inexhaustible store of fine freestone and beautiful
greenish gypsum. A master-mason from Mousul,
of the Chaldean sect, volunteered to direct their
labours ; and small articles — such as paint, a little
glass, wood, &c. — are contributed by the charitable
among their own nation. Little wood, however, is
required, except for joiners* work.
TRe monastery was founded by Toraarsa, patri-
arch of Seleucia *, who, the Abbot said, was the
acceptance with God, through religious exercises of a painful and
mortifying nature. They did not look either happy or healthy ;
and we were told they die young. — Ed.
• * Tomarsa, or Tamuza, was Archbishop of Ctesiphon, or Pa-
triarch of the Chaldeans, from a.o. 384 to 392,
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94 RABBAK HORMUZD. [CH, XVL
fourth Chaldean patriarch before they became Nes-
torians. Hoimuzd lived before the persecution of
Yezdigerd. He was the son of a king of Persia,
and was martyred for his faith. His body was
brought from Persia and deposited here. The
Abbot confessed he did not know much about him,
but he is the grand national saint of the Chaldean
nation, whether Nestorian or Catholic.
Matran Hanna, the Chaldean Archbishop of
Mousul^ states that this convent was founded in the
third century of the Christian era by Hormuzd, a
native of Sbirauz, and that he first came and dwelt
in a large monastery called Beraalti, on the Bu«
maduk, near the village called Hassan Shami, which
monastery is now in ruins*.
The quantity of caves and little grottoes all over
the hollow of the mountain, or rocky ampliitheatre, is
quite surprising. An earthquake filled a great many
of them, and the natural ruin and crumbling down
* The following particulars are from Assexnanni: — ^''Rabban
Hormuzd, the Bishop, was martyred about the thirty-sixth year
of the persecution (Qu. of Diocletian ?) and the sixty-sixth of the
reign of Shapor. About the year 371, John Sulaca was ordained
Patriarch of the Chaldeans at Rome, In 1552 Marcus^ in a
letter to Busbequius, says he lived at the monastery of Rabban,
which seems then to have consisted of fifty monks." — ^Assem.,
vol. i., p. 525.
Rabban Hormuzd seems afterwards to have been the residence
of the Nestorian Patriarch; the Catholic Chaldean one residing
at Diarbekir.-^Leonardus Abel apud Mir»um in Bibliothec.
Eccles.y p. 58. Assem., vol. i., p. 528. Note^
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CH. xvl] grottoes. 93
of the xnountain has also obliterated multitudes* The
mouks say they frequently discover grottoes in clear*
ing away rubbish. It is not likely that this immense
number of grottoes* dispersed at all heights and dis-
tances^ should have been purposely constructed by
the founder of the church ; yet that the greater part
cannot be natural is quite evident on the slightest
inspection. Some may possibly have been made in
cutting stone ; but this cannot be the case with by
far the greater number, as their form testifies, being
small, oven-like excavations, with a little aperture,
and sometimes two, for a door and a window. One
or two of those which I entered had two stone beds,
or niches, in the wall, exactly as if they had been
intended for the reception of dead bodies, like those
at Kifri. They may all at one time have served for
this> and this immense amphitheatre have been no
more than a dakhmeh^ or burying-place of the old
Persians *. Some of the lost Syriac and Chaldean
manuscripts would, in all probability, have thrown
light upon this curious place. There were formerly
kept in this oonvent about five hundred volumes
of old Stranghelo manuscripts on vellum ; but they
were thrown together in an old vault on the side of
the hill, a part of which was carried away by a toi--
* If cutting stone was the original cause of the formation of
lomeof these grottoes, it has also contrihuted to their destruction;
for the people now, in repairing the convent, cut down the face of
crags for stone, and cut out cavesy or open and cut them away*
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95 EASTERN MANUSCRIPTS. [CH. XVI.
rent; and the books being damaged^ were deemed
of no further value> and consequently were torn up
and thrown about. Some scattered leaves were
shown to me, which were unquestionably of the
highest antiquity. Manuscripts are fast perishing in
the East ; and it is almost the duty of a traveller to
rescue as many as he can from destruction *• I sent
^ One of Mr. Rich's objects upon this tour to the Cbristiau
convents and villages in the territory of Mousul was for this very
purpose. For many years he had spared neither time, money, nor
labour, in pursuit of this object, and he finally succeeded in rescu*
ing from destruction a few of the Syriac manuscripts scattered
over this part of Assyria. They are little valued by their pos-
sessors, until an offer of purchasing them is made, and then, with
that avidity for money which is so undisguised in the East, they
express unwillingness to part with them, in order, too generally, to
secure a large sura being offered for them. The collection made
by Mr. Rich during his residence in the East is now in the Bri«
tish Museum, where it has been carefully examined, and i» * 'ghly
valued by one whose power of judging of its merits is unques-
tionable ; from whom the Editor has just received the following
letter*:—
■ British Museum, Jan. 14, 1836.
Dear Mrs. Rich, —
^ In compliance with the wish you expressed when I had the
pleasure of meeting you at Sir Robert Inglis's, I send you a list;
of that portion of the Rich MSS. which are in the Syriac lan-
guage.
The greater part of these MSS. are Biblical, and have a claim
to be considered of much importance ; for though they furnish
few various readings not previously known, they give strong con-
firmation to the integrity of the received text of the Peshito version
of the Scriptures, and several of them carry up this text to a very
remote antiquity. No. 14 is perhaps the most ancient copy of
the New Testament in the Syriac language now existing, having
beea written in the year 168 of our cnu The MSS. of the P^-
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CH. XVI.] EASTERN MANUSCRIPTS. 97
Aga Minas to-day to hunt for books in the town of
Alkosh, and he fortunately procured me a very valu-
able Chaldean manuscript of the New Testament, in
vellum, of the highest antiquity, and which was fast
perishing.
I find my friend Hussein Aga has rather over-
rated the extent of his master's dominions, which, in
fact, end at Alkosh ; and we are now really in the
territory of Amadia, and surrounded by the wild
tribes of the Muzuri, Dostaki, Baranki, Shinki, and
tateucli, No. 1, and that of the Prophets, No. 8, are very valuable.
Copies of the Prophetical Books are extremely rare. The Ono-
masticon of James of Edessa, No, 39, is a book of considerable
interest and value in its bearing upon Biblical criticism. I know
of no other copy except one at Rome.
The commentaries upon the Scriptures, by Bar Salibt^, and
Bar Hebrceus, are unpublished, and contain a variety of curious
matter for the theological student.
In history, the annals of Elias of Nisibis, of which no other
copy is known to exist ; and the latter part of the chronicle of
Bar Hebraeus deserves particular notice.
The two grammars of Bar Hebraeus, and the dictionary by Bar
Ali, though not of uncommon occurrence, are books oi great
intrinsic value.
The MSS. consist of 800 volumes. Of these, 3 are in Greek,
59 in Syriac, 8 in Carshunic, 389 in Arabic, 231 in Persian, 108
in Turkish, 2 in Armenian, and 1 in Hebrew.
The Syriac and Arabic MSS. are probably the most valuable
collection ever formed by a European j and if Mr. Rich had
rendered no other public service, the contribution made to the
literary and antiquarian treasures of the nation, by means of his
judicious, patriotic, and munificent expenditure, would silone
entitle him to the lasting gratitude of his countrymen.
Believe me with sincere respect,
Dear Mrs. Rich,
Your faithM servant,
J. FoRSHALt
The list of the Syriac MSS. which accompanied this letter, will
be found in the Appendix.
Vol. II. H
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98 THE MOUNTAINS O^ ALKOSfi. [CH. XV!.
Bervari Koords, with Yezids in abundance. On the
other side of this mountain is a plain higher than
that of Naokor, about six miles over, to another
ridge smaller than this, something resembling the
front line of Makloube. The Tigris is visible west
from a crag near the convent, and south-west from
the convent itself. Mrs. Rich, Mr. Bell, and the
Captain, went up to the top of the mountain ; from
the summit of which the Tigris was visible in a
north-west direction, and whence it disappeared
behind high mountains, I was too busy with more
important operations to attempt to accompany them,
even if my head would have allowed my climbing
over the frightful precipices, •
I took equal altitudes, circum-meridian observa-
tions, which were very essential, this place being on
the meridian of Mousul, some sights and depressions,
and finally a view of the convent *.
The temperature of a well at the convent was 52^ ;
th* air at the same time being 44**.
They are subject to intermittent fevers here as in
Koordistan, from the time when the nights begin to
grow cold, to the setting in of the cold weather.
* The Alkoeh mountain comes'froih about^Akra, and passing by
Baadra, Rabban Hormuzd, and Alkosh, is said to terminate about
Doban. From Alkosh, following the course of the mountain, and
keeping it on the right hand, you arrive at Doban in four hours,
horseman's reckoning ; but if you cross over the mountain imme-
diately at Alkosh, you arrive at once, that is, after half an hour's
pass of the mountain, at the territory of Doban. The Chaldean
town of Dohok is in Doban*
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THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY
ABTOR, UENOX AMD
ISlfSN F0UNOATX0N»
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■jABBAM BLOJEirnVZ.
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CH. XVI.] DEPARTURE FROM RABBAN HORMUZD. 99
December 21 . — As my essential work was done, I
resolved on quitting the convent to-day, the weather at
this season being rather uncertain, and we might be
overtaken and detained by a sudden storm. '1 could
otherwise have stayed here some time with great
pleasure. I shall not soon again enjoy so peaceful a
retreat ; and I begin to long after peace and quiet, be
it even tbat of a convent.
I walked down the hill in order to select a good
situation for another view *, which I found just at
the entrance into the defile on th^ convent side. In
the meantime the rocks resounded with the voices of
our people, and the neighing of our cattle ; and our
active, lively party presented a striking contrast to
the gloomy, dull, and almost lifeless inhabitants of
these Avild abodes. The different sounds gradually
died away, as our party, having loaded the animals,
passed down one by one ; and at last the convent
seemed restored to its natural tranquillity. Not a
sound was to be heard, nor a sign of life to be seen,
but some dusky forms of monks, looking at us from
their aerial habitations, suspended like eagles' eyries
on the face of the precipice. I sat some time enjoy-
ing the scene : at last I mounted ; and at half past
eleven we began our march from the opening of the
defile, which the brisk notes of the trumpet made to
ring with an English march. I now seemed to have
bid adieu to peace, and to fiave entered again into
* See accompanying plate.
H2
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100 CHALDEAN PEASANTS. [CH. XVI.
the world, with its business and its cares. A great
crowd of Chaldean peasants, from the neighbouring
town of Alkosh, had assembled at the mouth of the
defile to stare at us. They were not used to see a
Christian with marks of rank and authority ; and I
think they seemed rather proud of the sight. The
people of Alkosh are a very stout, independent set,
and can muster about four hundred musketeers.
They half esteem themselves Kermanj, as Hussein
Aga told me. I find that name of the family of the
Pasha of Sulimania signifies any Koord hereabouts.
We steered right for the artificial mount, Gir-
ghiaour, over a plain, and reached it at a quarter
after twelve, when we followed the gentle inclination
of the hills, whose commencement it marks. We
soon after alighted at the Yezid village of Sherabi,
in order to let the baggage get on before us, and
mounted again at one. At a little stream which
rises at Sherabi, and finds its way through the hills,
we observed some Yezid women washing ; and one
of them very unceremoniously divested herself of her
last garment to perform her ablutions more at ease.
We followed the little stream through the opening it
has made ; the inclination of the level being only
marked by its course. In the latter part of the hills
I observed gypsum in plenty, the north-east side
being mere sandstone. Emerging from the hills at
about two miles from the Chaldean village of Te-
liskof, we entered on a very level plain ; and at three
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CH. XVI.] NUNS AT TEUSKOF. 101
o'clock reached Teliskof, that is to say, the Bishop's
Mount *•
The crowds assembled to see us were prodigious ;
and the village seemed to pour forth twice as many
people as I thought it could have contained. They
are all Chaldean Catholics. I have never been so
much stared at in a Mahometan town. The Chris-
tians seemed to take a pride in me, and to look at the
Turks with me, and before whom they had so often
been used to cower, as if they might now defy them.
This made me have some patience with them, though
their crowding and staring was rather incommodious.
We were met at a mile from the village by the
Kiahya ; and an old woman wanted to burn incense
before me, but my horse would admit of no such
familiarity. We were lodged of course* in the best
bouse, close by the old mount which gives name to
the village. It would be a tolerable place but for
the extreme dirtiness, which, with the smell of
liquor, is, I am sorry to say, the characteristic of a
Christian village in these countries.
There are nuns at Teliskof, but no monastery.
They live in their parents or relations' houses ; and
this is likewise the case at Alkosh. I believe there
are no monasteries of females any where in the East,
except in Mount Libanus.
* This mount is not remarkable. It is indeed rather smaller
than many of those which are the ordinary accompaniments of
villages in these parts.
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102 CHALDfiAN MANUSCRIPT. [CH* XV|.
I prcM^ured here a very valuable anciept Chaldean
manuscript, containing a history ; but many leaves
are, I fear, wanting both at the beginning and the
end, The priest from whom I got it says, that it
pientions thfit Hormuzd was martyred by Shapor the
father of Kosrou:
Not long ago, in digging a grave here on the
ancient mount which gives name to the village, they
discovered stones at a great depth. This led them
to dig farther ; and they came to an ancient sepul-
chre, in which they found some glass vases, or lamps,
two of which they brought out whole ; and they are
now in my possession *, There is a large pool here for
presevving rain water, which is the only water used
in the winter here and at Telkeif. In the summer
they dyink spring water. They have two churches
here.
December 22. — ^We mounted at ten minutes before
ten, and passed the water-course with a small bridge
over it. The waters of Sirej Khan and the neigh-
bourhood collect here, and discharge themselves
through this water-course into the Tigris, The
Arab village of Bakoofa, with a mount near it, was
about half a mile on our left. At ten minutes before
eleven we came to the Chaldean village of Batnaia,
the Kiahya of which came out to meet us, and
* Qla&« is likewise found in Sasaanian and in Babylonian ruins,
•ueh aa Otopiphon and Babylon.
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invited us to halt for the night *, The country all
the way was undulating, being marked by water-
courses making their way to the Tigris, and receiv-
ing the contributions of secondary or sulx)rdinate
courses.
At twenty minutes past eleven we halted to let the
baggage pass, and to allow of its getting to our
station at Telkeif some time before us, imagining
that we had still an hour's journey to perform. At
nooji we marched again, and, ascending the undu-
lation at the bottom of which we had stopped, found,
to our great surprise, that Telkeif was quite close to
us, being situated in a hollow on the other side. We
arrived at a quarter past twelve, having been oq the
road only two hours and twenty-five minutes.
Telkeif is a town wholly inhabited by Chaldeans,
many of whom go to Bagdad to seek work and
service. The Kiahya, a very decent old man, told
me it contained a thousand houses, in some of which
are thirty souls. The number of houses is probably
overrated, but it is a considerable place and very full
of people, a dirty ill-favoured set, like all the Chal-
deans I have seen. The Chaldeans are a dark-com-
plexioned race, and do not in the least resemble the
Koords. We observed a great deal of gypsum
to-day on the way from Teliskof.
There are two open tanks and some covered reser-
* A mile from Batnaia is the monastery of Mar Abraham,
who is supposed to have been a Bebbeh Koord.
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104 ANCIENT VEXLUM MANUSCRIPT. [CH. XVI.
voirs here. One of the latter is said to hold water
enough for the whole town for more than two
months. It is a natural hole of sandstone, which is
under the town.
I saw some stones dug out at a distance, and I was
curious to find out whether they were taken from any
place indicative of ruins, but I found that it was a
quarry. They dug about six or eight feet to the bed
of sandstone, which they broke up with pickaxes. I
asked the Kiahya, and several other people, if fhey
ever found cut stones or any fi*agments of antiquity
in the neighbourhood in diggings or ploughing, but
they all agreed that no vestiges were ever met with.
There are seven ruined churches here, and one in
good repair. For more than twenty-five years there
have been no Nestorians any nearer than Amadia,
or rather beyond Amadia. Two thousand Kharaj
papers* are issued annually for Telkeif, and a
respectable body of musketeers may be raised.
Telkeif is a Vakuf of Nebbi Yunus. It is a great
thoroughfare, and contains a large caravanserai.
I fortunately procured here a fine copy of the
Gospels and Epistles in Chaldean, on velhim, of the
Alexandrian year 601 f, the oldest manuscript I
have yet seen : also some leaves of an historical work
of the same character, with some writing in Greek
* The Kharaj is a tax upon all the subjecta of the Ottoman
empire who are not Mahometans,
i t Vide note, p. 15.
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CH. XTI.] CURIOSITY OF THE WOMEN. 105
capitals. The rest of the latter work had been torn
and lost, and probably but for me the remainder
would also have soon vanished.
The air of Telkeif is not reckoned good, owing
probably to its being situated in a hollow between
two hills, and very filthy. Teliskof is, on the con-
trary, accounted very healthy.
December 23. — ^There was brought to me this
morning a very old manuscript on vellum, in Chal-
dean ; and an Arabic book containing chronolo-
gical tables. They said they would not sell this, as
it was the hand-writing of a saint. Nevertheless
they do not seem to have preserved it with any great
care, as it was in a shocking state of dilapidation.
They allowed me to take it with me to Mousulj and
I hope to be ultimately successful in persuading
them to part with it.
We mounted at half past nine. An immense
crowd assembled to see us off. The women begged
Hussein Aga not to drive them off, but to allow them
to take their full stare, as they might never see such
a sight again.
At half past ten we saw at the distance of two
miles on our left the village of Baaweiza, inhabited
by-Bajilan Koords. The country was undulating,
and grew more and more gravelly as we approached
the river*. We passed a long string of camels
* From Baaweiza the view over the plain towards Kennelis is
pretty extended, but a mist prevented me from ascertaining the
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106 DSi;CRIPTION OF K YEZID. [ci). XVI.
beloQging to the Pasha of Mouaul, bringing wooMi
from the north side of the Alkosh mountains. At
eleven we turned out of the direct road to the right,
in order to go to Sheikh Ahmed, where I had some
observations to take* We arrived at the village of
Sheikh Ahmed at twenty-five minutes past eleven-
December 2b. — We returned to our residence at
the Pasha's garden yesterday from Sheikh Ahmed,
and this morning I called on the Pasha, He in-
formed me that, at Rabban Hormuzd, he himself had
found in a cave some bones, and particularly some
large skulls. This seems to come in support of my
opinion that these caverns may have been dakhmehs
or burying-places.
I saw at the palace to-day a Yezid from Sinjar.
He was dressed just like the other Yezids, but wore
his long black hair in thick locks, and was a fierce-
looking fellow. There is now a woman in Sinjar
who is believed, both by Turks and Yezids, to be
gifted with a spirit which informs her of everything
that is to happen. The Turks say this is an evil
spirit, but acknowledge the fact. Her name is
Bizarra : she is a virgin, and always keeps a veil
over her face.
exact point to which you can see. This is however the only spot
where a view to any distance can be obtained/ From any other
not above a mile round can be discovered from horseback in any
direction, on account of the undulations of the country.
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107
CHAPTER XVII.
The Sword of Yezid — Ruins j^f Hatra — Our removal to another
Garden — Arabian Jessamine — Alkosh the Country of the Pro-
phet Nahum — Jews to he trusted for local Antiquities —
Nestorian Convent of Mar Elias — Description of the Church —
Subterraneous Buildings — ^Matran flanna, the Chaldean Arch-
bishop — Principal Churches of Mousul — Singular Relic— Hajee
Jirjees — Yezids — ^Tai Arabs — ^Mount Judi — The Ark — Sepul-
chral Chamber of Nineveh.
December 2%, — ^The Pasha to-day sent me a curi-
osity to look at, which I had long heard talk of,
namely, the sword of Yezid, the son of Moaviah. It
is of the proper Damasciis or light-watered steel,
and prodigiously heavy. When it fell into the
Pasha's hands it was straight; in short, a proper
single-edged broadsword, about four feet long, and
three fingers and a half broad. He had the bad taste
to cut off about a foot of' it, and to have it curved
a little in the shape of a paala or sabre ; yet still it
is much too heavy for use. On the blade are the
remains of zer-nishan or inlaid-gold writing, the
traces left by which may still be read, though with
difficulty. They are — " This belongs to Yezid, the
son of Moaviah," and a verse from the Koran. The
mounting was modern *.
* Yezid, the son of Moayiah, was the second Cahph of the
Ommiade race. He is held in peculiar horror by the Persians,
on account of the murder of All's son Hussein at Kerbela, the
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no pasha's GARDEN AT MOt^SUL. [CH. XVII.
of it. A caravan of Jirba Arabs has just arrived
with salt from the vicinity of Al Hadhr *. In former
times the Mousul people used once a year to send
a caravan for salt, with a strong escort ; but this has
been discontinued for a long time, on account of the
increased danger ; and the Bedouins themselves now
bring the salt to Mousul, though fonnerly a Bedouin
was quite an unusual sight here ; and when Biniyya^
the nephew of the Jirba Sheikh Faris, first caiije to
Mousul about twenty years ago, he was so stared at,
followed, and persecuted by the boys, that he found
it impossible to show himself in the bazaar, without
the escort of some officers of the Pasha.
December 27. — We moved to-day to the Pasha's
new garden-house, which, for this country, is a splen-
did place, consisting of haram, and divan khaneh,
in a very pretty garden. This he has been pleased
to lend us for our accommodation during the re-
mainder of our stay here. The gardener brought us.
a large bunch of nergheez, or narcissus, in full flower,
on our arrival ; also chrysanthemums and marygolds.
Razki, or Arabian jessamine, will not grow in Mousul.
in the open air. The winter kills it^
January 2, 1821. — I am ashamed to say a very
* According to Assemanni, — ** Niaibin, Dara, and Hadhr, were
ruined by Tcharsouli, a Neatorian, first called Barsuma, t\lio ob-
tained permission from the Abbassides to ruin them. He ruined
a great number of places, and was killed by the nuns of Deir al
Benat, near Dara.''
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TftE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY
ABTOR, .XNOX AND
I TXI4PEN f r J MDATION*
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I^ESTORIAK JFAM1]L.Y FROM MAKKARI.
o£ "die Jda Qan.
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CH. XVtt.] THE PROPHET NAHUM. Ill
remarkable circumstance had escaped my^notice*,
until I was made aware of it to-day by Matran
Hanna. Alkosli was the birth-place of the Prophet
Nahum, and also his burial-place. His tomb is still
shown there, and Jews from all parts come on pil-
grimage to it. Nahum was of a Jewish family, who
resided at Alkosh during the captivity of Nineveh*
On referring indeed to the Book of Nahum, I find
" Nahum the Elkosh-ite '* in the first verse ; and I
wonder this never struck me before, especially as I
read the Book of Nahum but lately, when thinking
over the subject of Nineveh. I must here remark,
that the Jews are generally to be trusted for local
antiquities. Their pilgrimage to a spot is almost h
sufficient test. The unbroken line of tradition which
may have been handed down among them, and their
pertinacious resistance of all innovation, especially
in matters of religious belief, render their testimony
very weighty in such matters.
From Alkosh people go in seven days to Urmiah ;
namely, two to Amadia, two to Julamerk, three to
Urmiah, From Julamerk to Kotchannes is one
day's journey. The Urmiah road does not necessarily
pass through Alkosh, but runs very near it. The ter-
ritory of Amadia is full of Nestorians, Kotchannes
* Marius, in a letter to Busbequius quoted in ABaemanni, speaks
of Alcus (Alkosh) as the country of Nahum the Prophet, and
celebrated both by Jews and Christians for containing his tomb.
Assem. vol. i. p. 525.
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1 12 NESTORIUS. [CH. XVII.
being the place of residence of their patriarch*.
There are many Nestorian villages on this side of
Amadia, whose inhabitants I was told wear felt
coverings on their heads, just like the European hat.
They are called Gheranmoosi.
* According to Assemanni, Nestorius was condemned by the
synod of Ephesus in 431, and banished by order of Theodosius,
first to Petra in Arabia, then brought to a convent at Antioch,
after four years' residence in which he was finally banished to the
Libyan oasis, whence he betook himself to the Thebaid, where he
died. There is some doubt as to who propagated the opinions of
Nestorius in the East. Assemanni decides as follows : First, there
was a school of Persians from time immemorial at Edessa, in
which the Christian youths of the Persian empire were taught
theology, and a Nestorian became president of it. Secondly, the
Oriental bishop who took the part of John of Antioch against St.
Cyril and the Council of Ephesus, favoured Nestorius, and com-
mended his doctrine about the incarnate word. These were the
two sources of Nestor ianism among the Persians. The Chaldean
writers affirm the principal cause of the propagation of Nestorian-
ism among the Easterns to have been Barsuma, who was with his
comrades expelled from the school at Edessa, and was bishop of
Nisibin from 435 to 489. Narses, the companion of Barsuma,
and president of the school he established at Nisibin, did not
cease to propagate those doctrines till his death, which happened
in 496. His successor was Joseph Hazita, by whose endeavours
Nestorianism was propagated far and wide. In 496, B abacus,
archbishop of Seleucia, was elected by the Nestorian party ; and
in a synod held in 499 he not only confirmed the doctrine of
Nestorius, but, following in the steps of Barsuma of Nisibin, made
it lawful for all succeeding archbishops of Seleucia to marry. From
that time the patriarchate of Seleucia, and all the sees in the East,
were occupied by Nestorians. It appears that about six hundred
and thirty-six bishops and priests of this sect were sent to India
and China.
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CH. XVII.] MONASTEBY OF MAR ELI AS. 1 13
January 10.— News has just been received from
Mardin, that the Vaivode has had another quarrel
with the neighbouring tribes^ the chiefs of one or two
of which have thrown down their tents. This is a
signal among ther tribes of a guerre a routrance,
and means — " I have thrown down my tent, and will
not pitch it again till I have had my revenge."
January 22. — I went to-day to visit the remains
of the Nestorian monastery of Mar Elias, called by
the Mahometans Deir el Munkoosh, the ornamented
or painted monastery. I cannot find in Assemanni the
date of its foundation*, but it is mentioned incident-
ally in the ninth century-f. The natives say it be-
longed to the Roman or Greek Christians, before
* Mr. Rich afterwards discovered the date of the building of
this convent in Assemanni. The following is an entry made in
his note-book. ** At last I have discovered what I was hunting
after. Under Jesujabus, Nestorian Catholicua or primate, who
b^n to reign a.d. 581, and who reigned fifteen years, two
monasteries were founded; one Saed, near Mousul, the other
Mansoor, in the region of Nineveh. This Jesnjabus concluded a
peace between the King of Persia, Hormisdas, son of Anushirvan,
and Heraclius. The convent of Saed (which is our Deir el Man-
koosh) was founded by Mar £lia." Deir Saed, as it may be seen
from another part of Assemanni, is the same with the monastery
of Mar Elia. Vol. ii. p. 415 : vol. iii. p. 264.
t The following mention of Mar Elias is made by Assemanni.
Joshua Bar nun of*Bath Gabar, a village on the Tigris, between
Nineveh and MousMl, lived thirty years in the monastery of St.
Ehas, before he was elected primate of the East, which happened
A.n. 824. — Assem. vol. ii. p. 435. Abu Saed was Archimandrite
of Mar Elias in aj>. 1028.
Vol. II. I
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114 MINEBAL SPRING. [CH. XVII.
the Mahometan conquest of these parts, and that \t
was UBurpetkby the Nestorians. Dhaher Bibars, the
hero of the romance of El Dhaheria, was imprisoned,
or said to have been imprisoned, in a subterranean
vault under the convent. It was ruined by Nadir
Shah.
The convent is situated in a little hollow or valley
about two and a half miles south-west of our garden,
and is a bare secluded spot, fit for monastic retire-*
ment, commanding no prospect whatever. Yet in
the spring, when all is green, it is a favourite haunt of
the people of Mousul, principally on account of the
mineral spring hard by, which is in great repute
here. The water fills an oval reservoir, and is
sulphureous, the surface being covered with a
whitish scum, beneath which it is quite clear and
not warm. No tar is produced here, as in a similar
spring in the neighbourhood at Hamaum Ali.
The convent is now a heap of ruins. On the east
side of the principal court (about which are some
foundations of other inclosures, little domed cells
nearly sunk below the present level, and some vaulted
reservoirs) is a long building or corridor with three
open arches, entering from the court. On one of the
piers between tliese arches, on the inside, is a beau-^
tifully ornamented niche, and on the corresponding
one a tablet inscribed with old Chaldean letters, of
such an age^ and so placed as to height and light, as
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CH. XVII.] ARABESQUE ORNAMENT. 115
to be extremely difficult to make out. From the
north end of this gallery you enter into a small room
covered with a dome, yet standing. A tomb is in
this, beneath which the Turks say is buried a priest
of the monastery, who when they came for Ali*s
head (Ali alone knows how that came here) cut off
his own son's head to substitute for it. He of course
afterwards became a Mahometan, and was assassi-
nated by the Christians. On the tomb, however, are
the remains of Chaldean writing, but quite illegible.
The door is very small, and jseems, at least the bottom
part of it, to be made up of fragments of cornices,
&c., which appear to have belonged to the building
in some former state.
On the south side of the court you enter by a small
door, into a long, narrow vestibule, running north
and south, but not so high as the building, which
communicates by a little half-buried door with the
churches parallel to each other east and west.
The principal church, which gives name to the
monastery, has been beautifully ornamented. There
are the remains of the figure of ftn angel in bas-relief,
on one side of the arch over the altar, resembling I
think the angel in the catacombs at Dara. The
arabesques and figures about the altar are raised
white, on a light blue ground*.
Considerable parts of the church remain. It is
elegant, not large, high, and a little too narrow for
* A style etiU practised in some of the kiosks here.
12
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] 16 SASSANIAN ARCHITECTURE. [CH. XVH.
its length. The arch of the roof is round ; a portion
of it remains, the rest has fallen down, and foiihed
heaps of rubbish on the floor, now consolidated and
covered with a bright green mildew*. Standing near
the altar, and looking down the church to the west
end, I was struck with its great resemblance to
Tauk Kesra. Every thing was in the same style,
only on a smaller scale, and substituting good stone
and gypsum for homely brick. So strong was the re-
semblance indeed, that had there ever been a Christiah
king of the Parthian or Sassanian dynasties, I could
almost have pronounced the Tauk to have been the im-
perial or patriarchal church. As it is, this may serve
as an additional proof of the derivation of the archi-
tecture of these parts from the Sassanian. The arch
of the altar is composed of two segments of circles.
The vault of the church is pure Sassanian, or circular,
and, if it had but a little more space, would be really
handsome. The niches, small doors and Avindows,
little niches on the sides of the altar supported by
small double pillars, are all correctly Kesranf. Of
the parallel church, nifthing worthy of remark remains.
Indeed it seems to have been of an inferior, possibly
of a more recent construction. The little west door-
way, which is the principal entrance of the hand-
some church, appears to have been repaired with
* The great damps observable at Mousul must proceed from
the gypsum and its salt. The climate will not account for it.
t By which Mr. Rich means in the style of Tauk Kesra.
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CH. XVII.] SUBTERRANEAN BUILDING. 117
8ome fragments of friezes^ at least these seem now
not to be in their proper places. The stucco of the
upper part is drilled with shot-holes, as the idle
Turks amuse themselves with practising at it as a
mark.
Tlie subterraneous buildingrwhich appears to be
very extensive, is said to reach as far as Ghizelan on
the banks of the Tigris, to the south-west of our
garden*. The entrance is by a little low door in the
sacristy, on the right hand of the altar. It led at
one time, a-ccording to. the information of a person
who had been in it long ago, out into the desert at a
considerable distance^ but it has now become choked
up with (ubbish.
In the most ancient oriental churchesf , there seem
to have been no chapels or altars, other than the
great one ; and generally only one aisle ; but they have
very often a parallel church connected with the prin-
cipal one by a little door.
January 24. — I had some interesting conversation
with Matran Hanna about various particulars rela«
ting to the antiquities and history of these countries,
with which he seems well acquainted. I took my
first lesson of reading Chaldean from him to-day.
* Half way between Deir ul Mankoosh and GUzelan are the
remains of another convent. The Syrians say there were two
Jacobite convents in this neighbourhood, dedicated to St. Gabriel
and St. Michael.
t Several of the mosques in Bagdad were formeriy Chaldean
churches.
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118 CHURCH OF MAR TOMA. [CH. XVII.
I again visited Mar Elias for the purpose of re-
touching my sketch, in some particulars in which I
thought it doubtful. I now think that the flatness
of the arch of the roof may have proceeded from its
subsiding. I have had the inscription on the slab
in the verandah, or gallery, before the tomb of Mar
Elia, copied. It imports that it was repaired by
Khojah Yusuff Ibn Hindi*, and Kas Ishoua, and
Mukdussi abdul Hiyya, and Khan Zadel, at the
instigation of Shemas Isa, and the architect was
Kas Hormuz, in the year a.d. 1316, of the Greeks
1667t.
February 4.— I went to town to-day to inspect
the principal churches, and first that of ]V^^r Toma,
or St. Thomas the Apostle, the archiepiscopal Jacobite
church of Mousul, which I found worthy of a sketch.
I executed it on the spot to the great admiration of
the people, who were delighted to see their church
thought worthy of such an honour by a European.
In the sanctuary are three altars^ which are, as usual,
mean kinds of setitry-boosesy or thrones of painted
wood, vrith canopies of the same over them. The
* This is the family of our old friend the Chaldean Catholic,
patriarch of Diarbekir, whose ancestor, Joseph, the first Catholic
patriarch of the name, was appointed by Pope Innocent II. The
Nestorian patriarchs abandoned Diarbekir on account of the pre-
ponderance of the Cathohcs, and betook themselves to the moun-
tains of Julamerk, about the year 1560, under the patriarch
Simeon, which name has been retained ever since by these
patriarchs..
t Vide Note, p. 155.
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CH. XVII.] DESCRIPTION OF THE CHURCH. 119
great door of the sanctuary was surrounded by ^
border of carved marble work, containing certain
figures of Ciirist and the Twelve Apostles in medal-
lions, with twisted scroll- work, which had a barbarous
but rather curious appearance. The church is
divided into three parts, a centre and two aisles, by
three heavy pointed but obtuse arches, supported by
octagonal piers. In one aisle near the upper end,
luy attention was called to a carved stone filling a
niche, before which hung a curtain, and which was
an object of veneration to the congregation, they
scarcely knew why, except that, from its antiquity,
they supposed it to have some reference to the
Christian religion* They had found it among rubbish
in repairing the church, and placed it in its present
fiituatiout Upon examination I found very clearly
and legibly written around it in flowered Arabiq
letters, between Cufic and the modern character of
the age of the Sahibs, the very chapter of the Koran
peculiarly directed against the Christians.
So here had these poor people been devoutly rub-
bing their foreheads against a monument, of which,
had they known its import, they would have had the
greatest horror and detestation. I believe the arch-
bishop gave orders for its removal from its present
place.
The lower part of the church is railed in for the
aceommodation of the women. It is manifestly ancient,
and at the time of Tamerlane's irruption was, the
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120 ASSYRIAN CHRISTIANS. [CH. XVII.
natives say^ covered over and concealed under heaps
of rubbish.
I afterwards went to Matran Hanna's church,
which is dedicated to Mar Shemaoon Sava, patri-
arch of Seleucia in the time of Shapor, who suffered
martyrdom under that prince.
The church is a single room, like that of Mar
Elias and Rabban Hormuzd, and though very an*
eient, offered nothing worthy of a sketch. The only
remarkable object I saw was the ancient burial-
place of the Abdul Jeleels, the family of the present
Mahometan governor of Mousul, when they were
Chaldeans *.
February 24. — Hajee Jirjees has, at my request,
* The following extracts, relating to the Christians of Assyria,
are from Assemanni. They were found among Mr. Rich's loose
papers, and are inserted here, in the hope that they may lead those
who are interested in the subject to a very abundant source of in-
formation concerning the history of Christianity in the East : —
•* The Chaldeans or Assyrians received Christianity in the time of
the twelve apostles — Peter, Thomas (St. Thomas the incredulous,
and the apostle of India), Bartholomew, Matthew, and Judas the
son of James, and Thaddeus, also called Lebseus. Also Thaddeus
of the seventy, and Mark and Ayhaeus are called the apostles of
the Syrians and Chaldeans. Adseus or Adi % one of the seventy
disciples, was sent into the East by St. Thomas, one of the twelve,
and was martyred at Edessa under the son of the celebrated
Al^arus, on his return from preaching in Persia, Assyria, and
Babylonia. Mark, a disciple of Adseus, proclaimed the Gospel
in Babylonia, Assyria, and Persia. He fixed his residence at
Ctesiphon and Seleucia, and is called first Bishop of Seleucia; and
Seleucia, in this manner, became the head of the Oriental church*
* Qu. Is Adaeus the same as Thaddeus?
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CH. XVII.] MEANING OF DASINI. 121
inquired from a number of Yezids the meaning of
the word Dcmni. In finding out the precise mean*
ing he has failed, but he has ascertained the exact
application of it. It is applied by the Yezids to the
peasant Yezids under the government of Mousul and
the vicinity : never to the Sinjarlis, who are called
eoUectively, Jenu. (q. Jelu ?) Some other Yezids
in these parts, who are distinct from the peasant
vace, are called Sheikhanlis. On the frontiers of
Jezira, Amadia, and Mousul are the Mussessan and
Dinnedi tribes — all true Yezids. The name Yezid
is only used by the neighbouring Mahometans ; the
Yezids themselves never use the term. It seems to,
be an epithet of reproach, from Yezid, surnamed by
He died, after a ministry of thirty-tliree years, from a.d. 48 to 82.
St. Thomas, whose surname, according to some, was Jude, not only
was the apostle of the Syrians and Chaldeans, but also of the Par*
thians, Persians, Medes, and Indians. It has been doubted whether.
St. Thomas himself ever penetrated intolndia ; Assemanni decides
in the affirmative. Christianity appears at a very early period to
have gained ground ; for about the time of Papas, Bishop of Seleu-
cia, or from 247 to 326, we find already a great schism in that
church, the origin of which is attributed to the arrogance of Papas.
Twenty-two bishops are mentioned as having suffered martyrdom
under Shapor. When Christianity was first preached in the £ast,
Artabanes was king of the Parthians ; Izates of Adiabene ; and
Abgarus of Edessa. In the first century the churches of the
East were already considerable enough to become an object of the
Persian kings' persecution. In the second century Trajan perse-
cuted the Oriental Christians in his expedition. In the third
century the Manicheean Heresy commenced : in the fourth, the per-
secution of Shapor began, a.d. 330. Nestorius was condemned by
the Synod of Ephesus in 431.
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123 TAI ARABS. [CH. XVH.
the Mahometans "The Accursed," In like manner
I have frequently heard the natives of the east
abuse each other by the epithets^ '* Race of Pharaoh
—People of Lot — Sect of Nimrod."
There is a branch of the Tai Arabs called Haba<-
bat» who more than a century ago^ on some quarrel
with the rest of the tribe, seceded to Sinjai*. Their
children became Yeaids, and the race are now per-
fect Devil- worshippers, speaking the language of th^
Yezids, and in noways distinguishable from them»
February 25, — My obliging friend Hajee Jirjees
came again this evening with more information*
which he had collected at my request* I set dowa
the principal articles of it, as follows :-^
There are two Tirehs, or families of the Tai Arabs,
indubitably descended from the famous Hatem, called
the Sumbees and Al Hareetb, The Bey of the Tais
was formerly a sanjiak of the Porte, and the Sheikh
or Bey used to go to Constantinople to receive his
investiture : he was of the descendants of Hatem. '
One of them was put to death at Constantinople
on account of an intrigue with one of the women
of the house where he lodged, about which a
long and stupid story is told. After him no one
went for some time, and there was an interregnum
in the tribe. At last a young man of the name of
Eshgeer was sent. He was a yeteem or prot6g6 of
the Hatem family. He succeeded well at Constanti-
nople, and received the investiture. The chiefs thus
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CH. XVII.] THE ZAKHO MOUNTAINS. 123
nominated by the Porte then wore the kaouk or
Turkish turban, and commanded all the Arabs of
these parts. Since the disaster of the Sheikh who was
put to death, none other of the family of Hatem have
ever been sent to Constantinople, and both its branches
have been gradually removed from the government of
the tribe. The present family* is very low : the Arabs
commonly call them '* Sons of Jews," to express
their contempt for their ignoble origin.
The only mountain you cross over, or rather go
through, on your way from this place to Zakho^ is the
Zakho Dagh, which begins in Feishabour, passes
this side of Zakho* and thence to this side of
Amadia. I have not been able to trace it farther
down. In going to Amadia you pass over this
mountain, and afterwards in half an hour arrive at
Amadia. After Amadia there is another smaller
range, and then an extensive plain just like Naokor,
extending to the frontier of Hakkaria. The difficult
and rugged mountainous parts are all towards the
north and north-west of Amadia in the direction of
Mount Judi t« Eight hours above Zakho on the
* The present Sheikh, whom I know personally, is called
Hassan Abdullah,
t The Mahometans universally maintain that it was on Mount
Judi the ark first rested, and that it is Ararat, and not the moun*
tarn to which that name is given in Armenia. Don Calmet, Storia
del Nuovo Testamento, p. 275, says, *'Monobazes, King of
Adiabene, gave his younger son Ozates the government of Keron
or Kairoun, a country where they showed the remains of the ark/'
Calmet tapposes from. this that the country must have been near
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124 MOUNT ARARAT. [CH, XVII,
right of the Jezira road is the Yaylak or Bummer
encampment of Zakho on the^Zouzan mountaios.
Mount Ararat in Armenia :— he is not aware of this tradition,
which places the ark on Mount Judi, or Cardoo, which is
evidently the Keron here mentioned ^. Hussein Aga maintained
to me that he has with his own eyes seen the remains of Noah's Ark.
He went to a Christian village, whence he ascended hy a steep
road of an hour to the summit, on which he saw the remains of n
very large vessel of wood almost entirely rotted, with nails of a foot
long still remaining. In the third volume of Assemanni, p. 214,
occurs the following expression : " There is a monastery on the
i^ummit of Mount Cardu^ or Ararat. St. Epiphanius attests that,
in his time, remains of the ark still existed, and speaks of relics of
Noah's Ark being found in ' Cardiserum Regiones.' "
* Josephus, on this subject, says, "However, the Armenians call
this place Airo/Sa-nj^wv, the place of descent; for the ark being
saved in that place, its remains are shown there by the inhabitants
to this day (§6), Now all the writers of barbarian histories
make mention of this flood and of this ark ; among whom is
Berosus the Chaldean ; for when he was describing the circum-
stances of the flood he goes on thus : — • It is said there is still
some part of this ship in Armenia, at the mountain of the
Cordyseans ; and that some people carry off pieces of the bitumen,
which they take away and use chiefly as amulets for the averting
of mischiefs.* Hieronymus the Egyptian also, who wrote the
Phaenician Antiquities, and Mnasias, and a great many more, make
mention of the same. Nay, Nicalaus of Damascus, in his 96th
book, hath a particular relation about them, where he speaks thus:
* There is a great mountain in Armenia over Ninyasy called Baris,
upon which it is reported that many who fled at the time of the
Deluge were saved ; and that one who was carried in an ark came
on shore upon the top of it ; and that the remains of the timber
were a great while preserved. This might he the man about
whom Moses, the legislator of the Jews, wrote,' " — Whiston's
Josephus, b. i., ch. 3. (London, 1820.)
In the passage cited by Josephus it is to be observed, that
while both his authorities speak of Armenia as the country in
which the ark rested, Berosus speaks of its remains being at the
" Mountain of the Cordyeeans." This proves, and there are
many authorities to the same eflect, that the mountains of
Corduene, or Gordyeean mountains, which Malte Brun places
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CH. XVIlJ POf^LAR TIMBER. 12o
where the Bey or Pasha of Zakho has a country*
house.
Shakh is a town belonging to the Bey of Jezira,
who generally keeps his family there. It is situated
in a valley between two mountains : a third closes up
the valley, from which issues a streStm as large as
the Ghazir Soo or Bumadus. This stream joins the
Tigris above Zakho and the Khabour. In the latter
part of its course it is called Feishabour, I believe
from the name of a place through which it passes.
Shakh * is situated on a prolongation of Mount
Judi ; and the town, which is built in the form of
an amphitheatre, is three hours this side of Jeasira t«
The poplar timber which is used in Bagdad all
within the ancient limits of Assyria, were of old sometimes
xeckoned in Armenia Major. It is here especially worthy of
notice, because the fact that the ancient writers place Ararat in
Armenia has, apparently without a single additional reason, led
some modems to look for it exclusively within the boundaries by
which that name is now confined. — By a Friend to the Ed.
* Shakh is commanded by an Armenian Prince who is invested
by the Mahometan Prince of Hakkaria. At Shakh is one of the
sources of the Tigris. The country is very mountainous as far as
the town of Sert, near which the Tigris runs, and unites with the
Diarbekir branch at a place called Tela Navroua, which means in
Koordish *' between the rivers." There also the Betlis andRodowan
rivers unite. Tela Navroua is twelve hours from Sert and two
stages from Jezira. There is a castle there on a moutit, as the
name indicates, and a large village of Koords and Jacobite
Christians. From Shakh, which in Koordish means a chain of
mountains, to Julamerk is nine hours. — From a Note Book of
Mr, Rick's.
t Just on this side Jezira, one hour and a half from it, is a hill
which makes a high precipice over the Tigris.
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126 SEPULCHRAL CHAMBER. [CH. XVII*
comes from these mountains, and is floated down
the Feishabour into the Tigris. The Heizil river
also comes from the Judi mountains, and joins the
Khabour below Zakho. It is a bad ford.
March 1. — Kosrou EfFendi, who is most excellent
authority, tells me to-day that Bekir Effendi, when
digging for stones to build the bridge of Mousul,
found on digging into the Koyunjuk a sepulchral
chamber in which was an inscription ; and in the
chamber, among rubbish and fragments of bone, the
following articles : a woman's khalkhal, or ankle
bracelet, of silver covered with a turquoise-coloured
rust ; a hejil * of gold ; ditto a child's ; a bracelet of
gold beads quite perfect ; some pieces of engraved
agate. All these articles, and the chamber in which
they were found, were seen and handled by Kosroa
EflFendi. The gold and silver were melted down
immediately, the agates were thrown away, and the
chamber broken up by the stones being taken out
and then buried in the rubbish.
Among many other interesting particulars not
noticed in Mr. Rich's Journal at Mousul, was the
death of his amiable and accomplished young friend,
Mr. Bellino. Though this was too affecting an event
to be much spoken of, it was deeply felt by Mr. Rich
and all his party. Mr. Bellino was a young man of
* The hejil is likewise an ankle bracelet, but different from the
khalkhal in this respect, that the latter has bells attached to it.
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CH. XVII.] DEATH OP MR. BELLING. 127
a singularly affectionate disposition^ whom no one
could know and not love. The removal by sickness
and death of such a character, therefore, could not
fail to make a deep impression upon his surviving
friends^ especially in the solitude of a foreign and
barbarous country. He never recovered the effects
of a fever he caught on an expedition he undertook
while in Koordistan to Hamadan ; and though he
received every attention and care that affection, aided
by the medical skill of Dr. Bell, could afford, he
gradually sunk under the disease, and died at Mouflul,
in the month of November, 1820.
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128
CHAPTER XVIII.
Departure from Mousul — Kellek, or Raft — Roaring of the water
over a Rapid — Ruins of Nimrod — ^The Larisaa of Xenophon-^
Al Athur or Asshur — Pyramid— Cuneiform or Arrow-headed
Inscriptions— Sulphur Springs — ^Mouth of the Zab — Stormy
Night — Ruins — ^Tai Arabs— Whh-lpool — Singular and perfect
Ruins— The Robber's Castle— Green Country— Wild Flowers-
El Fatt'ha— Pass through the Hamreen Hills— Arabs— Tomb
of the Son of Iman Mousa — Violent Squall— Al Hadhr —
Tekreet — Prattling Barber — Imam Dour — Eski Bagdad—
Samara — Curious Tower — El Sanam or the Idol — Fragment of
a Statue — Mounds of Ruins— Kadesia — Date-trees — Villages-
Meet the Yacht — Gardens of Bagdad — ^Arrival at Bagdad.
March 3, — ^We embarked on a kellek, or raft *, at
the Pasha's garden, on our return to Bagdad, at ten
o'clock in the morning, and glided smoothly down
the river until four o'clock, when we brought to
* A kellek is a raft nearly twice as long as it is hroad. It is
composed of goat-skins hlown up, and fastened close together by
reeds; this is strengthened by cross pieces of wood, and over
these again are laid others to keep the bales of merchandise out
of the water. The only fastenings of this machine are twigs. The
skins are repaired and blown up afresh every evening, and during
the day care is taken to keep them continually wet, which prevents
their bursting. These kelleks are conducted by two long oars, the
blades of which are made of pieces of split cane fastened together.
The passengers arrange themselves as they can on the bales of
goods; and if a person wishes to be very much at his ease, he pro-
cures a wooden bedstead covered over with a felt awning, which
stands in the middle of the kellek, and serves him for a bed by
night and a sitting-room by day.
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CH. XVIIL] LARI88A OF XBNOPHON. 129
about four hundred yards above the Zikr ul Aawaze*,
the roaring of which we heard for some time before
coming to it. No part of it is now visible, but the
water rushes over it like a rapid, boiling with great
impetuosity. The passage, which is narrow, is
between it and the east bank. The dyke crosses the
river. They say, at the latter end of summer and
early in autumn, about a foot of it is visible above
water, and it may then be seen that it is constructed
of large hewn stones cemented with lime.
Both sides of the river are highly cultivated all
the way from Mousul wherever it is possible, and
villages were constantly in sight.
March 4. — It was so cloudy last night that I
could not take an observation ; the morning was also
overcast and threatening a storm, so that there ap-
peared nO chance of my seeing the eclipse of the
moon. This was, however, at present an object of
minor importance with me. I was curious to in-
spect the ruins of Nimrod t> which I take to be the
Larissa of Xenophon. They were sufficiently visible
from the shore to enable me to sketch the principal
mount.
But I was desirous of a closer examination of
* " The Zikr ul Aawaze is a dam built across the mer, which at
low water stands considerably above its surface, and forms a small
cataract. The inhabitants attribute it to Nimrod." — From Mr.
Rich's Journal of his Journey from Bagdad to Constantinople.
t Mousul is six caravan or four horseman's hours from Nimrod.
Vol. II. K
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130 PYRAMIDAL MOUNT. [CH. XVIII.
such very venerable remains. I therefore sent the
kelleks round the next reach, and set off the first
thing in the morning on foot, accompanied by Mrs.
Rich, the gentlemen, and a working party to inspect
them. We had a walk of forty-five minutes in N.
45 E. at a good hard pace, and my curiosity was
amply gratified. The first objects that attracted our
attention were a Pyramidal Mount at the north-west
angle of a parallelogrammic platform or flat mound.
Traces of ruins like those of a city were to be seen to
the north a little way west and to a great distance
east. It is indeed difficult to assign their precise
extent, the country all around has been so much
ploughed up. I ascended the mount first, as there
was a slight clearing up of the horizon, in order to
establish its bearings from the distant objects, whose
positions I already knew.
A dereh, or ravine, comes from about Khidder
Elias, collects all the neighbouring drains, and pours
into the Tigris, passing by and washing the south
face of the platform. It is sometimes very fiiU of
water, and scarcely passable ; but is now dry. This
ravine is called Seikh Dereh. All around is beauti-
fully cultivated. About a quarter of a mile from the
west face of the platform is the large village of Nim-
rod, sometimes called Deraweish.
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CH. XVIII.] RUINS OP NIMROD*S CITY. 131
The Turks generally believe this to have been
Nimrod's own city ; and one or two of the better
informed with whom I conversed at Mousul said it was
Al Athur or Ashur, from which the whole country
was denominated'*'. It is curious that the villagers
of Deraweish still consider Nimrod as their founder.
The village story-tellers have a book they call the
" Kisseh Nimrod," or Tales of Nimrod, vidth which
they entertain the peasants on a winter night.
But to come to a description of the ruins. The
above-mentioned pyramid fonns the north-west angle
of the platform, which aligns with the face of the
pyramid. At the west base of the pyramid are a few
yards of the same kind of concrete building which I
had observed at Nineveh. Indeed these ruins singu-
larly illustrate those of Nineveh, and I was delighted
to jfind scattered about fragments of burnt bricks
with cuneiform inscriptions on them. I immediately
sent to the village to try to procure a whole one, and
was successful. I obtained a brick covered with
cuneiform writing on the face and the edge; the
* In the name of this obscure place seems to be preserved that
of the first settler of the country, and from this spot, perhaps, that
name extended over the whole vast region. See Gen. x. 11 . *' Out
of that land went forth Ashur and builded Nineveh," &c.; or, as
it has been rendered, "Out of that land he went forth into Ashur,**
i.e. Assyria. The former translation seems the preferable one;
and the position of this village is favourable to the supposition of
its having received very early a name afterwards to become so
cekbrated.
K2
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132 RUINS OP nimrod's city. [ch. xviil
writing larger than that at Babylon, and not in the
centre of the brick, but covering the face ; the bricks
thicker than those of Babylon, and indeed much
resembling the Nineveh bricks.
The area of the platform does not rise quite to the
top of the sides, which leaves as it were a small sort
of parapet all round. Torrents of rain have furrowed
down openings from the centre to the face of the
platform. The faces are aligned ; the two shorter
east and west, and the longest north and south.
From east to west measured, not including the pyra-
mid, five hundred and fourteen feet ; north to south is
about twice as much. The pyramid on the inside only
falls to the level of the platform, and on the outside to
the ground. The corners are now so rounded off, as
to give it the appearance of being almost circular ; yet
still its pyramidal form is sufficiently discernible. It
is very steep, and the top is small. The height from
the ground, or outside, is one hundred and forty-four
feet and a half; the circumference, measured with a
cord at the ground or lowest base, and over the plat-
form, so as to give a great excess, seven hundred and
seventy-seven feet.
Northward the ruins are traceable and aligned
with the west face of the platform for about two hun-
dred yards ; they then turn east irregularly, and are
obliterated or confused by the plough. Eastward
the inequalities of the ground show ruins. Tel
Seikh, a mount on the ravine at some distance from
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CH. XYIII.] SHEMOOTA. 133
the platform, on which stands the pyramid, may like-
wise be a part of the city. South beyond the plat-
form are no traces ; they may have been obliterated
by the Seikh Dereh. North of the platform a smaller
ravine, called Karadash Dereh, makes its way
through the ruins to join the Seikh Dereh before it
reaches the Tigris. All the country about is under
complete cultivation, and the hills on the opposite
side are also interspersed with villages ; but there
are many mounds and ruins seen amongst them.
We returned to where our kelleks awaited us, in
S. 55 W., after thirty-five minutes' moderate walking.
We found them in a long reach north and south ;
and at a quarter past twelve we got under way,
and soon after came to another artificial impediment
in the river, called a zikr, or dyke. We crossed it
near its west end without difficulty, but with some
dancing of the kellek, as the water boiled consider-
ably. It is either not so high or has been more
ruined than the Zikr ul Aawaze.
About two o'clock we were obliged to tie up the
kellek, at the village of Shemoota, on the left bank,
on account of the strong southerly squalls. From
hence Keshaf, at the mouth of the Zab, was in sight,
looking as considerable as the Mount of Arbela ; and
a little inland from Shemoota was a tepeh, or mount,
caUed Tel Sitteibh.
A few minutes after four we left Shemoota, and
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184 KE8HAF« [CH. XYIII.
proceeded on our way, the river becoming much
broader, aud diversified with islandsi Tel Sitteihh,
and several other artificial mounts, were in sight;
and soon after we came to sulphur-springs in the
cMs on the right bank, which are of sandstone, and
very much broken.
At a quarter past five we reached, on the left bank
of the Tigris, the first mouth of the Zab, of which
there are two, separated by a pebbly islands The
clear blue Waters of the Zab boil up and repulse the
muddy stream of the Tigris.
We tied up our frail bark again at twenty-five
minutes past five, just below the second mouth of the
Zab, on the pebbly bank. Keshaf, at a mile aud a
half N. 45 E« of us, is a long flat artificial mount, with
another lower one beside it. The natives of Mousul
say its ancient name was Kharisa ; they do not seem
to be aware of Haditha *. I was anxious to ascend
this mount, in order to obtain a sight of the sur*
rounding country and the course of the Zab , but
the weather would not permit. The night too was
very threatening ; however, I was detennined not to
move thence till I had had an observation of latitude
to fix indisputably this interesting point.
March 5.— The night was very dismal, with
thunderstorms and squalls of rain; The path to
Keshaf leads through deep soft mud, 80 that We have
* Probably the same word.
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OH. XVIII*] FACE OF THB COUNTRY* 135
no hopes of getting there. Between ten and eleven
the weather began to clear up^ sufficiently for me to
get an observation for the tinie ; and at noon I was
fortunate enough to get a great many circum-meridian
altitudes, all unexceptionable. Just at that time
some smoke ascended from the ruins of Kyara»
which enabled me to set it in S. 15 W. ; it is said
to be five hours inland by the river.
About noon we got under way. Passing be*
tween an island and the left bank, which was high,
I observed a bed of concretion near fifteen feet thick,
resting on a basis of sandstone, in some places just
visible above the water. On the right bank the hills
were seen gradually terminating at a point called
Murshek, the burial-place of the ancestor of the
Albu Selman Arabs, marked by a rude monument.
About one we came to ruins on both sides of us,
the Karatchuk hills being visible in all their length,
about eight or nine miles off. The country was
hence very open to the village of Sultan Abduila,
where the river becomes very broad. Soon alter
leaving Sultan Abduila, the river seemed as if it had
once run more easterly, from the high and dry banks
which were visible, taking that direction.
We passed at half past three Mekook, an artificial
mount, with some mounds round it, seemiqgly like
Nimrod, but of less dimensions. The country here
was open, verdant, and lev-el. .
After crossing the Minshar, a rapid or breaker
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IS6 FACE OP THE COUNTRY; [CH. XYIJI*
ncross the river, we stopped at a quarter to four for
the night, on the right bank two miles from Kyara,
where are naphtha-springs, from whicli we saw a
black smoke ascending. Before us was a fine, open^
verdant country, with some broken hills in the dis-
tance, and the Hamreen in the back ground. A
little building was visible on the hills, coming from
the north-west to the south-east, bearing 8. 62 W.,
and distant about six miles. We passed a large
encampment of Albu Selman Arabs, and of villagers
from Karakoosh, Tel Agoob, and Selamia, who had
come here for their cattle to graze.
The left bank of the river was something like the
country above Mousul, though not quite so much
furrowed, except towards the water ; the high country
or now dry bank, sweeping more east than the pre-
sent channel, from the top of the reach, and return-
ing to it at the end, about half a mile lower down
than our station. The surface of the country was
pretty level and open.
At night we had squally weather and much light-
ning to the east. There was a heavy storm over
Karatchuk. The river is evidently rising.
Match 6. — We got under way at twenty-five
minutes past five in the morning, in order to make a
good day's work, but as I had had a bad night, I did
not rise until near half past eight. The river was
broad, and the country all around beautifully verdant,
very open, and here aad there fringed with brush-
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0H« SVni.] WHIRLPOOL OF KHABATA. 137
wood. Tel Gek)08, a tepeh or mount, was just
behind us on the left bank. We soon after came to
an encampment of Tai Arabs, of the Shemamik or
Diab division, who were come out to pasture with
the Sheikh of Shemamik, Ali'l Hassan, whose large
encampment was stretched along the left bank of the
river. Our navigation to-day was in some parts
very confused and intricate, from the quantity of
islands, and passages. We stopped for an hour to
breakfast on the left bank, which continued the same
fine, verdant, level, open country I noticed before,
and was covered with a profusion of daisies and wild
flowers.
About noon we came to a boiling current and
whirlpool, called Khabata, formed by large stones
beneath; perhaps it may be building, though the
natives say it is not. Just before reaching the whirl-
pool we passed on the left bank three mounts, called
Tulool Agger, near which was an encampment of
Arabs of the Albu Hossein and Abu Doula tribes, who
are always here. Near their tents was a little jungle.
The river was so very rapid that we were unable
to land at Toprak Kalaa, where we arrived at a
quarter after twelve. It is a mount of earth sur-
rounded at the foot by a . ruined* wall, the whole
elevated on a platform of ruins.
Heaps of rubbish were scattered about, in which
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136 BUIN8 OP TOPRAK KAtAA. [0H« XVIII.
might be seen lines of stoDe-^maaonry with, lime
cemeut ; on the surface, fragments of building, and
large square bricks. We observed one piece of stone
caryed like the fragment of a statue, or fine orna-
ment, which we saw distinctly through our glasses,
as we were close to the shore, but could not land, as
I have said above, owing to the violence of the
current and the eddies, formed, I believe, by the
fragments of building in the water. The men of
the kelleks absolutely refused to make the attempt.
These ruins are well worth investigation. They form
a mass of about twenty feet high, extending north
and south along the west bank of the river for nearly
two miles, and apparently very far in. The dis-
tance from Mousul by land is said to be twenty-
two hours. The Hamreen hills are close behind,
with several caves, looking like Dakhmehs, or ancient
places for exposing the dead, on the summits. These
ruins of Toprak Kalaa appear to be most perfect ;
and from their desolate and out-of-the*way situation,
they seem only to have suffered by natural decay,
and never to have been disturbed by the hand of
man. The Turks call the place Toprak Kalaa; the
Arabs, Kalaat ul Shirgath ; which mean the same
thing— the castle of earth. They all say it was
ruined long before the time of Islam.
Here is the southern boundary of the territory of
Mousul, on the west side of the Tigris ; its boundary
on the east side is the great Zab.
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CR. XVIII.] THS HAMREEN HILLS. 130
We cAliae to the termination of the ruins at half
paet twelve, opposite to which was a large eucamp^
meDt of Tai Arabs^ pitched in an open country as
green as an emerald. Not long after we passed the
Hamreen hills close on the right bank, whicii formed
an eddy called Khanuza, much dreaded by the kel-
leks when the river is high, and the current rapid.
The clifis w^re battered and broken down by the
force of the vmter at the Khaniiza. About half past
two we glided by a curious lump of concretion in
the river called Nemba, said to be covered with ants,
whence its name. A few minutes after we came to
a very bad rapid, formed by masses of concretion,
called Ferraj ; and a little after I observed on our
right a long low tepeh or mount, on which was ihe
tomb of an Arab Sheikh. At half past three >f as
another rapid named Treisha^ and on the right bank
ruins called Muk'hol Kalaa, standing on a per*-
pendicular cliff foimed of bare strata of rock, the
foot of which is washed by the river, which brings
down large pieces of it. The principal building is
one long room with loop-holes to the river, the roof
of which is gone ; the left side is buttressed, or sup^
ported on a mass of building, in which was a kind
of window that seems to show that there are subter-
ranean chambers in it. Through openings in these
hills, the Hamreen hills are seen close behind ; the
front oneS) which I before mistook for the Hamreen,
being only a branch or screen called the Muk'hol, or
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140 MOUTH OF THE LITTLE ZAB. [CH. XVIII.
Khanuza mountain, which is like the principal trunk
of the Hamreen in eveiy respect, except that it ser-
pentines more, the Hamreen bebg pretty straight
in its course.
I observed here a very curious bank which had
been cut down by the river, and in which were very
plainly defined, first a horizontal layer of pure soil
above four feet thick ; secondly, a bed of concretion
about eight feet ; and under aU, inclined strata of
sandstone, about ten or twelve feet to the water's
edge.
We tied up for the night, at about half past four
in the afternoon, on the right bank, and just opposite
the mouth of the little Zab ; on the banks of which
was a large encampment of Alabeid Arabs, under
their chief, Hassan Ali. Near us was a little jungle
of brushwood, the grass around which was enamelled
with wild flowers.
The west bank of the Zab was formed by hills, on
which were the tombs of some Arab Sheikhs, and
these are the same hills which for the last twenty
minutes had formed the left bank of the Tigris. On
the east bank of the Zab the country is quite flat
and open.
March 7. — We got under way at about half
past five in the morning, the wind blowing hard from
the south. At six we came to a rapid and whirlpool
much dreaded by the kelleks, called Kelab, or the
nook ; and a few minutes after, we reached the termi-
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CH. XVIII.] VARIOtlS RUINS. 141
nation of the Khanuza hills on the right bank The
interral between them and the Hamreen is filled with
a confusion of mounts, and debris, seemingly tossed
about in a most fanciful and unsightly manner. At
seven we passed a place called Musahhaj, or the
crumbled, and from hence the tops of several of the
mounts above mentioned wore the appearance as if
they were crowned with ruins. Through the glass
I could only descry indurated earthy and crumbling
sandstone. The people say it is a kalaa, or castle,
but none of them have ever been ashore here* The
remains, whether of nature or of art, cover many
separate mounts, and form the ridge or back-bone of
many sharp ones, where nothing but a single wall
ever could have been. There is in no part of the
hills space for houses or habitations, and the pre-
tended remains are solid.
Proceeding on our way, we soon came to Tel
Hamlia, a small mount on the left bank, and Kalaat
ul Jebbar, or the tyrant's castle, on the right bank
of the river, a ruin a little way up the Hamreen^
consisting of some round towers, connected by plain
walls. Many vestiges of others were discernible,
extending nearly up to the top of the mountain.
These were merely inclosure walls, as of a city,
though the area was steep.
We stopped for breakfast at about half past eight
under the Hamreen hills, on the right bank, near
one hour below Jebbar, at which place it was impos-*
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142 PASS IN THE HAMREBN HILLS. [CH. XVIII.
sible to bring the kellek to. Had I been as neav
Toprak Kalaa, I would gladly have walked to see
it ; these ruins, however, did not excite my curiosity
sufficiently to induce me to go so far to see them.
From their appearance they may have been Maho*
metan. The ground where we stopped, and all
around, was beautifully green, and enamelled with
wild flowers. Near us were encamped some Arabs
of a petty tribe, called Albu Is'hhak ; also on both
sides of the river some Alabied Arabs. They
brought us immense quantities of truffles for sale.
We got under way again at about half past ten,
but were soon obliged, on account of the violence of
the wind, to bring to at a small island, opposite
which, on the left bank, were some strange unsightly
hills and mounts, worn into eveiy shape. We got
off again at half past one, and in half an* hour
reached Tel Dhahab on the left bank, called by
Thevenot, Altun Daghi; a hill higher than the
before-mentioned heaps which surround it About
half has been carried away by the river, the action
of which has here exposed the natural line of earth
and horizontal strata of sandstone.
At a little after two passed Breij a Bad, a rock,
and rapid, at a turn in the river close to the left
bank, on a hill near which was an Arab tomb ; and
at half past two we came to El Fatt'hha, the pass
through the Hamreen hills. The river runs through
in S. 30 E.^ and is about one hundred and fifty
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CH. XVIII.] KHAK KHEftNINA. 143
yards wide. In the pass en the left bank, among
debris of tlie Hanoreen hills, are naphtha springs
and nitre. We soon after passed a place where the
river forms many islands, and in the beginning of
autumn is fordable. The Diyabat horsemen from
Sinjar cross here to go and rob in the Kerkook
hills, and they follow the Hamreen down from
Sinjar.
The river continued broad, the current very strong,
and there were many islands. On the left bank were
low hills, among the rest one called Leg-Leg, much
furrowed by an abrupt turn in the river ; and on the
right the country was pretty open, but not so much
so as to appear alluvial. Albu Hammed Arabs
were encamped along the shore.
About six we brought to for the night at an
island. All the islands hereabouts were cultivated with
Indian corn, &;c. by the Albu Hammed Arabs. The
country on each side was very like that above Mousul.
The Hamreen was visible to a great extent.
Not very long before we tied up, we saw, on the
right bank, a place called Khan Khernina, bearing
S. 60 W. Two considerable mounts were distin-
guishable, and under them large ruins : some arches
were visible through our glasses. It seemed a very
curious place. Just south begins a low range of
hills or rather elevated strip of country, with a flat
surface, called Jebel Khernina, which runs to
Tekreet.
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144 TOMB OF IMAUM MOUSA's SON. [CH. XVIII.
March 8. — We were off in the morning at a
quarter to six, but our going was very slow on ac-
count of a very violent south-easterly wind. When
I began to obsei've at half past seven Fatt'hha bore
N> 10 W., our course was south.
We passed about eight o'clock some water-wheels
and cultivation on the islands and lef); bank, be-
longing to the Jowaree Arabs. Our going conti-
nued extremely slow and difficult, and a little before
ten we were obliged to stop, or rather were driven
against the left bank, where we remained till a
quarter after four.
On the Khernina hills was visible the tomb of
Tchereem Abu Khalkhalan, a son of Imaum Mousa.*
Several other smaller tombs are about it.
Water-wheels belonging to a little tribe of Arabs,
called Albu Mohammed, and subject to Tekreet,
were in motion as we passed them soon after getting
under way again, which we did, in spite of the
south-east wind, which was very strong and greatly
impeded our progress.
The Hamreen hills were still in sight at ten
minutes to five, even through the mist raised by the
* The seventh of the twelve Imaums revered by the Shiahs.
He was born in the year of the Hejira 1 28, and was poisoned at
Bagdad by order, it is said, of Haroun al Rashid. He is buried
at the village of Kazemeen, on the right bank of the Tigris, three
miles to the north of Bagdad, and the Persians have built a hand'
some mosque over his remains, the cupolas of which are covered
with beaten gold.
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.CH.XyilJ.] RUIl^fS OF TBKREET. 145
south wind> whicb> Iiowever, soon after fell, and
there was a dead calm, the sky fast covering iu all
round with very heavy clouds.
As we proceeded the river became much wider,
and in one place could not be less than a mile
broad. There were many herds on the banks
and islands belonging to the Albu Mohammed
Arabs.
At half past five we came to a place called Selwa^
or the Syren, in the Khemina cliffs ; then round a
cape in these hills, which from the Selwa make
another bend in, and return again near Tekreet ; but
this is in fact only the country cut down by the
water, the river having evidently at one time passed
by them. From Selwa our course was south. The
river has decidedly begun to fall again, the late rise
having been only a temporary one caused by the
rain.
At ten minutes before six in the evening there
came a violent squall from the west, which drover us
on the east bank at some distance from the other
kelleks. Luckily the bank was low and clear.
The squall lasted so long that it was not worth
while to get under way again after it was over.
The ruins of Tekreet began a little below us on the
high perpendicular cliffs.
March 9. — ^We got under way at half past five,
aftid at six tied up again on the bed of pebbles before
Tekreet.
Vol. II. L
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146
TSKREET.
[Cll. XVlll.
TEKREET.
While breakfast was getting ready, I sallied forth
to view the curiosities of the place, which are indeed
but few, and consist only of the rubbish of the former
town, which covers an immense space, perhaps
greater than all Bagdad. The castle (I now well
comprehend how it might have been deemed impreg-
nable) is on a perpendicular cliff over the Tigris
above 200 feet high, and is separated from the town
by a broad and deep ditch, which insulates the cliff
of the castle, and no doubt was filled by the Tigris.
On the opposite side of the ditch is the town, which
was also walled. The area is now covered with
heaps of rubbish, principally lime and large round
stones, like those at Kasr i Shireen. Vaults and
chambers are everywhere discoverable among them.
At the foot of the castle cliff is a large gate of brick-
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CH.0IVI11;] A LOQUACIOUS BARBER. 147
woi*k, which is all that remains standing, but round
the summit of th& cliff the walls, buttresses, and has*-
tlons are quite traceable. There are the ruinii of
a vaulted secret staircase, leading down from the
heart of the citadel to the water's edge. The people
say that there ar^ the remains of ten churches in
the modern town, but quite ruined. Just outside
the north part of the city is a ruin, called in Arabic
Dat el Benat, or the " abode of the girl." This
may have been a nunnery.
Al Hadhr* is two long days* journey from hence,
N. 30 W, I saw the pyramid, or perhaps it would
be more correct to say, the Cone of Door, 8. 8 E.,
four hours off. The Hamreen was visible from N.
20 W, to N. TOE. El Fafhha N. 10 W.
A caravan was just setting out for Kerkook. It
rests for the night at the Hamreen hills, and arrives
the next day at the place of its destination.
The modern town of Tekreet, which contains six
hundred houses, is built of burnt brick, and is faimed
this year for 22,000 piastres.
The barber who shaved me was a terrible talker, but
was rivalled by his townsman, an old Seyd whom I met,
and who told me long stories of his ancestor Sultan
* From a native I learnt that at £1 Hadhr there are the remaiiie
of a triple wall, and sculptures, and writing. It i^ on a canal
from the Thilthar, which is a river that comes from Sinjar, and
discharges itself into the salt lake. In a ravine, near Hadhr, are
many slahft of marhle covered with writing. — See p. 108, and the
note.
L2
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348
IMAM DOUR.
[CH. XVIII.
Abdul Siteehh. The air of Tekreet seeius favour-
able to prosers, as there is a proverb common in these
countries^ "To talk like a Tekreetli." If the women
exceed the men in this gift, in the due proportion of
the sex, he is to be pitied who marries a Tekreetli wife.
We left Tekreet at a quarter past twelve, and
proceeded along under the cliffs, which are composed
of earth and pebbles — no rock was visible. The
country on both sides of the river was well cultivated.
IMAM DOUR.
About three we came to Imam Dour *, on the
left bank of the river. It is a considerable town,
* Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold whose
height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits.
He set it up in the plain of Dura^ in the province of Babylon. —
Daniel iii, 1. In the retreat of the Roman array from Ctesiphon,
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CH. XVIIl.] TUMULI, &C. 149
with a few date-trees and a garden or two, and
marked by a ziyaret, or place of })ilgriniage, with
a cone-like spire over it Behind the town, at a
little distance, is a very large ancient mount.
A few mimites after we passed Hheimra, there is
a zikr, or obstruction in the river, but not extending
far from the left bank. The natives say it is artifi-
cial; but I could only see some lumps of concretion,
which had every appearance of being natural. Just
below Hheimra is another zikr, or obstruction, called
Ruweiahh. The river has fallen about two feet.
At a place called Tel el Meheji, on the right
bank, very considerable tumuli are obsei-vable, but
they are some way inland. Alabeid and other petty
Arab tribes were encamped there, who pay tribute
to the Sheikh of Khernina, Alii Fadhah. On the left
the people of the kellek pointed out to me a nahar
or small stream, said to have been a canal dug by
King Solomon, and to go as far as Howeiza. They
say there is a bridge not far off, over it, of stones
cramped with lead, and a similar one over the Ad-
haym. It looks only like a natural ravine among
under Jovian, tbey are described as pitching their tents near the
city of Dura, four days after the death of Julian. Here, too, a
part of the army, in the silence of the night, swam the Tigris ; and
the success of this trial. Gibbon says, '' disposed the Emperor to
listen to the promises of his architects, who proposed to construct
a floating bridge of the inflated skins of sheep^ oxen^ andgoais^
covered with a floor of earth and fascines.** — ^Decline and Fall of
the Roman £mpire, vol. iv., p. 208.
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ISO RUINS OP ESKl BAGDAD. [CH. XVIXI.
tl^e pebbly hills : it is quite dry, very narrow, »nd
some feet now above the river.
At twenty minutes past four we arrived at the
commencement of the ruins of Eski Bagdad, on the
high pebbly cliffs of the left bank of the river. They
consisted at first of insignificant ruins of pebble-
work, mud, and brick, in heaps of rubbish, but of
considerable extent, as we were above an hour
passing them. A great many islands were scattered
along the right bank of the river, and we observed
quantities of very curious birds, called in Arabic
aajizan, flying about in the cliffs. They had long
red beaks, changeable red and green wings, and
were rather larger, I think, than a pigeon. The
ruins continued till twenty minutes to six, when we
came to a square inclosure, just in the style of the
other ruins, but more perfect. It is called Thinai's ;
and this seems to be the end of these ruins.
We passed, about six, Kabr u Seyd, a lump of
concretion, forming a rapid near the right bank, and
soon after some more lumps, said to be the remains
of the bridge of the Ashek. At Hawel-ubset, on the
left bank, were some heaps of ruins. On the right
was Ashek, which reminded me of Seiixiheh Khan *.
At twenty minutes past seven we arrived at Samaraf ,
on the left bank of the river.
• Sertcheh Khan is about three hours from Nisibis, on the
ond frotn that place to Mardin, and is an inclosure framed of
thick masonry and faced with large stones,
t In the retreat mentioned in a former note, the Roman army.
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CMt XVllh] CUBIOUS TOWKB* Idl
March SO;— While waiting for the noon-day
observation, I went to see the remains of the great
mosque or medrisseh. The brickwork is good ; and
the size about two hundred yards by one hundred and
fifty. The wall is supported by buttresses, looking like
towers at a distance ; outside of which, on the north
of the town, is the barbarous, but curious-look-
ing corkscrew tower, a spiral dividing it into six
w . f -^
towers. It is about two hundred feet high. Ruins
and heaps of rubbish are lying about in every direc-
tion. The Caliph's palace is a great way off to the
north. The modern town is about the same size as
that cfTekreet.
** after marching find fighting a long summer's day, anived in the
evening at Samara, on the hanks of the Tigris, ahout one hundred
miles above Ctesiphon.** — Dechne and Fall of the Roman Empire,
vol. iv. p. 207. Samara afterwards, in the ninth century, hecam<^
the capital of Motassem, the eighth €aliph of the Ahassides, instead
of Bagdad, which he quitted on account of the rebellious disposi-
tion of its inhaliitants.
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15^ C0IX)8SAL FItAGMENT. [cH. XVllI.
At half-past twelve we got under way, notwith*
standing there was a veiy disagreeable south*eafit
wind blowing, and the day cloudy and dark. We
passed more ruins, still called by the people, Eski
liagdad. At a few minutes before tw^o we came to
Nahar ul Ersas, on the left bank, or the head of the
Nahrawan canaL On it was a square brick build*
itig, sieemingly solid, and of the age of the Caliphs.
On the opposite shore was the mouth of the Dijjeil, *
a little below that of the Nahrawan ; and about half-
past two we passed mounds of ruins at a place caUed
Istablat, and stopped on the left bank at another
place called El Sanam or Nabga, where were like-
wise mounds of ruins, and a fragment of an unburnt
brick wall on the bank. Below it, near the M^ater,
was the fragment of a statue called El Sanam, or
the idol, of grey granite and basalt, consisting of two
feet, placed parallel on a pedestal. The length of
the feet was thirteen inches, and the same measured
over the instep. The design was not amiss ; the ancle
bone was well traced, but all was much cliipped
and wilfully defaced. Only a few feet more of
the statue remain above the ancles ; and all that can
be made out of it is that tlie drapery descended to
the ancles, like a petticoat. Thty say the upper
part was cut away by an Imam Dooi-li, to make
pestles for pounding coflPee.
We ascended the bank, and immediately saw all
around considerable mounts of ruins dispersed abouti
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tin. XVIII.] GREAT BXTBNT OF RUINS. 153
covered with pieces of brick, of Sassanian, not As-
i^yrian or Babylonian texture and dimensions. In
addition to the other fragments usually found, were
pieces of glass or vitrified substance, of green and
amethyst colours, in crystals* or incrustations. At
the distance of half a mile were some walls and
riimparts, which I immediately set off to examine,
though I was much exhausted by the south-easterly
wind, and had hurt my toot considerably. I dis*
covered an inclosure of unburnt brick walls and
little towers, which I saw at once to be Sassanian.
The area was not very full of rubbish ; not so much
so as towards the river. I remarked the inner" work
just as at Ctesiphon and Dastagherda ; in short, there
can be no doubt of its Sassanian character. The
mounds of ruins outside are continued to a consider-
able extent south-east along what appears clearly to
have been the former bed of the river. I did not
see any reeds among the building. Aga Seyd, my
Persian secretary, told me he had on a former occa-
sion gone round the inclosure in one hour on liorse^
back. I asked the name of the place, and the Arabs
who were standing about immediately answered,
Gadesia, which I found to be Kadesia * ; and here
* Tlie battle of Kadesia, which put an end to the Persian
empire, was fought in the fifteenth year of the Hejira, under the
Caliphat of Omar, by the Arab General Saad, against Rustum, the
Commander-in-Chief of the Perian army, in the reign of Yezdigerd,
the last of the Sassanian race. The battle lasted three days, at the
end of which the Arabs were victorious and the Persian monarchy
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154 RIVBR ISLANDS. [CH« WIW
is the place accounted for at once. They said it was
a town before Islam. It is curious that the natives
of the East, though they sometimes give too great
au age to Mahometan ruins, never, on any oocasion.
attribute more ancient remains to Islam. I asked
the same men what were some fragments of brick-
work I saw beyond these ruins, and they immediately
said, *' A town of the Khalifs."
Samara from hence bore N. 20 W., and the
building on the Nahrawan, N. 40 W. The Nahrawan
runs at the back of Gadesia*, at about a mile's
distance.
We set off again at a little after four, but were
compelled by the violence of the weather to bring
to again at ten minutes before six. The river I
observed to be rising again very fast.
March 11.— Off at half past five in the morning.
Passed Beled, the principal village of the district of
Dijjeil ; near it were some date-trees, and a minarets
A little way in from the bank was Ghowadir, another
village, likewise among date-trees, The river all
this morning wound greatly, and formed a great
number of islands and channels. Khan i Seyd visible
on the right bank, and a little below it the tomb of
Seyd Mohammed. The banks here were steep, and
composed of fine pure mould, much shivered by the
destroyed. [See the animated account of this battle in the ninth
volume of the *• Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire."]
* Macdonald Kinneir takes this for Opis, which is quite out ©f
the question.
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CK* XXUl.] THE RIVBR ADHAYM. Ifi5
action of the water. We are now in the alluvial
ooimtry, and not a pebble is to be seen on any side.
Soon after ten we stopped for breakfast. The
wind was from the north and north-east, and so very
high as to raise considerable waves on the river,
which did not at all suit our very frail bark^*
We were off again at half past eleven, passed
Mishraga. The high alluvial banks were here worn
down, aud shattered by the river and the rain. The
nrev has greatly varied its course hereabouts.
At one we stopped at the junction of the Adhaym
and the Tigris. The Adhaym is the trunk stream
which receives the Kerkook, Taouk, and Toozkhoor-
mattee waters. I laiided to examine it. It is now
about a hundred yards wide, but is a small stream
sometimes even nearly dry, and here runs through a
plain of low ground gained from the river, which at
no very distant period made a great sweep on the
left band, as may be seen by the high and now dry
banks about one mile off. It is beyond these that
Opis must be looked for. The reason why Mac-
donald Kinneir could not find any ruins is quite
clear ; he looked on ground which but a short time
before had been the bottom of the river.
This low ground now pastures many buffaloes,
and is the favourite haunt of wild boars. We saw
five of them in our walk**
* A wild boar one day caipe swimming dowu the Tigris in
»igbt of our gfa:deu bousf , near Bogd^. He tended in the town,
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156 PRINCIPAL VILLAGES. [CH. XVin.
We got under way again at half past one.
There was very little current, and our going was
very slow. We passed much ground that had been
gained from the river. At a quarter past four the
date-trees on the Khalis were in sight ; on the left
was Tel Khumeisia.
At six we stopped for the night at Sindia, the
first village of Khalis, on the Tigris* ; and here we
took his way up the b^aar, where he overturned and hurt sonie
persons ; he then got into a mosque, to the great terror of a few
people who were in it : being dislodged from this asylum, he took
refuge in the house of the Seraff Bashi, a Jew ; and I believe paid
two or three visits of this nature before he was shot.
* The district of Khalis is situated to the north of Bagdad, and
takes its name from a canal which is cut from the Diala to the
Tigris, and supphes sixty-two villages, most of which are now
become mere nominal ones, with water for agriculture ; the Tigris
itself being unfit for that purpose. The principal of these villages
are Yenghijeh, twenty miles from Bagdad, on the banks of the
Tigris, now almost abandoned on account of the great oppression
under which the peasantry labour : Howeish, a village of a hun-
dred houses, famous for its fruit gardens, three miles from
Yenghijeh, and also on the Tigris; Dokhala, close to Howeish;
Hophopa, about six miles from Howeish in the desert ; Mansoo
ria, six miles from Howeish on the Tigris ; Saadia, three and a
half miles from Mansooria, also on the Tigris ; Sindia, Doltova,
and several villages on the Diala.
Near Mansooria some cotton is grown ; the rest of the culti-
vation is barley, com, and grass.
During an excursion I made through this district in the month of
March, 1813, 1 had an opportunity of seeing several specimens of the
strange impolicy and savage oppression of the Turks towards their
peasantry, one of which is worth recording, Bfi it proves to what an
extent the wretched system of mahhsoobiet is carried. A poor
man at Howeish invited us into his garden, which we found in
very bad order. He said he was a Mahhsoob, a dependant, or
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CH..XYIII.] BANKS OF TUB TIGRIS. 157
met the yachts which had been waiting for us for the
last fifteen days. We got on board at night, and
found the change, from the confinement of the kellek
to an airy cabin and good deck, a very pleasant one.
March 12. — ^The yacht got under way at half
past five this morning, and when I went upon deck
at half past seven, I found we were going south, and
were just below the village of Mansooria. The
wind was south-east, and the day looked very threat-
ening. Many villages were in sight.
About nine the yacht got aground, but was soon
off again; however we were obliged to go very
slowly, and notwithstanding all our precautions we
got aground again soon after eleven, and could not
get off again till noon ; after which we sailed on
pleasantly enough. About three we came in sight
of the Bagdad gardens, the country being quite open
on both sides. Soon after we had a tremendous
storm of hail, and we were driven against the high
bank of the river. At a quarter before six, we came
into the' reach of Imam Aazem ; at six passed the
protected, of the Defterdar or Treasurer at Bagdad ; and that some
years hack, when the Defterdar was oppressed hy the Kiahya, the
contre-coup extended to him, and he was ohliged to fly. During
his absence his garden fell to decay, and from an annual produce
of 6000 piastres, it now scarcely brought him as many hundreds.
All government persons live at free quarters in these villages ;
a most serious burden to the inhabitants when situated on a fre-
quented road.
The whole district is governed by a Zabit, but each village has,
besides, its own head or Kiahya.
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158 ARRITAL AT BAGDAD. [CR. XVHL
Pasha's garden ; and in half an hour more we an-
chored just above the Bridge of Boats at Bagdad.
Mr. Rich, on his return to Bagdad from his expe-
dition to Koordistan, received an oflfer from the Hon.
Mount Stuart Elphinstone, Governor of Bombay,
of a situation ut the Presidency, which he accepted ;
and as soon as he had settled his alSairs at Bagdad,
he left it, to the grief of a large proportion of the
inhabitants, and proceeded down the Tigris to'Bus-
sora, of which voyage the following is an account,
Mr. Rich had made the same voyage so many tinles,
that he did not, upon the present occasion, keep
a very minute Journal. In order to supply defi-
ciencies, some of his former Journals are given in
the Appendix.
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cH.xix.] 160
CHAPTER XIX.
Departure from Bagdad — The Diala — Tauk Kesra — Scattered
Ruins — River winding— Long Lines of Ruins— Mud Fort —
Encampment of Arabs — Ruins at Taj — Great Ruins— Building
with Arches — Mounds — Treasure found — Swarms of Mosqui-
toes — Arab Tribe of Davar — Defeats the Pasha of Bagdad's
Army — Jumbal — Remains of a supposed Bridge — ^The Village
of Koot Al Amara — The Hye — Mountains in s^ght — Immense
expanse of Water — Camp of the Beni Lam Sheikh — Clump of
Trees — Ruins — ^Jungle of Tamarisk — Ruins of two ancient
Towns — Dreary Morass— Arab Encampment — Boats loaded
with Dates— Fine grove of Trees— Canal — The Hhud— Danger of
one of our Boats — Albu Mahommed Arabs — Their Habitations
— Wild appearance — Their Canoes — Tomb of Ezra — Albu
Mahommed Arabs — Removal of their Camp— The Women —
Koorna — ^The Pasitigris, or Shat ul Arab — Arrival at Buisora.
May 11.— We got under way in the yacht at
half past seven, with a south-east wind. The river
very full, though not yet at its highest. We passed
Hajee AbduUa Aga's garden, which is the last -be-
longing to Bagdad, at ten minutes before eleven;
arrived at the mouth of the Dial a at one*, and
anchored at our old station at Hodheifa, opposite
Tauk Kesra f, at half past five.
The weather was squally and threatening, so We
did not get under way again that night.
* From the Diala to Tauk Kesra is noted in a former Journal,
t For an account of Tauk Kesra, see the Journal above referred
to, which will be found in the Appendix. — Ed.
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160 LONG UNBS OP RUINS. [CH; XMX.
May 12. — We sailed at five. The wind was wes-
terly and pretty strong. Soon* after six we were off
the mouth of the canal I originally supposed to be
the Nabar Malca, but which I now believe to be a
cut or opening from it. The real Nahar Malca
seems to be in the horizon, and its mouth is at a
place called Samera, far below the Tank. The boat-
men called it Ugghur, and told me that formerly, to
very old tiiiies^ it was navigable *.
A little before seven we observed on the right
bank, at a place called Hharrea, scattered mounds
of rubbish to a great extent, and soon after passed
Samera, the place where the boatmen had pointed
out to us the Nahar Malca.
The wind blowing pretty fresh from the south-
east, and the river very winding, we were driven
up against the left bimk, from whence we could not
disengage ourselves for upwards of half an hour.
A little after ten we passed Al Hammam on the
right bank, near which heaps of ruins were scattered
all about.
At three we were in. a very long reach running
east. On the right bank we observed long lines of
ruins, or the banks of an old canal called Davar.
Possibly this may be the Nahar Malca. In about
half an hour we turned N. 45 E. It now fell dead
calm ; the barometer dropped to 29"^ 52' ; and everj'
* Trajan, in his voyage down the Euphrates, is said to have
passed into the Tigris through the Nahar Malca.
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CS. XIX.] RUINS AT TAJ. 161
tiling portending a squall, we thought it ais well to
bring to for the nighty which we did in a long
easterly reaeh at four. Soon after a squall from the
west and north«west burst over us» with thunder,
lightning and rain, which lasted about two hours,
when the wind settled again in the south-east.
Matf 13. — Got under way at half past four, and
at a quarter past six we had turned from south-west
into N. 45 E. The river winds here very much.
Boats are to be seen almost all round the horizon.
We passed on the right bank a small square nmd
fort, or rather inclosure, built by Shufellah, the Sheikh
of the Zobeid Arabs, and beside it was a canal dug
likewise by him. At a quarter to seven we came
to Ruebia — ruins were visible on the right bank —
and a small encampment of Zobeid Arabs. The left
bank was low and marshy. The liquorice plant was
growing in abundance, and a great many buffaloes
belonging to the Maddani Arabs were grazing.
At ten minutes past eight our com*se was S. 45 E. ;
our going was very slow, and we had frequent stop-
pages, owing to the rapidity of the current, which
drove us up against the banks, from whence with
difficulty the vessel could be disengaged. Taj was
just before us in the reach into which we were turn-
ing at a quarter to nine in S. 25 E. Ruins were
discernible about three miles iii the desert on the
left bank, consisting of many mounds, with a build-
Vou II. M
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162 GREAT RUlNa. [CH. XIX.
ing or fragment of wall on one. The Arabs call
them Taj.
At twenty minutes past nine our course was
S. 30 W. At a place called Haddara, on the right
bank, were more ruins. About ten we got into a
long reach S. 80 E., along which we sailed rapidly.
At a quarter to one passed on the right bank Zor Ab-
duUa*, where are great ruins. Thence we proceeded
south, south-east and east, through a long reach,
into N. 45 E., or the reach of Dakkhala. At lialf
past two we were going south-west. The wind was
westerly, which enabled us to hoist sail; and we pur-
sued our way with considerable rapidity. At three
our course was west ; at four it was south : we were
still under sail, and going about seven knots an hour.
We soon after passed Zoweiya, an immense col-
lection of ruins, extending as far as the eye can
reach in the desert, and down the right bank of the
river. On one of the mounds far in the desert was a
building with arches. We afterwards came to Hu-
meinya, on the right bank ; ruins were still visible,
seemingly a continuation of those of Zoweiya. It
was on one of the mounds cut down by the river
hereabouts, that the great treasure was found in Ab-
* It is perhaps necessary to inform the reader, that the names
mentioned on the banks of the river rarely belong to towns or vil-
lages now in existence, but rather mark where once they were.
Sometimes they are found with ruins, sometimes even the very
ruins have disappeared, and nothing but the name remains. — Ed.
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CH. XIX.J 20BEID ARABS. 163
duUah Pacha's tiiiie^ consisting of immense quanti-
ties of ingots of silver, coins of the Macedonian sove-
reigns before Alexander, Athenian drachms, and
silver Persian coins before Alexander *• On a
mound about a mile inland are the remains of a
round or rather cylindrical building, like a minaret,
but apparently solid ; it is much ruined at the bottom,
and is faced with fine brick-work. The top is quite
ruined, and only a few yards of it are standing.
The reach we were in was north, and pretty long.
We were again detained a few minutes by coming
against the bank. We passed some Zobeid Arabs ;
they extend from Hameira to Koot, and inland as
far as Affejf.
In rounding into the next reach we were again
detained a little by the yacht running against the
bank. We had a fine north-west breeze. We came
to at a quarter to six for dinner, and set off again at
half past eight.
• Some of which, fonning part of Mr. Rich's collection, are
now in the British Museum. — Ed,
t Extracts from a journal of Mr. Rich's in September, 1819.
" Bagdad, September 10. Three boats coming from Bussora
plundered by the AfFej Arabs, who have come to the banks of the
Tigris to cut off the Bussora fleet, of which these three boats
formed a part. The property lost is said to amount to forty lacs
of piastres, and many people were killed or drowned in attempting
to escape. I called upon the Pasha, who was very kind, but it
waa evident to one who knew him well, that he was affected
by the late bad news. He did his best to conceal it, and was
pretty successful."
M2
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164 ARABS OF THE TRIBE OF DA WAR. [CH. XIX.
May 14. — ^A fine night, and we have made good
way, though not sailing, but I was devoured by
innumerable swarms of very venomous musquitoes,
notwithstanding I slept on deck. At day-break the
Hamreen hills were visible, which I am informed are
oije long day's journey inland from Koot.
The river winds less. At Ishan we observed
ruins on the right bank. The wind was north. We
dropped down the reach without sails. The line of
the Hamreen hills all along before us.
At half past nine passed Buzheila, a small mud
fort on the right bank, belonging to Shufellah, the
Zobeid Sheikh, who was encamped near it in person.
At eleven on the left bank were some Arabs of
the tribe of Dawar*.
* November 27, 1819. — ^The Kiahya Bey marched a few days
ago against some wretched Arabs, called the Davars, wbo are sub-
ject to a man named the Shat Beghi, who is allowed a small toll
on boats coming from Bussora, in consideration of his supplying
horses and guides for couriers and government officers who may
pass towards Koot, Bedra, the Beni Lam Sheikh, &c. This
little body of Arabs, for it does not amount to a tribe, were sus-
pected of having had some share in the late robberies on the river,
and the Kiahya Bey in consequence was ordered out to surprise
tbem, at the head of half the Pasha's own Mamalukes, and the
strong party of Agalee Arabs, Baratalis, and Tufenkjees, making
in all about 2000 men of the supposed best troops in the Pa-
shaUk. The Arabs, who had an effective force of about twenty or
thirty musketeers, and perhaps 100 men in all, armed any how,
with wooden clubs, javelins, &c., being informed of the Kiahya's
approach, took post in a small jungle of underwood, where they
managed so well that they repulsed the Kiahya with considerable
loss — two Mamalukes killed, two wounded (one of them badly),
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CH. XIX.] KOOT AL AMARA. 165
At five we were in thie reach, where Jumbul, the
supposed bridge, is. The pilot tells me there is now
about five deraas or ells of water over it. We have
had fine gentle sailing all the day, at the rate of
about five knots, with liglit north-west airs. At
seven we wound round into the Koot reach, S. 45 E.,
and brought to at Koot al Aniara at eight. Since I
was here last, a small mud fort has been built, and
a new village established about it, a little below the
old one. The present village is just opposite the
mouth of the Hye, which bears S. 70 W. from it,
distant the breadth of the river, which is here very
considerable, the reach opening out to the breadth
of a mile. Tliere are five companies of Agalee
Arabs quartered here, who are allowed a small toll
on each boat.
I wished to get under way again as soon as I
and a great number of Baratalis killed or wounded. The Turks
were actually not ashamed to return to Bagdad with this loss for
their pains. The Kiahya is personally a brave man, but what
can be done with such miserable materials as his army is com-
posed of? Last night the Pasha himself ordered a party to be got
ready, and this morning he marched with the half of the Mame-
lukes who had not gone out on the former calamitous expedition,
with three field-pieces, the whole corps of the Baratalis, and some
Agalee musketeers. The pretext is a hunting-party.
December 5. — The Pasha's expedition appears t© have turned
out indeed only a hunting-party. He came back to-day. While
out, be sent me a couple of antelopes. I sent him seven mule-
loads of refreshments, among which were some European cakes,
sucli as Pane di Spagna, &c., with which he was much pleased. —
Extract from a former Journal of Mr. Rich's.
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166 REACHES OF THE RIVER. [CH. XIX«
had completed my astronomical observations, but the
pilot was afraid to take the yacht through the crooked
reaches beyond Koot at night, though we had the
moon. I believe he and the trackers had no objec-
tion to some hours* rest after the trouble they had
had with the yacht the preceding night, so I let them
have their own way.
Koot al Amara is called half way between Bagdad
and Bussora. The swarms of musquitoes were ex-
tremely troublesome.
May 15. — We got under way at half past three.
The day was cloudy, the wind north-west and rather
stormy, with a little rain. We rounded into
N. 45 W, At four Koot bore S. 45 W. At
twenty minutes past five our course was N. 45 E.,
and at a quarter to six S. 50 E.
A little after six we passed some ruins on the
right bank, where the river rounds up into N. 45 W.
again. Here it blew so hard against us that we
were obliged to bring to.
There are twelve of these crooked reaches after
leaving Koot. We have now passed three of them.
The river has contracted itself again.
In the line of mountains which has bounded the
eastern horizon since yesterday morning, we can now
distinguish two or even three ranges, the first being
the low Hamreen, which is a good day's march from
Koot. Behind these rise higher hills, forming the
mountains of Loristan.
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CH. XIX.] SWARMS OF MUSQUITOES. 167
We were off again at twenty minutes past nine.
In some of the reaches we went with great rapidity,
but in others we had so much trouble that, as the
gale too was freshening up greatly, we thought it best
again to bring to at eleven.
OflF again at four. We soon saw an immense
expanse of water in the horizon, extending round
many degrees. This is formed by the streams de-
scending from the first mountains of Loristan, the
Beni Lam plains being too level to carry off the
Waters to the Tigris, which, in fact, itself in some
places flows into the plains, and contributes to these
morasses.
At a quarter to seven we stopped for dinner.
We wefe still in the crooked reaches, of which we
have two more to go through.
May 16. — ^The swarms of musquitoes last night
were incredible ; they literally filled the air, though
there Was a good breeze from the north-west, and
the wind was cold. It was impossible to obtain the
.slightest rest for an instant.
We were two or three times detained against the
bank. Soon after two we passed through the
great camp of the new Beni Lam Sheikh, Ali Khan,
extending about a mile along the left bank. At
half past three we passed the mouth of the Nahrwan,
and soon after heard the roaring of a lion quite close
to us in the jungle.
In the morning I could perfectly distinguish the
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168 LOR16TAN MOUNTAINS. [CH. XIX.
ranges of the Loristan mountains, of which I made a
sketch.
I observe our Arabs pronounce ^ like the Saxon
g ; for example, gibbel, reggil, &c., instead of
jibbel, rejil.
At a quai'ter to nine our course was east, and we
were sailing about six knots an hour. At ten mi-
nutes past nine our course was S. 45 E., and at
twenty minutes past nine we passed Um-ul-beia, a
canal on the right, now full. All the country was
at the level of the water's edge, and damp and mo-
rassy. The horizon looked like the sea.
Both sides of the river hereabouts belong to the
Beni Lam Arabs. Just below Um-ul-beia we came
to a clump of trees on the right bank ; the trees
were of the species called by the Arabs ghurrab.
We are now at the nearest point to the Loristan
mountains, and beyond the fourth range we can see
some points of |seemingly a superior range, probably
Zagros.
At half past nine, our course being south, we
were detained half an hour by the yacht going
against the bank on rounding a point We suc-
ceeded in getting round it about ten, and then pro-
ceeded east. Soon after we met a fleet of boats
coming from Bussora, and at half past ten we came
opposite Imaum Gherbi, a ziaret, and grove of trees
on the right bank. After passing a contrary reach
at a quarter to eleven, we had beautiful sailing, at
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CH. XIX.] TBACT OF MORASS. 169
the rate of eight knots an hour» until noon, ivith a
strong north-west breeze. Our course was S. 20 E.
At hAlf past twelve we ol)6erved a iniin on the left
bank, a little inland, and soon after another on the
right.
In a part of the Loristan mountains, which has
just opened upon us, is a conical mountain, looking
very much like a volcano.
The river now became very narrow, and we expe-
rienced some detentions against the banks. The
shore was here wooded with tamarisk jungle.
We heard that Arar, the deposed Beni Lam
Slieikh, has taken refuge with the Prince of Ker-
manshah, and that Hassan Khan Feili is to be sent
with an anny to restore him. At four passed the
ruins of two ancient towns, Heifli on the left bank
and Sioroot on the right. At low water the remains
of a bridge which connected them is still to be seen.
We came afterwards to a very large camp of the
Beni Lams.
At a quarter past six course S. 46 E. The whole
country on the right and on the left, but especially
the former, a dreary, dismal, and offensive tract of
morass, consisting of large pools and lakes of stag-
nant water extending among tussocks of rank grass
and rushes as far as the eye could see. Many
encampments of Beni Lams were scattered about.
At a quarter to six we brought to on the edge of
the morass on the right bank to get dinner and wait
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170 8UDDKN SQUALL. [CH. XIX.
for the boat, on board of which were the gentlemen
of our party, which was greatly astern. Imaum All
8herki, bearing S. 10 E., was distinguishable by a
large clump of trees. Near the place at which we
stopped were two boats loaded with dates, which
they had brought from Bussora and Koorna to dis-
pose of to the Arabs on each side of the river, and
take ghee, rice, &c. in return. These trading
voyages generally last from three to five months.
All the boats now going up to Bagdad buy ghee of
the Arabs, which they can dispose of at Bagdad for
a profit of a hundred per cent.
We were off again by ten, but in about an hour a
sudden and unexpected squall from the west drove
Us on the left bank, where we remained all night, as
it continued to blow hard. The musquitoes were
dreadful during the night and even in the day. Not
even the tough hides of the Arabs and Turks could
stand the attacks of these vampires, and no one slept
all night.
May 17. — We got under way at half past four.
At six Imaum Sherki was N. 50 W. of us. Our course
was S. 45 E. The reaches hereabouts consist of one
mile each. We were under easy sail, and going about
six or six and half knots. At soon after six we observed
on the left bank, in a tamarisk jungle, a heap of
mud, marking the tomb of Zendeel, the father of AH
Khan, the present Sheikh of the Beni Lams.
At half past seven we tied up to allow the kitchen
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OH. XIX.] RIVBR HHUD. 171
boat, which was a little way astern, to come up with
our breakfast. We were oflF again by eight, and at
eleven passed Jebeelo, a fine grove of trees on the
right bank.
At twenty minutes past one we were going S. 20
W. On the left was Habsia, a small winding canal
which goes to the river Hhud. Boats sometimes
pass through it. We passed an immense marsh
quite full of water on the right, and soon after a
camp of Albu Mohammed Arabs on the left bank,
all of mat-huts, and many little canoes were laid up
before it
At twenty minutes to two, going S. 70 E., we
passed Mohammed Abul Hassan, a ziaret on the
right bank, with a long grove of poplar, willow,
pomegranate and date-trees.
At half past two we reached the Hhud, a branch
of the Tigris going oflF east to the Kerhha and to
Howieza. A boat may now go to the Kerhha in five
or six hours * through Al Hhud, which is very deep,
and as broad as the main stream of the Tigris. I
ascertained that the water runs from the Tigris into
it ; an important fact, as the Hhud has been supposed
by some to come into the Tigris. Hence the Tigris is
south. There was a wet marsh extending both the
sides of the river all the way to Koorna.
For the last hour or two we have just been drbp-
* My pilot has himself gone through the Hhud into the
Kerhha.
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172 ALBU MAHOMMED ARABS. [CH. XTX.
ping down the stream in a very dead calm, which
caused us much suffering from the musquitoes, ot
which there were such incredible swarms as almost
to drive us distracted. At half past three we had a
heavy shower of rain in very large drops, succeeded
by several other showers and a squall from the north.
We were detained a few minutes by the sepoys' boat
having been sucked into the mouth of a little canal
on the right bank, where she was proceeding to bed
herself, and would never have been got but again but
for the very prompt exertions of all the people of the
fleet. Many boats have been lost at this place, and
obliged to be broken up. We afterwards sailed well
for about an hour; many Albu Mahommed Arabs
staring at us, or seen moving about among their mat-
huts, which are the most primitive habitations pos-
sible: A few reeds are bent into the ground at each
end, and thus foi-m an arched crib of a few feet long,
covered with common mats ; this is their only dwell-
ing summer and winter. They are themselves wild,
half-naked savages, living the greatest part of their
lives in the water like their own buffaloes, of which
by the way there are multitudes here. These Arabs
are not well armed with respect to fire-arms ; and
upon an attack from a superior power, such as the
Montefik Arabs, they generally betake themselves to
the heart of the morasses. They are all Shiyahs.
The Sheikh' of the Montefiks invests their Sheiks,
and takes tribute from them. They are said to be
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CH. XIX.] TOMB OF THE PROPHKT EZRA. 173
rich from the sale of ghee, rice. Sec, but their appear-
ance certainly bespeaks. the last degree of wretched-
ness.
At half past six we passed Um al Jemmal, a canal
which goes to the Euphrates ; along its banks much
rice is cultivated. It is said to fall into the Euphrates
at Soog es Shookh. We brought to at seven. The
river here was not quite a hundred yards over. At
half past nine we sailed again.
Ma^ 18. — At five this morning we were off the
camp of the Sheikh of the Albu Mahommed Arabs
on the left bank. These Arabs have a great many
light canoes covered with bitumen, which the nature
of their country renders indispensable. At twenty
minutes to six we passed Abdullah Ben Ali, a ziaret,
about half a mile inland from the left bank. The
river here was not more than a hundred feet broad.
At half past seven our course was S. 20 W,
At ten minutes past twelve we arrived at Ozeir, or
the supposed tomb of the Prophet Ezra, where wj
stopped for an hour, and where there was a large
camp of Albu Mohammed Arabs, who attempted to
rob Aga Minas's * boat, but were soon frightened
away by a few shot over their heads from the yacht
We saw a large party of these Arabs removing
their camp, and it was the most savage sight I had
♦ The principal native oflficer of the residency. See p. 6.
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174 RBMOVAL OF AN ARAB CAMR. [CH. XIX.
yet seen, and reminded me of tlie plales in Captain
Cook's voyages. The march was opened by an im-
mense drove of buffaloes, preceded by a man carrying
a flag. Several men of the tribe then sauntered
alcHig with their javelins over their shoulders, staring,
copper-coloured, and more than half-naked savages,
with their hair hanging about them in tangled elf-
like locks. Then came parties of women scarcely
better clothed, some with children strapped to their
backs; others carrying articles of property or house-
hold furniture ; others tracking canoes containing
mats, children, goods, &c. The girls and boys were
completely naked. All the women walked extremely
well, but it was the regular well-measured pace of a
grenadier, not a female step. They properly straight-
ened their knees, which, as none of their clotliing
reached so far down as their knees, we had ample
opportunities of observing.
At half past two going south. We came to Abu
Khalkhal, a ziaret on the right bank, and soon
after four we passed Abu Muzroon, another ziaret on
the right, surrounded by the mat village of Zekia,
where the Montefik Sheikh lias a custom-house.
About six our going was very slow, not more than a
knot or a knot and a half an hour, there being no
wind, and the tide being against us. The banks of
the river below Ozeir are inhabited by the Beni
Maliks. At half past six the date-trees of Koorna
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CB« XIX;] BAPAOITY OF THE PASHA Of BAGDAD. 175
were just visible through the glass in S. 10 W. We
got our dinner on board without bringing to. At
half past eleven we entered the Shat ul Arab orPasi-
tigris^ and continued going all night. We arrived
at Bussora at ten in the morning of Saturday, May
19th, 1821.
Mr. Rich was detained in the Persian Gulf
longer than he had anticipated. The Pasha of Bag-
dad had manifested symptoms of encroaching on the
privileges of the merchants in his dominions who
were under the British protection, and had claimed
dues from them which he was in no ways entitled to
demand. Mr. Rich resisted this attempt to invade
the rights accorded by the Porte to British subjects
trading in Turkey. He both acquainted our ambas-
sador at Constantinople and the government of
Bombay with the circumstances of the case, and,
though with considerable inconvenience to himself,
he determined not to leave the Pasbalik or its neigh-
bourhood until some explanation had taken place,
and those individuals whose interests he had for so
many years carefully watched over entirely set free
from any molestation on the part of a rapacious
Turkish governor.
At the same time, Mrs. Rich was suffering under
an intermittent fever, for which a change of air had
been recommended by their medical friends. Mr.
Rich therefore left Bussora and proceeded to Bushire,
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176 ILLNESS OF BIRS. RICH. [CH. XIX.
and there he proposed awaiting the final instructions
from his government, which he expected daily to
receive. But in this he was disappointed, and after
waiting some time, a sea^voyage was deemed indis-
pensable for Mrs. Rich. Under a strong sense of
his duty to his government, whose honour he felt
involved in the question under discussion, and in llie
hope of assisting the oppressed merchants at Bagdad,
who looked entirely to him for support and relief,
he determined upon sending Mrs. Rich down to
Bombay by a vessel just ready to sail, and remain-
ing alone at Bushire. The heat however soon
became so intolerable at that place, that he found it
impossible to continue long there, and accordingly
he set out for Shirauz on the 24th of July, 1821.
Some account of the journey to and residence at
Shirauz is contained in the following extracts from
letters written during that period.
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m
LETTER I.
Mrs. Rich's departure for Bombay— Arrival of Packets from Con-
stantinople — Sir James Mackintosh — Lord Strangford— -The
Cholera Morbus at Bahrein — ^Defeat of the Kiahya of Bagdad
by the Koords— Heat of the Weather — Dr. Jukes — Return of
Messrs. Tod and Wilson from Shirauz and Persepolis — ^The
intense Heat — Intended Journey to Shirauz — Arrival of the
Teignmouth from Bombay — ^I)r. Bell — Preparations for leaving
Bushire.
Bus?nre, June 25, 1821.
Captain Waterman's* abrupt departure was the
best thing that could have happened for us both.
The worst is over, and I can now bring my mind to
dwell on the advantages of your voyage, consoling
myself with the knowledge of your being in much
better health than when you arrived at Bushire, and
with the belief that I shall not be long after you.
The good-natured fat Jemadarf of the guard has
just been to pay his compliments, and wish you a
prosperous voyage. He seemed veiy anxious to per-
suade me that in fifteen days you would infallibly
he in Bombay, and that the sea-air would certainly
make you well. Poor fellow ! I like him.
1 Dr. Tod has been talking over with me the ad-
I
* The commander of the vessel on board which Mrs. Rich had
embarked for Bombay,
t A native officer of sepoys.
Vol. II. N
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178 PACKET FROM CONSTANTINOPLE. [lET. I.
vantages of your voyage down, and indeed the
absolute necessity there was for your immediately
quitting Bushire ; that if the fever had not been put
a timely stop to (and the only way of effecting that
was by going to sea immediately) > it might have
degenerated into a complaint which might have
forced you to go to Europe. Imagine the misery of
that, and let us comfort ourselves and bless God that
we are not put to a severer trial.
The pilot has just brought me Dr. Bell's note ; it
relieves my mind greatly. He (the pilot) desires
a bakshish for having taken the Bee-bee* (not the
ship) safely out of the harbour.
June 29. — ^My head is in a complete whirligig ;
such a profusion of packets, letters, papers, boxes,
are arrived from Constantinople, to perplex my poor
brain; nevertheless I will endeavour to give you
some account of all that I have received. First
of all, letters from F. ; thank God, all is well. Your
fathert has been a little unwell, and what is curious,
seemingly somewhat in the same way, but more
slightly than I have been affected, viz. by giddiness
in the head, which it is still more curious the phy-
sicians attribute to the same cause Dr. Bell did
mine, viz. the stomach. He is now quite well
again^ but I think he undertook too mnch business,
at least if I can judge from my own feelings, as
♦The lady. t Sir James Mackintosh.
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lET* I,] LORD STHANGFORD. 179
being alSiicted with similar complaints. Secondly,
dispatches from Lord Strangford* ; he had not yet
received my last ; but from my private note, and the
reports he was enabled to gather, he has taken up
the cause nobly ; what will he do when he gets my
reports in full ? ' , writes " bring the Paslia to
reason, for we stand upon very high ground here."
I have no doubt all will be well now : but, to be
more particular ; it seems the Pashaf had preferred
a complaint against me» as I expected, but the best
or worst that he could find to adduce against me was,
that 1 had stirred up the Koords and Persitos against
him. Lord Strangford says, he perceives his aecu«*
sation to originate in my assertion of British rights ;
and he voluntarily and gratuitously writes in my
favour to Lord Castlereagb, lest a representation
against me from the Turkish ministers to Lord
Castlereagh direct, should have any prejudicial
efiect. He sendis me a copy of his letter to Lord
Castlereagh, a copy of which I enclose ;{;• All this
* The English Amhassador at Constantinople.
t Daoud Pasha of Bagdad.
I Extract of a dispatch from Yiscoutit Strangfisid to .Viseowit
Castlereagh^ dated April 10, 1821.
" I have not had an opportunity of fully inquiring into the
.grounds of the Pasha*s representations ; but from the information
which I have already collected, it is quite evident to me, that Mr.
Rich's sole offence consists in the manly and justifiable opposi-
tion which he has continually made to the exactions and impQ-
^tioDs which the Pasha has exercised towards British cpmmeroe
at Bagdad. " 1 should ,
N2
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180 GREEK INSURRECTION. [lET. t
was done before he had got my public reports, or
had heard of the Pasha's ultimate aggressions ; so
we may every day expect something important.
My spirits are much raised by Lord Strangford's
conduct.
The Russian war turns out to be a Greek insur*
rection, which will however very likely terminate in
one. Poor Scanavi* and his good-natured son-in-
law have been put to death at Constantinople, with
the Patriarch, many Greeks of distinction, and a
45rowd of others of less note.
The Kiahya of Bagdad is gone out with an army
towards Kizzeh'oobat, to watch the Koords and Per-
sians.
I am delighted by the way in which our young
friend Taylor comes forward to assist me, and he is
a very eflGicient assistant.
I hg^ve written till my brain is quite addled ; I
have been in a continual bustle since the arrival of
the packet. I shall give your packet separate to
Captain Hill, pf the Bombay merchant ; he intends
getting under way to-night ; he is already in the
outer roads. There is a bare chance that he may
. " I should not have thought of troubling your Ijordship on this
affair, had I not learned, from good authority, the Turkish Chaise
d'Affaires in London will probably be instructed to lay it before
his Majesty's government."
* He was governor of Cracovia in Wallachia, when we passed
through it in the year 1814, on our way from Constantinople to
Vienna ; and we were most hospitably entertained by this gentle-
man and his family. — Ed,
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LET. I.] HOT WEATHER. I8l
overtake you at Muscat, in which case it will 1j6
convenient for him to have your packet separate.
Keep up your spirits ; our separation, protracted
even to its utmost limits, must necessarily now be
soon over. Providence has indeed been remarkably
seen in the whole affair from its first beginning. It
is even well that I had not left this before the
receipt of Lord Strangford's dispatches.
4t * * )|c *
I have hitherto, I hope, done well ; let me finish
my part of the affair with judgment, and then I trust
all my troubles ai-e over. To-morrow I must begin
my dispatches to Constantinople. I will endeavour
to write a few lines to F., if possible ; she certainly
deserves it.
The weather is getting very hot and disagreeable.
I pray God you may not suffer from it. I am more
and more satisfied that you have escaped from this
in time.
Once more I must conclude*
God bless and protect you.
Buskire, July 2.
The Captain of the Bombjiy merchant has taken
the packets and boxes ; but I see he is not yet under
way, notwithstanding a fine gale from the north-
west, of which he would do well to take advantage.
He might as well have let me keep the packet open
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182 " VpYAGK BN PJSRSE." [lET* L
till the last moment. However I begin my journal
to go by the next opportunity- Poor Ovanness is
laid up with a bilious attack, and almost smothers
himself beneath the weight of clothing ; he is the
colour of a stagnant pool of sulphureo-uaphthous
water. All the rest are well. I begin to get very
tired of this place, and must get out of it as quickly
as possible before I stagnate altogether ; especially
as the return of the north-wester with renewed force
diminishes the chance of receiving any thing from
Bombay speedily.
The fat Soobadar (who by the by belongs to the
light infantry company), whenever he comes to me
in a morning, and thei*e is a fine breeze blowing,
always says, *' Fine wind for Madam Sahib, Sir."
Indeed I think you have been very fortunate, and I
trust in God that you are now safe at Muscat, and
that you have lost all remains of fever.
I have just been looking over a book called
" Voyage en Perse,*' which I received from Treuttel
and Wurtz, with Lapie*s new map. The author
marvels how I established myself at Bagdad at that
time, but comforts himself as usual by supposing it
was by force of gold poured out with both hands.
Jtili/ 4. — Still a violent gale from the north- west.
1 managed this morning to get my long-expected
bbseiTation of the satellites, which was perfectly
feuccessful. I am now in a complete state of misery
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LET* I.] CHOLERA MORBUS AT BAHREIN. 183
^Iways iacident to my preparing for a journey ; and
what is worse, I have no one to help me now, or even
to keep up my spirits. Mr. Hyde is spiriting me;
up for the trip to Shirauz ; he has determined to go
with me ; this will be agreeable, if, after all, I really
go, but I had much rather not ; I would rather, turn
ray head in a contrary direction.
Taylor is very kind, and always joins me at Tiffin,
and we take a walk together on the sands at sunset.
Ovanness is better ; he implores not to be left behind,
if we go to Shirauz. I believe not one of the people
will stay behind, not even the Jews; they stick to
me wherever I go.
July 9. — Columbus did not look out for the land
with greater anxiety than I do for a ship. Dr. Dow
has been to hail a ship called the Malabar, just
arrived from Bahrein with a very sickly crew, to see
what is the matter on board. She is in the outer
roads, and the Sheikh* will not allow the smallest
communication between her and the shore to take
place. It turns out that the complaint is the cholera
morbus, which rages at Bahrein, and by which the
Malabar has lost sixteen of her crew. They are all
ill on board now, but still the fears of the people are
not tranquillized, and there is as strict a quarantine
as if she had the plague on board. Not a single
inhabitant of Bushire would go within half a mile of
* The governor of BiuBhire.
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184 DEFEAT OF THE KIAHYA OF BAGDAD. [lET. L
her on any account. A guard is planted to prerent
any one coming ashore or communicating with the
other ships ; and at the first moment^ the people of
the town actually talked of deserting the place and
retiring to the mountains. This terror at tlie chance
of sickness speaks well for the genei*al healthiness
of Bushire, which forms quite an exception to the
other places in the gulf. The Malabar is going oflF
for Bussora. where she will not have so many
obstacles to encounter.
Juit/ 12. — News is just come in from Bttssora,
which confirms the report of the Kiahya of Bagdaxi
having been defeated by the Koords (of course Avla
was not idle). The Pasha, on hearing of the defeat,
threw all the principal Persians in Bagdad into
prison, to extort money ; that is to say, all he could
catch, for I believe a great many had taken care of
themselves. Georgians have been marched from
Bagdad to Nejjif and Kerbela to do the same. They
are determined to show at least that, if they cannot
fight, they can plunder. In short there seems to be
a general row. I have a letter from Ezra*, but not
a syllable of news in it, of course his tone is very
humble.
The weather is insufferable ; though the thermo*
meter is only 90° at night, yet there is a heaviness
and clamminess in the air, causing a weight on the
* The Pasha of Bagdad's Jew banker, and at that time his
chief counsellor.
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LET. I.] HEAT OP THE WEATHER. 185
ebest^ which makes breathing an effort. How re«
jmced I am that you have escaped all this ! I caIcu-»
late you must be at Bombay by this, and I trust in
God quite free of fever. A tolerable breeze from
the south-west has just sprung up. Inshallah ! it will
bring in the Francis Warden, which a merchantman
just arrived from Bombay says sailed seven days
before she did, with Dr. Jukes on board, who is
made political agent at Kishmeh, with a previous
mission to Teheraun.
July 13.-^ A terrible night again ; not a breath
stirring; one rises exhausted, unrefreshed, and
stupid. The weather is quite dreadful, and they say
we are not at the worst of it by any means. I never
felt any thing so oppressive in Bagdad as this heavy
damp heat, which is quite stifling. Thermometer
only 95°, but it is 91° all night, as 1 have an oppor-
tunity of ascertaining ; for sleep is quite out of the
question. Perspiration does not cool one, for there
is no evaporation, and every thing is wet with steam
as in a hot bath. Indeed I can compare this to
nothing but living in a Hamaum. You may imagine
the exhaustion that takes place. The hot sulphureous
blasts of a Bagdad Saum are quite refreshing
compared with it. There seems to be something in
the air too, peculiarly favourable to the development
of the prickly heat, which I never had so bad before.
I am one wound all over my body and limbs down
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186 RETURN OF MESSRS. TOD AND WILSON. {I4ET* If
to my fingers. What I used to suffer at Bagdad
was nothing to it. The effects of the irritation spread
over so large a surface are terrible. How I bless
God you escaped in time ! Four-and-twenty hour$
of this would have killed you.
July 15. — ^Messrs. Tod and Wilson are jiist re-
turned from Shirauz. They are quite delighted with
every thing they have seen. Climate so cold that
the one was obliged to put on a fur jacket, and the
other actually suffered from cold. You may ride out
at Shirauz, in the middle of the day, without incon-
venience. At Dustarjoon they were glad to get into
the sun to warm themselves. They spent three days
at Persepolis, but were not able to see Shapour,
owing to some disturbances in the neighbourhood.
In short, they are highly pleased with their trip, but
represent the roads between this place and Shirauz
as quite dreadful. Dr. Wilson says he never saw
any of the worst precipices of Mount Libanus near
so bad.
July 17. — Another disappointment. At sunset
we discovered a ship far to the southward, and con-
cluded it must be the Francis Warden. This morn-
ing we find it turns out to be an Arab ship from
Muscat. If she has touched any where in the gulf^
the Sheikh will not allow of any communication
with the town. A vessel has also come in this
morning belonging to the Sheikh himself, with a
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MT. I.] JNTENSE HEAT. 187
great many sick on board. He has made her stand
off again immediately, and will not allow. even a
cask of water to be put on board her. He has put
Bussora under quarantine also. The sickness, what-?
ever it may be> has spread up the Persian shore as
far as Congoon. At Bahrein they say they have
lost by it 4000 persons, or two-thirds of their popu-»
lation ! It seems to nestle on the low hot shores of
the Persian gulf. I cannot distinctly make out
whether they have it at Muscat or not, though I
believe they have.
The thermometer all last night was 93®, till three
o'clock this morning, when it fell gradually to 90^
which is its lowest point. It is not however the heat
I so much complain of, as the steam and closeness,
which is very relaxing, and irritating beyond any
thing I ever felt or imagined. My poor Bagdadee^
look like ghosts; and even they are covered with
prickly heat. " Sir," said Yusuf Aga* to-day, " we
can live in fire, but not in a Hamaum." He said
this upon my remarking that it was quite delightful
to hear the Bagdadees at last obliged to complain
of heat.
I bless God every hour of the day that you have
escaped this. It cheers my spirits under the smart-
Jug and burning of the prickly heat, and the un-
common languor which I feel, and which renders it
quite a labour to walk across the terrace.
* One of Mr. Rich's Mahometan servanto,^ and a native of Bagdad^
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188 INTENSE HEAT* [lET. I.
Dr. Wilson has just shown me some arrows and
javelin heads, which he procured at Persepolis. He
has found precisely similar ones to some of them in
the tumuli at Marathon.
The thermometer 97°. I am now beginning seri-
ously to think at last of going to Shirauz. I have
fought it off as long as possible, but I can stand it
no longer ; so I must needs away, bien malgre mot.
There are two months more of this kind of weather
here, and I do not think I could endure two weeks
more of it. The sea itself is so warm and relaxing,
that Dr. Wilson, an expert swimmer, tells me he
finds the greatest diflBculty in swimming a little in
it ; and Mr. Hyde, \vho has travelled in the Libyan
desert without feeling any inconvenience from the
heat, now complahis of a most painful sinking and
faintness occasionally.
July 19. — Thermometer 91^ A tolerable day,
succeeded by the most dreadful night I ever felt.
Thermometer 93° all night; not a breath of air
stirring. The whole sea seemed to rise to heaven in
a mass of vapour ; no one closed an eye, not even the
Bagdadees ; and Mr. Hyde, who thought he might
bid defiance to anything in the way of heat, acknow-
ledges himself defeated. Poor Aga Seyd is as much
lacerated by the prickly heat as I am. The tempe-
rature of the sea this morning at dawn was 90",
and, according to all appearances, we are going to
have a dreadful day, I can stand this no longer ; I
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LET. I.] INTENDED. JOURNEY TO SHIRAUZ. 189
will to-day order the mules, and be off in a day or
two ; in a short time none of us would be able to
toove. Why could I not have gone with you to
Bombay ? All would have been over now. * » ♦
July 20, — ^This morning I had another observa-
tion of Jupiter's satellite. Mr. Sturmey counted for
me, and Mr. Hyde assisted at the operation. Mr.
Sturmey has just said that, if I go to Shirauz, he
would like much to accompany me ; and I believe
Dr. Tod will come also. They both improve very
much on acquaintance ; and I shall like them very
much to be with me on the trip, which I now begin
seriously to think of.
July 21. — ^At length I have ordered the mules>
and hope . to be off on Monday. This terrible
weather quite conquers my repugnance to starting;
I now long to escape from this miserable place. Dr.
Tod has consented to come with me ; this I know
will give you great pleasure, for I know how vessvessi
(nervous) you are about me. My present plan is to
make for Shirauz in the first instance, and there stay
quiet till the verj^ great heats are over ; as, to confess
the truth to you, I have no great fancy to be running
about in the sun seeing curiosities, and making
myself ill I hope then to get a run to Persepolis,
possibly to Darabgherd, and take Shapour on my way
back to this place, when the weather will be cooler,
and will allow of my inspecting its remains at leisure
and without danger.
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190 DR. BELL. X^ET. I
July 22.— Last night was quite intolerable ; there
seemed as if a heavy load was laid on the chest
Every one agrees that» had you been here, last ni^t
might have been fatal to you. Thank God you are
by this time safe. God protect you. How I should
have liked to have had you on this journey, but I
am more and more convinced it would have be«i
quite impossible. AH is for the best. Poor Ahmed
Aga has got his Koordistan fever back again very
bad ; and poor Ovanness looks quite in a stun, but
he is evidently quite delighted that Dr. Tod is going
with us. "This is very good Sir/' said he, " please
God nobody get ill ; but if get ill, the doctor a very
great comfort." I hope we shall be oflF to-morrow
night, which will amuse you, knowing how I hate
night marches.
Remember me to Dr. Bell ; I miss him mucb» and
should have liked to have had him on this trip.
This is but a dull journal to send you after all,
but neh yapayein (what can I do?), this is not Paris ;
and moreover the languor brought on by the heat is
enough to stupify and seal up one's faculties entirely.
I think it Is all for the best I am setting off.
July 23.' — I have just passed the mules in review.
We are off to-night, — ^'en est done fatty je pars—
much against my will. I will now close this journal,
and give it to Mr. Hyde.
July 24.-— I had closed my journal yesterday, ai^
was proceeding to pack up, when a ship made ber
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iET, I.] ARRIVAL OF THE TEtGNMOUTH. l9l
ftppearance in the south, and proved to be the Com-
pany's cruiger, Teignmouth. This of course mad^
me put off my journey for that evening. She came
in about five in the afternoon, and brought the Ter*-
nafs and Francis Warden's packets, and, more than
all, your note from Muscat : a load was taken off my
mind ; I most sincerely blessed God for his good-
ness ; I did not imagine you would have suffered
from heat, still less from running ashore. Tell Dr.
Bell I am infinitely obliged to him for his very kind
and amusing letter. I cannot adequately express
myself towards him and the Watermans for their care
©f you.
We had a night that is not to be described. It
was more terrible than I could have imagined ; not
a soul closed an eye; the day too is dreadful.
Captain Hardy of the Teignmouth says it is wanner
on board than in the house. His crew are all ill
from sheer heat, and yet they say this is only the
commencement of the heat, and that August will
bear no comparison with it. Nevertheless the ther-
mometer is only 93° in the night. Captain Hardy
says he cannot venture down the gulf with the
Teignmouth yet, and that he will pass the great heats
at Bussora. Mr. Hyde, however, still persists in his
resolution of going down to Bombay, if the Harriet
comes in, against the advice of every one.
I am now expecting Lord Strangford's dispatch
on the receipt of my report on leaving Bagdad, which
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192 DEPARTURE FROM BUSHIRE< [lET. L
must come in shortly. I hope it wiil finish my part
of the business, and enable me to retire speedily with
honour. I think you may rely on seeing me after
the breaking up of the heats. In the mean time I
am oflp for Shirauz ; we start this evening ; it would
be death to continue here. Three easy marches
bring us into the cool country.
Once more God bless and preserve you.
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193
LETTER 11.
PreparatbnB for the Journey from Bushire to Sliirauz — Messrs.
Tod and Sturmey — Flat dismal country — ^Village of Tchah-
koota — Hot wind — Night -marches — Present of a Chamois by
the Khan of Burauzgoon— Guard-house — Sulphur and Naphtha
Spring8-*-*Daulekee — Heat of the weather — ^The mountains —
Wood of Date trees — The Pass of Kutal i Meloo — Bad preci-
pice — Winding defiles — Zigzag road up the face of the moun-
tain — Plain of Khisht — Narrow glen — Steep road — ^The Pass
of the Kutal i Kemarij — Delicious water — Kauzeroon — ^De-
scription of the Persians — Ali Esker — His oddity — The Pass
of Kutal i Dokhter— Fine road — The Simplon of Persia — ^Fine
scenery — Guard house — Beautiful country — ^The Pass of Peri i
Zen — Stony ascent — Woods of dwarf oak— Caravanserai —
Valley of Aijoon — Beautiful spot — Verdant plain — ^Meet with
a Koord — Plain of Shirauz — Arrival in the neighbourhood of
the city — ^The Garden of the Jehan Numa — Civility of the
English agent — The Hafizia, or garden of Hafiz — Aga Minas
and the people go into the city — Impression made by the first
view of Shirauz— Rudeness of the people — Advantages of the
situation of this city — The gardens — Cypress trees — Kerim *
Khan— Climate — Provisions.
Shirauz, August 4, 1821.
Once more upon the road, like a perturbed spirit,
hurried about by every blast, and destined to find no
repose. Once more do I draw forth from their
recesses, where I had hoped they would have
slumbered tranquilly, my smooth-worn mother-of-
pearl eye-glass, my old green leather roulon, or
writing-case, my pencil and pen-case, patched with
a fragment of an old glove at each end, and my
Vol. IL O
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194 MESSRS. TOD AND STURMEY, [lET. II.
smudged and scribbled note book. Once more do I
pack my sextant and the horizon, my canvass-stitched
tables, almanac, and greasy journal, into the no less
greasy saddle bags. Once more do I suspend my
compass by the self-same old red cord round my
neck, endoss the self-same old tarnished jacket^ thrust
my chronometer into its snug recess in the brea.8t of
my waistcoat, ascend my skin-clad saddle, and again
expose my tender face to the scorching blast. You
must not expect a regular journal from me ; I will
just give you a few random notes, which will suffice
till we meet.
July 24. — ^At nine o'clock at night left Bushire
with Messrs. Tod and Sturmey ; both very kind to
me. I was much indisposed, and, add to this, I
always dislike night-marches. I soon found> how-
ever, the air of the Desert much less oppressive than
that of Bushire, though really hotter. The whole
country is a perfect dismal brown flat. At one
place the high tides make* a disagreeable swamp;
vrith this exception,, the Desert is as burnt as the
worst parts about Bagdad. At a quarter to six i»
the morning, we arrived at the large but miserable
village of Tchahkoota, with date-gardens about it.
The place is composed of Albu-Mahommed-Uke mat
huts*, with the exception of a mud enclosure, digni-
fied with the name of Kalaa, a Castle, in the door*-
way of which we were lodged, quite in public, The
\: * Seep, 172. .
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»T. II,] VILLAGE OF TCHAHKOOTi^. 195
mouDti^ins not far off gave some diversity to the
scene*
Juk/ ^d.-^At Tchahkoota^ a true burning SaumV
w^ich quite invigorates my Bagdadees. Thermo*
meter 110°; notwithstanding which I found myself
eonsiderably better. But away with all night-marches.
There is nothing to relieve the tedium of the journey ;
it reverses the whole order of one's ways and habits ;
and, during the day's halt, leaves one drowsy,
languid, and lazy. Besides, I have lost a little bag,
your old reticule, containing my pencil, knife, small
eye-glass, and all my keys, which slipped from my
side unperceived during last night's march ; so away
with all night-marches : nevertheless, it is the only
way to get on now. At half-past eight, we mounted
from Tchahkoota : the road rather broken by ravines;
and here and there rocks. The mountains were on
our right hand. The night was intolerably hot}
the ground seemed to send up a hot reflection that
almost took one's breath away. At two in the
morning of the 26th, we arrived at Burauzgoon,
parsing through about two miles of plantations oi
dates and tobacco. We wei-e lodged under the^
gateway of the €;aravanserai. Burauzgoon is in the
* The Saum is the hot wind better known perhaps as the
Simoom, which prevails over so large a portion of Asia, and of the
f«tal effect* of which theie are so many acoounti« It was Mr^
Rich's opinion, the result of a long course of inquiries, that the
hot wind kills hy exhaustion, and not by any poisonous quality in
kself.— i?€^.
02
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196 KHAN OF BURAUZGOON. [lET. II.
style of Tchahkoota, but rather better and more
extensive ; with a caravanserai, which would not be
amiss if it were finished. Thermometer 112^ in the
eoollest place we could find ; a true burning Saum^
yet by no means so oppressive as the heat of Bushire,
The mountains are not above three miles oflF; they
are stony and bare, crumbled and furrowed, and are
much about the height and appearance of the hills
opposite Sulimania. It is quite ridiculous to suppose
that snow lies on any open part of the mountains
between Bushire and Shirauz all the year round, as
some travellers have imagined.
The Khan sent us a present of a very fine chamois
or ibex, which tasted something like delicate beef.
July 26. — ^At seven in the evening we mounted*
keeping the mountains on our right hand, and
gradually inclining towards them. The Khan of
Burauzgoon had sent a man with us to take out
guards at a post half way, as there was supposed to
be some little danger coming near Daulekee. We
halted at the guard-house, or Rahdar Khoneh, half
way, for about forty minutes, and then set forward
agaiii with a few Tufenkjees, who took leave of us,
when we approached Daulekee, by cracking oflF their
matchlocks ; not quite so good a report as a boy's
squib*. On coming near to Daulekee, the hills
reached down to our road, and we soon perceived
the smell of sulphur and naphtha; and passing
through the Stygian stream into wliich the naphtha
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iET. II.] DAULEKEE. 197
springs discharge themselves, I could have fancied
myself again in the defile of Toozkhoormattee*, or
in the Hamreen, The night was dreadfully close
and fatiguing, and by the time we reached Daulekee,
at one in the morning, I was quite exhausted.
July 27. — A terrible hot day. The sandstone
rocky hills, which almost overhang the little town and
caravanserai, reflected the heat^ and the glare was
intolerable. The people brought us some fresh dates,
but they were not near so good as the common Bag-
dad dates.
We had now to begin the so much talked of
dreadful precipices of the Shirauz road. I was
anxious to commence them, for I would willingly
have gone over the Himmalaya to escape this heat.
We left Daulekee at half past six in the afternoon,
and I mounted a good mule. We saw a wood of
date-trees extending all along the west horizon,
looking more considerable than all the gardens of
Bagdad. We soon came to the hills, and crossed
the first ridge, which was rocky, bare, and burning,
but not a bad road. They were very Hamreen-like,
but higher. We afterwards descended to a valley
occupied by a considerable river, the water of which
was nitrous, warm, and nauseous ; the road some-
times precipitous, but not bad. We then crossed
the river by a fine bridge of thirteen arches, and
alighted to take coffee, as we had the worst part of
* See Vol. L p. 35.
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19S PASS O*' kUTAL 1 MELOO. [lE'T. It
the pass, called the Kutal i Meloo, before us. After
resting about three quarters of an hour, we mounted
again, and moved forwards, winding through narrow
rocky defiles, hills of sandstone, and earth crumbling
down in ruins ; the river still on our right. At one
part there was a bad precipice, but for a short con-
tinuance, and the road was not narrow. The hills
grew more ruinous as we advanced. Immense masses
of stone almost blocked up the narrow winding
defiles. We here lost sight df the river, and began
to ascend the Meloo in good earnest. It is exces-
sively steep, and the road, which is much encumbered
by loose stones and fragments of fallen rock, zigzags
up the face of the mountain, not along a precipice.
It is certainly diflScult, but by no means so bad as I
had been led to expect. In Koordistan, and in parts
of Turkey, it would have been deemed very tolerable.
It must be bad, however/ to come down. At the top
of the pass is a guard-house, or Rahdar Khoneh —
we (in Turkish) should call it a Derbent — ^which
completely shuts up the road* We now proceeded,
without descending, along the fine plain of Khisht,
and in less than an hour from the top of the pass,
reached the caravanserai of Konar Takhta, where
we were well accommodated in the Bala Khoneh, or
place over the gate. We arrived at about half past
one in the morning.
JtJtf 28. — Still the hot wind, and still the date-
tree, but the former by no means oppressive. A
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U&T. 11.] NARRQW ROCKY GLEN. 199
iveight seemed to he taken off mjr chest, and even
poor old Pietro found himself well enough to begin
quarrelling with the servants. We marched again
at half past six in the evening ; an hour brought us
to the extremity of the line oval plain of Khisht, and
we then entered among the hills. We crossed the
first line, which was as usual of earth and sandstone,
and inconsiderable, and descended into the valley of
the Shapour river ; on whose banks we stopped to
refresh ourselves for an, hour, and to allow the bag^
gage to get well on, so as not to encumber us in
the pass before us. The water of this river, which
comes from Shapour, is very fine, and the banks were
fringed with rhododendrons in bloom, which emitted
a pleasant odour. We now entered a narrotv rocky
glen, the scenery growing wilder and wilder as we
advanced, and the effect considerably increased by
there being only star-lights The cliffs seemed often
almost to close over our heads, and threaten us with
destruction ; their ruins almost choked up the path.
It was a wild solitude ; nothing was to be hesird but
the sound of the hoofs of our mules over the rocky
bottom of the glen. We were generally on the
ascent ; but I observed that, even in ascending^ the
Persian roads, keep to the bottom of the ravine as
niuch as possible. Probably the scarcity of streams
generally enables them to do this ; but in Turkey
And Koordistan they would have preferred leading
the road along the precipitous sides of the hills. A
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200 PASS OF THE KUTAI4 I KEMARIJ. [lET« II.
preoipice was, however, still in reserve for us ; for,
where the hills seemed to shut up the ravine we
were ascending, an immense chasm had been formed;
I should like to say, poetically, by a convulsion of
nature, which would be in much better keeping with
the scene ; but I fear homely truth will compel me to
look for the cause of all this havoc and ruin in the
more gradual but not less effectual operation of a
small stream of water which descends from the pla-
teau above into the ravine, and has cut down its
course through the crumbling and shivering sand-
stone. Whatever be the cause, however, the effect
is not less terrific. The road grows steeper, and
continues its ascent along the perfectly perpendicular
side of the chasm, offering some terrible precipices,
whose effect was rendered more appalling by the
night. The eye sought through the gloom in vain for
the bottom of the gulf, which seemed to lead to the
dominions of Chaos and Erebus. The very bad
places, however, were not of long continuance, and I
do not believe I walked more than a quarter of an
hour or twenty minutes ; but in one or two spots for
a moment it was no bad trial for the head, even on
foot. This is called the Kutal i Kemarij. After
descending a very little, we arrived at the deserted
caravanserai of Kemarij, at half past eleven. The
night was delightfully cool, as soon as we began to
rise out of the narrow passes. The worst part of the
road is now over, and I find its troubles have been
greatly exaggerated.
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J«£T* It] KAUZ£ROON. SOI
July 29.— We intercepted a load of snow coming
fiom Kauzeroon, and, procuring some airan, or butter*
milk, from a neighbouring village, we had a most
delicious regale, which reminded me of my dear
Koordistan.
The thermometer was 109°, but the wind not
heated.
At six in the evening we mounted, and marching
through the almost circular valley of KemariJ for
about an hour, we entered a narrow, rocky, and
winding defile, called Tenj i Turkoon* Here "again
the road ran through the bottom of the defile, which
was dry, and encumbered with large stones. In
Turiiey or in Koordistan, it would have been up one of
the sides of the defile, and have given me a fine walk*
At twenty minutes past eight we stopped at a
Rahdari, or Derbent, at the termination of the pass,
to refresh ourselves. I'his Derbent is only one mile
from Shapour, and the river just by the guard house
afforded us a draught of delicious water, which was
quite a luxury to people accustomed of late to the
soft brackish water of the Ghermaseer. After a
halt of half an hour, we descended by a gentle slope
into the fine extensive valley of Kauzeroon, and
arrived at that place at twenty minutes past mid-
night, where we took up our quarters in a garden
outside the town, which is a poor and ruinous place.
The Persians were troublesonie here from superfluous
hospitality, and we had great difficulty in getting
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fi03 ALI BIfKfetl. [hzr. lU
allowed to settle ourselves fts we chose. From hence
Shapour is four farsakhs off, and I am glad to find
that on my return it will be the very proper time to
visit it. At present it would be much too hot.
July 30. — ^Thermometer 80° in the morning, and
105° at the hottest time of the day. The wind was
rather heated. This is the first place where the
black cap begins to be universally worrt. -
The Persians are the most noisy^ dilatory^ aiid
immoveable fellows I ever met with ; but the muleteers
at least load well, for we have not had a minute's
delay with the baggage (among which is the tele<-
soope and my tripod) the whole way. The mules
too are capital, and our head muleteer, Ali Esker, a
most amusing fellow, by the oddity of his ways. Of
his person and weather-beaten face it is not easy to
give a notion. His head is surmounted by a pointed
chintz cap, to which be seems to attach no small
value ; those of his subordinate muleteers being only
of ordinary felt. His voice is hoarse and croaking,
yet he is perpetually exerting it ; and when riding
alongside of you, he speaks as though be were
hailing a ship at a mile's distance. Bad as its
quality is, it seems to be peculiarly grateful to the
ears of the little donkey he bestrides ; for when he
gets into a full prose, the animal runs along with in-
describable glee, playing its ears alternately ^i-e and
aft. He has a ridiculous habit of thinking aloud,
which has .a most whimsical effect ; «ince all the
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UTr tl.] PASS OF letfTAL I bORHTER. 203
nknserles and contradictory flitting notions that cross
his mind are instantly uttered in the tone of a boat-
swain bailing the top in stormy weather* Enough
however of Ali Esker, who amused us much on the
road.
At seven in the evening we started from Kauze-
foon, not without some difficulty ; for the muleteers,
who were all natives of Kauzeroon, had a great
hankering after a day's rest here. We proceeded
along the plain, and after night-fall, turning to the
mountains which bound it on the south, we stood
under the black and frowning cliff of the Dokhter^
which seemed to bar all further progress ; yet up the
face of this we were to ascend ; how, it was impos-
sible to say, at least by this light*. We soon how-
ever found that an entirely artificial road zigzagged
up the face of this perpendicular and gigantic walL
Imagine the Sarraashookf, or perhaps something
more, not to be crossed, but ascended up from the
plain to the summit, and y6u will have some idea of
the Kutal i Dokhter ; but far different are the roads.
The Dokhter is a most skilfully constructed road,
buttressed, levelled, and parapetfed, so as not to alarm
the most timid, and broad enough to allow of several
mules abreast. It is in thorough repair, and is
almost worth coming to see. It may be called the
* Look at Dante's description of the rock of Purgatory. I
have not time to quote it.
t A mountain road we had crossed in Asia Minor. — Ed* '
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204 GUARD-HOUSE. [l^ET- II-
Siinplon of Persia. The rocks must afford some
fine sceneiy by day-light, and trees and shrubs in
many parts project from the crevices, and overshadow
the road. This is the first ascent, or screen of Za-
gros. After reaching the summit, we proceeded to
the guard-house, or Derbeht, where we arrived at
twenty minutes to twelve ; and here we stayed smoking
our pipes and drinking coffee till twenty minutes past
twelve. Near the top of the Dokhter I had a walk of
a few minutes, as my mule went close to the parapet,
and I was foolish enough to look down ; when I saw
the fire-pot of my calioon-bearer* at a veiy great depth
below, almost under my feet. This made my head
turn, and I was obliged to dismount before I reco-
vered. From tho guard-house we descended by a
very gentle slope and excellent road for a little way,
into a longitudinal valley of Zagros, between the
screen before mentioned, Avhich bounds it on the
west and Peri i Zen, which is its east wall. The
valley is narrow and well wooded, both in its area
and sides, Avith oak, some of a very considerable
size, and other trees which I could not distinguish.
The country now became beautiful, and, as Avell as
I could see, reminded me of my own Koordistan.
This valley, which is called Desht i Ber, must be of
a great elevation, and the night-air was so sharp as
* ,The servant in Persia who has charge of his master'^ cali-
oon always carries with him, on a journey, a small iron pot f\iU
of fire, in readiness for the calioon when required. — Ed,
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LET. II.] PASS OP PEKI | ^EN. 205
to make us long to be housed. After proceeding
through it for about an hour at a good round pace,
we began the ascent of Peri i Zen. The road does
not zigzag much, nor are there any precipices ; but
the ascent is stony, and rises among woods of dwarf
oak, hawthorn, and broom, of ten or twelve feet high.
The more we ascended, Alps on Alps seemed to
arise above us, and show we had yet much more to
perform. We met a caravan of Arabs, from the
opposite coast, returning from a pilgrimage to Me-
shed. Continuing to ascend, we reached a caravan-*
serai at three in the morning, and by the pleasui-e
we felt on reaching it noAV, could estimate the value
it must be of in December's snows. It is kept by a
few soldiers, and we found an oak-wood fire burn-
ing, which was very agreeable. We were not yet
half way up the mountain, the whole ascent of which
is three hours without intermission.
July 31. — ^We marched at ten minutes past six in
the Evening, continuing the ascent almost immedi-
ately, the area of the caravanserai itself being scarcely
in a level place. As we advanced, new summits seemed
still to rise above us, and the ascent appeared to be
interminable. From near the top of the pass we
saw the lake which terminates the valley of Kau^Se-
roon ; and from some of the summits still far above
our heads they say the sea is visible. After pro-
ceeding for some time along pretty level ground, we
descended a little way through. fipe woods of oak, of
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206 VALLEY OP ARJOON. f LET. If.
gigantic hawthot'n/alid othisr shrubsi which gave out
a fragrant odour, into the valley of Arjoon*. It 19
of a fine o\ral form, and terminated on tlus side by m
lake. It sparkled all round with the fires of the
Eliauts'f, some of whom were Arab buffalo<-feeders.
Wild boars are in prodigious abundance, and lions
not uncommon.
The night was so cold as to give me a sharp pain
in the temples, and all my Bagdadees got the usual
kam aghriBsee^ or stomach-ache. We arrived, to
our great satisfaction, at the village at eleven
o'clock, and found a warm room exceedingly agree-
able. We had only halted thirty-five minutes during
the march. .
August 1.-— We went to examine a beautiful spot
we had noticed the night before, about a quarter of
a mile from the village. One large and some
smaller streams burst from a marble rock, and forni
a beautiful stream clear as liquid crystal, in a fine
grove of tchinars, or plane-trees, and gigantic wil-*
lows. In the rock are some curious caves. The
place is consecrated to Ali, about whom there is a
foolish legend. The spot is lonely. Our elevation
in this plain, amid the summits of Zagros, must
be very great, in which, however, no snow lies
openly. Shirauz has been determined, by boiling
water, to be 450Q feet; and it is even visibfy
* Desht i Arjoon, or more properly Arzhen.
t Wfodering tribes.
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pBT. II.] PLAIN OF 8HIRAU2. 207
lower than this plain, and ther« is a manifest
descent from hence to Shirauz the greater part of
the way. I suppose this can hardly be less than
6000 feet. The plain is verdant as an emerald
at this season. We marched at twenty minutes to
six, and soon were engaged among the hills, through
a beautiful road well wooded with hawthorn, wild
cherry, pear, &c. Flocks of koorkoors, or partridges,
were running across the road, scarcely deranging
themselves for us, and we saw hares pricking up
their ears under the bushes. Lions are said also
to be not uncommon, and Mr. Tod heard one roar-
ing the last time he passed this road.
We descended to the valley of the Karagatch, a
little murmuring river, the glens on each side illu-
mined with the fires of the Eliauts. Two of them
came to see us, and we found they were Nanekeli
Koords. I immediately got into conversation with
them, and they invited us to their tents to treat us
with stuffed lamb. We refused their hospitalityi
however, and after halting to take coffee, for forty
Hiinutes, we crossed the river, and arrived at the
miserable village of Khoneh Zengoon^ where there
i^ 9k filthy caravanserai. We arrived at ten minutes
before ten.
August 2. — ^The thermometer this morning was
jBS*". We got some delicious butter, which reminded
u«i of that of England. At ten miqutes past five we
mounted, and rode Qver a country of open^ undulating
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208 GARDEN OP THE JEHAN NUMA. [lET. 11.
downs, covered with bushes, the wood having now
disappeared. It was a perfect desert ; not a village
to be seen in any direction. The descents were
considerable though gradual, and our progress was
rapid, though we made two halts to allow of the
baggage keeping up with us. The first was of an
hour and twenty-five minutes, about half way, and
the other of thirty-five minutes, at the guard house,
in a pass in the mountains which forms the entrance
to the plain of Shirauz. We had expected here to
have learnt what arrangements Nazar, Mr. Arra-*
toon's agent, had made for our reception ; but our
messenger returned with a note saying that we were
to go to Major Litchfield's garden for the present,
until he could see what was to be done. This
annoyed me very much.
We marched with great rapidity over the plain^
and at ten minutes before two of the morning of the
third we arrived at the famous garden of the Jehan
Numa, where we found Litchfield quietly esta-
blished. He had expected us after day-light, and
meant to have ridden out to meet us. His reception
of us was exceedingly kind and hospitable. He
would not hear of our having separate establish-*
ments, and pressed his invitation in a manner not to
be refused.
The Jehaa Numa is close to the tomb of Hafilz^ on
the opposite side of the road ; and we had, before
We went to bed^ a draught of the '' water of Rocna*^
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LET. II.] MIRZA ALI AKBAR. 209
bad," clear as crystal, and fully meriting its poetical
celebrity.
The English agent here, a Mahometan, Mirza
All Akbar, to whom I had not written, behaved
with greater civility than the Armenian to whom we
had been particularly recommended. His secretary
was sleeping at the Jehan Numa, to be in readiness
for us, and I foimd he had already spoken to the
Vizir, who had ordered Hafiz's garden to be pre-
pared for us, and appointed an oflScer to be in attend-
ance upon us.
The next morning early he came himself to pay
his compliments, and we went to look at the Hafizia.
The spot is certainly interesting. The vestiges of
genius, even though it be Persian, cannot be visited
with indifference. It has as yet, however, " begot
no numbers grave or gay," and, after an inspection,
we determined on remaining with Litchfield at the
Jehan Numa. Minas, Ovanness, Yusuf Aga, and
others of our party I dispatched into town.
I will now proceed to give you some general idea
of the journey, and the impression made on me by
the view of the town and gardens. I have met
with no travels which give me a good idea of the
country. I have forgotten what Niebuhr says. My
companions were agreeable, and the whole journey
a pleasant one. I often longed for you, but I also
often thought how difficult it would have been to
have managed had you been with us. The people
Vol. II. P
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SIG SHIRAUZ. [let. II.
of Fars are the most impudent starers^ and the most
troublesome fellows I ever knew. You could not
have taken a walk in the garden without trouble,
and certainly scarcely have stirred out without being
closely veiled. The people here are renowned, even
among the Persians, for their impertinence.
My expectations were surpassed in the general
view of the tovm and the plain, and disappointed in
the gardens. The town certainly presents itself to
advantage, perhaps more so on the whole than
almost any other Oriental town I have seen — of
course excepting Constantinople. The plain is fine,
well cultivated, and pretty green even now, but mi-
serably bare of wood, and the mountains are rocky
and barren. The gardens do not surround the town,
nor are they by any means so numerous as I had
expected. They are scattered here and there, and I
have not seen anything that can be compared with
the Khosroo-abad at Sinna. The Khosroo-abad
would make three or four of the gardens here.
M. de la Fosse, who is just arrived here, and Aga
Seyd, of their own accords, drew the same compari-
son between the gardens of Shirauz and that of
Sinna, so that it could not be wholly fancy on my
part. Indeed from what I hear it seems that Aman
uUah Khan has copied the taste of the Sefiviyahs,
rather than the modem school, in his public works.
Our garden, the celebrated Jehan Numa, is one
of the best here, but the house, or bungak>w, is in
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LET. II.] KERIM KHAN. Sll
rather a ruinous condition. There in a fine terrace
before it, and then a lower garden, much in the
Italian style, but it is only two hundred yitrds
square. The mere pleasure-part of the Khosroo-
abad was eight hundred. Three or four Walks are
planted with cypress-trees, but with the exception of
these and some others scattered about here and
there in soine of the gardens, the cypresses for which
Shirauz was once so celebrated have almost entirely
disappeared. They have been unmercifully cut down
for common carpentry, for Aoot and window frames,
&c. The other day the prince wanted some timhet
to repair the roof of his kiosk in his garden, and cut
down some remarkably fine tchinar trees, which had
been much celebrated foi* their beauty in Kerim
Khan's time. I have ordered a neat box to be made
for you out of the Shirauz cypress wood, btit the
trees, however renowned in oriental song, are not so
fine as those of Constantinople.
It is astonishing how much the memory of Kerini
Khan is venerated, even by those in the service of
the present government. To judge by such of his
public works as have been allowed to remain,
Shirauz must have been a splendid city in his time.
The climate is very agreeable, atid is teckiM^A
healthy. The thermometer is at 9F for an hour or
ttvo, and this only in the hot season. The nights
are cool, but 1 find it most pleasant to sleep in the
open fit, though nmny keep to their roonis^ Hiere
P2
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212 AGA MANUTCHEHR. [lET. II,
is a fine bed of fragrant tool see, or marvel of Peru,
just before my window.
Tell Bell we have admirable provisions here—
mutton finer than our best Arab, the best nectarines
and pears I have tasted out of England. Peaches
are just coming in, and promise well ; kishmishes
pretty good; grapes not yet in; capital bread; very
delicate cheese; airan, or buttermilk; and snow in
abundance.
I have not yet taken a review of the bazars, or seen
the curiosities procurable here. The Vizir hinted
that he would pay me a visit, and that the prince
would be glad to see me, but I mean to avoid both
if I can,
August 7. — I have just had a visit from Aga
Manutchehr, the brother of yom* friend at Bagdad*
Mrs, Elias, the sister-inJaw of Coja Yusuf Andrea.
He is a handsome, gentlemanlike young man. The
Prince forced him to become a Mahometan once,
but seems really to care so little about it, that Aga
Manutchehr occasionally goes to the Armenian
church. The family anxiously inquired about the
sister, and seem highly displeased at her having
married a Catholic. Aga Manutchehr seems in
higll favour here.
I have also had a visit from a little boy, a son of
Mahommed Nebbee Khan, by his Shirauz wife, or
your friend Bebee Hanifa's goonnee*, whom the
* The designation of the second wife among the Mahometani.
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LET. II.] FOOT MESSENGER. 213
Prince has married, and so got possession of all the
property that remains. * * * *
They are just come to tell me that a cossid, or
foot messenger^ is going off for Bushire, so I must
close my letter rather abruptly, as I wish you to get
the news of my safe arrival at Shirauz in perfect
health ; thank God, by the same opportunity as
will convey the other letters.
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214
LETTER III,
Excellence of the climate of Shirauz — PropoBcd Journey to Per-
sepolis and Morgaub— The Bridge of the Araxes — Plain rf
Persepolis — The Author's desire in early childhood to visit
these ruins — Mader i Suliman^ or supposed Tomb of Cyrus —
Perfect design apd beauty of this Monument, built of white
marble — The fidelity of Sir R. K. Porter's Drawings — ^Return
to Persepolis — Peculiar taste of these ruins — Inscriptions —
Nakshi Rustum — Return to Shirauz — ^The Cholera at Bushire
— ^Visit from a Persian Painter — ^Violence of the Cholera at
Bushire — ^The road towards Shirauz strewed with dead bodies
— The disease reached Bussora — News from Bagdad and
Koordistan — Preparations for the Marriage of the Shahzadeh's
Son — Arrival of the Bride — Procession of Ladies to meet
her —Illumination of the City — Fire- works — The Cholera
at Shirauz — Death of a Lady and several Slave Girls in
the Haram — Departure of the Shahzadeh and his Family
to a neighbouring Garden — His Mother seized with the
disease — Flight of her Son and his Sister — His example
followed by the principal Inhabitants of the City — General
terror and dismay — Description of the confusion — Abatement
of the malady— Taken by none of Mr. Rich's people — ^His
staying a comfort to the Inhabitants — Persian mode of treat-
ment — Major Litchfield — Arrival of Mr. Fraser — Proposed
return to Bushire.
Shirauz, August 11, 1821.
The praises that have been lavished on this cli-
mate have scarcely been exaggerated. The heat of
the day is very tolerable, the nights deliciously cool,
without being chilly. There is no want of air, and
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LET. III.] CLIMATB OF SHIRAUZ. 215
Z prefer this climate much beyond that of Koor-
distan, as the days are not so hot nor the nights so
cold ; and when the season begins to cool, the days
and nights cool together in an equal proportion. In
Koordistan the nights alone grew chillyi while the
days remained scorching. The climate here is ex-
ceedingly regular. For days together the tempera-
ture is exactly the same to a degree. The usual
temperature is 90^ at the hottest time, being from
twelve till three ; 82'' at night, when I go to bed ;
and 71° in the morning, just before the sun appears
above the hills. The wind has no tendency to get
heated, which is curious considering the bare rocky
mountains by which the plain is surrounded; and
all winds are alike agreeable. This may proceed
from the great elevation of the level. In Koordistan,
last year at this time, the thermometer was dQ"" and
9T at the highest, with a hot wind, and at night it
fell to 76^ and was 65*" in the morning. The winter
here is said to be agreeable and much milder than
that of Isfahaun; but the Persian houses seem but
bad winter habitations. The water is excellent here.
As we live in a garden, among tall cypress trees, we
are a little tormented by musquitoes, but not by flies*
in the day time, and, what is better, there are no
sandflies. I think, on the whole, Shirauz is by far
the best place in the Gulf for a person to come
from India to spend a season ; and by landing at
Bunder Abbassi they would save the unpleasant
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216 PROPOSED JOURNEY TO PERSBPOLIS. [LET. III.
voyage up the Gulf, and have a good road to
Shirauz.
They ornament the covers of books very beauti*
fully here. I have seen some that were superb both
for taste and execution. I have nothing in my li-
brary like some that I have seen, but the books
themselves are extravagantly dear, and the old fine
copies not to be procured. Whatever I see enhances
the value of my own collection greatly.
August 14. — The moon-light nights are now so
uncommonly beautiful that I am resolved not to let
them slip, but to avail myself of them for my anti-
quari^m excursion. The moon is the only thing that
can alleviate the tedium of a night-march. There is
besides something in viewing Persepolis and the
tomb of Cyrus, " by the pale moonlight," especially
as I visit them merely for the sake of the impres-^
sions I hope they will make on my mind and fancy ;
and this makes me undertake the expedition, I sup-*
pose I ought to be ashamed to say, with more ala-
crity than I usually do antiquarian excursions. The
ruins I propose visiting have been so accurately de-
scribed, measured, and delineated by our friend
Porter, that nothing remains to be done ; and I can
abandon myself entirely to the luxury of imagina-^
tion, of which the line, compass, and pencil, and the
intolerable labour they bring on, are eminently de-
structive. There is certainly a great pleasure in
discovering, and afterwards showing complete deli-
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LET. III. J DESIRE TO SEE PBRSEPOLIS. 217
neations of places which it falls to the lot of very
few to see ; but at the moment I prefer lying down,
and idly contemplating the traces of the march of
time, and allowing the fancies to rise and pursue
each other, to the preparation of a whole portfolio,
and all the glory that might accrue from it. Tout
cela etanty to-morrow afternoon we propose begin-
ning our trip : first to Morgaub, as that is the far-
thest point, where I hope to contribute towards
settling what seems as yet a very equivocal matter
about Cyrus's tomb and Pasagardee. On our return,
we inspect Persepolis and Nakshi Rustum, which
will probably find us amusement for a couple of
days^ Mr. Tod comes with me. Taylor talks of
coming, and Mr. Sturmey has not yet made up his
mind between business and pleasure, but he proposes
at all events to meet us at Persepolis on our return.
It may be done at one march ; I shall make two easy
stages of it.
Persepolis has long attracted my wishes. Other
places charm by a knowledge of what they were ;
but there is something even in the uncertainty of
Persepolis that throws a kind of additional interest
over it. Poor Bellino ! how he would have enjoyed
this tour, and what an addition would his society
have been on it!
August 31. — ^I returned last night from my expe-
dition. We set off about sun-set on the 15th. My
permanent travelling paiiy was reduced to Mr. Tod,
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218 RUINS OF PBRSEP0LI8. [lBT. Ill*
who was a very pleasant companion. Our first
stage was to Zcirgoon, which we left in the evening
of the 16th, and rode along the plain of Persepolis.
It was dark when we left the bridge of the Araxes*
My expectation was greatly excited. Chardin, when
I was a mere child, had inspired me with a great
desire to see these ruins, and the desires excited in
us in childhood are too vivid ever to be effaced.
Their gratification has a relish which motives sug-
gested by reason and judgment are unable after-
wards to equal. My late antiquarian researches
had, however, also added their interest to my other
inducements ; and as I rode over the plain by the
beautifid star-light, reflections innumerable on the
great events that had happened there crowded on
my memory. I was in the moment of enjoying
what I had long wished for ; and what a delightful
moment that is ! At last the pointed summit began
to detach itself from the line of mountains to which
we were advancing. Mr. Tod pointed it out: —
" Under that lie the ruins." At that moment the
moon rose with uncommon beauty behind it. Ages
seemed at once to present themselves to my fancy.
We were lodged in a half-ruined garden-house,
fronting the ruins, and at the distance of about a mile
from them. You may be assured that my last looks
at night, and first in the morning (I did not go to bed
till twelve and rose with the dawn) were directed to
that spot. Yet I took a capricious kind of pleasure
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LET. III.] MESHED I MADER I SULIMAN. 219
in not going to them, and forcing myself to be con*
tented with this general survey. This may be foolish,
but I determined to put off my minute inspection of
them till our return, and enjoy for the present the
general impression caused by this distant view. Lord
Byron would have employed the interval better than
I could do.
We set off on the evening of the 17th for the
famous and much^disputed ruin of Meshed i Mader i
Suliman, where we arrived on the evening of the
19th. I have not yet made up my mind whether
this be the tomb of Cyrus or not, and I have very
foolishly left my Arrian behind me at Bushire ; but
I was greatly surprised at its appearance, quite dif<«
ferent from anything I had been led to expect. It is
evident that it is of the very highest antiquity, but
what still more astonished me was, to find it of the
correctest taste I had ever seen any Eastern build?
ing. It is in design a perfect Grecian sepulchral
monument^ built of white marble, and of a firmness
of construction and vastness of materials intended
evidently to defy the attacks of ages. I was un-
wearied with contemplating this venerable edifice,
rendered still more interesting by the probability
that it may have contained the mortal remains of the
meet illustrious of oriental princes. Near it are
some pilasters with cuneiform inscriptions, aud a
curious figure, beautifully executed and most cor-
rectly copied by Sir R. K. Porter, to the unrivalled
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220 RETURN TO PERSEPOLIS* [LET/lfi:
fidelity and character of whose delineations I can in
every instance bear ample testimony. Farther on,
a hill has been faced or converted into a platform^
with prodigious blocks of white marble cut in the
rustic taste — a fine monument^ and superior to the
platform of Persepolis. These ruins are eminently
interesting, and I rejoice in having come to visit
them. I think they have a character of greater
antiquity than Persepolis, as they are superior in
taste and simplicity, and one would pronounce at
once, on seeing the sepulchral monument, without
being acquainted with the conjectures that have
been formed concerning it, **this must have been
the burying place of some great man desirous of
transmitting his name to posterity." The Persians
have a great respect for it, supposing it to be the
tomb of the mother of the Prophet Solomon, and
built by genii at his command.
We returned to Persepolis by partly a different
road, and arrived there on the evening of the 22nd.
We pitched our tents on the platform, close by
the portals, which contain the colossal figures of
the mythological animals. You may imagine I
could not sleep that night. It was not a situation
to steep the senses in sweet oblivion. I watched
the rising of the moon, to indulge myself witk
a solitary ramble among the iniins by her light,
so favourable to contemplation ; and I was well
rewarded. The strange gigantic figures on the
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i.BT. III.3 RUINS OF PERSEPOLIS. 221
pf>rtals near which we w^re encamped, had a singu-
lar and portentous aspect^ faintly illuminated by the
moon, and by the remains of a fire our people had
lighted, which cast a reddish mysterious light on
part* of them. As I walked among the lofty pillars,
numberless were the fancies that arose, and the
incomparable ode* at once presented itself to ray
recollection. I was actually walking among the
remains of those very " Persian abodes," but how
changed ! The fall of my own footsteps, and the cry
of the fox from the hills which contain the royal
sepulchres, were the only sounds heard, while above
the pale moon was pursuing her tranquil course,
unconscious of, or at least unchanged by, the lapse
of ages.
September 1. — I have been running on, giving
you " moods of my own mind," instead of an account
of Persepolis. I shall reserve my further fancies till
we meet, and indeed my account of Persepolis also ;
for I am no great inditer of long accounts, and be-
sides, so much has been said about Persepolis, that
scarcely anything can now be added, especially when
one has seen Porter's admirable drawings. I found
I had formed a tolerably correct notion of the ruins,
and that I was neither surprised nor disappointed
by a right of them, which is rare in such cases. They
are of a taste quite peculiar. The execution and
finish are very beautiful. The fault I find is the
• Dryden's " Alexandet*B Feast."
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222 RUINS OP PBRSSPOLIS. [lET. Ill*
disproportionate application of vast and ponderous
materials to inadequate purposes ; narrow door^ways
and small windows^ formed of blocks that would
build a mole, nay frequently even of one single
block. There is no correspondence between the
object and the means, which gives to many parts of
these remains, at least as they now appear, rather a
heavy, crowded, and crushed effect ; and withal some-
thing of littleness, notwithstanding the vastness of
the materials. * The orientals at no period seem to
have understood the laws of proportion^ and the
magic effect resulting from a due attention to them ;
and this is evident in every part of the ruins of Perses-
polis. They are, however, very interesting remsdns ;
and let us be grateful to the want of judgment of the
architect, who unnecessarily employed such immense
masses for ordinary purposes ; for by it a specimen
has been preserved to us of the arts and manners of
ante- Alexandrian Persia, when all other monuments
of that period have perished by the work of time,
and still more the hand of the barbarian. The latter
engine of destruction has been at work here, even
lately. Many parts have been defaced by the passion
for possessing curiosities. This rage has induced
some even to chip off Uts of inscriptions ! One has
endeavoured to chisel off a very fine head, which
was well preserved, and, not succeeding, he has
apparently in wrath, thrown his mallet against the
head and smashed it.
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. LET. ITI.] NAR9HI RUSTUM. 228
I dropped a most unfeigned tear to the memory
of poor Bellino, when surveying these ruins> which
would have caused him such rapture. And notwith-
standing my tirade against industry, I was actually
diligent enough, afler I had satisfied myself with
viewing the ruins over and over again, to fall to work
at copying the inscriptions ; and during the six days
we remained at Persepolis, I copied all the inscrip-
tions except one. I have found much to corroborate
Grotefend's system, and have admired his sagacity.
The labour I have gone through will greatly assist
him.
I of course visited Nakshi Rustum, where I saw
a singular and most curious fire-temple, beautifully
built, and looking as if it had been completed yes-
terday ; the tombs of the four kings of the first
dynasty ; and the more recent Sassanian sculptures
beneath them. These latter are but coarse per-
formances, and clearly indicate a more barbarous
age than the Persepolitan. There is at least as
much difference as between the works of the Au-
gustan age and that of Justinian. One sculpture
represents a Roman, in the correct costume, pros-
trate at the feet of a Sassanian king in his uncouth
garb ; and at a certain distance it has rather a
striking eflfect. There was something affecting, at
the first view of it, to see the majesty of Rome,
even the Rome of Valerian, prostrate before a bar-
barian.
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224 CHOLERA AT BUSHIRfi. [ LET. HI.
There are some Sassanian sculptures at Nakshi
Regeb, a place nearer Persepolis, better finished in
the same barbarous style.
We returned to Shirauz on the 30th August.
September 8. — Dr. Jukes is still at Bushire,
where the cholera is said to have made its appear-
ance. The prince has put it in strict quarantine.
We are, thank God, out of the range of that dreadful
visitation, which has made great ravages at Bussora,
and will doubtless proceed to Bagdad.
I Have retained Dr. Tod with me. He has been
a great accession to my pleasure. I have been
busily occupied since my return in making fair
copies of my inscriptions. The climate now is quite
delightful ; in short, this is a pleasant place, with
the worst inhabitants imaginable. I never was in a
place, even in the worst parts of Turkey, where you
so much needed the protection of an officer of the
local government; and even with one there is no
stirring out without being insulted. There are now
no mare remains of the Koordistan fever lingering
among my people ; and I am myself quite well.
September 10. — I have just had a visit from
Mirza Mahommed Hadi» the most distinguished
artist in Persia. I was indebted for this honour to
his having heard that '' amch'io son pittore," and
that I had praised some of his works. He was
accompanied by a khan, and one or two of his
choicest disciples. He enjoys the highest reputa*
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LET. III.] MIRZA MOHAMMED HADI. 225
tion here, and the Persians almost consider him in
odour of sanctity. I found hini an extremely polite,
intelligent, gentlelnanlike old man. He is full of
the spirit of his art, and is passionately fond of
flowers. This Iranian Van Huysum never works
now ; and it is almost impossible to procure a spe-
cimen of his pencil. They are bought up at any
price by the Persians. He has not even preserved
a specimen for himself, yet by great good fortune
I have got one exquisite little painting of his for
you.
September 11. — News from Bushire. The cho-
lera is raging there, and carries off thirty persons
a day. It is all >over the Ghermaseer ; and Mr. Stur-
mey, oh his way down, saw the road from Burauz-
goon to Bushire strewed with dead bodies. The
Liverpool frigate, which had arrived at Bushire,
lost three lieutenants in fifteen hours. The surgeon
and a great part of the crew we hear are also dead ;
and she has been obliged to officer herself out of the
cruizers, all of M'hich have lost part of their crews.
At Bussora it has carried off seventeen thousand
persons. In short, the news is melancholy in the
extreme. Now every thing has happened for the
best with respect to us ! There seems to be a parti-
cular providence watching over us, and we ought to
be for ever grateful.
Pilgrims have just arrived from Bagdad in thirty-
seven days. All is in confusion there, and a Per-
Vol. II. Q
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226 NEWS FROM BAGDAD. [lBT. III«
sian war seems inevitable. The Turkish troops are
plundering and insulting every One, and the bazaars
are quite deserted. Tlie Pasha seizes every one he
can get hold of, to extort money ; and all who can
possibly escape are running away in every direction.
He has taken five thousand rupees from the Nuwaub.
Some workmen of the Imperial Mint have arrived at
Bagdad to coin, as it is said, the bullion taken from
the treasuries of Nejef and Kerbela. Mohammed
Ali Mirza is at the foot of the Tank, waiting for
troops, which the king is sending him. Aman ullah
Khan is ordered to co-operate with him, and it seems
the Koords have joined him also. To oppose this
hostile demonstration, the Kiahya has stationed him*
self at Mendeli with the Turkish army, while the
Pasha stays in Bagdad.
September 12, — For some time past great prepa*
fUtions have been making here for the marriage
of Anushirvan Mirza, one of the prince's sons, with
his cousin the Princess of Kerman. A splendid
deputation was sent to fetch the bride, and the Shah-
zadeh says that the rejoicings and show shall sur-
pass any thing that has ever been seen in Shirauzi
as it is the greatest marriage that has yet taken
place in his family. The lad, moreover, is his favourite
son; and, though only twelve years old^ has been
created a general in the royal army by the king.
To-day was appropriated for bringing in the bride-
The prince's sister went out to meet her, and got
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LBT. ni.] MARRIAGE AT SHIRAUZ. 827
into the kajava with her ; for it is not the custom of
the Kajar* brides to go to their husband's house in a
takht-revan, though they may travel in one. The
road all the way from the town to the pass through
the hills which open into the plain of Shirauz, and a
very fine road it is, was lined with spectators, prin-
cipally women, as the prince had ordered all the
Shirauz ladies to turn out to do honour to the bride,
and they rent the air with their shrill leliUas.
Soon after midnight the Istakbolf began its march
in different divisions, keeping up an incessant firing ;
and about seven this morning the approach of the
bride was announced by an increased discharge of
artillery, musketry, and zembureksj, of which latter
there were above a hundred. The Zemburekjees,
or artillerymen, were dressed in scarlet, with scarlet
caps, and brass plates in front ; and the saddles of the
camels which carried the zerabureks were covered with
scarlet cloth, and a flag attached to each, looking on the
whole very showy. Great bodies of horse opened the
procession ; but the Persian horsemen do not look
so well as the .Turkish, or our friends the Koords.
One. of the young princes deputed to represent
the bridegroom, who had unfortunately just been
taken ill, was among these squadrons. Then came
four field-pieces, and all the zembureks, firing at
* The name of the tribe of the present royal family of Persia.
t A procession or public entry into a town.
\ Guns carried on camels.
Q2
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228 MARRIAGE CERBMONY. [lET. III.
intervals the whole way, every discharge making the
rocks roar like thunder. Next followed a guard of
honour, composed of the khans and principal officers
of government, with the screaming mehter khana, or
band. The travelling takht-revans, not so good as
yours, were in the line of march ; and then came the
bride herself, with her aunt, in a kajawa*, each bcLsket
of which was covered with a superb Cashmere shawl,
embroidered with pearls and spangles. Zeki Khan
the Vizir himself led the mule on foot. It was pre-
ceded by a troop of Pehlivansf , whirling their meelsX
to the sound of their little kettle-drums^ and escorted
on each side by the Serbazes, not much better in
discipline than Aman ullah Khan's, but much cleaner
and better dressed. They kept a terrible rattling
upon their very bad drums. Close after the kajawa
followed the most interesting part of the procession,
namely, about twenty Kajar ladies in their full cam-
paign costume. They were on horseback like the
men, and very well mounted^ not led, but seemin^^ly
quite at home in their saddles. They had on boots,
wore neat cloth baroonies§, and their heads were
* This very uncomfortable kind of conveyance is composed of
two baskets or cradles, swung one on each side of a mule.-— ^c/.
t Wrestlers.
t Two very heavy oblong-shaped pieces of wood, with small
handles, by which they are held and whirled about.— £«/.
§ A kind of cloak made of red cloth, and, I believe, trimmed
with gold lace, which is worn upon great occasions by the Persian
gentlemen, and, as we are informed above, even by the ladies. — Ed,
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LBT. III."! PROCESSION OF LADIES. 229
enveloped in splendid Cashmere shawls^ embroidered
with pearls and spangles, which fell halfway down
their backs. Their faces were covered with white
yeils, with very large net-work eye-holes, so as not to
be at all incommodious to these Amazons. Two of
them, had on sabres, richly ornamented with jewels.
AH of them were said to be true Kajars, and ladies
of very high rank. The more ordinary females were
on mules, in the common Persian costume. The
Kajar ladies all ride well, and go armed, according
to their fancy. Some carry pistols at their saddle-
bows, some bows and arrows, in splendid embroi-
dered cases, and all of them wear sabres ornamented
with jewels. But to return to the procession, of
which indeed little more remains to be said. Its
fag-end was joined in by the crowd, who fell into the
rear, and resolutely kept its station in defiance of
the hail-storm which the sticks of the police officers
unmercifully kept up. A procession of about three
hundred pilgrims from Kerbela, with their green
flags, and priests . singing verses of the Koran, in-
creased the. crowd, and formed a contrast to the
mundane festivities which were going on around
them.
The evening closed with a general illumination,
or rather large bonfires lighted on the roof of every
house in the town, not omitting the bazaars, mosques,
and other public buildings. As the fires were
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280 MARRIAGE CEREMONY* [lBT. III.
lighted up, and ran along from house to house, till
the city appeared one blaze of light, the effect seen
from our garden, which commands a complete view
of the whole town, was exceedingly fine. A few
blue Jights were occasionally let off, which heightened
the scene; and the people passed the whole night
with music, dancing, and feasting. Drinking was
of course not forgotten ; for the Persians here of all
classes are, without exception, the most shameless
and incorrigible drunkards I ever knew. Yet it is
something to the credit of their tempers and cha*
racter, that outrages are seldom or ever heard of on
these occasions.
The lighting bonfires on a* marriage is a very
ancient custom, retained by the Persians from their
fire*worshipping ancestors.
September 15. — On the thirteenth the amusements
consisted of a feast or dinner party only ; but no amuse-
ments at night, except in the harams, it being the eve
of Friday. On the fourteenth the bridegi'oom was
taken to the bath, with a crowd of dancers and
singers. The prince himself came into Divan at
Aasser, under a salute firom two hundred zembureks.
Rope-dancing, tumbling, and buffoonery commenced
immediately, and lasted till sunset. After dark there
was a tcheraghoon, or illumination of the meidan,
which is the outer court of the palace, and a graad
display of fire-works, which had a fine effect from
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LST. III.] MARRIAGE CEREMONY. 231
wh#re we saw them. Some of the hills were also
lighted up with lines of bonfires^ which greatly
heightened the scene, and the zembureks kept up a
continual discharge. The Persians are extremely
fond of the zemburek, d toute sauce. The whole
sight was uncommonly fine. Dancing and singing
succeeded^ with the usual terrible noisy band, scarcely
less offensive than the zembureks. The Persians
delight in perpetual stir, bustle, and noise.
Minas has just been with me. He was at the
exhibition in the meidan yesterday at noon. It con-
sisted principally of a dance, performed by all the
most disreputable women of the town, who were
drunk. The Shahzadeh, who was looking at them,
was drunk also, as were two or three favourites who
were standing about him. In short, it was a most
disgusting scene*
September 17.— Last night there were more fire-
works, dancing and singing as usual ; but the prin-
cipal feasting was among the women. The bride
is said to be twenty, and by no means handsome.
Hie bridegroom is only twelve.
October 2. — ^You will doubtless start at the long
interruption this letter has suffered. You will, I
fear, start more when you shall learn the cause;
but my honesty will, I hope, restore you to con-»
fidence. Without any other alarming preamble,
therefore, know at once, that the cholera has been
here, and that it has gone clear away. El Humd-u-
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232 CHOLERA AT SHIRAUZ. [t£T. III.
lilla '^. I was unwilling to take my pen in my hand
during its continuance, as I would not disguise any
thing, bad or good, that happens from you, and I
was loth to mention the cholera while it lasted.
The diary of the disease would also have been but a
dismal sort of a communication to send you. All
things considered, therefore, I resolved not to put
pen to paper till I could at the same time tell you all
is safe and over. I shall now, then, just give you a
hasty summary of all that has happened since I left
off my Journal.
" Who is it that comes from the bridal chamber ?
It is Azrael, the Angel of Death." The festivities
of the wedding were suddenly put a stop to by the
appearance of the so much dreaded cholera. The
first death by it happened on the 44th. On the 15th
it got very bad, yet still the people seemed to wish
not to attend to it, and the marriage ceremonies
continued. On the 17th, however, the voice of re-
velry ceased, and was succeeded by silence and con-
sternation. A lady and some slave girls died in the
Haram, whereupon the Prince and his family left it
for tlie gardens, in the afternoon. In the night the
Prince's mother was taken ill in her new quarters.
Her dastardly son, with his sister, immediately
mounted their horses and ran away, leaving the
poor old lady to her fate. She died before morning.
* Thanks be to God.
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LET. in.] CHOLERA AT SHIRAUZ. ^3
The Vizir followed the Prince, and most of the prin-
cipal people shortly imitated their example. In the
morning of the 18th, when the death of the Princess
mother, and the flight of her son and the principal
people were publicly known, the terror and dismay
became general. The scene that ensued can scarcely
be described. Parties of horsemen were seen gal-
loping across the plain, and in dijBTerent directions ;
groups of people on foot, women and children, co-
vered the road — going they knew not whither — to
escape an invisible, undefined, but mortal foe, which
every one imagined to be close at his elbow. Several
dropped and died on the road from fright, which in
a multitude of cases doubtless converted a slight
bilious attack, than which nothing is more conmaon
now, into a mortal malady. The town was left to
take care of itself, for the Prince and Vizir had gone
away in such terror that they had not even thought
of any orders or regulations. The flight of the go*
vernor did great harm, and increased the public
consternation tenfold ; indeed it was the most
shameless dastardly action I ever knew, and now
that the people have come to themselves a little,
they openly talk of the Prince with contempt.
On the morning of the 19th, Aga Baba Khan,
the first Shirauzee nobleman, much to his honour,
returned to town, took charge of the government,
and has constantly employed himself in allaying the
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934 CHOLERA AT SHIRAI7X. [lET. III.
popular ferment, comforting the timid, and main-
taining peace and order. As soon as order waa
restored, and things began to get a little into train
again, the malady was found to abate, which is a
proof how much depended on the imagination.
Nevertheless the mortality was considerable, though
much slighter than at any other place it has yet
visited, and the disease itself was no doubt of a much
milder character from the beginning. Thank God,
it is all over ! None of my people had it. Mules
were not to be got at first, and besides where could
we have gone, surrounded as we were by the dis-
ease ? I thought it much better to remain where
we were. I understand my staying comforted many
people, who were looking to see what I would say
and do on the occasion ; if so, I thank God for it.
But I certainly often thanked God also while llie
disease lasted that I had not brought you up here.
I should have ran away then as bad as the rest.
There is certainly a particular providence watching
over us.
The third lieutenant of the Liverpool, I now find,
died not from cholera but from the heat, which Mr.
Hyde, who joined me the day before yesterday, de-
scribes as something more horrible than that of the
desert of Nubia.
A great many poor fellows in the cholera were
doubtless hurried out of the world by the Persian
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LBT..III*] INTEKBED JOURNEY TO BUSHIRE. 285
practice. As soon as a man was attacked, they
made him swallow quantities of grape verjuice,
called kora soo, mixed with salt, which they said
was good to cut the bile and strengthen the stomach,
and kept sousing him over head and ears in the
coldest water they could procure. If a poor man,
they tumbled him headlong into the first tank or
pool; if a rich one, they cooled the water first with
snow. Numbers died under the operation, and a great
many more from the effects of it, which, added to
those who died from neglect, and those who were
killed by terror, will reduce the real deaths by cho-
lera considerably.
Major Litchfield, who has been uncommonly kind,
leaves us this evening for Bushire. As there is no
more cholera on the road between this and Bushire,
I fehall follow him in a few days ; but in the mean
time, lest he reach Bushire before me, I give him this
letter to forward on. He will probably give it to Dr.
Jeffries, a gentleman who passed through this place
some days ago, and is very anxious to reach India
as soon as possible. I did not like to give him a
letter when he passed here, because I could not con-
scientiously say that the disorder was quite over ;
but now it is, I should like him to take charge of
this, that he might tell you all about our going on.
Mr. Fraser. the Himmalaya traveller, has been with
us for some days, and I find him a great resource.
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236 DEATH OF MR. RICH, [lET. III.
I hope to take Shapoor on my way to BusLire,
for which I shall set out in a few days, please God.
Such was not the will of God. After a few
hours' illness, Mr. Rich died of the cholera morbus,
at Shirauz, on the 5th of October, 1821, the paiii-
culars relating to which are contained in the follow-
ing letters.
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237
LETTER IV.
Extract of a Letter from James Baillie Eraser, Esq., to William
Erskine, Esq., containing the Account of the Death of >ir*
Rich.
ShirauZf October 6, 1821.
My dear Sir,
I did not expect to have occasion to address you
from this place, and far less that a correspondence
should commence in so melancholy a communication
as it falls to my lot to make you. Preparation, could
it be made for such intelligence, I generally hold to
be fruitless, and now I know not how to set about it.
Mr. Rich is no more ! He has fallen a victim to the
dreadful prevailing malady (the cholera), which has
for some weeks past desolated this city. I have just
come from paying the last sad duty to his remains,
as yesterday at this hour I attended, in company with
Dr. Tod, his dying moments. Gloomy and desolate
as we all feel after this most distressing event, I lose
no time in giving you the particulars, while they are
strongly impressed on my memory.
Mr. Rich had, for the whole of the last month,
been in rather delicate health. He had, on or about
the 2nd of September, made use of the warm bath,
which had a severe effect on him, producing a vomit-
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238
DEATH OP MR. RICH. [lET. IV.
ing of bile and violent spasms, which however gave
way to the effects of medicine ; and though as I have
said his health was delicate, he still was sufficiently
well to enjoy himself and pursue his usual occupa-
tions.
On the 4th of October he felt quite well, and
having that day again ordered the warm bath to be
got ready in the Prince's Garden, close to where we
live, we all, that is Dr. Tod, he and I, went and took
the bath. Dr. Tod and I rode out that afternoon,
and found Mr. Rich walking about waiting dinner
for us, and he ate as usual a pretty hearty meal*
After dinner we conversed together, though he was not
so full of spirits as he generally was, and about eight
o'clock he complained of sickness and disorder at
stomach ; this increased so much as to force him to
retire at nine o'clock. He was followed to his room
by Dr. Tod. Mr. Rich had always expressed con-
siderable apprehension of the cholera, and certainly
felt more than he expressed. When he had retired
and was joined by Dr. Tod, he stated his fears.
Thei*e was at this time no symptom of cholera, nor
was it till about half past ten, when slight appear-
ances of cramp were detected, that any approximation
to a symptom of the epidemic could be traced. The
jfirst moment was seized to exhibit the usual reme-
dies, which about twelve relieved him. At seven in
the morning his pulse was good, and we were in
sanguine hopes of his doing well. But soon after a
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LET. IV.] PLACE OF INTEBMEKT. 289
most rapid and awful change took place ; the pulse
sunk and disappeared, and Dr. Tod came from him
to whei*e I was sitting, saying he feared the worst.
I went and sat by him, as did Dr. Tod, nor did we
leave him while life remained. He fell from a sweet
sleep he had had for an hour into a heavy painful
stupor, and was evidently insensible to everything.
At half past ten all was over, without a struggle or
any apparent pang.
The place of sepulture was a consideration of
some difficulty. It was at first proposed that it
should be in the Armenian church, within the walls
of the city, where Mr. Sheridan, of Sir Harford
Jones's mission, was interred ; but on making appli-
cation to the acting governor, Aga Baba Khan, we
were informed that no dead body of whatever rank
or country could be admitted into the city, having
died without. Not even was this rule broken in the
case of the King's wife and Prince's mother, lately
deceased.
The inclosure containing the tomb of Hafisa was
- then suggested ; but it occurred to us, that, in mo-
ments of fanaticism and popular turbulence, the
Hafizeea being a sort of public place, the power of a
weak government, even if exerted, might not be suf-
ficient to protect the monument or even the remains
from insult. We then proposed that the interment
should take place M'ithin the garden where he had
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240 ARRIVAL OF DR. JUKES. [lET. IV.
lived, and where we now are, called the Jehah
Numa, as, if permission were once given for this
measure, there was more probability that the spot
would be respected in future ; and at all events,
being royal property, there was little chance of any
wanton dilapidation or insult.
Accordingly, a letter was written to Aga Baba
Khan, requesting permission for the interment to
take place in this garden, which was instantly
granted, and measures were immediately taken to
perform it the next morning.
We understood, however, that Dr. Jukes, who had
remained behind at Kazeroon, was within a day's
march, and would be in also the next morning ; and
it seemed so desirable that he should witness the
ceremony, that I dispatched a messenger express
to inform him of what had happened, and determined
to wait his arrival.
A most anxious and distressing day passed ; and
in the morning, about three o'clock, we were most
gratefully roused from sleep by the arrival of Dr.
Jukes, who had come on even more rapidly than was
expected.
There were few additional measures, however, to
be taken. The Armenian priests and officers were
in attendance, the pennission of government was
procured, and we therefore proceeded to pay the last
duties to our departed friend. Everything was
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L£T. IV.] BURIAL OF MR. RICH. 241
decent and, for the place, imposing. All his own *
suite and ours attended, with the most respectable
Christians connected with the English interests here.
I read the funeral service of the Church of England
over the grave, and we all witnessed the shrouding
the body in its last earthly home.
I have been thus painfully particular ra every
thing relating to this most melancholy catastrophe,
that you may feel convinced that every exertion was
made to save our friend when living, and eVefry
attention which his friends could wish was pkid to
his remains. Dr. Tod, who had accompanied him
from Bussora, attended him with a tenderness of
anxiety, nothing could surpass ; i and the paiif^'he
could not conceal: at the event showed how sincere
the regard was with . which the dead had inspired
him. The scene indeed altogether is of a nature
I shall never forget. I have seen much of death in
many shapes, both among those dear to me and
among common acquaintances, in the usual course of
things, and under circumstances of very striking and
awful effect ; but I do not remember to have suf-
fered more in any case than in the lamentable one
in question. We had been for some days only, it
is true, together, but happy and comfortable, mu-
tually communicating our plans for the future, and
pleasing ourselves with the hope and prospects that
future offered. In the space of twelve hours he
was all that was pleasing, instructive, and amiable.
Vol. II. R
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242 DEATH OF MR. RICH. [lBT. IY.
and a corpse ! and I saw the last struggles of ex-
piring nature in this elevated and noble being. The
circumstances of our being alone in a strange inhos-
pitable^ almost inimical country, surrounded with a
ghastly disease of which we had had such an awful
experience, the possible consequence to either or
both of ourselves, and the wretched situation of the
survivor in case one of us should go — all these things
helped to heighten the anxiety and distress of the
time.
I can offer no comments or condolence on this
most distressing event — the wreck of so many fond
hopes and high promises — for Mr. Rich was a man
from whom his friends might well look for much
delight, comfort> and honour. I saw just enough of
him to regret the passing gleam. It is a dreadful
lesson to human pride. The blow to his friends
must be in proportion to the loss they have sus-
tained.
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843
LETTER V.
Extract of a Letter from Dr. Jukes.
Shiraux, October 13, 1821.
" My last dispatch conveyed to you the sad tidings
of Mr. Rich's death. I believe I informed you that
I had, by means of a forced night-march, arrived
here in time to assist at the last sad ceremonies due
to his remains. It had been the intention of Dr.
Tod and Mr. Fraser, the only English gentlemen
then at Shirauz, to have the body interred in the
Armenian church in the town ; but by an old esta-
blished law here, no dead body can be carried into
the town to be buried. The controlling authority of
Shirauz, however, Aga Baba Khan, had given per-
mission for the body to be interred in the garden
where he died, and no place cotlld be more appro-
priate. Mr. Fraser, though Armenian priests at-
tended, read the funeral service at my request, for
I think that in foreign countries, and especially
where Armenians are not much respected, these
ceremonies should be performed by ourselves. There
is always something very solemn to me in the funeral
service of our religion, but upon this occasion, where
only three companions in a strange land were per-
forming these last duties over a brother, there was
R2
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244 MR. rich's tomb. [let. v.
something peculiarly affecting. All Mr. Rich's
seiTantSy with many of my own, attended the cere-
mony, and many tears were shed. I have caused a
tomb to be raised over his remains, and have put a
small marble slab upon it, merely to record his place
of rest, with the following simple inscription —
'Claudius James Rich, Esquire,
. 'Died 5th October,
'A.D. 1821.'
" The cypress trees of the garden are appropriate
emblems of the tomb, and I think, if the whole em-
pire of Persia had been at our disposal, a more
desirable spot could not have been chosen. This
event has naturally cast a gloomy shadow around us.
Not that there is anything so terrific in the grave to
those who live and die as they ought ; for everybody
sooner or later must feel, I think, that . .
" This world is not our place of rest,
Uncertain all but sorrow."
« • « • «
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SOMK
ACCOUNT OF AN EXCURSION
TO THE RUINB OF
THE ZENDAN, KASR I SHIREEN, HAOUSH KEREK,
ON THE FRONTIERS OF
SOUTH KOORDISTAN,
IN THE MONTHS OF MARCH AND APRIL, 1820.
c
BXTRACTBO FROK
LETTERS WRITTEN BY MR. RICH DURING THE JOURNEY.
WITH
AN APPENDIX,
CONTAINING
A JOURNAL OF THE BEARINGS AND DISTANCES.
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_J
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EXCURSION TO THE RUINS
OF THX
ZENDAN, KASR I SHIREEN, AND HAOUISH KEREK,
Khan t Seyd at Bakooba^
Night of the \Sth March.
Here I am, notwithstanding your express injunc-
tions not to go farther than Orta Khan ; but I
really found the day so fine, the Khan so wretched,
and myself so strong, that I thought it would be
a pity to lose time in such a hole, and so I ventured
on, and do not find myself a bit the worse for it. I
feel quite different from what I had done the last
two days. I have no signs of a headache, and am so
strong that, if occasion required, I could recommence
my march immediately; nevertheless, I will take
care of myself. The countiy between this and
Bagdad is the flattest and most burnt desert I ever
saw. The other parts of the desert, in the neigh-
bourhood of Bagdad, are Pelion, and Ossa, and
Temp6 put together, compared vrith this. At half-
past three we came to the Naharawan * canal, which
* " In the year 590 Chosroes Parviz, King of Persia, marched
out of Ctesiphon to meet Bahram, a revolted general, who, with a
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248 THE RIVER DIALA.
was at least as wide as the Diala ; and we arrived
•here at four p.m. Finding that our old friend Hajee
Omar had gone into Bagdad the day before yester-
day, I resolved on remaining in this Khan, which is
an excellent one. It is on the Bagdad side of the
Diala, just. opposite the villages of Bakooba and
Howeida, which I have no curiosity to visit To-
morrow morning I march for Shehraban. I have
had, since I came in, an observation of amplitude, —
nine altitudes of the sun, eighteen of Sirius, and eight
of Rigel. We then went to dinner.
I must now close, as a caravanjee, who is setting
off, promises to give. this to you. Pray give him
a baksbisk if he performs his promise. I have not
yet written my journal, which I must do before I
rest.
Shehraban, March . 1 9th. .
We left the khan soon after; sunrise,: aqd crossed
the JMala at the ferry of Howeida. ; The banks of
the river were very high and steep, in' most places
jowerful army, had appeared before the capital of the empire. A
battle was fought at a place called Naharwan, according to
d'Herbelot, in which Chosroes was defeated ; and what is rather
singular, it is added, he was obliged to fly and take refuge tn
a monastery J which could not have been very far from Ctesiphon
and Naharwan, as he was soon joined there by his frieirds. All
that country is now one vast solitude, and no traces of Christi-
anity are discoverable in any form. — D'Herbelot, Bib. Oriental,
. 996." — Gibbon's Decline and Fallof the Roman Empire, vol. viii.
p. 187.
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MAHOMBTAN e»AVES. 249
like a perpendicular wallj and Dear, the . banks the
ground was singularly, cut up aind furrowed by the
rain.. The ; depth of the river was about eighteen
feet; It was eight o'cbck before, we were all ferried
over, though we had been up by day-light. The
villages hereabouts were completely embosomed in
date-trees.
At ten we passed through what seemed, to be ,an
ancient canals on the side of which was a high
mount, with rubbish and bricks, and even small frag-
ments of marble on it, called, I believe, Lissia, if the
fellow who. told me can be depended on; but they
are herfeAbouts extremely variable in their nomenclar
ture. There ai'e many Imaums scattered about. the
country, said to be the. gi:aves of those Mahometan
soldiers who died of their wounds on returning from
the battle of Kasr i Shireen, each man being buried
on the spot where he died, as a shahid, or witness, for
Islamism. Along the road I observed some frag-
ments of brick- work, and many pieces of brick were
lying all . around. We passed some fine meadow
land and many canals from the grand trunk stream.
Kharnabat and other villages were on our left. At
two we came to the bridge of one arch over the
Mebroot canal, which runs north to the Diala ; and
we ^ halted till three at Imaum Seyd Mokdad al
Kundi.
We arrived here at four, and I am now extended
my whole length along : the ground, in order to be
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S50 SADOOK AOA«
able to see to write. We have had a very unplea-^
Bant ride, owing to the terrible strong southerly
wind which raised clouds of dust, that very much
distressed both men and animals. Tell Minas
the mules are very bad ; they tumbled down every
mile, and it was with great difficulty we got them to
the end of the stage . I am promised others here.
The stage from Bakooba to this place is called nine
hours. The country all the way was entirely flat,
and intersected everywhere by canals. We had a
very heavy westerly squall, with thunder and rain,
when we started ; and no sooner had it ceased than
a tremendous south-east wind came on, which still
continues, and renders it very unpleasant. I am
very well, excepting my eyes, which are much in-
flamed with the wind and dust.
We found here as governor Sadoon Aga, the in-
habitant of our old house, who would not hear of my
going to a Khan, which I wished much to do, but
had a house cleared out for me. Selira Bey is also
here, being no longer governor of Khanakeen.
They have both been to see me, but not before I
assured them it would be perfectly convenient, and
Selim Aga sent me afterwards a splendid dinner, of
which my people profited, for I had just finished my
francolin and curry when it arrived. I had particu-
larly charged Sadoon Aga not to send me any dinner,
which did not seem to meet with the approbation of
my party. Send and thank his wife for her hus-
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ANTIQUARIAN DISCOVERIES. 251
band's attention, though it is most likely I shall give
this letter to him, to be sent to you through her
medium.
After I leave this I cannot, I am told, be certain
of good opportunities for Bagdad. The journey
would really have been a pleasant one but for the
bad cattle. In all Asia Minor you never saw any-
thing so bad as the mules.
It is getting abundantly hot, and the sooner we
leave Bagdad for our grand expedition to Koordistan
the better.
Shehraban, March 20th.
I have made many curious discoveries. My
adventures to-day far exceeded my expectations ; and
what I have seen here, in a geographical and anti-
quarian point of view, was well worth coming all
the way from Bagdad for. I can, however, tell you
little about it, as I have had a hard day's work,
which was rendered painful by a soft hot south wind.
Nevertheless, thank God, I am 'only wearied, and
have no headache.
I set off this morning to examine the ruins called
the Zendan, which are about five miles to the south
of this place. Half way to it, when I was thinking
of nothing less, our guide, the master mason of
Shehraban, asked me if I would not turn aside to
look at an old castle. I accordingly went over a
canal or two, and suddenly discovered the ruins of a
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252 RUINS OF A SASSANIAN TOWN.
Sassanian town, as large as Ctesiphon — ^the walls
just in the same state and style — ^the area filled with
rubbish and ruins. It is just three quarters of an
hour from Shehraban, though its northern extremity
reaches much nearer that place. Tlie south and west
parts of the wall, at the latter of which we entered,
are the most perfect, and exactly Jike those of Se-
leucia and Ctesiphon. These ruins are' calledEski
Bagdad, but are evidently much older than the time
of Islam. You ^vill recollect I placed Dastagerd at
the Zendan. I was not far wrong; for I am now
rather inclined to think that at Eski Bagdad are the
remains of the royal ' city *. Going on we found
* Dastagerda was a favourite palace of Khosroo Parviz, King
of Persia, where he resided for many years, in preference to
Ctesiphon, which was the capital of his empire. Gibbon, whose
geographical descriptions are most masterly, and frequently
clearer and more correct than those of eye-witnesses, in his ac-
count of the Emperor Heraclius's Third Campaign against Persia
in the year a.d. 627, thus points out the probable position of
Dastagerda, in his description of the march of the Roman army
towards Ctesiphon, after the battle of Nineveh. '* Eastward of
the Tigris, . at the end X)f the bridge of Mousul, the great Nineveh
had formerly been erected ; the city, and even the ruins of the
city, had long disappeared ; the vacant space offered a spacious field
for the operations of the two armies. . . .The Persian cavalry stood
firm until the seventh hour of the night : about the eighth hour
they retired to their unrifled camp, collected their baggage, and
dispersed on all sides, from the want of orders rather than of reso-
lution. The diligence of Heraclius was not less admirable in the
use of victory ; by a march of forty-eight miles in four-and-twenty
hours, his vanguard occupied the bridges of the greater and the
lesser Zab ; and the cities and palaces of Assyria were open for the
first time to the Romans. By a just gradation of magnificent
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RUINS OF THE ^ENDAN.
253
more Sassanian ruins ; and half-way to the Zendan,
opposite Seyd Sultan Ali, I observed two parallel
THE ZENDAN.
Sassanian walls, running north-east and south-west,
about six hundred feet distant from each other, and
about as much in length, just like Seleueia. I
remarked reeds between every layer of brick. After
passing these ruins we came to the Zendan, which
is about forty-five minutes ride from Eski Bagdad, a
most curious and interresting ruin, totally differing
from any thing I ever saw, all of burnt brick and
solid masonry. My present idea is, that it was a royal
scenes, they penetrated to the royal seat of Dastagerd; and
though much of the treasure had heen removed, and much had
been expended, the remaining wealth seems to have exceeded
their hopes, and even to have satiated their avarice. . . .From the
palace of Dastagerd, Heraclius pursued his march within a few
nailes of Modain, or Ctesiphon, till he was stopped on the banks
of the Arba by the difficulty of the passage, the rigour of the
season, and the fame of an impregnable capital." — Decline and
Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. viii. p. 248 to 251.
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254
RUINS OF THE ZENDAN.
sepulchre. The length of the ruin is thirty-two
chains, of the small chain of fifty feet ; the breadth
over the top is forty-six feet six inches ; the height
sixteen feet ten inches, though at one place it rises
still higher. It has twelve towers, or buttresses, still
standing, and four at the north end, which are quite
in ruins.
The diameter of each tower from the building
outwards is thirty-three feet five inches, the breadth
at the wall thirty-nine feet eight inches. The in-
terval of the curtain between each tower is fifty-
eight feet six inches. Between each tdwer are three
pair of loop-holes. This is on the eastern face of
the building. On the western is a dead wall with
EAST FACE OP THE ZENDAN.
no towers, but with a iiiche opposite to each tower
on the other side; and the last but one of these
niches was quite perfect, with a pointed arch. The
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RUINS OF THE ZENDAN* 255
height was ten feet six inches, the breadth two feet
ten inches ; the depth inwards^ as far as I measured,
forty-one and a half feet, and terminating in a very
narrow passage, faced by a dead wall. All the rest
have theur roofs> or tops, fallen in.
NICHE IN THE ZENDAN.
On the tower side of the ruin we dug into the
building, and found that the loop-holes above men-
tioned led to a passage, or channel, which probably
joins the one seen on the opposite side.
The roof of the whole building is formed of many
layers of bricks laid flat-ways, as is clearly to be seen
on that part of it which is visible on the east side,
where all along it is broken and worn away. On
the west side, the roof reaches over to the edge of
the building, which, in that direction, is generally
higher than on the east side where we measured it.
At the fifth niche from the south-west end is a
fragment of ruin adhering to the wall, as if there
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356 RUINS OF THE ZENDAK.
had been a buttress, or some projection there, pos-
sibly an ascent. The north end is quite ruined;
ipany houses having been .built at Shehraban and
elsewhere, out of the materials found in the Zendan.
At the west side, the desert appears elevated all
along the front to some distance, as if there were
more building there, and the whole country is
covered with broken bricks.
This curious building is of burnt brick, laid in
good mortar, and very solidly constructed. There
are no inscriptions on any of the bricks I saw, and
no clay unburnt bricks, or reeds, were visible.
There are many hollows in different places, which
are now quite filled with earth and rubbish. It is
very singular, but a piece of Chinese copper coin was
found in this ruin. I must, however, reserve much
that I have to say concerning my discoveries* to-day,
until we meet, as I have not yet set down my astro-
nomical observations.
To-morrow we start at peep of day for Kizzel-
rebat, an easy stage. I intend to dispatch this by
the return muleteers, as I send back from heace
all the bad mules, keeping the most tolerable, and
supplying the remainder from the village.
A government messenger has just been with me,
who offers to take charge of this letter. I wish I
could have heard from you here, as I am now going
to strike out of the road, and have but little chance
of getting a letter till I come back to the environs
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THE HAMREEN HILLS.' 257
of Bagdad. I have just heard of a route which in
all likelihood I shall pursue ; it will bring me out
through a curious country to Kifri, a line that I have
long been desirous to verify, but which 1 was not
aware could be done.
Selim Aga goes with me by way of a party of
pleasure ; he does every thing he can to amuse me,
and has had the village music for this purpose, to the
great annoyance of Bellino. They sung " Bir Yazi
Yazdum," which Selim Aga remarked all the
women of Bagdad were mad after,
Be sure and let me hear from you at Kifri, where
I sliall be, God willing, in five days. If no one is
going off directly for Kifri, dispatch a messehger ;
indeed I believe this will be the best plan whether
or no* The thermometer to-day stands at 66"^ ; it is
a delightful-feeling day..
March 21*«.
We left Shehraban about ten minutes before
seven, and were soon agreeably surprised with the
sight of the first rising ground we had seen since
leaving Bagdad, looking something like a down in
England; and shortly after we came to the Bela
Drooz canal, a fine large stream, which we crossed
by a good bridge of one arch.
At half past eight we reached the Hamreen hills,
in no part higher than two hundred feet ; the first,
Vol. II. S
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258 THE KHEZERJ ARABS.
or southern ridge, was composed of bare sandstone
in inclined strata, then an area filled with mounds
looking like hills in ruin ; after which came the
north ridge, composed of mere soil and grarel. At
the foot of the hills was a small stream which runs
into the Diala.
We descended from the Hamreen hills by a gentle
slope into a plain called Deshteh, over which were
scattered some huts belonging to the Surenieoi
Koords, who come here at this season to cultivate
tobacco. The Khezerj, Beni Rebiaa, and Beni
Weiss Arabs* were formerly established hereabouts
as cultivators, but they have been lately dispersed.
We asked a traveller whom we met how far Kizzel-
rebat was from the Diala, and I was amused by his
answer, " Bir tchubook itchemeh," that is to say, the
time a pipe will last.
Our road was nitrous and miry, and yet notwith-
standing there was much cultivation on either hand.
Bcfhirid Kizzelrebat a range of hills was visible,
parallel with those we had left. They are called the
Khanakeen hills, and come from Kerkook, going
down towards Loristan.
As we approached Kizzelrebat, where we arrived
* The Khezerj, or Khazerij, is a very ancient tribe, and was
in possession of Medina when Mahommed fled there. Abu
Osaibi was of this tribe. The Rubina, once the most celebrated
tribe in Arabia, is now a small broken clan. The Anazeh Arabs
come of this race.
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AMUSEMENTS OP THE PEASANTRY. 269
at noon^ I saw some very small hillocks of rubbish
on the left, but nothing to speak of There is an
artificial mount at the village of Baradan which
seems curious.
At sunset I went up to the terrace of the house
where we lodged, from whence I could see the
Diala about two miles off.
Through the activity of Mahmood Tchaoush*, I
beard of some ruins near Kasr i Shireen, which
have never been visited by any European. I have
engaged a guide to show us the way.
At night I was much entertained by the festivities
of the peasants who were celebrating a wedding, and
the sword-playing and dancing by torch light made
it altogether a very picturesque scene.
The people here speak Turkish and Koordish,
and Persian is also commonly understood, but no
Arabic.
KiMelrebat is said to be worth in all about 70,000
piastres per annum.
The thermometer from two to three p.m. 73°. The
wind 8. Horizon hazy.
March 22nd.
We mounted at twenty minutes before seven this
morning, and, at a place called Gharmia, I observed
* One of Mr. Riches servants.
S2
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260 PLAIN OF KHANAKEEN.
two insignificant mounts, which, however, appeared
to be artificial. At seven we came to the canal of
Kizzelrebat. The soil was gravelly and covered
with a thin vegetation, making good sheep-walks, in
which we saw large flocks of sheep and goats.
At a quarter before eight we reached the hills.
The first range were of earth, much furrowed and
broken up by rain, then came a ridge composed of
gravel and pebbles bound together by a scanty soil,
and here and there some sandstone appearing. We
passed through a narrow defile, called Sakal Toutan
(beard-catcher) on account of the thieves which
infest it, into a plain, or I may rather say a basin,
filled with remains of broken hills, covered with
soil washed down from the higher I'idges.
At nine we reached Yenitcheri Tepeh, which is
reckoned half way between Kizzelrebat and Khana-
keen. Our road wound through hills, and after
ci-ossing a second ridge we began to descend by a
very gradual slope towards Khanakeen. The hills
we had passed are scarcely higher than those of yes-
terday, and appeared to be more entirely composed
of pebbles and earth, the sandstone only here and
there appearing in strata inclining towards the
centre.
The plain of Khanakeen was verdant and agree-
able, and diversified here and there with some lines
of little hills. The soil was gravelly. Indian corn
and tobacco are grown, and there was much grass.
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ALi mirza's bridge. 261
Higher up on the river Ehvan rice is cultivated,
which in autumn renders the air very unwhole-
some. I was told here that the common produce of
grain is ten to one of seed. Koordish tribes at pas-
ture were scattered about the green plain in diflferent
directions.
We halted in the plain for half an hour while I
sent on our konakjee, or courier. On our right
were the mountains under which lay the district
called Ghilan, before us were the mountains of Per-
sia, behind the Koordish town of Zehav.
Crossing a small eminence we descended upon
the little town or village of Khanakeen, where ^ye
arrived at a quarter past twelve, and where there is
a very good khan built by the Persians ; but instead
of stopping here we crossed the river El wan (a rapid
mountain torrent, running from south to north and
falling into the Diala not far from Kizzelrebat)
over a magnificent bridge of thirteen arches, which
was built by Mahommed AH Mirza*, and took up
OUT quarters at Hajee Kara on the opposite bank.
March 23rd.
We have had a very stormy night. This morning
the wind is north-west. I have just heard of a
* The King of Persia's eldest Bon and Governor of Kennan-
shah. The building of this bridge cost 200,000 piastres. There
had been two others, which were both carried away.
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262 ARRIVAL AT KIFRI.
route from this plaee to Karatepeh, which I think I
shall follow.
I have been amusing myself to-day in walking
about the neighbourhood and sitting in a garden lis«
tening to an old musician of the Koordish tribe of
Suzmeni, who are all musicians and dancers. This
old man played tolerably well on the native violin,
or rebab with two strings, which was not at all
unpleasant. He came again in the evening to amuse
me, and sung many wild Koordish songs.
The thermometer to-day at three p.m. was 66^
Kifri, March 27, 1820.
Here I am, after having performed a most curious
and interesting journey ; so curious indeed, and so
fortunate in its results, that it is rather like one of
those plans we frequently project but are seldom able
to execute. We left Khanakeen on the 24th, escorted
by Selim Aga, who insisted on accompanying me on
my excursion, with a strong party of his yeomaury,
there being some danger from the rear guard of
Aman uUah Khan's* army, besides the more regular
thieves, Avho have been known to occupy the passes
hereabouts, to the number of 500 horsemen. We
sent out regularly an advanced guard and flankers,
and Bellino, and the Seyd, whose organs of vision
are almost as acute as Bellino's, detached themselves
* The Governor of the Province of Sinna in Persian Koordis-
tan.— See volume lat, p. 200,
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. KHAN OF KASB I SHIREEN, ^63
pn the look-oiit. The country is hilly, and the rid^
for about five hours waa very agreeable.
At nine we reached Kalai Seizi, an enclosure like
a sheepfold, built as a derbent, or guard station, by
Abdulla Pasha, the grandfather of Fettah Pasha of
Zehav ; but it hag been long since abandoned.
When we arrived at half past eleven at the Khan
of Kasr i Shireen, we found all in confusion, owing
to the recent visit of Aman uUah Khan. The poor
peasantry, who are Derghezeenli Turcomans, told us
a piteous tale of their sufferings. The Khan, we hear,
is four hours off, in the Koordish Pashalik of Zehav*,
against which he has commenced hostilities,
I pitched my tent on a beautiful green knoll, pver
the Elwaa river. Mr. Bellino quartered himself in
the little observatory tent close by, and Selim Aga
and his people occupied a less advantageous post in
the rear of ours. The yeomanry made a kind of
battery with their rifles. The Seyd, Mahmood, the
troopers, &c., planted two guards, which gave and
returned the " All's well," in high style. The
trumpet sounded watch-setting, Avhich made the
mountains ring, and our camp bore a most martial
and imposing appearance. Happily we had no
occasion to display our heroism.
I spent three hours in clambering among the
* The Pashalik of Zehav is dependant upon that of Bagdad,
and consists of two divisions ; Dema or Zehav, and the mountains
in that direction ; and the plain of Bajilan.
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264 RUINS OF KHOSROO'S PALACE.
ruins of tlie Palace of Khosroo*, which, by the way,
not a little disappointed nie ; but I had but too lately
come from Tuuk Kesra, and I have certainly seen
nothing since which could compare with it. These
ruins are extremely coarse, and of no grandeur of
design or dimensions. There never could have been
a city here, and consequently this is not Dastagerd,
but merely one of the hunting palaces of the Sassa-
nian monarchs.
On the brow of the hill, behind the caravanserai,
is a square enclosure, like a fort, and surrounded by
globular looking buildings, if I may be allowed the
expression, one of which remains perfect in the in-
side* It is of small dimensions, and something like
an inverted cone. The architecture is of the mdest
* Khosroo Parviz, King of Persia (of the Sassanian dynasty),
was the grandson of Chosroes Anushirvan. He married a
daughter of the Emperor Maurice's, who is generally supposed to
be the same person as the heroine of the eastern romances of
Khosroo and Shireen, and of Ferhad and Shireen. This eastern
heroine has likewise had the honour of being sung in German
verse by M. Joseph von Hammer, in his poem of '* Shireen ;** and
whoever may be desirous of knowing more of this lady, and of the
poets who have treated of her history, will find ample details on
the subject, in a work just published by that distinguished and
indefatigable orientalist, entitled " The History of Ottoman
Poetry.''
The town, which is supposed to have been built by Khosroo
Parviz in honour of Shireen, and to have been called after her, is
described as situated between the towns of Holwan and Khana-
kcen. He is reported to have said to Shireen, " R(^alty. would be
a glorious thing, if it endured for ever j" to which she answered,
" If it had endured for ever, it would never have come to ub.'*— JBd.
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KASR I SHIREEN.
265
description I ever saw, and seems merely to be com-
}K>sed of round large pebbles, heaped together with-
out any attention to order, in an immense thick bed
of coarse mortar.
At the south-west corner, over a torrent, are the
remains of a bridge of the same rude architecture,
at about ten minutes walk from what is called the
town, before coming to which we passed over the
ridges of a number of parallel and almost vertical
layers of sandstone, which my people wanted to per-
suade me was building. Indeed it was amusing to
see how they were prepared to be astonished at every
thing. They cried out " Ajaieb," or '^ Wonderful,"
at every bit of insignificant ruin, and often remarked
how impossible it would be to build in so fine a style
now.
The town is an irregular enclosure of not a mile
over, with four gates, and the western one is veiy
perfect. But I will go on regularly with my sketch
&ASR I SUIREEN.
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266 KASa I SHIREEN,
of the ruins as we visited them. The first place we
came to adjoining the wall, and N. 15 W* of wli£rf;
I call the fort, was a square building facing the car^
diiial points, each side of which measured fifty-three
teet by measurement, and I should think (for I did
not measure) about forty high. There was an arched
door-way in each face, and above each a narrow
window. The roof, which has evidently been a dome,
has fallen in. The building is of the rude masonry
before described, but has been faced with coarse red
bricks, with which also the windows and doors are
pointed ; part of the facing may still be seen. On
the north and south sides are small square courts,
with little cells on each side of them, but quite
ruined ; and on the east is a long piece of ruin, con-
taining long narrow compartments, which appear to
have been vaulted.
But the principal ruin in point of surface, which
much reminded me of the one at Dara, is situated
about the centre of the town. It appears to have
been a large platform supported by vaults, forming
veiy narrow passages and cells. On the western
end of the south s\de is what looks like a ruined
portico, with a gate at each end. .On the north side
it is open, and consists of cells and compartments
alone, but I think that it must once have been
covered by the platform^ On the east and north,
and on the east part of the western face, the platform
remains entire, and has on each side one double
staircase, underneath which the vaulted support of
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KASR I SmBEEN, 267
the platform is clearly seen. I do not think that any
front is more than two hundred feet in length, and
from eight to ten feet in height, in the highest
remaining places. The masonry is of the same kind
s^ the rest of the remains.
In front, and extending to the eastern gate, is an
pblong enclosure, composed of round stones heaped
together, the area of which is now under cultivation.
At first I felt doubtful whether this enclosure was
ancient or modern ; all the people of the place main*-
tained that it was ancient, and I am inclined to
believe they may be right ; it may have been a tank
or reservoir of water in front of the palace. The wall
is most perfect on the east side, but in no part has
it been flanked by towers. It seems to have been
a simple enclosure without defences. The outer gate
has a double portal, which has been domed over, and
there is a room similarly roofed, on each side. The
wall is all built of sandstone, cut into an oblong
form. The arch-way is formed of very large pieces
of sandstone. The breadth of the gateway is fifteen
feet three inches ; and it might have been somewhat
less than twenty feet high, when not encumbered
Wth rubbish.
I took two sketches of these ruins. The latitude
of Kasr i Shireen, by rough computation, is noith
34^ 3(y S&'.
The next day (after a piercing cold night) we
marched for the hitherto unknown ruins of Haoush
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268 ZENGHENEH KOORDS.
Kerek, in the Koordish Pashalik of Zehav, which
had been first mentioned to me at Kizzelrebat. I
rose by peep of day notwithstanding the cold, and
while the tents were striking, I went to look at a
ruin which we had forgotten yesterday. It is beyond
the fort going from the Khan, but is situated on the
highest mount or eminence, on the brow of the hill
which overlooks the Khan. This mount is circular
on the top, and has been built round, or cased, and
contains hollows. The masonry is of coarse red
brick ; might not this have been a Persian Dakhmch,
or place of exposure of the dead ? The hills in the
neighbourhood are composed of gypsum ; the soil is
red and in many places nitrous. Between the foot
of the hills and the Khan are many traces of foun-
dations, but I am persuaded there never was a town
here, but only a hunting palace ; nor do I believe
there was ever any building within the enclosure,
except the palace above described.
We mounted at seven, and proceeded over wild
hills, and among Koordish tribes, who seem to be of
a very superior race to those of Mardin*. We passed
the prince of Kermanshah's camels grazing, and
encountered many parties of Zengheneh Koords
with their families. Whenever we passed a party
* Mr. Rich and his family, during their residence at Mardin,
on a former journey from Bagdad to Constantinople, had been
placed in circumstances of difficulty and even danger, by the
wandering Koords in the neighbourhood of that town, who are a
turbulent, lawless, and treacherous people. — Ed,
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RUINS OF HAOUSH KEREK, 269
of Koords or an encampment, Selim Aga always
insisted on the trumpet sounding ; he. said it was
heihetU, or dignified ; and indeed I can assure you, I
found my trumpet added more to my dignity than an
addition of fifty men would have done. The Koords
said, they knew me to be an iltchee or ambassador
by my trunipet, especially those among them who
had known Generals Malcolm and Yermoloff. A
propos of Yermoloff; an old Koordish fiddler played
me a Cossack dance, which he had picked up from
YermoloflF's band ; and a propos of the trumpet : at
Haoush Kerek, my horse suddenly reared up ei-ect,
and attacked another horse near him, who received
him in the same way. The trumpeter was on foot
between the two horses, and was knocked down
among the loose stones. People thought his brains
had been knocked out, and congratulated him on the
escape of his head. " I did not care for my head,"
said he, " I was only thinking of my trumpet, for
fear that should be bulged;" he was not hurt.
We arrived at the ruins of Haoush Kerek at half
past nine. The road wound much among the hills,
but the general direction was N. 80 W. from Kasr i
Shireen, Haoush Kerek is exactly similar to Kasr i
Shireen, but is less ruined, and consequently we
were better able to make out the plan. Here some
Bettarawend Koords, subjects to the prince of Ker-
manshah, and an uncommonly handsome, lively,
well-behaved people, brought us some admirable
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270 RUINS OF HAOUSH KEREK.
yoghourt and fresh cheese, which afforded us a very
pleasant regale, before we commenced our inspection
of the ruins.
The ruins of Haoush Kerek consist of, first, an
enclosure of stone walls of irregular shape, following
the nature of the ground, of less extent than that of
Kasr i Shireen, and with no ruins in it. At about
a hundred yards south of the enclosure is the build-
ing, which I chiefly came to inspect, and which
properly is called Haoush Kerek. Some of the Koords
say it was the place where Kesra bred his colts, and
that he brought milk for them through an aqueduct
cut in the rock, some remains of which are to be
seen about an hour from Kasr i Shireen, but we did
not think it worth while to go and see it. The
Betarawend Koords who were with us, observed of
Haoush Kerek, that it was a Kasr or castle built by
Shapour. The style of building is precisely the same
as at Kasr i Shireen, and being in rather a more
perfect state, we could better comprehend it, as well
as Kasr i Shireen.
Haoush Kerek consists, like the above-mentioned
place, of a platform supported on vaults which form
little vaulted rooms, or rather cells, which are a
celebrated rendezvous now-a-days for robbers. The
most perfect of these cells are on the north side, and
are black with the fires of those who take shelter in
them in winter. This platform, which is aligned on
the four points, is of an oblong form. I measured
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RUINS OF HA0U8H KEREK. 271
its northern side, which was three hundred and
forty feet, including the building, on the west face.
The height of the platform is fifteen feet and* a half;
its breadth, north and south, may be about half as
much as its length east and west. At its western
end are the remains of the building or Kasr, which
was entered by a slope for a horseman to ride up.
On each side of the slope is a small court with
vaulted rooms on the ground. The building or Kasr
is also a heap of ruins of small rooms, all built of the
round rolled sandstone, with which the whole coun-
try is covered in incredible quantities, till you descend
into the plain of Binkudreh. At the east end of the
north and south face is a double stair ; from the foot
of the south face the ground is built up level, and a
little higher than the ground for the breadth of a
few yards, all along the south face* Aga Seyd said,
this reminded him of the kind of buildings erected
by the King of Persia, when he encamps with
his army. About a hundred yards on the north-
west, and adhering to the wall of the enclosure,
on the outside, is another curious building, quite
open on the top, the walls not above ten feet
high. It consists, first, of an open court on the east,
about seventy feet square, with archways all round.
Secondly, two very narrow passages, which have
evidently been arched over in many parts, the spring
of the arch remaining. Thirdly, an open court like
the first, and then a still larger enclosure. On the
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272 RUINS OF HAOUSH KEREK.
north are two narrow passages, the boundary of the
last being the enclosure wall. Whether the whole of
the building was once terraced over like the platform
of the palace, is difficult to say. In the courts I saw
no quantity of rubbish that one could conclude to
proceed from the terrace hanng fallen in ; but the
passages had certainly been vaulted over.
My people immediately said this was the harara,
and, indeed, there have been many worse conjectures.
The whole building is, like all the rest^ built of sand-
stone. All that I have yet seen of the Sassanian
works gives me no high idea of their taste or mag-
nificence. I conjecture these, as well as the ruins of
Kasr i Shireen, to Imve been one of the many hunt-
ing palaces and parks which we kflow the Sassanian
kings to have possessed. When richly painted,
gilded, and ornamented, they might have be«n worth
seeing ; in their present state of ruins, they are cer-
tainly not imposing. There are no other ruins or
traces of building here than what I have described.
We did not remain the night at Haoush Kerek,
but mounted at eleven and marched through the
plaift of Bajilan in the Pashalik of Zehav, which
enabled me to establish a number of interesting
geographical points, and solve difficulties no other
means could have cleared up, especially the complete
tracing of the Diala. We continued our way over
the tops of the hills till one, when we descended into
the plain, through which we saw the Diala winding
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FESTIVITIES OF THE VILLAGERS. 273
far on our right, with a high artificial mount called
Shirwaneh, on its banks. The plain appeared to be
well cultivated, and here soil began to predominate
over the rolled sandstone above-mentioned.
At ten minutes before two we arrived at Bin
Kudreh, a large village belonging to Hassan Aga, a
Koordish chief of Bajilan. He came to see me in my
tent, and was most splendidly accoutred in a gold-
flowered gown and ermine pelisse, put on evidently
for the occasion. He spoke Turkish fluently, was
very hospitable, and would not hear of my purchas-
ing anything in his village, insisting that I was his
musaffety or visitor. At night he and the whole
village turned out to dance the Tchopee, to the
sound of the big drum and zoorna ; and, to our no*
small amusement, they made Selini Aga fall in with
them, before the festivities began, Hassan Aga
came to see me, and we agreed that he should pre-
pare some sort of kellek to enable us to cross the
Diala, which is about half an hour's distance from
this place*.
We mounted next morning at seven ; and herie
I took leave of my agreeable conductor Selim Aga,
who returned to Khanakeen, while I marched with
the head of the district to the Diala, which we
were near an hour in reaching, the intermediate
* From Bin Kudrek to Zehav is uine hours : to Khanakcep,
direct over the hills, three hours. Bin Kudreh is ahout S. SO W,
from Haoush Kerek, and is considered to be in the Persian territory.
Vol. II. T
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274 PASSAGE OF THE DIALA.
space being a morass, formed by the overflowing of
the river. We observed many willows and arbor
vitfle. Just after leaving the village we came to
some large heaps of ruins called Kattar Tepessi, or
partridge-mount, which, they told us, was the place
where Anushirwan kept his mules. There are many
vestiges of building all along the Diala.
As soon as we arrived at the Diala, our horses
were swam over by some Arabs, and a kellek or
raft was got ready to cross ourselves and our bag-»
gage. The raft was small ; and we were obliged
to make so many trips, that the passage detained us
five hours. The main stream was about four hun*
dred yards broad ; but when overflowing, the chief
informed me, it covers a space of a mile and a half,
besides flowing into the morass above-mentioned;
In the neighbourhood I observed cotton and tobacco
were cultivated. Arabs of the tribe of Beni Ajeel
and Al Uzzi were encamped on its banks — the
kellek on which we crossed being worked by some
of the latter tribe. This ferry is farmed by Hassan
Aga for between two and three hundred piastres.
We were all carried safely over, notwithstanding
the frailty of our bark and the strong current of the
river, which rushed as from a sluice.
Ahmed Aga *, who was in very great terror at
the idea of the undertaking, when he found we were
all safely over, blubbered out — for he was almost
* One of Mr. Riches servanto*
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VILLAGE OF ZENGABAD. 275
crying — '^ Oh, sir, I would rather have gone round
five days' journey than see you (Qu., himself?) cross
that horrible river." Tchejrt Sing * quavered out —
** Bisniillah irrahman arraheem — Bismillah irrahman,
arraheem ! " all the time of the passage.
We mounted again on the right bank at half-past
one, and proceeded first over hills, and then into an
alluvial and, occasionally, inundated country, to
Zengabad f, the native village of the Keywanni's |
mix. He was not there, but his Vakeel was very
civil. About three miles from it I saw on the left
bank, just under the ridge of hills, Dekkeh, which
is l*eckoned one hoUr from Zengabad.
We arrived at a quarter past four, and found the
governor had, in true border style, gone out to steal
sheep. Zengabad is farmed for 55,000 piastres for
the year. It is about one mile, in a direct line, from
the Diala, which we had winding on our left, at
a small distance, from the time we passed it in the
neighbourhood of Bin Kudrek. It flows off in an
easteriy direction, in the neighbourhood of the village
of Zengabad.
Zengabad, which is the capital of the district, is
h miserable, half-abandoned, and more than half-
ruined village, with vestiges of having once been in
* A servant of Mr. Rich, who from a Hindoo had become a
Mahometftth
t Id S. 30 W.
X The title of the principal female servant, or duenna^ in the
harani of the Pasha of Bagdad. — Ed.
T2
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?76 RUINS OF KIUSHK I ZENGHI.
a better condition, such as the remains of a hamaum
and a mosque, which was built by Suliman Pasha,
the grandfather of Abdurrahman, Pasha of Suli-
mania, and in which we took up our quarters. It
was the first time its walls had ever heard the name
of Christ invoked.
Northward, and a few hundred yards from tha
village, we remarked a high square mount, called
Kalan Tepessi, with a small one adjoining it. It
looked like a Babylonian temple. No bricks are
dug out here, but many on the other side of the
village, among mounds of ruins, called Khist-ken, or
the place where bricks are dug out. There has evi-
dently been an ancient town here.
Th^ air of these low grounds is reckoned very un-
wholesome, owing to the morass and quantity of
water. A couple of miles to the west of Zengabad
is Manativa, another similar village, embosomed in
date-irees, the air of which is particularly unwhole-.
some. There are many other villages in this district,
but they are merely an assemblage of wretched mud
huts, thatched with reeds.
We suffered this day greatly from the heat, I
felt more fatigued after a march of three hours than
I have often done after one of ten.
We left Zengabad a little before seven, and at
nine came to Kiushk i Zenghi, which appears to
have been named from the Atabeks, where we heard
there were ruins. We found them very insigni-
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FACE OF THE COUNTRY. 277^
ficant, consisting only of some vestiges of coarse red
brick, and brick foundations, on the summit of a
circular tepeh or mount. We were told of some
X'uins at a little distance, where much marble was to
be found, but we did not go to see them. The tra-
dition of the people may generally be trusted with
respect to the age of ruins in these countries;
so fer at least as two great divisions^ of history are
concerned — ^the time before Mahomet, and the time
since. They have only these two ages — Ghiaour and
Mussulman — and they rarely, if ever, ascribe the
works of the former to the latter.
Keeping the hills close on our right, we pro-
ceeded to the Kifri Soo*, or rather one of the many
torrents that flow from these hills into the plain
of Kifri, and are there lost, being used to water the
cultivation. We arrived at eleven at the river,
which consisted of an immense bed of pebbles, with
two or three limpid rills running through it.
The above-mentioned hills'hereabouts crossed our
road ; and we observed many very large beds of tor-
rents coming down from them, now chiefly dry,
some of them being several hundred yards broad.
We continued our way through the hills, noticing
on our right Ohn iki Imaum, where there are naphtha
springs, about one hour and half from this place,
(Kifri,) where we arrived soon after noon, much ex-
hausted by the heat; and I had scarcely refreshed my-
* N. 30 W.
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878 CONDITION OF KIPRI.
self a little, before I sat down to tell you my story.
The two last marches have been dreadful from the
heat, though we arrived here by half-past twelve. All
the people are quite exhausted ; yet, God be praised,
I am very well ; but I am very prudent, proportion-
ing my exertions to my strength.
We are lodged here in the same place as when on
the road to Constantinople ; and I almost cried when
I saw the tree by the side of the little canal, in the
court where we dined together on that memorable
expedition*. Kifri is much dilapidated and di-
minished in population since we were here last.
The people were astonished at my recognizing a
little mount I had not seen for seven years, and then
had viewed from a different road. A small spring
of naphtha has lately been discovered, about a mile
from the town.
Are you almost ready to set off on our expedition
to Koordistan ? We have no time to lose, for I am
roasted with the sun -already ; and travelling by
night I will not hear of. The thermometer to-day
in my tent, between two and three in the afternoon,
was 90°.
A man is going off to-night or to-morrow^ morn-
ing — Mahmood Bey, the master of the house yclept
the palace ; and I hope he will give you this. He is
* This refers to a journey of 1500 miles, from Bagdad to Con-
stantinople, made by Mr. and Mrs. Rich, on horseback, in the
years 1814, 1815,— Ed,
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AT klFRI. 279
in some difficulty or other: see what it is, and
whether any one can help him. He is a poor, good
kind of fellow. Thermometer in my tent 9(f.
Kifri*, March 28th.
I am just made the happiest man in the world by
your letter of the 23rd, just after your gay pai-ty.
Our passage through the country was so meteoric,
that your Arab went hawking after me I know not
where, till at last Selim Aga picked him up some-
where, and sent him on to me with a guard and a very
polite note^ and has thus added a very considerable
weight to the obligations with which he has already
cumbled me. I can't think of the right word in
English, and therefore gallicise or anglicise one..
My spirits move faster than my pen can follow. I
think, from the context of your note, that you must
have wx'itten me another of an earlier date, in answer
to mine from Bakooba. If so, Ismael Cossid has it,
and will have carried it direct to Willock, or else
some Arab may still be looking about for me jn the
desert, or have been taken prisoner by Amanullah
Khan and his Koords, Indeed, we have glanced so
like wildfire o'er hill and o'er glen, that it would
have been difficult to have caught me after I left
* Kifri is situated just at the pass into Koordistan, and is
defended by a mud wall.
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280 THE KIFBI HILLS.
Khanakeen. I may say I dived at Khanakeen and
came up again at Kifri,
Minas accompanied your note with a large box of
biscuits. Koord Oglou's grim countenance gave a
horrible contortion, meant for a smile of contempt,
when he saw the contents of the box he knocked
open, and which had been sent express from Bagdad.
The very night you had your storm, we had also a
h-emendous one, from the south-east, at Khanakeen.
We had a fine north-west wind the moment we left
the Pashalik of Bagdad at Khanakeen, and the in-
stant we re-entered it at Zengabad the south-easter
came on again, and has been intolerably hot ever
since. Thermometer to-day is 89°.
To-day I walked out to the favourite promenade
of the Kifri folk. It is a few hundred paces be-
hind the town, where the principal streams of the
Kifri Soo form the defile which leads into Koordistan,
by cutting a passage through the gypsous ridge
of the Kifri hills. On the north side of the pass
the stream has cut the hill down into an almost per-
pendicular cliff of nearly two hundred feet high.
Another stream, said to be of better water, purls
along the same bed of pebbles, though from a dif-
ferent source, about an hour oif, and joins it at the
foot of the cliflP. These streams are now incon-
siderable rills, but from the immense bed of pebbles
which occupies the whole breadth of the defile, it
is evident that the sudden floods must be great and
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THE KIFRI WATER. 281
violent. Large blocks of gypsum, some I suppose a
ton weight, are brought down by these floods. On
the Kifri side the ridge of rock is steep, and termi-
nates at once in the plain, but it is more gentle on
the Koordistan side.
The Kifri water is much praised, and said greatly
to facilitate digestion. May not this proceed from
its passing over nitrous and gypsous ground, which
gives it a slight purgative quality ? The water is
extremely light and agreeable, without being hard
like rock water, and it has no taste.
Some buffoons of the DeUi Doman caste insisted
on performing before us to-night. These people
are, I believe, of the gipsy race. They are called in
some parts of Persia " 2 of," and resemble the Bazi-
gars in India. Their buffoonery is mere coarse
obscenity, which mightily delights the Turks; but
there are also good musicians among them.
Your Arab wants my letter, that he may begin
bis journey back soon after nightfall ; he certainly
has used uncommon expedition. My present plan is
to observe the eclipse to-morrow here ; the next day
to set out on our return home, and pass the night at
Karatepeh, and so on, gradually making short
stages to avoid the heat of the day.
March 29th.
I sallied out this morning to inspect the gypsous
ridge, and I clambered up to the top of it, whence,.
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082 THE HILLS OF KIFRI.
notwithstanding the horizon was thick, I got several
bearings with the large surveying compass.
The hills which we crossed on our way here run
out to the south of Kifri, and the Bagdad road
crosses them there, soon after which they sink gra-
dually into the desert, at the spot where we crossed
them, and beyond Ohn iki Imaum. The Kifri ridge
is abrupt and steep on the Bagdad side, and through-
out there are subordinate hills on the opposite side,
all the way to Toozkhoormattee *. Hereabouts the
hills are gypsous, with a very scanty soil and vege-
tation in some places on them. On the opposite, or
south-east side of the defile, the summit is composed
of soil and pebbles, large masses of which have
tumbled down into the defile. The pebbles are of
many different sorts, and so cemented by the soil as
to form almost a conglomeration. This coating of
soil and pebbles is supported by gypsum. A great
number of wild flowers grow around, some of which
have a pleasing odour. There were many wild
poppies of a beautiful crimson, all of which con-
tained fire or jungle flies.
The best grounds in the district of Kifri for the
purposes of agriculture are at Eski Kifri, those here-
abouts being too stony to admit of much cultivation.
In spring, till the harvest is got in, most of the inha-
* Toozkhoormattee is watered by the Aksoo, a little river
which rises in Koordistan, and passes by Ibrahim Khanjee.
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KARATEPEH. 283
bitants^ of Kifri encamp under black tents, with their
wives and families, at Eski Kifri.
Last night there was a fresh breeze from the
south-east, and to-day it blows a perfect gale from
that quarter, with clouds of dust, which makes me
fear for to-night's observation. Thermometer in my
tent 91°, at the hottest time of the day.
March ^Oih.
We left Kifri at a quarter before seven this morn-
ing, and crossed over two hills in S. 22 W, Soon
after eight we passed two little mounts called Te-
lishan, and then crossed the Kifri Soo, now
quite dry, over an immense bed of pebbles. The
plain hereabouts was as white with . nitre in many
parts as if it had snowed. A little before ten we
came to Tchemen Kiuprissi, a good new bridge over
the Tchemen, a sluggish, ugly puddle of a stream,
so full of reeds, near fifteen feet high, that the water
was scarcely discernible. It is full of leeches, so
that Wordsworth's philosopher might have found
full and easy employment here. The interior part
of the green reeds, near the bottom, are eaten by
the natives. We passed some Arab encampments
with their flocks.
We halted for half an hour at the Tchemen Kiu-
prissi, and then continued our journey in S. 15 W-
to Karatepeh, passing two ranges of hills, with a
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284 KARATEPEH,
valley or basin between them' At the foot of the
last declivity Karatepeh is situated, where we ar-
rived about a quarter before twelve. The stage is
called seven hours. We saw a large flock of ante-
lopes to-day. On our left hand, as we entered
the town, noticed the burying ground, which for
the number of little domes in it looked like a
village.
Karatepeh is this year rented of government for
forty thousand piastres. It is watered by a cut
from the Diala, above Zengabad. The principal
produce is cotton and daree, or Indian corn ; a small
quantity of rice is grown likewise.
The people of Karatepeh call themselves Turco-
mans, and Turkish is the only language used. There
are some of the people called Ali Ulahees, Ismae-
lians, or Tcheragh Sonderans, residing here. A
fine cool day, with a refreshing north-west wind.
Thermometer, 82''.
March ^\st.
We mounted this morning at a quarter before
seven. All appearance of cultivation soon termi-
nated, and was succeeded by a bare plain, with here
and there some scanty grass, but most generally
covered with nitre as thick as if there had been
^ fall of snow. We journeyed due south to the
bridgQ of the Nareen, where we arrived about eight.
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FACE OF THE COUNTRY. 285
It is a good bridge of six arches, built by Suliman,
Pasha of Bagdad. We then proceeded S. 15 W.
towards the Hamreen hills, keeping between them
on our right, and the Nareen on our left. We con-
tinued going in a south-west direction to the foot of
the hills, at which we arrived about half past ten,
The first part of them was composed of soil and
pebbles, and was of very gentle ascent. We reached
the summit at twenty minutes before eleven, which
being the highest ground hereabouts, I got several
sights with the compass. The appearance from the
top of the hills of the surrounding countiy was very
singular. The whole chain of hills, which look like
the ruins of a mountain, appeared broken into little
hillocks, or large waves, and looked like the $ea
suddenly fixed. Not far from the pass, the Diala
was visible, meandering and receiving the Nareen.
As we proceeded, sandstone began to make its
appearance, always in strata inclined towards the
north side of the hill, and in many places the ex-
ternal parts and fragments were rounded and waving
as if they had been washed by the sea. In some
places I observed a coating of talc, specimens of
\vhich I brought away. The sandstone at last pre-
dominates, and the hill terminates in a great number
of parallel successive ridges, or ledges, some just
appearing, others rising from the gi-ound to the
height of ten or twelve feet ; the south side, always
an abrupt face, and inclining down into tlie earth on
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28& VILLAGE OF ADANA KEUT.
the north side. Through one of these ridges a
Turkish Pasha cut a narrow road a long time
back. His name, as far as I could make it out from
an inscription on the rock, now almost entirely de-
faced, was Hassan. Nitre was to be seen in some
places*
At noon we left this imsightly mountain, our road
through which had been about south, and keeping
its southern face on our left, we proceeded in S- 40 E.
to Adana Keuy, where we arrived at twenty minutes
past one. The stage is called eight hours*
Adana Keuy, which is near the cut of the Khalid
canal and close on the Diala, is a large village,
which has been much more flourishing than it
appears to be at present. It has a mosque^ vcdth
a minaret. It is farmed this year for 20,000
piastres.
Our quarter-master had taken a house for us,
where a great number of silk-worms were at work ;
but the smell so affected my head, I was obliged soon
to leave it for a garden, where we pitched a tent,
and wete very comfortable.
The people of this place are of the Turcoman race,
and are composed of Sunnis, Shiahs, and Tcheragh
Sonderans, Here the Turkish language terminates,
all beyond towards Bagdad being Arab Fellahs or
peasants. We met on our march to-day some of the
Arab tribe called Mehdewy*; and in the plldn of
♦ All the butchers of Bagdad are of this tribe.
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CANAL OF KHALIft. %7
Karatepeh saw an encampihetit of Khirewez Arabs^
the chief of which, with half-a-dozen men well
mounted and accoutred, came out to escort me
as a guard of honour, but I dismissed him with
thanks. — ^Thermometer, 82^.
April 1st
Left Adana Keuy at half past six. I observed
a very curious effect of refraction which inverted
distant objects* There were swarms of locusts
on the ground of a bright yellow colour. Just
after leaving the village, we observed in the Diala,
along the banks of which we w:ere travelling,
detached beds of brushwood, which formed dams to
stop the water and turn it into the various canals
with which this district; is intersected in every di-
rection. We kept westerly with the Khalis, which
is the largest canal I have ever seen, on our left, and
the Diala just behind it, and we passed Seyd Muba*
rek, a Ziyaret^ or place of pilgrimage.
Soon after eight we reached Delli Abbas, where
there is a bad bridge over the Khalis, and the vil-
lages of the district of this name soon began to rise
in succession from the horizon. The villages of the
district of Khorassan on the other side of the Diala
were likewise in sight. Our road was first S. 56 W.,
then 8. 20 W. At half past ten we came to
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288 MUSABBAH KHAN.
Tchubook, a wretched Arab village, with a bridge
over a little stream, which is formed by the overplus
of the Khalis and comes from Serajik. It dis-
charges itself into tlie Diala opposite Bayuk Abu
Seyda, which is close by. the Diala, being only some
yards from Tchubook. This stream is a kind of
vent for the Khalis on sudden and great rises of the
Diala. It is then opened to let out the force of
waters, which would otherwise damage the Khalis
canal and overflow the country, to the destruction of
the cultivation. The superfluous waters of the Aze-^
mia also discharge themselves into this stream at
Tchubook.
Jpril2nd,
We were obliged to keep a sharp look-out all
night against thieves, this place being. infamous for
them. With the morn a fine breeze from the
north-west sprung up, which completely changed
the air, and we started at half past five with re-
newed vigour and elasticity, directing our course
towards Musabbah Khan, which lay to the south-
west of us, and keeping the Diala, which winds
much, close on our left. . .
At a quarter before eight we arrived at Musabbah
Khan, where we. alighted to take coflfee and make
some observations with the compass. About half
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SINGULAR BRICKS. &89
past eight we left the Khan, and soon after ten
we percdved the magnificent Naharwan, running
straight N. 10 W. and S. 10 E. Kharnabat was
due E., distant one mile. In another hour we
came to some dry canals, parallel with the Nahar-
wan, then to Seyd Muhhsen, a place of pilgrimage,
on a small stream from the Khalis, and at noon
we arrived at Toprak Kalaa, a square mount of
no great dimensions, and called likewise Muje-
libeh. On the north of it at a small distance we
observed ruins, from which we found men extract-
ing bricks to be sent to Bagdad for Yusuf Bey's*
garden.
A few of the bricks had something like the
impression of jive fingers on them, and others
had a rude circle, apparently drawn with the
finger while the brick was yet wet. They were
coarse and not of Babylonian dimensions, but there
seemed to be an immense quantity of them. I
take these ruins to be Sassanian. I remarked in
them some very singular coincidences with Kalan
Tepeh at Zengabad, and other artificial mounts
hereabout.
We an-ived at the village of Howeish at twenty
minutes before two. The road we have come by is
very unfrequented, and is mostly a very dreary
bare desert, along which we saw little or nothing
* The Pasha of Bagdad's eldest son.
Vol. II. U
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290 ARRIVAL AT BAGDAD.
to remark^ but an immense wild mw, with six pigs
after her. We had a delightfully eool day«
Thermcttneter— 7T*
April Sd.
We left Howeish at half past six^ and at noon
reached the residency at Bagdad*
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APPENDIX.
U2
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APPENDIX.
I.
Observations ai Arhil.
(Referred to at p. 15, Vol. ii.)
1. At our camp. Base corrected, 100 yardd. A, at my
tent^ where all the astronomical observations i^ere taken.
B, about N. 25 E. from it. Minaret bore from A, S. 2 E.
Castle signal, S. 55^ E»
The castle was difficult to set^ on account of its being a
large circular mound, with houses all round its edge. At
last I discovered a small staff, with something on the end of
it sticking up above a house in the S.W. face of the circle
of houses which crowned its summit, near the W. end.
This I found was distinguishable from every station^ and I
accordingly selected it for the signal at the castlcr Th^
ends A and B of my base were marked by spears,
Troughton's sextant; angles corrected for instruodent
error. —
Station. 1, at A*
1. Angle (mean of 3). minaret, and B, 112° 16'25\
J)rote. — Rather a difficult angle, as the wind made the
spear at B vibrate a little.
2. Minaret and castle, 52° 54' 1§".
Angle taken several times with n6 variation.
The point of the minaret chosen M^as the N.W. or nearest
edge of the octagonal base. This was the best defined line.
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294 OBSERVATIONS AT ARBIL. [aPP. I.
Height of the minaret above the horizon, 2® 37^ 15^'.
3. B, and the castle (mean of 5), 59° 31' 54",
Station B.
1- Minaret and A, 63** (W 30''.
Angle taken several times ; no difierence.
2. Minaret and castle, 52« 52' 30",
Angle twice taken ; no difference.
3. A, and custle ; castle oq tb^ left of A (mean of 6),
115° 53' 55". •
Difficult angle, A vibrated a little*
Height of minaret, 2^ 3V 46".
Station at the Mikaekt.
N.B. The minaret isy.by measurement, 119 feet 10 inches
to the remains of the gallery, and 1 foot 6 inches of broken
wall on the top ; 121 feet 4 inches in alf. Gircumference
of the shaft, 51 feet iB inches. It stands on an octagonal
base, each face of which is 9 feet 11 inches. Height 90 ol"
40 feet. I took my station at the angle of the base, which
I had set from the other stations.
L To determine the position of Mount Maldmibe, seeil
in the distance on the Mousul road.
Afternoon altitudes of the sun for tiie time: — ^DOt cor*
rected for instruments'' errors.
Pb8«[T«tioi!#.
© N. Limb.
Double alt.
' Time.
40^ 85' 36"
P41' 3"
40»flS'00"
tail's*"
40°11'00"
•*4a'00"
9riSf4S"
-.44' 14"
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APP* I.] OBSERVATIONS AT ARBIL. 905
Azimuth angle, between Mount Makloube and the sun's
nearest or N, \mh, , . .
N.B. The mountain being a considerable body^ I had
grBfit difficulty tn determining what part of it to set, I at
last made choice of the highest, or western part of it} but I
fear tbi? will pause some little uncertainty in the result.
Angle mountain^ and O N. Itmb^ corrected for instru-'
ments' error.
-^ BV 80"
-^ 24' 45"
- 20' 15"
Bearings from the minaret with the surveying-compass.
Hijgbwt part of Makloube, N, 46 W.
Casfle signal, N, 62° SC E.
Rewandiz, N. 24 E.
No other otijeetB were suffidiently m»fkfld to be set ; only
general d(F^ctioqs were pointed out,
In the morning on looking over nay ground* I found I
had taken the following angles with my pocket sextant.
These are not now likely to be of use.
At the minaret.
Castle signal, my tent, 63° 37' SCT'.
6i«enient, fi4^a2^00''.
I found it was impossible to see the signals of my base
from the minaret, as they were thin spears of a brown colour,
wliich projected theniselves on th^ ground* The third angle
must therefore be concluded.
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296 BOUTBS, ETC* [^APP. I.
The Koardish Pashalik of Keuy Sanjiak.
' Routes procured at Arbil, both from the Koords and
Arbil people.
The direction of Keny Sanjiak pointed out due E. from
our camp at ArbiU
Arbil to Keut Sanjiak.
Arbil to Hajee Yusuf Agatcheh*, 7 caravan hours.
KeuySanjiak ♦ * 8
15 hours.
Hills ; no considerable mountains ; all these hills are a
continuation of the tract of Shuan*
ANOTHSa ROUTE FROM ArBIL TO KsUT SaNJIAK*
DerbentGomespan 8 hours; a pass through the hills.
: Keuy Sanjiak • 8
16 hours*
Another
•
New Hareer, 5 hours, horseman's ; among the broken hills so
JBshkafSaka 8 [often mentioned*
Ke\iy Sanjiak 8
21 hours. The road between the hills and the
^^ Azmir.
The Banner of Hareer consists of six districts^ namely^
* This is a tree in the district of Bestora^ in the hills ; the road
is through the pass called the Baghtchi Bogaz,
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APR n*] BOUTES, ETC. 297
Hareer, Koreh, Deireh, or new Hareer, anciently called
Diween*, Zirari, Baherka, and Gerdeh,
The capital, or NeW Hareer, now called Deireh^ is N.
10 E. from our camp at Arbil, in the broken hilly country,
a continuation of Shuan. Old Hareer, the capital of the
Soran family, but now in ruins, is N. 15 E, of our camp,
over the first range of mountains, and the continuation of
Azmir. Behind it again is a very high mountain, I believe
Zagros, Then comes the district of Koshnav^ separated
from Hareer by the high mountain.
Great care must be taken in collecting information from
these people, to distinguish between Old and New Hareer.
When they say Hareer^ they generally mean the modern
capital of that name.
Shaklawa is a Chaldean village over the broken hills.
Between them and the Azmir range, about N.E. from our
camp.
Harmoota is another ChaMean village^ half an hour from
Keuy Sanjiak. ^
Wifti respect to the relative positions of the principal
places to the East, the best of my information is as follows : —
Old Hareer is about three hours and a half from the Zerb
or Zab.
From Keuy Sanjiak^ fourteen hours for a horseman^
throi^ difficult mountains.
From Arbil, twelve horseman's hours.
The Zab separates Hareer from the territory of Akra, in
Amadia.
• In Childean, spelt Adebin, In Armenia Major there was
likewise a city of this name. — See Assemanni, vol. iii. De Syria
Nestorianis, p 2«
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298
ROUTBS, ETC.
[APP- I.
On the banks of the Zab, opposite the terriioiFy of Haroer,
is the castle of Akra.
The castle of Rewandiz is on the Zab, above Hareer*
The territory of Khoshnav adjoins both Hareer, Rewan-
diz^ Keuy Sanjiak, and Bitwein.
The district of Bitwein is inhabited by the Bulbassis, and
is on the Altoon Kiupri river^ or the Lesser Zab, beyond
Keuy Sanjiak.
Omar Aga drew the following sketch with his finger on
the ground.
Zirari.
Between Rewandiz and Khoshnav is a mountain.
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APP. II.] 200
II.
Notes on the Battle ofArbela,
(Referred to in p. 15, VdI. iiO
[The following fragment of a proposed complete cona*
parison between the ancient descriptions of the battle of
Arbela, and the face of the country where it was foughti
which was undertaken by Mr. Rich on the spot, with Ar-
rian and Ciirtius in his hand> but which he left unfinished,
is given in its present very imperfect state, as it may be
interesting, and even useful, to some future traveller.]
Arrian says^ that Alexander crossed the Tigris without
opposition from Darius, biit with difficulty, from the rapidity
of the current, and that there he rested his army awhile,'
and sacrificed on account of the eclipse of the moon.
Marching from the Tigris (f . e, the Ford) through Assyria^
be bad the Sogdian (Curtius says Gordysean, i e. Koordish)
mountains on the left, and the Tigris oq the right.
On die fourth day after the passage, the scouts discovered
the enemy's advanced guard of cavalry. (Lib. ill c. 7,
p, 194.)
Do these four days include the time of halt at the Ford J-
and how long was that halt ?
- Quintus Curtius indeed says, that the affair of the ad^
vaneed guard occurred immediately after the Ford ; that*
Alexander encamped two days in that place, and continued
his march on the third. He also says, that the eclipse of
the moon took place in the first watch of the third night $
that Alexander marched at the second watch, and that at*
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300 NOTES ON THE [aPP. IF.
day-break the scoats thought they perceived the army of
Darius, but it turned out to be only the advanced guard of
Mazeeus's corps.
Quintus Curtius has evidiently made two affairs of one ;
and the one he has described as the last is clearly the same
as the one mentioned by Arrian, ifvho attributes to it the
incidents related by Curtius of the £rst encounter ; which
therefore must have taken place a few hours' march from
the ford of the Tigris. Alexander, we are told, galloped on
with the Paeon advanced guard, and some other of the
light horse, to disperse this party, ordering the army to
come on leisurely. The enemy fled, and Alexander pur-
sued them. Some*5of them falling into his hands, informed
him that Darius, with the grand army, was not far ofl;
being encamped at Gaugamela, on the Bumadus, about six
hundred stadia from the town of Arbela, in a very open and
level plain ; the Persians having levelled those parts which
vrere too rough for the manoeuvring of chariots.
Alexander, upon hearing this, entrenched his army four
days in the very place where he received this intelligence.
In this fortified camp he left his baggage and incumbrances^
and then marched, at the second watch of the night, to
attack the enemy, with whom he expected to come up at
day-break.
The camps were sixty stadia distant from each other, but
were not visible to one another^ on account of intervening
hills. Curtius makes the interval to be one hundred and
fifty stadia, and agrees that Alexander remained in his for-
tified camp four days. He also agrees as to the time or
distance, given by Arrian, from the ford of the Tigris to the
entrenched camp; that is to say, first, from the second
watch till day-break ; and secondly, from thence slowly, to
the place of halt, to which Alexander had pursued the ad«'
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AFP. U.3 BATTLE OF ARBELA. 301
vanced guard of the enemy with his light cavalry ; but the
two authors differ about the distance of this spot from
Darius's camp : and from the time of the halt of four days*
the movements are difierently reported. Arrian here, how*
ever^ seems the best authority.
Curtius (lib. iv., p. 454) says^ that after having encamped
fear days, letters were intercepted from Darius, offering
a reward for the assassination of Alexander, and that the
very same day Alexander marched. '^ During the march!^
Curtius adds, " a eunuch came to inform him of the sickness
of his prisoner, the Queen of Persia, and immediately after,
another came to announce her death ; whereupon he in*
stantly went to the tent, where the mother of Darius was
sitting by the body of her daughter-in-law.'* There seems
to be a contradiction here. . We are told that he was actually
mar<:hing at the moment when he beard of the Queens
illness* Immediately after, he heard of her death, and then
he went to her tent^ though nothing is said of the encamping
in the meanwhile.
However, Curtius, by making another march, will bring
the distance nearer to that assigned by Arrian, for the in-
terval of the two camps ; after which another movement is
mentioned by Curtius before the ^nal position preceding
the battle. The only difference then between them will be
ill time, which here happens to be of no consequence. But
on the whole, I must again repeat, I rely most on Arrian.
We have now to establish the position of Darius's camp,
concerning which our data are rather more positive than
those we possess as to Alexander's, since the situation of
the ford of the Tigris, from which Alexander's subsequent
movements are to be calculated, can only be conjectured
(partly from those movements) ; whereas it is positively as*
serted that Darius was encamped on the Bumadus.
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308 .NOTS8 oil THB [ AFP.. He
Curttug (lilx iv.j p. 445) says, Dariu8» aniviBg at
Arbela^ from Babylon^ left his heavy baggage at that town^
and threw a bridge over the Lycas^ by which hit army wis
five days defiling. From the passage of the bridge he
marched on» eighty stadia, to another river, oallad the
Bumadusr where he encamped*
. Arrian, besides what has been noiioed above, says (lib.
vi., c. 2, p. 430) that the greatest distance assigned to the
field of battle from the town of Arbela was six hun*
dred^ and the leasts five hundred stadia* He says both
Ptolemy and Aristobulus agree that the battle was fought at
Gaugamela, which was a large village, on the Bumadus or
Bumelusi
. Gurtitts does not mention the distance from Arbela to
the bridge of the Lycus ; but eighty stadia is correct enough
fior the distance between the rivers. The six hundred or
even five hundred stadia of Arrian are quite unintelligible}
and had it not been for the Bam» distance being again given
more circumstantially in another part of the work, I shonld*.
without hesitation, set this down as an error of the popyists.
This distance will bring the battle up» at least, as high as
MousuL
(Arrian, lib. iii.^ c. 9, pp'. 197-8.) We have now brought
the two armies to the stations they occupied before the
battle, and from which the subsequent movements are to be
calculated, i. e. Darius, on the Bumadusi near Gaugamela,
and Alexander sixty stadia from it in his intrenched camp,
where he remained four days. There be left all his bag-
gage and incumbrances, and prepared to attack Darius
with his efficient men, having nothing but their arms with
them. He marched at the second watch of the night
Darius, when he heard of this, also got under arms. The
camps, as before said, were sixty stadia from each oilier^.
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AFP. Il»] 'BATTtiE OF ARBSLA. 303
biit wfere not visible on account of the intervening hillg.
Alexander^ having tnarehed thirty stadia^ reached those
hills or tnoiitits which had impeded the view of the Peiiian
BSttAjf whence he reconnoitred the endmy's position, and
held a council whether it was better to commence the attack
directly from that pointy or bring the troops to the halt
while he caused a more particular survey to be made of the
whole ground.
Parmenio was for the latter plan^ and his advice was
takeoi The army was accordingly halted there (thirty
stadia from Darius's position^ p. 199), while Alexander^ with
a party of cavalry, went over the whole of the ground where
the battle was to be fought. After which he returned to
the army^ whom he ordered to refresh and resti They
remained that night in this position, for Parmenio is said to
hav« proposed to fall upon the enemy by nighty and Darius
expected an attack and remained under arms fdl night
(p^ 202). The attack^ however^ did not take place till the
next mornings
When the armies approached (by which it should se^m
that Darius also made a forward movement^-^indeed Cur^
tiua says positively (c. 13, p. 207, that Darius advanced
ten stadia), Alexander inclined to. the right — ^the Persians
Hbade H contrary movement to the left.
Alexander still inclined to the right till he was nearly op-
posite the Persians^ when Darius^ fearing lest he should get
into bad ground where his chariots could be of no avail> or-
dered his further progress in that direction to be opposed.
From this it seems that the bad ground was on the left
of Daiius's line» The distance which Alexander marched
before he came into action is not stated, but I think that
if Darius did advance it was for an inconsiderable distance^
Curtittii (lib. vi. p. 482) says the sun had long been up when
AlexjEmder marched to the attack.
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304 KOTES ON THE * [APP. II^
We now come to the establishment of positions by the
termination of the affair. Curtias (lib. iv. p. 51) says
Mazseus's corps of cavalry retreated not by the straight
road, u e. to Arbela*, but by a longer, and therefore safer,
circuitous one (non recto itinere, sed msyore, et ob id tutiore
circuitu, Tigrin superat), by which he passed the Tigris,
and retreated to Babylon. It would seem therefore that
the battle was not fought near the Tigris.
Darius passed the Zab, and traversing a very consider-
able tract of country, " ingens spatium fugsl emensus'*
(p. 513), reached Arbela at midnight.
Alexander moderated the pursuit, and arriving at the
bridge of the Zab, found it covered with the flying enemi^*
It has been observed that the crossing of the Bumadns is
not mentioned after the battle, and the inference drawn is
that the battle was fought between the Bumadus and the
Lycus or Zab. But to one who has been on the ground,
the reason of its not being mentioned is clear. It afforded
no dijBBculty in passing, not being above the horses' knees»
and being fordable anywhere there, on foot or horseback,
without the slightest inconvenience ; and therefore it would
not be worth mentioning but as a station, where it marked
the position of Darius. Darius encamped on the Bumadus,.
The action must clearly have taken place beyond that
stream, unless he made a considerable retrograde move-
ment as soon as he saw Alexander advancing, in order to
allow of space for the battle, — a supposition which cannot
fpr a moment be entertained. Besides the same objection
concerning the non-mention of the Bumadus holds . good
respecting the advance as well as the retreat, for it is.
nowhere said that Alexander crossed the Bumadus in
marching to Darius.
But to return from this digression : Alexander returned
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A?P. il.] BATTLE OP ARBELA. 305
from the bridge of the Zab to his camp on the field of
battle, where he arrived after an unexpected skirmish at
night-fall (p. 517). Thus for Curtius. Arrian says Alex-
ander pursued Darius till night-fall, passed the Lycus, and
then encamped to. rest his troops. When some of his
cavalry were refreshed, he set out at midnight for Arbela^
where he hoped to take Darius and his treasures. He
arrived at Arbela the next day^ having pursued the fugitives
for the space of about six hundred stadia^ but Darius had
already left Arbela, and abandoned his treasures. Here
again the distance of six^ hundred stadia from the field of
battle to Arbela is positively mentioned.
To resume* By Arrian^s account Alexander made one
inarch from the passage of the Tigris to the place where he
intrenched his camp, distant sixty stadia from Darius's camp,
on the Bumadus, which was five or six hundred stadia from
Arbela; and there were hills or interruptions in the interval,
which prevented the one camp being seen from the other.
Notwithstanding the great distance stated between Arbela
and Gaugamela, Arrian says that Alexander after the battle
crossed the Zab, and then encamped. This clearly throws
all the distance between Arbela and the Zab. Now with
their respective and relative positions we are well ac-
quainted, and this shows the error of Arrian. According
to Curtius, one march from the Tigris ta the intrenched
camp, which was a hundred and fifty stadia from Darius;
one other march (when the queen died), probably a shott
one ; Darius now advanced (ten stadia) ; one other march ;
in all three marches, two of which short ones. . ' . .
Vol. II. X
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306 [AF^.in;^
HI.
STRIAC MANUSCRIPTS
In the Colleeiion of the late Mr, Rich^ now deposite4 in the
British Museum,
' 1* The Pentateuch^ niaide up from fragmeDts of three very
ancient manuscripts. In quarto, veHum.
'2, The Pentateuch, .written probably in the fifteenth cen^
tury. Two hundred and sixty-two leaves, in quarto,.
cotton paper.
3. The Pentateuch, written probably in the siicteeuth cen-
tury. Two hundred and seventy-two leaves, in
small quarto^ paper.
4. The Pentateuch, written in a.d. 1724, Two hundred
and ninety-two leaves^ in quarto, paper.
.5 — ^7. The Old Testament. In three volumes, folio, writteir
between the years 1812—1820, at Telkephe, or
Keif, near MousuU paper.
6. The Prophets, a very ancient MS. One hundred and
eighty-nine leaves^ the greater part vellum, [q
. quarto.
9. Ruth; an extract from the Second Book of Sanouel,
and the Song of Solomon. Nineteen leaves, in
quarto, paper.
10. The Psalms, as read in the churches of the Jacobites^
written a.d. 1204. One hundred and eighty-two
. • leaves, small quarto, vellum.
11. The Psalms ; a copy prepared for use in churches^
written a.d. 1220. Fifty-three leaves, in quarto,
vellum.
12. The Psalms; to which is subjoined a collection of
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Aiip. ill.] tin ov nvntko ksk 807
Hymns And PrAyerB^ written probabF^'iri the seven-
teenth century. Two hundred and fourteen leaves,
in quarto, paper.
13. The New Testament, in the Peahito translation » most
careiuHy wrjtten, and beautifully executed. .It bears
the date 1079, after the era of the Seleueidee^ i. e.
ji.D. 766* One hundred and ninety-seven leaves, iil
quarto, vellum. A few leaves are wanting.
,14. The New Testament; in the Peshito translation; written
probably in the eleventh century. Two hundred
and thirty leaves, in qbarto, vellum.
15. The New Testament, Peshito tranislation, written pro-
bably in the twelfth century. Two hundred and
seventy-six leaves, in quarto, cotton paper. Imperfect.
16. The New Testament, in the Peshito translation. The
copy dated A.D. 1203. Two hundred and fiftyi
eight leaves, in quarto, vellum.
17- The Four <3ospels, in the Peshito translation,- written
probably in the tenth century. One hundred and
twenty-three leaves, in small quarto, vellum. Im-
petfect.
18. The Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles of the New
Testament, in the Philoxenian version, Wntteo
probably in the fourteenth century. One hundred
and twenty-eight leaves, in quarto^ eottoii paper.
Imperfect. * ;
10. Fragments of the Gospels, in the Philoxenian transla-
tion. Written probably in the ninth or tenth cen-
tury. Thirty-six leaves, in folio, vellum.
20. The Gospels, in the Philoxenian translation!. One
hundred and eighty-nine leaviss, in small qiarto*
vellum* Impeirfeet
21. The Gospels, in the Philoxenian tmndation. /Written
X 2
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808 LIST OF STRIAC MSS* [aPP. I|I.
probably in the thirteenth century. Onehuftdred and
four leaves> in small quarto, vellum. Incomplete.
22. The Gospels, in the Philoxenian translation^ Written
in the fifteenth or sixteenth century. Two hundred
and fifty-three leaves, in small quarto, cotton paper.
Imperfect.
23. Fr^ments of the Gospel of St. Matthew, in the Phi-
loxenian translation, written probably in the six-
teenth century* Fifteen leaves, in small quarto^
cotton paper.
24. Lessons from the Old and New Testament, read in the
^ Nestorian churches on the Sundays and festivals
throughout the year, written probably in the thir-
teenth century. One hundred and eighty-seven leaves*
In quarto, cotton paper^
25. I^essons from the Gospels, read in the Jacobite churches,
written probably in the twelfth century. Two hun-
dred and forty-nine leaves, very large folio, vellum.
26. Lessons from the Gospels, read in the Jacobite church,
written in the beginning of the thirteenth century^
Two hundred and sixty-five leaves, very lai^e folio,
cotton paper.
27. Lessons from the Gospels, read in the Jacobite church,
written a.d. 1173. One hundred and forty-six
leaves, in quarto, vellum.'
28. lessons from the Gospels, read in the Jacobite church.
This volume is made up of fragments of two manu-
scripts, which appear to be both at least of the
fourteenth century. One hundred and seventy-five
leaves, in folio, cotton paper.
29. Lessons from the Gospels, read in the Nestorian
churches* One hundred and thirty-one leaves, in
folio, vellum..
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APP. III.] LIST OF STRIAO MSS, 809
90, Lesions from the Go$pel8, read in the Nestorian
church, Mrriiten a.d. 1499, ^ Two hundred and nine-
teen leaves^ in large folio, paper*
31. Lessons from the Gospels, for a Nestorian church,
written A.D. 1574 One hundred and thirty-six
leaves^ in quarto, cotton paper.
32. Lessons from the Gospels, for Nestorian churches^
written a.d. 1683. Two hundred and thirteen leaves,
' in folio, paper.
33. A Nestorian Ritual, or the order of Divine Service in
the Nestorian; churches. on Sundays and festivals
througbout the year, written . a.d, 1484« . Three
hundred and fifty-eight leaves^ in quarto^ cottoq
paper.
34. A Nestorian Ritual, written a.d, 1545, . Four hundred
and sixty-five leaves, in folio^ cotton paper*
35. A Nestorian Ritual, written probably in the fifteenth
century. Two hundred and ninety*seven. leaves, iq
quarto, cotton paper.
36. Jacobite Liturgies, written a.d* 1658. Ninety-eight
leaves, in quarto, paper.
37. Nestorian Liturgies, written probably in the sixteenth
century. One hundred and thirty-three leay^s, in
small quarto, cotton paper.
38. OiBces for Passion Week and for the Peiid, written
probably in the sixteenth century. One huiidred
and sixty-eight leaves, in quarto, cotton paper.
39. The Correct Reading and Pronunciation of Proper
Names and Difficult Words occurring in the Syriac
Translations of the Old and New Testament, and of
other works, by Jacob of Edissa, written a.d, 1033.
One hundred and tbirty^two leaves, in. quarto,
vellum.
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610 an OF sntiAc mm, Japp, iil
40. A Comnifentfiry on the Qospebi by Dionysius '. Bar
Salibi, written «ik.t>. 1516: Three hundred and
twenty-eight leaves, in iblio, cotton paper*
4'L A Commentary on the Apocalypse, the. Acts of the
ApbstleS) and the £pistles of the New Testament,
by Dionysiua Bar Salibi^ written probably in the
fourteenth century. Two hundred and thirty-seven
leaves,. in small quarto, cotton paper.
42. The Horreum Mysteriorum^ a .Commentary on the
t Sacred Scriptures, by Gregorius Bar«>Hebte,us»
written probably in the fourteenth century. Two
hundred . and twenty leaves, in quarto^ cotton
paper.,
43. Some Orations of Gregory of Nazianz, written pro-
* bably in . the tenth century. . One huudi'ed and
eighty leaves, in quarto, vellum i
44. Fragments of a very ancient collection of faptnili.es:>
i-' / written probably in or before the ninth century.
Forty-six leaves, in quarto^ vellum ^
^^ Theological Discourses,. ascribed to Hierotbeusi nfitten
probably in the fifteenth century* . One hundred
' ' and sixty-seven leaves/in folio, cotton pbpen
>46i' A- collection of theological tracts by various authors^
written probably in the thirteenth century. : Three
1 < * ittmdred and seventy-five leaves, in qgarto, vellum.^
'47. Fragments of the. controversial tracts Of Peter the
* • Yotlnger, Patriarch of Antioch, again&t Damianns,
* . • - Written probably in the; tenth century.. One hundrei|
and-seventy*-three leaves, in quarto, vellum,
<48s B'ragments and* short treatises^ chiefly theological,
' written pMahtibly about the tenth century« Seventy-
<' ,' sevea leaves, ia quarto^ vellum* .
49. The " Book of Treasures '* of Jacob Bartelentfisi written
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A^P^.IICp LIST OF ETTBIAC M8S. 311
probably in the fourteenth century. One hundred
and forty-seven leaves, in quarto, paper.
50. The Ethics of Gregorius Bar-Hebrseus, written pro-
bably in the fifteenth century. Two hundred and
. sixty-six leaves, in quarto, paper. .
51. The Ethics of Gregorius Bar-Uebrseus, written in the
fifteenth or sixteenth century. One hundred and
fifty*five leaves^ in quarto, paper, imperfect.
52. The Ethics of Gregorius Bar-Hebraeus, written a.d.
1705. Two hundred and fifty-seven leaves, in quarto,
papen
53. The Annals of Etias» Metropolitan of Nisbis; sub-
joined are various chronological tables by the same
author. One hundred and three leavesj in folio,
vellum.
54. The second and third part of the Chronicle of Gre-
gorius Bar-HebrsBus, written probably ia the six-
teenth century. Two hundred and twenty-six leaver
in duodecimo, cotton paper.
55. Various theological treatises, written probably in the six-
. teenth century. Seventy-four leaves, in quarto, paper,
56. Lives, of Saints and Martyrs, written about the thirr
teenth century. One hundred and fourteen leaves,
in larg^ quarto, cotton paper.
57. The Syriac Grammar, of Gregorius BajrHebneus^ written
.probably in the seventeenth century. Two hundred
and fifty-four leaves, iu quarto, paper.
58. Another Grammar of the Syriac language, in verse^^by
Gregorius BarrHebrsus, written a^d. i5.6Q. Eighty-
eight leaves, in quarto, cotton paper. .
59. A Syriac Dictionary, explained in Arabicr probably the
work of Josua JBar Ali,, written^ a.d. X679. Two
hundred and fifteen leaves,.in quarto, paper. . .
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312 [app. m
IV,
Journal of Bearings and Distances, ^c. from Bagdad to
Sulimania ; to the frontiers of Persia ;from Sulimania to
Nineveh and Mousul; from Mousul down the Tigris fa
Bagdad; and from Bagdad down the Tigris toBussorOf
Bearings of the Compass^ Distances^ 4*^., between Bagdad and
Sulimania,
April 17. — ^Left Hajee Bey's garden at 7^ 15™ a.m., and
iarrived at our camp near Dokhala, at 12** 45°. Yenijeh
hence bore S. 20 W. ; Howeish, S. 60 W. ; Dokhala,
N, 70 W., half a mile distant.
April \Q. — Mounted at 6^ 15", a.m.; road to Toprak
Kalaa. At 8^ 45° alighted at Seyid Mukhsen Pauk, a little
imaum on a canal from the Khalis, At 9^ 45° mounted
again ; and at IP 45° alighted at an old dry canal. From
Toprak Kalaa, the general direction of our road N. 10 E. ;
but we often turned out of it to avoid the deep mire.
Bearings with the small surveying-compass from the
camp—
Imaum Mujedid, S. 72 W., half a mile.
Musabbah Khan^ N. 86 E., distant less than a mtle.
Abdullah Ben Ali, S. 43 E., in the district of Khbrassan.
Hediet, S. 43 W. in the district of Khalis.
Nahr ul Aswad, S. 51 W., in the district of Khalis.
Hopehop, S. 63 W.
Doltova. N. 86 W.
Bash Tchaier, or Kior Yenijeh, N. 53 W.
© N. Limb., N. 70 W. '
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•AmP.-iy.] BAGDAD TO 8ULIMANIA, 313
'April 19, 20.— Hat
April 21.— Marched at &" 30", a.m. ; and at XO^ en*
camped at Tchabook.
April 22,— A halt.
April 23.— Mounted at G^ IS'', a.m. We were obliged
to turn out of our road, and to keep towards the Diala,
on account of the water left by yesterday's rain. The line
of Zagros, extending to the Tauk, formed the extreme
boundary of our view^ as soon as we left the village of
Tchubook, At 9* arrived at Delli Abbas.
The following sights with the surveying-compass from the
centre of the bridge of Delli Abbas : —
Sheraban, S. 27 E., just in sight.
Humbisy S. 34 £., in the district of Khorassan.
Adana Keuy, S. 83 E., district of Khalis.
Seyid Mubarek, S. 77 E., district of Khalis, two miles off.
Seraijik, S. 66 W., district of Khalis.
Nebbi Shayed, S. 60^ W., district of Khalis.
Ajamia, S. 56 W.
Aawashik^ S. 34 W., on the Diala.
Beggawa^ S. 6 W., on the Diala.
Direction of Tchubook pointed out, S. 35 W.
April 24. — Mounted at 5^ 30"*, a.m. We could not go
the direct passage from Delli Abbas over the Hamreen hills,
on account of the waters which were out from the late rains.
At 6*» 30"* arrived at the pass in the Hamreen hills, called
Sakal Toutan. Here our road N. 10 E. At 7^ 30"^ the
Toad to Baradan branched off. We meant to have gone to
Baradan, but the Nareen was reported to be too difficult to
ford, in consequence of the late rains. Our road N. 'At
gh 25m Yfe left the mountain, and keefnng it close on our
left hand, reached the bridge of the Nareen at 10*» 20*.
Mounted again at ll^ At 12^ 40^y p.m., arrived at Kara-
tepeh. Excellent going all the way. ^
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S14 9Aai>AD TO 0ULiMANIA« [AFP^IT-
From the top of the mount at K<uratep^ I got ihef fol-
Jowifig sights :— . .
Sidalan, S. 45 E., one hoar and a half off;
Baradan> S. 18 E., five hours. .
Table Hill, over Shehriban in the Hamreen» S. 7 E.
April 25.— Marched at 5^ 30°" a.m., N. 10 £., over the
gravelly hills^ on the western declivity of which Karatepeh is
situated ; slope extremely gentle ; descended then into a
>mall valley; then over an arm of the hills; from which we
descended by a long slope to the Tchemen bridge at 7^ 30™^
,thence N. to the broad torrent at 8^ 30™ ; over a plain
and by Telescian. At 9^ 10™ alighted, just after entering
on another elevation, also by a very gentle slope* At 9^ 40™
mounted again ; and at 11^ arrived at Kifri.
. ^jjnY 26, 27.— Halted at Kifri.
April 28.— Mounted at 5^ 40^ a.m. ; our road S. 75 W.,
across a range of gravelly hills proceeding from the Kifri
hills. In like manner subordinate gravelly hills branch out
from Hamreen above Karatepeh, and from the Zengabad
range. At 6^ 30"* our course W,, still in the hilb. At 7^
left them, and entered the Beiat plain, which slopes down
very gently.from the Kifri hills to the basin of the Tchemen ;
^course N- 85 W. At 7^ 30"^ a ravine, with a small stream
of raiu-water in it; thence N, 80 W. At S\ N. 55 W.
At 8^ 20^, Kuru Tchai, a broad torrent bed, with a little raiiv
.; water in it. Halted at Beiat camp. Mounted again at ^y
^oad N. 45 W. At 9^ 30% Kizzel Kharaba, a.ruin on the
,road. FromKii2aelKharaba,N.60W. At 10»^ 30" anoth^
4epeh> or ruin ; 10^ 45°^, large Beiat village; 11*^ 10", an^
other targe village. We have now lost sight of the Hamreefi
JuUsj which were on om left all day, by their tunning off
more Wr Toos&kl^oorniiattee now came in sight,. bearing
^».20 W« Al^ut^ a -quarter^ of an hourbefpre cpmingto
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mP.Mf} ^?A01>AP TO 8ULIMANIA4 91fi
;Mo«kh00rii^a4tfte, wis passed the torrent ; it is called th^
AbspOi and comes down from Ibrahim {Chanjee. On our
lisft, and distanft a couple of hours, we saw the village of
X^iiijeb* which is on the present post-road from Bagdad tp
Taoolt. At 12^ 30^ f.m., having crossed the torrent, ar-
fived at Toozkhoormattee.
April 29.— Halted at Toozkhoormattee. From the prin-
pipal mound of ruins to the west of the town I had the fol-
lowing bearings.
. Yenijeh^ S. 71 W. Distant one hour. Niebuhr took
an observation here.
Qur house at Toozkhoormattee N. 67 £.^ one mile in
a right line«
A ruined castle in the pass, N. 79 £.
. Direction of Taook pointed out, N. 15. W«
Ditto of Imaum Door. S. 87 W.
: jfyfil 30.--*-Still at Toozkhoormattee. In the evening,
from the terrace of our house, took the following bearings.
. , Yenyeh, S. 67^ W. True bearing, S. 60° 4' W.
Taook, N. 24 W.
Ruined castle, S. 84 £.
c. Naphtha Pits, S. 67- B. Q N. Limb. N.66 W. at
setting. Variation^ 7° 16' W.
May l.^Iieft Toozkhoormattee at 5^ 80*"^ a.m.« Road,
}4. 15 W- At &" 45-, N. 30 W. - We had the gypsous hilb
close 9n our right. On our left, a plain inclined down by
ji very gentle slope to the Hamreen hills, which were dis;
tioclly visible at the distance of between three and. four
bpars. They appear to make a bend here, or advance from
the ' W.9 the nearest part to us being indented like an eni*;
j^ttM wall| and bearing N. 85 W. The Adhaym passes
the mountains half ad hour below this part, and below that
again is Deniir Kapi. After the indented or notched part.
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316 BAODAD TO SULIMANIA* [aPP. IT*
the chain appeare again to beod wesleriy. At 7^^ N. 45 W»
Here the gypsum range appears^ but I believe does not
leally terminate, or rather it becomes a low range of gravelly
hills , inclining towards the W. At 7*» 20» our road N. 20 W,
At 1^40^ the Minaret of Taook became visible. I went
to a little hill, part of the gravelly branch, end bad the
good fortune to see both Taook and Toozkhoormattee at
once^ at the extreme N. and S. points of the horizon*
Taook, N. 15 W.; Toozkhoormattee, S« 15 E. Hen<:a also
I saw that the gypsous range appeared suddenly broken
down at its north extremity, the' western edge of which
sends out the gravelly line along which we have been tra-
velling for an hour. On the east of the north abrupt termi-
nation, it sweeps off easterlyi The intermediate ^spaoe is
a basin, filled with pebbles or gravelly hills. At IC* we
reached Taook Tchai, wliich rises in Koordistan a little on
the right of our proposed road, and passing by Kara Hassan
is there turned off into several streams. It forms the
Adhaym when full of water, but when drawn off for irriga-
tion it scarcely reaches the Tigris.
We entered Taook at Kf" 20»,
The Ziyaret of Zein ul Abedeen, on a monnt^ hon
N. 65 E. from our house. Distant two miles.
' Maff 2.— Marched at 6^ 15^, a.m.; our road N., leaving
the Kerkook road on our left to the foot of the hills. The
Hamreen just in sight on our left. At 7^ 20" arrived at the
village of Jumeila. We now began to ascend the range of
hills ; that is to say, the western range of the fork^ sent out
by the Kifri hills, at the place noted in my journal yester*
day. They run N. W. to the village of Matara, from which
they take their name*, a place noted in a former journal }
•
* The elevation of the Matara hills is, I think, less than that
of Hamreen.
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Jl». rtr.] BAGDAD TO SULIMAKIA* 317
they then pass by Tazee Khoormaitee, and soon afterwaids
affe said to lose themselves. We reached at 7^ 4(r a pla^
tean, or extent of gvaveliy ruins in heaps or mld*looking
f«rratvs. Our road N. 50 E. At 8^ came to other ridges
of inclined strata. Road N. 65 E. At &" 45" reached a
spot overlooking the plain or basin of Leilan^ whence the
Mils slope gradually att<l gently to the plain. Here I got
the following bearings —
Leilan, N.< one hour and a half distant.
Tepeli, N. 45 E.
Piani, N. 60 E. In the hills, half a mile off.
At 9>» 30" alighted; ait l(fi IS"* mounted again, and
10b 45^ arrived at Leilan. From the spot where I set
Letlan N., the road did not go straight to the village, but
bent a little, for which an allowance must be made* From
the terrace of the house where we were quartered, 1 per-
ceived Kerkook, which I carefully set with the surveying*
compass of telescopic sigbt, several times> in drder to be
qmte sure. The point 1 set was the castle-faill, part of the
town below it was visible through the telescope.
Kerkook— Castle-hill, N. 24 W. +Var. 6^ 38' W. ; trne
bearing, N. 30-38 W. Distance 10 geographical miles*
The country between Leilan and Kerkook is a perfect plain.
Tazee Khfoormattee is three hours off. The high hill Ka-
t^ban^ I believ^e, or Karatchuk, bore N. 51 W. Just visible
in the horizon. Q north limb at setting^. N. 64 W. Half
a mile north of us the village of Yahyawa.
. May 3.--We left Leilan at £^ 30» a.m., road N. 30 K,
along the Leilan stream. In half an hour we reached the
hi&i, which here rise at once from the plain into a plateau.
On ascending the plateati our course whs N. 70 E.
At 6** 45™ our direction was N. 25 E., and so continued
for the remainder of our march^ having the Leilan water
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818 BAGDAD TQ SULIMAfflAv [aPP. IV'.
on our left all the way. At 7^ 30"^ we descended Into '•
valley formed by a little stream^.whieh rushes down to joift
the Lellan. Here we halted for hAlf an hour, and then.rodo
on, and arrived at Yusuf Aga'd canpp tit 8^ 30». Onr whole
itage; deducting the halF-hour's halt, was two ht>ur$ and a
half.
May 4. — We mounted at 6^ 30"* a.m, ; road N. plong the
valley of the Lellan water. At ©» 15« road N. 40 B. At
&^ 30», N. 55 E. At 7^ N. 25 B. At T»20», N; 60E. Kt
7M5»N.80E. At8\N.75E.
We now left the Leilan, which has its' isource hard by^
ind crossed the range of hills goiifg abclut N, W. ; and
what I call the plateau having ris6n gradiially to near itft
summit, these hills differing in no respect from the plateaa*
Here the streams run down to Koordistan. AtS^'dO"" wd
descended by a direct but not difficult descent, N. 70 H^i
which in twenty minutes brought us to the first Inndintf^
place. Hence we descended by an extremely gentle slope^
in N. 45 E., to Tchemtcheraal. At lO^' halted at TchemU
chemal.
I had some good sights with the surveying-compass, and
there was luckily a horizon which enabled me to take eil
amplitude for correcting the observations.
The observations were as follows : —
The pius of Derbent N. 54J E. Var. 7°*21. Tm#
bearing N. 47^ e'E.
Summit of Goodroon, N. 60 E. •
( Keuy Sanjiak, over the Khalkhaliein mountans, N. 2i^ W.
Distant twelve hours in a straight line. >
^ Derbent i Basterra^or Basirra, in the Karad^gh mount*
tains, 8. GI\ E.
Seghirmeh. 8. 53 E.
IKUeo mountain, S. 39 £. : ?.
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An. IV.] BAGDAD 1*0 8UUMANIA. 819
' fbrathtfti Khatijee, ihovA, 8. 23 £.
Zengamh, 8. 49 E.
Gbeshee Khan road to Kerkook. N. 87 W. Kerkook
distant eight hours.
. © north limb at setting. N. 62J W. Var. 7<» 21' W.
We marched at &" 30" a.m., N. 10 E., to join the Ker»
kbok road. At 3^ 15^ we fell into the Kerkook road,
and proceeded on an N. 75 E. The ground became roor^
cut and furrowed as we advanced. The ravines, which
are very deep, are made by innumerable little rills which
flow from every part. I now begin to think that this trahi
proceeds parallel with the Bazian, and then runs off to the
Zeriganeh hills. At 9^ we arrived at Derbent
We left the pass at 9^, and proceeded in N. 75 E. The
viiUej soon opens, having the Bazian hills on each side.
Ooodroon mountain was before us^ a little on our left^
Our road lay along the foot of the hills on the right of the
V«lky. At ^ 45*^, E.J at 10»'&75 E. At 1O»^5=»W0
tamed into a branch of the valley, which is here very wide^
in S. 35 E., to the village of Derghezeen, where we arrived
at 10^ L5®. From the door of our tent the summit of
Goodroon wai^ N. 55 E.« and an artificial mount, called
Gopara, was N. 50 E. in the valley, at the distance of threa
quarters of a mile.
May 6. — Marched at 5^ 30* a.m. We directed out
eoume across the valley from the western side^ where Derg-^
hezeen is situated, to the eastern hills, along the foot
of which we afterwards kept. At 6^ 30" we reeHched the
direct road. From this point Derghezeen bore 3. 43 W. ;
the village of Bazian, N. 60 W. ; about two miles and il
half off, under the west hills ; our road S. 30 E. We kept
the hills which bound the valley on the east, close on our
left hand. At 7^ 10=», S. 40 E. * At 9^ we turned off in
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220 .9AGDAD TO SUUMANIA. [AFP« 1V«
N. 75 B., and immediately ascended the hill, which we liad
kept on our left all day ; and at 9^ 4Sr arrived in the vale
of Sulimania. Sulimania was visible under the hills which
bound the valley on the E., and which are the range of
which Goodroon is a part« Our road was now S. 50 E., and
at 10^ we arrived at our place of encampment.
In the evening, from the door of the teat, I had the fol-
lowing sights with the surveying-compass.
Summit of Goodroon, N. 2 E.
Kerwanan, the ruin on the little bills which appear to
close the vale of Sulimania on the north, N. 6 W.
Sulimania, S. 76 E.
The Avroman mountains (about the centre), S. 50 E.
Kilespeh, the artificial mount distant half a mile, S. 45 E.
Map 7. — At 5*» 50" a.m. we mounted, and directed our
course towards the Goodroon chain, in an oblique direction.
Our road lay over hills sent forth by the Goodroon range^
and interrupted, with valleys. At 8^ we crossed abroad
but shallow torrent called Tchaktchak, which descends from
Goodroon. In five minutes more we came to the.Sertchinar^
The Sertchinar is only separated from the "Tchaktchak by
a little eminence. On the east of Sertchinar, separated from
it by a little hill, in like manner as it is from Tchaktchak
on the W., is another stream, but less than either of the
others. This and the . Tchaktchali are only torrents, which
are I believe dry in the summer. They all unite in the
plain.
May 8. — Marched at 5f' 40"* am., and pursuing our
way gently along the foot of the hills, with much ascending
and descending, arrived at our camp before Sulimania at
6^ 40"».
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321
Bearings of the Compass distances^ S;c, between Sulinvania^
Sinna^ Bana^ and back to Sulimania,
JOURNEY TO KIZZELJEE.
July 17. — Left Sulimania at 3^ 40"", km., and took the
Giozeh road to pass the chain of bare hills which bound
Sulimania on the east.
We reached the foot of the hills by a gentle ascent all
the Mray from Sulimania, at 4^ IS"", and immediately began
the ascent, first in .the dry bed of a torrent for a few
minutes, and then on the steep face of the hill. At 4^ 50^,
by a very steep path, we reached the summit ; hence Suli-
lAania bore S. 75 W. j before us was the plain — I call it
so merely to distinguish it from the hills (for, strictly speak-
ing, there was not a level spot in it) of Suarojik and Sheh-
ribazar, terminated on the south by a defile, whence either
OUT mountains, or a branch of them, turned round and
bounded it on the east*.
Our descent was N., along the east face of the wall ;
we arrived at the bottom at 6^ ; thus the ascent occupied
thirty*five minutes, and the descent 6ne hour and ten
minutes. The rest of our journey was N. 50 E.
We halted at Benawillee at 6*» 15°*, and mounted again
at 6^ 45°». At 7^ 30°*, descended a steep hill, and arrived
at our Kmak, the village of Gherradeh, in the district of
Shehribazar.
July 18.^ — At 4\ A.M. we set off, shaping our course
* This is the Kurree Kazhav, running towards Kizzeljee.
Vol. II. ' Y
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322 JOURNEY TO KIZZELJEE, [APP. IV.
due E. to the hills, or rather mountains. At 4^ 30"
we went N. 50 E., on a ridge with a small dell on the
left, and a very deep and large glen on the right which
glen runs nearly E. and W.» and at its eastern extremity
is shut up by a col, which divides it from another similar
glen^ and the south sides of both these glens rise at once
into a high mountain, part of the range mentioned above.
Our road gradually ascended. At 5^ we reached the
hills at an opening in them, corresponding with the col or
east head of the glen on our right. Hence mount Goodroon
bore N. 60 W.
We now descended by a steep road, and kept winding in
a defile of the mountains. The general direction N. 50 B«
At ff' 20" we alighted. Mounted at 7^. Our road the rest
of the way, N. 80 E. At 1^ 80"^, crossed the Tenguzhee
river.
From the banks of the Tenguzhee we rose immediately
by a very steep ascent, which occapted thirty minutes at rs
yood hard pull. On our right was the Tenguzhee, which
has cut a passage for itself through the mountain. The
descent, which commenced immediately, for what we crossed
was a ridge, occupied half an hour, but was more gFaduat
than the ascent Our level was consequently much higher.
We now wound among the hills, ascending and descending,
and at 9^ 40=», having turned out of the road south for a few
minutes, arrived at the village of Doladreizb. On onr right,
and not far from us» were the high mountains of Kazhan,
or Kurree Kazhav. The face of the country was moun-
tainous*
July 19. — At 3^ 45°», a.m., mounted, and in a few minutes
were. out of the little valley of Doladreizh. The general
direction of our road was a little S. of E., but we wound
much among woods. We soon began a steep ascent ; I think
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AW, IV. j KIZ2ELJ1SB VO BMSStAK. ^23
the highest and steepest I had yet seen ; we attained the
summit at 6**, the ascent having occupied forty minutes^
for half an hour of which it was almost perpendicular.
Hence the Kurree Kazhav mountain bore due W.^ and
seemed to run in a S. E. direction. Goodroon reared its
bare rocky head in N. 65 W., above all the other moun-
tains. We immediately began to descend into the plain,
through which meandered the river of Kizzeljee, which
afterwards ran through a vale on our left, and taking ft
north course^ goes through the district of Siwel, and dis-
charges itself into the Kiupri Soo. Its source is at the foot
of the Persian mountains ; that of the Kiupri Soo is at
Lajan. InBbout forty minutes we reached the foot of the
mountain^ which runs nearly N. and S. here, or rather
N. W. and S. E.; and here the road branches into two,
that on the left going N. E. to Beestan, the capital of the
district][of Kizzeljee, two hours oflF; and that t)n the right,
about south to Ahmed Kulwan, the proposed place of our
residence.
We rode S. along the foot of the hills. At 7^ 30"» we
arrived at our cantonment under the hills, about one mile
N. E. of Ahmed Kulwan.
FBOM KIZZELJEE TO BEESTAN.
' August I.— We set off at 5^ 15", a.m., and keeping the
hills close on our left, at 6^ arrived at the river of Kizzeljee,
where it forces itself a passage through the moutitains.
This place is N. from Ahmed Kulwan. We now left the
mountains, and stretching across the plain, came to a line
which branches out E. from them. Crossing this, we saw
a vale, through which a river winds ; a similar line of hills
bound it on the other side. The river is called Tatan, or the
Beestan river. Keeping the mountains we had just crossed
Y2
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324 PENJWEEN TO SINNA. [APP. IV.
on our right, we arrived at 7** 30" at Beestan. Beesten lies
N. 10 E. by the compass from Ahmed Kulwan. Banna
N. 10 £• of Beestan, five hours distant.
FROM BEESTAN TO PENJWEEN.
August 13. — Left Beestan at 5^^ a.m. ; and riding through
the plain of Tatan^ or Beestan, crossed the hiUs which sur-
round it^ and descended into that of Ahmed Kulwan, or the
plain of the Kizzeljee river ; crossed it easterly, and arrived
at Penjween at 9, a.m., having been delayed a quarter of an
hour on the way. From hence, our old station at Ahmed
Kulwan bore N. 55 W., distant one hour's good pace of a
horseman. The old castle of Kizzeljee N. 45 W. Caravans
go in eight days from Penjween to Hamadan, to Sinna in
four.
FROM PENJWEEN TO SINNA.
August 20. — I resolved on setting out for Sinna, in which
I have for my object the visiting the chain of Zagros, with
its hitherto unknown pass of Garran^ and fixing the position
of the capital of Persian Koordistan.
We set out at 5^ a.m.
At &" we entered Persia. The Kizzeljee river soon dis-
appeared to the right^ behind the hills that now separate the
plain, which turns more S. On ascending a little eminence
at 7^ 30^°, we saw the lake Zeribar ; in the background
were the wild rocky mountains of Avroman.
Hitherto our general direction was about S. 70 E. Hence
to Kai Khosroo Bey's tents bore S. At 9** 15" we arrived
at the camp of Kai Khosroo Bey, about two miles S. of
the lake. Surena bears N. Ardbaba, the peaked summit
over Banna N. 10 W. The bare precipices of Avroman
bear due S., and extend westward^ overlooking Shehrizoor^
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APP. IV.] PENJWBEN TO SINNA. 325
whose plainiB are separated from us by the hills which come
down from Ahmed Kulwan to Peajween, and thence to the
lake, and down to Avroman, which hills we have kept on
our right all day.
Between Avrofnan and Zagros is a narrow valley, through
which runs a direct road to Kermanshah, called the Shamian
road. Its direction is S. 35 E. Through it runs a little
river, which comes down from Garran.
The chain of Zagros is bare and high. It is visible at
intervals froniijMrdbaba and Surena, which I am now satis-
fied are part ofZagros, N. 10 W., and N. to S. 30 E.
Hajee Ahmed, the part of Zagros to which the Jofs retire
in summer, lies N. 60 B.
August 21. — Mounted at 5^ 3(h, a.m., and proceeded
down the valley formed by a prolongation of the hill of Me-
rivan on the S., and of the hills of Zeribar on the N.,
in the general direction noted yesterday, viz., N. 85 E.,
and 7^ 30™ arrived at Gueiza Kwera.
Augtist 22. — ^We were oflF by 5^, a.m., and proceeded
through a hilly, but open country^ till 6^ ii^hen we came
to the entrance of a narrow valley formed by two stupen-
dous cliffs. The small river of Asrabad, or Garran, flows
through the pass. It flows into the Diala. Our direction
to the bridge, N. 70 W., thence S. 70 E.
At 7^ 50" we came to the foot of a very steep ascent,
still in the same direction, the road not winding much ; at
a slow progress it occupied us forty-five minutes in ascend-
ing. At 8^ 35°^ we reached the top of the col, and almost
immediately began to descend. At 9^ 5™ we reached the
foot of the pass — halted. This pass is called Garran. The
pass of Ardbaba to Banna is easier.
At 10^ 35°" we mounted again. Our road S. 70 £. At
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826 PSNJWEBN TO 8INNA. [aPP. IV.
11\ 90 E. At 11^ 45» we came to a little river, called
Kakor Zekria* It £alls into the Diala. Heoce N, 70 E.
At lE^* 15», N. 50 E. At 12^ 55~ we struck out of the
high road up a very narrow valley, and at P 5" arrived
at the village of Jenawera.
August 23.— Mounted at 5^ 30», a.m., S. 50, E. till wo
reached the road in half aa hour. The general direction
then S. 80 E. all day.
At 6^ 50^ an artificial mount in a narrow valley. After
having ascended almost all the way froia|Jlenawara, we
descended about a quarter of an hour, am arrived at the
foot of the descent at 8\ We immediately rose again by
a very steep ascent, of which we attained the summit at
8^ 90°^« and had a fine view of the line of Zagros. Tbe
descent was inconsiderable.
At 9^ 10" we arrived at the tents belonging to th^
villagers of Berruder, in a narrow valley.
August 24i. — At 5** 30*, a.m* we mounted. Soon after
leaving the village we crossed a pretty high hill. Our rpad
all the day wound through very narrow valleys, among the
hills, through which ran a little stream, whose course was
easterly. It goes towards Gavro and falls into the Diala.
The Kakor Zekria runs westerly. It goes to Shamian, and
thence round in the direction of Gavro^ and falls into the
Diala.
At 8^ we alighted on the banks of the little river. At
8^ 40°^ we mounted again, and at 9^ 40" arrived at the
village of Doweisa.
Our stage to day was' three hours and twenty minutes.
The direction northward of east.
Sinna bears S. 10 E. of Doweisa, distance three farsakha*
August 25. — Mounted at 6^ SO"", a.m« The country
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AHP, IV,] WNNA TO BANNA. 827
more open. The level, as'^ne approached Sinna, descended
to it« Behind the town it again rose, and after several
breaks and hills, terminated in the high ridge of the Bazir
Khani hills^ running N. and S. The roads to Hama-
dan and Teheraun go over this range> which is of no great
length.
We proceeded slowly. When we came near the town we
turned off to the right to the garden of Khosrooabad, which
is less than a quarter of a mile from the town, in S. 60 W.
We arrived at the gate of the garden at 9^ 50™.
FROM SINNA TO BANNA.
August 30. — At 5^ 45"% a.m. we quitted Sinna> imme-
diately after leaving which we rose^ and continued gently
ascending all the march. At 8^, on our left, saw the villa^
of Sarukamish. At 8^ 30°^ began ascending the height of
Allah u Khodah^ whose summit we reached^ by a gentle
acclivity, at 9^ 45°^. This mountain joins or forms the
Bazir Khani range* and winds from Zagros, which we saw
towering above all the Qther parallel ranges on our left.
Before us were still hills ; also on our right, or east-south-
fiast, N. 60 E. of us were the plains of B^n Leilac in the
distance, with the tops of some high mountains just appear^
ing. Above us on all sides were craggy summits. We wound
along the side of the hills for some time, and at 10^ 20^
began to descend by a very gentle descent. Tfiis mountain
runs N. E. At IX^ 10°* we reached the village of 3aienkho,
in the province of Hassanabad. Our general direction to-
day due N. (allowing for variation). Our stage to-day
called four farsakhs, which I find in this part of Persia is
more than the hour.
Atiyust 31.---lV!ounted at 5^ 40?°. N. 45 E. to a deU.
At 6^ N- 15 W., up the dell At 6\15", N. 15 E.. ov^r
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828 SINNA TO BANNA. [APP. IV;
a hill. The rest of the f^ay due N. At 9^ 40» arrived at
the tents of the villagers of Gulaneh. Guianeh^ a frontier
village^ between the i^rovinces of Hasnabad and Kara
Towrow.
In the evening got the following sights with the surveying
compass; as also an amplitude for correcting them.
A table mountain. On the other side of it is the town of
Bijar> the capital of the district of Geerroos^ in Aderbijan,
dependent on Abbas Mirza. Bijar^ distant eight farsakhs.
Mountain, bearing N. 77 £. This mountain is part of the
chain of Aivan Serai. Kara Towrow, a long flat mountain,
where is the capital of the district of the same name, be-
longing to Sinna, N, 42 £., five farsakhs. On the N.,
bounding the horizon, and coming round to Bijar, is the
line of the Aivan Serai hills. Aivan Serai is a Koordish
corruption of Ayub el Ansari, whose tomb they pretend is
in these hills. Between us is a broken plain, looking like
a troubled sea, that had*suddenly become solid.
North limb at settings N. 72 W.— Var. T \V W.
September 1. — Mounted at 5** 30™, a.m., and directed
our course N. 70 W., to the hilly tract on our left. We had
several ascents and descents. At 6^ 50™, a very steep
descent to the Kizzel Ozan. Its head is about two far-
sakhs oflF to the left, or W., in the Abbas Bey mountain.
It runs easterly, and goes hence to Maiendoav.
Immediately after passing the Kizzel Ozan we ascended
again. We aire now evidently at a great elevation above
the sea. All this part seems to be a plateau intersected by
ravines.
At 8h 30", N. 15 E., in a valley which gradually nar-
rowed into a ravine. At 9^ 30"* we ascended the extremity
of it; then N. 16 W. to the village of Kelekowa, situated
in a valley, into which we descended, and arrived at the
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APP. IV.] SINNA TO BANNA. 329^
village at 9^ 55*". Passed through the village^ and proceed-
ing N. 40 W., up the valley, came to its termination, where
the tepts of the villagers were pitched. Here we halted
at lO*" ib°^. We are now in the district of Hobetoo, and
still on the Tabreez road, which we quit to-morrow.
September 2. — We mounted at 6**, a.m. The valley con-
tinues in a north direction, and through it runs the road to
Sakiz and Tabreez. Our road lay over the hills which form
the valley, in N. 70 W., in which ^direction we continued
the whole of the day, though with some windings.
The country rose gradually, but very perceptibly, from
the moment we left the village. We were on a plateau, and
surrounded by craggy summits and lines of hills terminating
in the plateau. One on our left adjoins Hajee Ahmed,
and covers it from us. Hajee Ahmed is about S. W. of
us, distant four forsakhs. All the line of hills appear to run
N. E. and S. W. to Zagros.
At 8^ we desoended by a steep road, which occupied
about a quarter of an hour, into a narrow valley winding
between high hills, in which we continued the rest of the
march. We alighted at 9^ 30^ at a little spring. Mounted
again at 10^, and at 11^ arrived at the village of Soormoosi,
in the district of Khorkhoora.
September 3. — ^Mounted at 6^ a.m., and continued wind-
ing in the valley about N. 60 W. At 6** 46* we left the
valley, which continues on to Doulet Kalaa^ and struck over
the hills which bound it on the S. Much winding ; first
N. 80 W. We wound round the mountains. At 7^^ 30»
we descended into a narrow glen, and immediately rose
again ; and at 8^ 20" turned W., in which course we con-
tinued, winding considerably the rest of the way. At ff* 45*,
we descended to a little stream called the Khorkhoora river.
Tchialtchemeh, a considerable mountain, where the stream
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980 8INNA TO BANNA« [apP. IV,
vbich falls into the Kizzeljee rises^ was on our left. Khosroo
Khan^ a chain of moontainsy on the side of which^ under the
summit^ is the village we are going to, before us. Sakiz is
about N. W. of us, on the other side of the Khosroo Khan.
The coiirse of all the mountains is from S, W. at Zagros^
to N. E., where most of them lose themselves in the plateau
we have passed. Hence we ascended up the sides of a
locky glenj and at ten o'clock arrived at Kara Bokhra.
Sakiz, the capital of the district^ is due N. of us, distant
six farsakhs, by a very bad road ; or seven^ by a rather better
0Qe, It is on the other side of the Kliosroo Khan moun*
tains. From Kara Bokhra to Serkhuari i Shelal, the capital
of Teratool, four hours. Thence to Beestan^ four hours.
September 4. — ^We left the village of Kara Bokhra at
0^ 16F^, a.m. ; and^ quitting the glen, ascended the hill which
joins the N. side of it to the fort, in N. 25 W., which we
attained in ten minutes. We then wound along the tops
of the hills W. for five minutes, and then S» 35 W. At 7^^ 5°'
we began to descend in S. 20 W., and reached the bottom at
7** 38". Here we found ourselves in a narrow rocky valley
among the hilU, in which^ and in its ramifications, we cour
tinned the rest of the day. The road continually ascended
and descended.
From the mountains we saw mount Khelli Khan^ with
Zagros> or a part of it. From the foot of the mountain^
S. 60 W. At S^ we reached a village named Hajee Ma-
boqunedan ; thence rising a little^ we suddenly descended to
the village of Soota. Here we stopped at 8^ 30°". At
9^ 45« we mounted, direction S. 40 W. At 9*^ 50" N. 80 W.
At W" 30", S. 70 W. Here we descended, and crossed
the little stream which occupied the bottom of the ravine,
and at 10^ 55°^ reached the village of Seifatala, where we
halted. AtlP30"wemQuntedagain. At 1^ 30» halted :
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VUPP, IV.] 8INNA TO BANNA. 881
^ta^mooiiMi aDdal2>'15",N.40W.; we arrived nt the
village of Meek at 2^ 45^. Meek is in the difttriot of
Sakiz.
September 5. — ^At 7^ am., we left Meek, and ascended a
hill by a long path, which occupied ten minutesj to a point
which bore S. 20 W. from the village. Here we j?ound
the hill to the place from whence the descent to the village
of Bayandereh commences. Halted. At 10^ 30°^ mounted.
At 11^ 45°"^ having ascended considerably, we reached the
top of the steepest ascent we had yet seen. It occupied
above half an hour. It is called Kelli Balin. and is just i^
col joining two mountains, which are part of Zagros. The
two mountains here form a valley^ which goes to Banna*
Our general direction to-day was S, 70 W.
At 1^ 15°" we arrived at the village of Surene. Surene is
situated in a valley formed by two branches of Zagros. The
west one seems to be the hill we crossed laterally, coming
to the' vale of Bayandereh. From the col to the village it
is about S. 70 W. ; it then turns off more south, and returns
fgain to Banna. The three points which we saw from
Ahmed Kulwan and Zeribar are about S. 50 W. from Su-
rene, and Banna lies in N. 83 W«
September 6. — I^ft Surene at 6** 5°, a.m., and proceeded
through the valley. At 7^ passed on our right hand the vil*
lage of Bjae. Soon after the valley and mountains wound
more southerly. At 7^ 35"» a pass opened through the moun-
taina leading to Kizzeljee. At 9^ 35°* we arrived at our sta-
tion at Ahmedabad, on the Ardbaba hills, part of the west
chain of Zagros, just ten minutes' walk of a horse, S. 20 £•
of Banna*
Our tents were a little way up the hill of Ardbaba, the
peaked summit of which is just over us S. 20 W.
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332 DEPARTURE FROM BANNA. [aPP. IVi
The following directions were pointed oat to me from our
Camp: —
Sakiz N. £• ; distant six farsakhs.
Saook Bonlak N. 10 E. ; thirteen farsakhs.
Serdesht N. 25 W. ; six farsakhs.
DEPARTURE FROM BANNA.
September 10.— We left Banna- at 12^ 30~, p.m. ; road
N. 45 W., through the plain. At 1^ entered a narrow
valley. At V' 45", N. 80 W., still in the valley. At 1^ 45",
W. ; ascended a little ridge out of the road ; reached the
village of Swearwea at 2^ ; S. 68 W. of us is a high cu-
riously-shaped mountain.
September 11. — At 7^ 30™, a.m. left Swearwea; and
returning to our yesterday's road, which we reached in ten
minutes, we proceeded in N. 75 W. through the valley. -
At 9**, where a vale opened into it, we struck off our
road in N. 15 W. to the village of Nweizhgeh, situated on
the hill that bounds the vale on the W., which we reached
at 9** 30™ ; our road to-day mostly level
Bearings at Nweizgheh : —
Ardbaba, pointed summit^ S. 49^ E.
Place where our camp was, at Bantia, S. 53 E.
Another pointed mountain, S. 70 E.
September 12. — We marched at 7^ 25"^, a.m., and pro-
ceeded S. 15 W. to the road we had quitted yesterday^
which we reached at &". We then went S. 50 W., and
soon began to ascend . A 1 8** 40"*, halted for twenty minutes.'
At 9^ 40°^, halted again on the summit. The mountain we
are crossing is called Bloo, and runs nearly N. and S. ^
At 10^ 30°", after a short halt, we mounted again ; and
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4PP. IV.] HAZAR KANIAN. 333
in a few minutes came to the top of the monntainj from
whence we descend into the Bebbeh territory *.
Our descent occupied above two hours^ with very little
interruption : it was very steep. At 12^ 30™ we arrived at
the bottom^ at the Berrozeh, or Banna water. It separates
Persia from Turkey. It runs N. a little W.> andialls into
the Altoon Soo, above the Karatcholan waterf. We did not
quit the river much, hut kept it on our right. At 1^ 45"
arrived at the village of Merwa, in the district of Aalan.
Themountains here run about N. E. and S. W. Beyond
a cleft called Bree they increase in height ; and under this
height lies Beytoosh, in N. 35 W.
September 13. — Set off at T^, a.m., and immediately com-
menced ascending the hill« towards the sununit called
Gimmo*
At &" 16°» reached the village of Deira. Halted.
Mounted again at 9^ 10°^. We continued ascending, but
gently ; and at 9^,45°^ reached the highest part, which forms
an Alpine summit. The spot is called Hazar Kanian or
Ijie one thousand springs. Innumerable springs start from
the ground ; those on one side run down to the N. towards
the Berozeh water, while a little farther on they escape
down to the S.^ and join the Siwel water. We are now in
the district of Siwel> which began on our leaving the village
of Deira.
We had attained the highest part of our ascent ; but still
at a considerable height above us was Gimmo^ and its fellow
summit. We continued along under them. No road could
have been better chosen to give me a notion of the chains
and connexions of mountains. Parallel with us was the
Soorkeo range, which, as I suspected^ forms the Kizzeljee,
* That is to say, out of Persian into Turkish Koordistan.
t The Karatcholan water joins the Altoon Soo near Shinek.
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334 SHEfitltBAZAR. [aPP< tV«
or Tariler mountain. It sends forth a branchy ^hieh sweeps
round from the 8erseer mount| and then joins or forms
that on which we now are. Our road due S. all day.
Behind, or S. of this, is the Kurreh Kazhav mountain^
running about S. E. towards the Tariler. The country be-
tween broken hills, ascending to either range respectively;
At 10*^ 25°^ we halted ; the southernmost of the two summits
was just over us. Gimmo just before Hazar KatilaiL
Detained till IP 30*°. At P we began descending, where
the line of hills diminished before meeting Serseer ; and at
2^ arrived at the village of Kenaroo, in the district of Siwel.
Serseer^ due S. of us, distant about a mile. Our road
to-day was along the back, or ridge> of the Siwel mountain.
September 14.— At &^ 30», a.m. we mounted ; road due
S., down a glen to the foot of Serseer. At &^ 45" turned
out of the glen to cross the continuation of our chain of
yesterday, where it joins Serseer in S. 30 W. At 7**,
desceoded to the Siwel river, which runs by the foot of
Serseer, then turns N. a little W.^ and joins the Karatoholan
river at Mawrutt; after which they both run to the Altoon
Soo.
We continued in the same direction until 8**, when we
descended S. 10 W., into the plain of Shehribazar. We
now recognised our old friend Goodroon, and the Giozeh
hills bare and regular, extending like a rampart, as far as
the eye could reach. On the N. W., high^ rocky, and bare
mountains, apparently connected with Goodroon^ and run-
ning towards Serdesht.
At 8*^ 40™ we descended into a deep valley formed by the
Karatcholan river/ where the town of Karatcholan, the old
capital of Koordistan^ was situated. We alighted at Suli-
manava^ a garden-bouse just outside the town.
N.B. The Siwel water is formed by the Kizzeljee and
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APP* IV. 3 MOUNT A2MIR. 835
Bee^ian streams. It funs by the north side of Serieer, The
Karatcholan river is the same as the Tenguzee, which it
joins in the direction of Doladreizh, and runs through the
Kurree Kazhav mountains. Just opposite the site of th^
old city, it receives the Tchungura^ which comes from
Surotchik.
Bearings from Sulimanava, near Karatcholan : —
Karatcholan, S. 70 E.» half a mile.
The top of Azmir road, S. 30 W.
Serseer (the centre), N. 65 E.
Goodroon, N. 75 W.
Koorka, a high round mountain, in the distance N, 43 E«
Koorkoor, N, 30 E. These are both connected with
Azmir, and form the line we saw from Merweh. On this
side is Ghellala and Shinek ; on the other Merga. Azmir
runs to Khoshnav. Gavian is about N. 80 W.
The province of Shehrizoor winds round easterly.
Giozeb, or Azmir, touches Avroman, and then is said to
run through Zehav to the Tank.
The Kurree Kazhav begins at Giozeh, and slants south-
east up to the Tariler.
September 15.— We mounted at ff* 10", a.m. Our road,
after leaving the vajley, or hollow bed of the Karatcholan
Tiver, ascended gently the whole way. At 7** SO"* we reached
the foot of Azmir, and in ten minutes began to ascend the
steepest part, by a road which zigzagged up the face of the
hill. At 8^ we reached the summit; our direction has
hitherto been S. 35 W. We now went S. for five minutes,
on a level along the top of the hill ; and at 8^ 3" began to
descend, still S. At 8** 30» we reached the bottom of the
principal descent, and proceeded still S., and descending
gently through a narrow valley formed by the mountain.
The level descends from the foot of the principal descent to
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386 SULIMANIA TO [aPP. IV.
Salimaiiia^ in about the same degree, as it rises from the
Karatcholan to the foot of the principal ascent
At 8** 50™, S. 45 W., through an opening in the moun-
tain, into the plain of Sulimania, in which we arrived at 9^.
Hence Sulimania bore S. 20 W. At 10^ we reached our
tents at the Tcharbagh, or Pasha's garden, at Sulimania.
I have thus finished a journey productive of much advan-
tage. I have inspected a most curious and interesting part
of Koordistan, scarcely any point of which is known ; and
the routes I pursued, which often depended on mere acci-
dent, always turned out to be the best for giving me a
general idea of the country, and the very ones I. should have
chosen to survey it, had I previously known enough to form
a general plan of proceeding.
Jtmmal of Bearings and Distances, 8fc. from Sulimania to
Nineveh and Mousuly through Arbela. *
October 2i. — Left the Tcharbaugh at Sulimania at ©^45™,
A.M. Course N. 80 W. At 7^ 30^ N. 60 W. At 7^45°^
at the Tanjeroo, about a mile and a half below Sertchinar ;
it runs S. At 7*^ 50^ N. 80 W. At &" 30^ N. 60 W.
At S^ 35°^, village of Barun-mirdeh : thence, S. 70 W., to
the village of Kelespee, watered by a little stream going S.,
a little E., to the Tangeroo or Sertchinar river. Goodroon
just opposite. The W. range of hills about two miles and
a half off. They grow higher as they proceed southwards.
Farther on, behind Goodroon, appears Koorkoor. Halted
for the day. .
Bearings, from our station^ with the surveying-com-
pass: —
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ATP. IV.] NINEVEH AND MOUSUL. 337
Lower part of the Giozeh road^ and Salimania^ S. 81 E.
Summit of Giozeh, S. 62<' 3(y E.
The garden of the Tcharbagh, S. 80 E.
East extremity of the Avroman mouDtains. That part
seen fr(Mn Zeribar ; which bore the same appearance
hence^ only it was brought in one with Zagros»
S.62JE,
Hallebjee, about S. 46 £.% Not sure— direction pointed
Khulambar, & 50 E. ] out.
The plain runs about S. E., winding. ,
Azmir, the summit, about N. 75 £.
A sharp point of Goodroon, N. 3 E.
Summit of ditto, N« 4 E.
Kerwanan, N. 20 W.
The place where to-morrow's road crosses the moun-
tains, N* 65 Vl^,
October 22.— Mounted at &" 20«, a.m. Course N. 70 W..
on account of a morass. At 6^ 40°*, N. 80 W, There is a
road to Keuy Sanjiak which passes by Kerwanan, and
keeps through Soordash, along Goodroon ; distant fourteen
hoars. At 7^ 10°^ came to Taslujee Mount, The ascent
very gentle: the descent something greater; the vale of
Baziaii, into which we had now come, being lower than
that of Sulimania. We arrived at the bottom at 8^, but
continued N. 80 W. till 8»» 10°^.
At &" 10^ N. 20 W., keeping the hills close on our
right At 9^, N. 60 W., across the vale to the line of hills
which divide it. At 9^ 40"* reached the line of hills, and
kept it on our left. Course N. 40 W.
At Iff* 25™ turned S. 80 W. to the village of Derghezeen.
The division hills also turned nearly in the same direction,
and soon gradually finished. We arrived at Derghezeen at
10^ 50°^9 and occupied our old ground.
Vol. II. Z
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338 SOLIMANIA TO [AI^P. IV,
Bearings with the surveying-compasB i—
The flat or perpendicular crest set from Sulitnania,
whence it bore 65® 56', and put down as Avdalan.
N.B. Avdalan is a village, the other of Sulimania
side of it. N. 32 E., to N. 22 E.
Goodroon, under the summit, N. 57 E.
Karadagh, highest summit, S. 39 E. Distance ten hours.
Seghirmeh, S. 34 E.
Derbend i Basirra, S 35 E. Distance five hours.
Keuy Sanjiak was in about N. 35 W.
Bitvvein, N. 20 W.
One road to Keuy Sanjiak goes through Derbend i
Bazian. Distance said to be little more than to Kerkook,
or about fourteen hours.
Another road leads up the valley of Sulimania, by Ker-
wanan, along Goodroon, through Soordash^ and out at
Derbend, N. of the Derbend i Bazian, and called Der-
bend i Khalti-ban.
N.B. Both the Derbend and Taslujee hilh join and ter-*
mtnate at Khalkhalan.
October 23— Mounted at 6^ 30^ a.m., N. 20 W., wp
the valley formed by a small line of hills just behind D^rghe-
aeen, and another similar one opposite, also coming N. W.
from Derbend, and running to Bazian* At 6^ 40%
N. SOW. At6^50», S. 70W. At 7»» 20°» passed through
Derbend.
From the pass of Derbend we continued S. 70 W. Be-
fore us rose tiie little furrowed line of hills of Ghesbee Khan^
and Kara Hassan, running N. W. and S. E. On our right
hand the level of the country sunk at once, as if it had
fallen in, to the depth of more than one hundred feet.
At 7*^ 35°^ We descended into this bottom, in N. 25 W.,
and kept in it the remainder of the way. At 7** 50",
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AW. IV.] NINEt«H AND MOUSUL. 339
N. 40 W. At &" 20«, the vilkge of Sheikh Weisi. Here
we found we had come a little out of ouk* way, and we
tami^ to S. 45 W. At 8^ 45" reached the true road,
N. 75 W,
. At ten, N. 45 W. At half-past ten the village of Qhoza-
Ian. At eleven, S. 45 W. The level begins to rise again.
Road broken and hilly. At IP 40», S. At 12*^ 10"» thrived
at the Village of Ghulamkowa^ in the district of Shuan.
Time of the mdrch five hours and forty minutes.
The Karadagh runs up to Derbend i Bazian, and thence^
after running a little way straight^ like a wall, it turns a
little W.) and forms the hill of Tchermala, which we left
behind us. Thence it turns more W. and Forms that of
Khalkhalan, on our right The road to Keuy Sanjiak is
over Khalkhalan. The Karadagh diminishes in height all
the way from the Seghirmeh, which is very high, and towers
above all the other mountains, in the distance. Tchermala
and Khalkhalan are inconsiderable.
Bearings, with the surveying-compass, from the height
above the village of Ghulumkova : —
Derbend, centre of the pass, due E.
Summit of Goodroon^ N. 76^ E.
Karadagh, the saddle back, S. 50 E.
Dilleo mountain, 6. 40 E.
Ibrahim Khanjee, S. 35 E.
Khalkhalan, the centre, N, 7 W.
The Kerkook hills appear hence like a fiat plateau,
descending by a step, broken and furrowed, into the tract of
country between them and Derbend.
October 24.— Mounted at 6^ 15"»j a.m. Course N. 70 W.
Ascended out of the narrow ravine in which Ghulumkova is
sitiiated. The whole country cut into deep abrupt ravines.
We passed two very deep and difiicult ones ; the ascents
Z2
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340 SULIMANIA TO [APP. IV.
more considerable than the descents ; and, still rising, we
reached the village of Ghuilkowa^ in the district of Shuan.
From Ghuilkowa our road S. 70 W., winding along the tops
of this furrowed and hillocky country, which resembles^ and
is indeed a continuation of, Kara Hassan. At 7^ 30™
a road branched off a little S. of ours to Kerkook. Our
road still S. 70 W. At 8^ IS*" halted ; Keuy Sanjiak hence
due N. At 8^40°* mounted again; road N. SOW. At
9^ 50™ arrived at the village of Kafar, in the territory of
Kerkook. Here we quitted Koordistan. Time of the march,
three hours and thirty-five minutes.
In the afternoon, from a mount behind the village> got
the following bearings with the surveying-compass : —
The rock Avdalan — I could not make it out clearly ; it
was only pointed out to me — N. 85 E,
Kandeel, a part of Zagros, N. 25 E. Keuy Sanjiak in a
line with it.
Goodroon, N. 85 E.
Derbend, S. 85 E.
Khalkhalan, centre of, N. 40 E.
North limb, at setting, S. 83 W. True amplitude^
14° 40'. Observations ditto, 7° 16'. Variation,
r 24' w.
To the S. of the Kybeer hills was quite a level surface,
though furrowed and broken towards us. On the W. were
two long, low lines of hills ; those nearest to us were the
Kybeer; those next to them, the Kashka Dagh, or Ham-
reen hills. Kybeer continued in N. W. Behind was Ka-
ratchuk. Hence to Khalkhalan an open horizon.
The waters here run to the Kerkook river, or the
Khasseh.
October 25. — Mounted at 6\ a.m.; road N. 30 W.,
descending into a valley watered by a stream. The valley
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APP. IV.] NINEVEH AND MOUSUL. 341
gradually widened out into the plain of Gieuk Dereh. At
& 30", N. 60 W. ; still in the valley. At 1^ 20»», village
of Omar Bey Keuy. At ©"entered the fine wide plain;
road N. 60 W. The Kybeer hills, stretching from our left
up before us ; the plain extending to the foot. On our
right a continuation of the broken hilly country we have
just left, stretching N. W., as does also the Kybeer. The
latter winds or bends a little.
At 10^ 30«» N. 35 W. Gieuk Tepeh, a village, and arti-
ficial mount on our left, due W., less than a mile from the
road.
At 10»" 40"», N. 55 W. At IV' 15°^ another mount, close
on our road. At 12** 30"* arrived at Altoon Kiupri. We
descended to the river over immense beds of pebbles. We
passed over the high sharp bridge, then through the town,
over the other bridge, and encamped on the flat open space
to the N. W. or right quarter.
Time of march six hours thirty minutes.
October 26. — ^Marched at 6**, a.m., N, 35 W., through the
area left between the river and the broken hills, or higher
country, which begins above Altoon Kiupri. At 6^ 20™
the road to Shemamik broke off on our left ; our road N.
At &^ 30" came to the termination of the area. At first
detached sand-hills, then the level of the country rising ; on
our left furrowed, sloping up to Kybeer. On our right, at
a greater distance, a continuation of the broken hilly country
we had left, here called Hallejo Bistana, a province of Keuy
Sanjiak. Behind this again the prolongation of the Azmir
mountain ; higher mountains peeping behind. The village
of Makhsuma on our left, and close by us a little river,
running into the Altoon Soo ; thence N. 15 W. At 1^ 30",
N. At 9>>, N. 15 W. At 9»» 30% N. At Iff^, N. 10 W.
At 10*^ 45", the camp of Paris Aga, the chief of the Dizzei
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342 suLiHANiA TO Lapp. i^.
Koords. At 11^ dGF, halt At 12>^ 30», mounted ^n,
road N. At 1^ 40^ came in sight of Arhela^ bearing
N. 10 E. At 8^ 40°", arrived at Arbeli^ and encamped ^t
Hajee Cossim Aga's kareez^ or water-course^ S. 60 W. of
^he town.
Time of the march, nine hours forty minutes.
' !Karadagh here appears to divide itself into two hiU^> but
in the same line. The centre of one bears S. 20 W., the
other, S. 50 W.
The Christian village of Ankowa^ due N. two miles.
Shemamik, an old castle, which gives name to a district
«mder ArbiL lying along the Tigris, S. 80 W.> distant six
or seven hours.
Kushaf) where the Zah falls into the Tigris, is twenty
hours off.
The plain« in some places^ gently undulating^ but no ele*
vations or depressions worth mentioning.
Mount Makloobe appears alone in the distapce^ bearing
N. 46 W.
October 29.— Marched at 5^* 45^ a.m., N. BOW. At
^ 40"* the village of Reshki on the left hand of the road.
The country a little more undulating than that to the S.
of Arbil. The mountains retire and form a bay eastward.
They then advance again about the Zab to the westward*
I can now distinguish several chains of mountains.
From Reshki we marched N. 20 W. At 7^ N, 60 W.
At r^ 20"^, village of Jalghamata, N. 20 W. At 7* 40«*,
N,60W. At 7^ 50^, N. 30. W. At8^, N. 65W.
Weather cloudy, so I cov^ld not set the minaret ^1 Arbil
as I had hoped.
At &" 45^, Girdasheer, a little fort, N. 60 W. This is
called half way to the Zak At 9^ XOr, Little Qirdashe^r
on the right of the road. Course N. 70 W. At 9* 25ri
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AFP. IV.] NINEVEH AND MQUSUL. 843
S. 70 W* At 10^ 30", W, Our level seemed now to
^acend« Tfae Z»b oa our right. The village of Elbesheer
on it. At 11^ Sr, the village of Kellek, on the high
pebbly banks of the Zab. The opposite bank retires, below
it advances^ and this bank retires, leaving a plain of from
one to one and a half miles in extent, in which the Zab
divides itself into two or three streams. We descended into
this plain in & 40 W., and passing two branches not above
^ few inches deep> at 11^ 40"^ arrived at the main streao^
under the right bank. Crossed on a raft. On the cliff is
the Yezid village of Eski Kellek, where we halted for the
Bight
The mouth of the Zab is at Kushaf^ five hours off.
The junction of the Ghazir, or Bumadus, with the 2ab,
three hours off.
Bearings with surveying^compass.
A mount on the high bank of the Zab this side, called
Zeilan *. The junction of the Bumadus is in this line, be-i
yond the mount, in S. 33 W.
Kushaf and the mouth of the Zab, S. 30 W.
£lbesheer> N. 56 E.lone hour.
Hinjiroke, N. 60 E.jBoth on this bank.
The frontier of Amadia is just above Elbesheer.
New Kellek, N. 63 E. The other bank.
A poiaked summit of ^ mojuntain, said to be near JuIih
merk, where the Zab rises, N. 42 E.
The Bumadus^ or Gbaur, rises about three hours beyond
Akra, and joins the Zab three caravans, or two horseman's
hours below Old XeOek.
October 30.— Marched at &" 25"^, a.m. The country
rises by two steps to its proper level from the river. We
* Where there are rmns of a t^wn. «
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344 SULIMANIA TO [APP. IV.
maicfaed N. 60 W. for ten minutes, then having ascended to
the level of the conntry, N. 35 W. At 7^ due W. The
country between the rivers undubting, but not broken or
sbrnpt. At 1^ 50^ we came to the Bumadus or Ghazir
Soo* Like the Zab it has a high pebbly bank alternately
letiring, and leaving a plain between it and the ordinary bed
of the riven We still kept W. through this plain, with
the river on our right ; the village of Minkoobe was above
on its banks. At 8^ 10°^ we forded the river. The village
of Zara Khatoon at a little distance below the ford. The
W. bank is not so high as the E., and the country gradually
subsides into an immense plain, perfectly level as far as we
could see. From the river, N. 50 W.
At &" 30^ N. 68 W. We have brought Mont Karatchuk
in mie with Makloobe^ which it covers.
From the Bumadus we proceeded more rapidly than
before. We arrived at the Chaldean village of Kermelis at
9>»50».
The march from the Zab to the Bumadus is called two
hours and a half.
From the Bumadus to Kermelis, two hours and a half.
Behind the village, about half a mile N. 80 W. of our
tents, is a high mount. I ascended it to take some sights.
I succeeded but indtSerently, the evening was dusky and
squally, distant objects were imperfectly visible^ and the
needle not very steady. I could have tal^n angles with
the sextant had the atmosphere been clearer, and the sun
visible* However this is not of much consequence, as the
bearings cannot be much out for ordinary purposes; and
for a more particular survey, I propose visiting this spot
again, as it seems to be a good station.
From the mount, with the surveying-compass : —
Terjilla, a village on a height at the end of Karatchuk,
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APP. IV.] NINBVEH AMD MOUSUL. 345
or Little Makloobe^ on a rising ground^ vbich is a prokm*
gvtion of the mountain, one hour from Kermelis» N« 72 £•
Sheikh Emir, a village just below TeijiUa, N. 76 £*
Shah KooU, under little Makloobe, N. 68 E.
. Mar Daniel, a ruined church, on the centre and highest
part of Litde Makloobe, N. 36 K
Mar Mattei, half way'up the Greater M^kloobe, N. 15 B.
Highest part of Greater Makloobe^ set from Arbil|
N. 9 E. .
Bartella. N.20W.
Our road to Mousul, N. 75 W.
Village of Karakoosh, S. 42 W.
October 31. — Mounted at 6^ 15^ a.m.> rode over the plain
till 8^ when the country became again unequal. The plain
still continuing at a distance on our right. At 8^ 30™, still
higher ground; we lost the plain in every direction, and
descended to a ravine, called Shor Dereh. At 9^ 40" came
to the beginning of the ruins of Nineveh. Shortly after
came to a well ; halted for ten minutes ; then rode on«
passing through the area of Nineveh, under the village of
Nebbi Yunus, on our left hand. At 10^ 25" we arrived on
the banks of the Tigris ; ferried over to Naaman Pasha's
garden, S. of the town of Mousul.
Stage called four hours } we did it in four hours and fif-
tete minutes.
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946 SyUMAKIA TO [aPP. IVt
Rouieftvm 8%dimania to AHoon Kiupri calculated.
SyUHANIA TQ KIUISPBE.
Tm*.
CouM. :
Distance.
VUe«.
IMff.Ui
Dep.
h. m.
MUes.
4$
N, 86 W.
2
• •
+0-1
20
Q n
N. 66 W.
1
Tangeroo
+0'4
0-9
45
N. 86W.
2
• •
+0-1
20
10
N. 66 W.
0-5
Barunmirdeh
+0-2
0-4
45
S. 16 W.
2-5
Killespeh
-0-6
2-4
2 40
+0'8
-6
Diflf. l«t, + 2
-
?i. atW. Diff.lat.0-2, Dep. 1.
■KlUJtSniS Ta IHERGHB^BEN.
,.
ae
N.26W.
1
• •
+0-9
0*4
a^
N.aew.
IS
• •
+0*1
1-5
50
N.86W.
2
«.«
+0'1
1-5
10.
0-5
50
N. 26 W.
3
• •
+ 1'3
2-7
0. 40.
.$J.66W.
2
• •
-1-0 -8
1-8
40
N. 46 W.
2
• •
+ 1-4
1-4
25
S. 74 W.
2
• •
—0-6
1-9
4 25
+3'6
—0-6
11-2
+ 3*0
N. WW. DiflF.lat.+ 2*1 Dep. 9'1 9 miles.
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APPriy.J
ALTOON KIUPSI.
847
nBBOBBSKKN TO GULUMKOWA.
Time.
Course. Dist^ncei
FUee.
Dlff. Lat
D.Ik
h. m.
Miles.
10
N. 26 W.
05
Up the valley to Derbent •^0*4
0-3
10
N. 86 W,
0-5
1 •
+0-0
o;5.
30
S. 64 W,
1-5
Derbent
-0-6
1*3
ft 15
S. 64W.
1
To the sunken country
—0-4
0-9
» 15
N.31 W.
0-5
To the bottom
+0-4
0-3
ft 30
N.46W.
1-5
Sheikh Woisi
+ 1-0
10
ft 25
S. 39 W.
I'S
• •
— I'a
0-4
I 15
N, 81 W.
3-5
• •
+0-5
3S
30
N. 51 W.
2
Gezalam
+ 1-3
1'6
e 30
• •
1-5
• •
+0-9
1-2
40
S. 39 W.
l«5
Level begins to rise
— 1*2
0-9
30
S. 6E.
a
• •
—2-0
0*3
1-6
• •
— 1-5
0-1
5 40
+4'5
6-9
11'7
3
Diff. lat.
2-4
11-4
Dergbezeen to Derbent, ^
[. 85W. 0-2 2-0 2 miles.
Derbent to Gulumkowa, S. 84 E. T 8 16-9 17 miles.
GULUMKOWA TO CAFFAR.
•
45
N. 76 W.
2
Giulkowa
+0-5
1-9
30
S. 64 W. ,,
1-5
A road to Kerkook
—0-6
13
45
S.64W.
2
• •
—0-9
1-8
1*10
N. 86 W.
3-5
• •
+0-2
3-5
3 10
9
N. 85 W.
—1-5
+0-8
—0-7
8-5
Derbent, N. 88 E. S. 86 E. 8 miles.
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348 SULIMANIA TO ALTOON KIUPRT. [apP* IV.
CAFFAR TO ALTOON KlUPRI.
Time. Course. Distance. Place. Diff. Lat. 0ep.
h* m. Miles.
30 N. 37 W. 1 To the valley +0^4 0*3
50 N.67W. 2.5{I-tg;SrBef}+l-0 3-2
40 — 2*5 The plain +1*0 2*3
2 30 — 7 GieukTepeh +2'1 6-4
10 N.42W. 0-5 .. +0-3 0*3
35 N.62W. 1*5 ATepeh +0'7 1*3
15 N.62W. 3*0 .. +1*4 2*6
6 30 18 +7*5 15-5
N.64W. n miles.
Latitude of CaflFar by observation 35® 39^ 00"
+ . 7'30''
Latitude of Altoon Kiupri 35** 46' 30"
By obwrvation . , 35° 46' 1"
Error . 29"
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APP. IT.]
349
JFVofii Mousul to Bagdad, by the Tigris.
Saiurday, March 3.-.Binl»rked oa b. keUek or raft, at tbe PtoWi gardea,
at 10 A.M.
Left Bank. Course. Right Bank.
Left at 10.
Yaremjee. 10»»40«
Minaret, N. 27 W.
Yaremjee, N.45 K.,half
a mile.
ShemaeddinTepeli, like
a gmaller Yaremjee.
500 yards below it the
village of Shemseddin,
and close to it Kiz Fak-
heia.
The Shot Dereh of Lek-
ler joins the liver just N.
oftheTepeh.
Kis Fakera, N.
10 45
10 53 At the hills; an
elbow of the river,
which now runs
S. 20 W.
Islands*
11 10 Minaret, N. 20
W.
S.35K
11 35 Minaret, N.20W.
12 Minavet,N,20W.
S. 70 E.
Kam Koyunli, a Turko-
man village. The coun-
try hilly l^hind, or rather
uneven.
12 15
12 30
War. War of Ka-
ra Koyunli, large
stones, now under
water; it crosses
the river diago-
nally, then re-
turns to the hills
inS.40W.
Mar EUa, N. 45 W.
HUls.
Abddurrahman Bey's
kiosk on the difik.
A village of the Alba-
juaree Arabs on the samii
diffi.
Umiikseer, another vil-
lage of the Joarees. Soon
after these cliffi seem to
terminate, and another
range beg^s; a valley be-
tween them; the village
not near us.
Albu Juaree, N. 70 W.
12 45 S. 15E.
Kibritli. Sulphur springs
on the bank in the second
range, after which that
range slopes down and
gradually terminates, and
another begins.
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350
MOUSUL Td BAGDAD,
[app. it.
Left Bank.
little lulls.
A vilUgie behind the
tittle hills, called hj the
Arabs HaT Asian, and by
the Turkomans Tagtchee
Kbaiaba, behind a hind
of natural moont called
Yagtchee Tepeh. Turko-
mans, close bj a ravine of
sulphureous water.
Nimrod's mount before
us; a mount of a pyra^
midal appearance.
Hameira, a
Hills.
village.
HUly.
Selamia, or Selami, just
on the declivity of the
hills, which then quit the
river and run S^easterly
towards Karakosh, keep-
ing on the W. of it. There
was a large city here
once. After Seliuni ihe
country rather more open
and level.
Course,
lfclO^S.10W.
I 25 a 70 E.
1 45 S. 43 S.
Islands and shal-
lows.
2 10 S. 45 W.
« 25 ». 20W.
2 30 S. 20 t.
2 35 Doe &.
2 45
S. 45 E.
A new teal>h of
the river.
3 10 New Reach.
3 15
TelSebid,N.55W
This reach of the
river, which is
S. 60 E., has been
recently produced,
or rather aug-
mented, by the ri-
ver, directing its
principal current
this way. It has
cut down the hills
on its £. bank.
We now heard the
roaring of the Aa-
wazeh.
3 35 S. 70 W.
Right Bank.
Tel Aartig, on the right
bank, but fiu off, a monnt
and village under the
hilb.
Hills teiminating to la-
ther receding.
Tel Zebid, <
AIL Country rather open.
Nimrod's Tepeh, having a
pyramidal appearance, S.
20. £.
HUls.
Another line of hills,
coming from the N. W.
and joiuing the river just
below theZikr ulAawazeh.
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A*. tvO
BV ttLH f lORIS.
351
Jehaina, a large village.
Left BafA. Course.
Jireff; a small village. Btouffht to at 4*^, 200
yardi aDove the Eikr ul
Aawazeh Reach, 8. 70 W.
Both sides of the river highly cultivated all the way from Mousul wherever it
was possible, and villages cousUiatly in sight. I only note the principal ones.
March 4,
Sent the kelleks round the next reach, and set bff on foot the first thing
this morning to inspect the ruins of Ninurod, which I take to be Larissa.
We had a walk of 4y, in N. 45 E., to the pyramidal tnound. Traces of ruins,
like those of a city, to be seen to the N. a little way, and to a g^at distance E«
I ascended the mount, from whence I had the folioiring sights with the sur«
veying compass : —
Mar Daniel, N. 27 E.
Tel Sebid, N; 32 W.
The high mount of Keshaf, IS. 1 1 W.> three horse
man's hours.
N.B. A catch of tlie Eab visible ttnd^r Keshaf.
Seekh, a mount, two olr three miles o#, S. 56 £.
Tel ']\diimm8,orTnifle mount, S. 25 B., five miles.
Tel Gundis, 9. 30 E., three or four miles.
The bearing of the course of the Tigrih, S.
Easternmost promontory of Karatchuk, S. 34 E.
Summit of Makloobe, N. 18 £.
Mar Mattel, N. 20 E.
The Dakhma, or Hallab, seen by tis from the
Pasha*s garden at Mousul, N. 37 W.
Kurdek, Sk 77 E., 3^ horseman's hours.
Karakoosh, N. 44 E.. 3 hours, just oi'**- and hidden
by the Selami hills, which run off S. E.
Kidder Elias, or Mar Jirjees, a famous monas-
tery of the Jacobites, due E., 2J hours.
Tel Agoob, the smoke visible, N. 65 A., 2^ hours.
Omerakan, N. 30 E., 2^ hours.
Selami, N. 11 W.,lhour.
We returned to where the kelleks awaited us, in S. 55 W», thirty-five more
minutes moderate walking* We found them in a long reach, N. and S., about
half in it.
At ]2»» 15" got under way.
Left Bank.
Course^
liight Bank. '
Open.
12bI5'»S.
1 85
River leaves the
hills, and runs
S. 80 W.
Hills. Another railgt
seems shortly ta saee«e^ti
these.
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332
Left Bank.
Open,
Open.
{I'iiii
PSrst month of the Zab.
There are two, separated
bv a pebbly island. The
clear blue waters of the
Zab boa up aud repulse
«be muddy stream of the
^^*r. ^^^^^f H mile
up the S..baiikof theZab.
MOUSUL TO BAGDAD,
Course,
1»» 30« Sikr, or Zikr Is-
nuwL Another dyke or ar-
tificial impediment We
crossed it near its W.end,
withoutdifHculty,butwith
some dancing of the kel-
lek* The water boiled
considerably. It is either
not so high, or has been
more mined than the Awa-
zeh.
[APP, IV.
Right Bank.
2hTied up at the village
of Shemoota, on the left
bank, on account of the
rtrong southerly squalls.
! Keshaf m sight, looking
as considerable as the
mount of Arbela. A little
m from Shemoota, a mount
called Tel Sitteihh.
4" 12« Left Shemoota,
4 20 W. to Jibel Jaif.
4 30
HUls.
4 40 S. 45 W., broad
Hills*
JibelJaif.
Tel Sitteihh, N. 15 E.,
several other mounts in
sight.
4 45
and with islands.
Then S. _
cliflfs of JibelJaif
close on the river,
which is here nar-
rower. Nimrod, N.
Island in theTigris.
5 9 S. 30 £.
5 13 Both branches join.
5 25 Tied up just below
the second mouth
of the Zab, on the
pebbly bank.
Keshaf, U mile
N*45£.ofu8.
J^T^'^"'^'^
Sulphur springs in the
cliffs, which are of layers
of sandstone, and ruinous.
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APP. IV.]
BY THE TIGRIS.
353
March 5,
At KM* 30*" AM. 1 got an observation for the time, and at noon wm fortunafe
enough to get a great many circum-meridian altitude! . Just at that time some
■moke ascended from Kyara, which enabled me to set it in S. 15 W.| said to b«
five hours by the river. Eski Keshaf^ S. 30 W.
At 12^ 15"* P.M. we got under way*
Left Bank.
^ High ; a bed of concre-
tion, near 15 feet thick,
resting on a basis of sand-
stone, in some places just
visible above the water.
The ground above une-
qual
Sski Keshaf, a ruined
village.
A mount*
Tel Sheir, close on the
left bank.
Sultan Abdullah, on a
mount.
Remains of the village
of Deraweish.
Unequal ground.
Hekook, a mount, with
some mounds about it, like
Nimrod, but of less di-
mensions.
Vol. II.
12M5*
Course.
"S.30W.
Island. Our pas-
sage by the left
bank.
12 35
12 30 £.
12 55 S. 45 W.
1
1 5
1 10
1 15
1 30
Karatchuk in all
its length, from
S.85£.toS.45£.
S. 20 W.
S. 10 W., end of
the island.
S. 45 £.
Sultan Abdullah,
S.25 E.
1 43 S. 45 W.
2 E^
2 15 S. low.
2 20 S. 40 W.
River broad.
2 52 N. 80 W.
3 10 S.
3 23 S. 40 W.
River here seems once
to have run more easterly.
Hi^h and dry banks now
taking that curection.
Right Bank
Hills terminate gradu«
ally at their point Mur-
shek, the burial place of
the ancestor of the Albu
Selman Arabs, marked by
a rude monument.
Open.
Tullool Nasir, low
mounds, as of ruins. Jeh-
beish Arabs.
Line of hills, cut down
by the w- afterwards
more open.
2A
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654
MOUSUI. TO BAGDAD,
[APPi IV.
Left Bank.
OpeD,verdaQt| aud level
Course.
The Minshar rapidj
or breakers*
Right Bank.
Open> verdaot, and l«vel.
3h30m 8.
3 4§ Stop for the night
on the right bank,
near Kyara.
Bearings from the Station,
SuUaQ Abdullah, N. 57 £.
Mekook, N. 80 R.
Kyb€erhiU8,.8.68£.
Karatchuk, S. 84 £. to N. 65 E.
Kyara ; naphtha springs in the desert, fl. 43 W.) dis-
tant 3 miles.
The reach of the river, N. 35 E., S. 35 W.
Umursek, opposite the mouth of the Zab, N. 56 W.
On the right bank, a 0ne open verdant country. In the horixon hills, pro*
liably the Hamreen, some broken lines of hills nearer. One very straight fine,
-beginniug N. 22 W. of us, distant about 3 miles, and running up in N. 35 £.,
farther than I could see. A little building on hills, coming frum the N. W. to
S. E., bearing S. 62 W., five or six miles distant.
Left bank, something like the eounti'v above Mousul, not quite so much fiir-
rowed, except towards the water. The nigh country, or now dry bank, sweeping
more £. than the present channel of the river from the top of the reach, and
returning to it at the end about half a mile lower down than our station. Sur-
face of the country pretty level and open.
Qot under way at 5h 25^, a.m.
3farck §.
I did not begin ^o observe until 8** 22«'.
Right Bank.
Left Bank.
1
Course.
J
Tel Jeloos, a mount just
behind us.
8^22
Broad ; many chan-
nels. Open country
all around ; the left
bank the flattest.
Some brushwood ;
all around beauti-
fully verdant.
Tai Arabs;
8 30
S. 45 E.
Large encampment
of
8 45
8.
Arabs.
8 55
9 15
9 25
S.30W.
Kyara, N. 10 E.
8. 40 W.
8. 20 W.
LiuQ of the Ham-
reeo hilla in front
of us.
Die
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APP. IV.]
Left Bank.
Tulool Agger. Three
mounts,
Arab encampments.
A little jungle.
Tai Arabs.
Level and open, and as
green as an emerald.
A line of low hills, run-
ning a little S. of £.
BY THE TIGRIS.
Course.
9^40"S.60W.
9 46 S.
9 55 £., Great confu-
sion of islands and
passages.
S.20W.
35fi
10 10
10 16
Stop on the
banK.
left
11 10 Got under way,
S. 20 W.
11 25 S.
11 36 S.40E.
11 45 &
11 55 S.20E.
12 5 S.20W.
A boiling current
and whirlpools, cal-
led Kharbata, for-
med bylarge stones
beneath.
12 15 S. 20 E.
Vei^ rapid ; ruins
begin with the
mount, called To-
prak Kalaa.
12 35 End of ruins.
Bfany channels in
the river.
S.20E.
12 45 S. 55 W. down to
the Hainxeen hills.
i 4 Turn sharp, S. 45
E. along the Ham-
reen.
2 Leave the Ham-
reen ; course E.
2 30 Rounded into S.
40 E.
2 33 Nemla.
2 37 Ff^rraj, a rapid.
Rigkt Bank.
Some broken hills.
Toprak Kalaa, a mount
of earth, surrounded at
the foot by a ruined wall.
Here the territory of Mou-
sul ends on the W. side.
Hamreen hills; an eddy
formed here, called Kha-
nu^a, much dreaded when
the river is high, and the
current rapid.
2A2
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S56
MOUSUL TO BAGDAD,
[APP, IV.
Left Bank.
A long and low mounts
on it the tomb of an Al-
bodish Sheikh.
try.
Flat; green, open coun-
Course.
2h 4501 The Hamreen hills
again, but not very
close to their feet.
3
Course S.
S. 30 £.
3 9 S.40W.
3 20
Rounded up into E.
3 35 Treisha, a rapid,
a 70 E.
Right Bank*
3 54
Small hills. 4 26 S.
4 43 Tied up for the
night on the right
bank, just oppo-
site the mouth of
the little Zab«
Sights with the Surveying Compass,
Mouth of the Zab, S. 42 E.. the breadth of the
Tigris between us ; the W. bank of the Zab formed
by hills. These are the hills which have formed the
left bank of the Tigris for the last twenty minutes.
On the E. bank of the Zab the country is quite flat
and open.
Muk'hol, N. 62 W.
£1 Fath'ha, S. 22 E.
S. 75 W* of us, the Khauuza hills seem to ter^
minate.
March 7.
Muk'hol Kahia. Ham-
reen visible through an
opening in the hills, on
which it stands, which are
called the Muk'hol, or
Khanuza hills ; they run
in front of the Hamreen,
and are like them in every
respect, except that they
serpentine more,the Ham-
reen being pretty straight
in their course.
A curious bank, cut
down by the river.
Open country io the
Khanuza hills.
Left Bank.
Open.
Course,
5h 45m X, M., got under
Way, turned into
S. 45 W.
6 Kfelab, arapidand
whirlpool, dreaded
by the Kelleks. '
Right Bank.
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APP. IV.]
BY THE TIGRIS.
357
Left Bank,
Tel Hamlis, a small
mounts just opposite Jeb-
bar.
Left bank grows un-
even.
Strange unsightly sand-
stone hills and mounts.
Tel Dhahab just below
us.
The same curious heaps
continue.
Course,
6»»15»
7 Musahhaj.
S. 15 £.
7 40
8 25 Under the Ham-
reen. Stop on the
right bank near
one hour, below
Jabbar, at which
it was impossible
to bring tlie kel-
lek to.
10 20 Got under way
again.
S. 45 £.
10 30 S.
10 52 E.
11 N.60E.
11 15 Obliged to bring
to, on account of
the violence of the
wind. 1 av£uled
myself of the stop-
page to get an ob-
servation.
Fat'hha, S. 15 S.,
about two miles in
a straight line.
1 25 OBf again.
Right Bank^,
Terminafion of the
Khanusa hills on th« Ti-
gris ; interval between
them and the Hamreen
hills, filled with a confu-
sion of mounts and debris,
tossed up in the most fan*
ciful and unsightly man-
ner. These continue to
the front of the Hamreen
on the river.
Hamreen ; Musahhaj
before it.
Keep the Hamreen on
the right.
Jebbar Kalaasi, or Ka-
laat ul Jebbar, the Ty-
rant's castle. A ruin, a
little way up the Ham-
reen.
Very high earthy cliffs,
evidently debris from the
Hamreen, which are
about one mile from the
water.
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3S8 MOUfiUL TO BAGDAD, [a^P. IV.
teft Bank. Course. Right Bank.
Tel Dhahab.
An Arab tomb
hilL
In the pass on the left,
among debris of the
Hamreen hUls, naphtha
and nitre springs.
Some low hills. Ham-
reen running down on our
left.
Leg- leg. Concretion
hills, and strong currents
it'se^s. low.
2 2 Fat'hha,S. 25E.;
but the river
makes one or two
short turns before
the passage.
2 15 Breij; a rock and
bad rapid, at a
turn in the river,
close to the left
bank.
2 31 El| Fat'hha, the
pass through the
Hamreen ; the
river runs through
in S. 30 E., and is
about 150 yards
wide.
3 A place where the
river forms many
islands.
S.10W. .
3 32 S. 50 W. ; river
broad. Many is-
lands.
4 11 S.
4 30 S.30E.
We have had
good going from
the pass ; all day
before extremely
bad, on account of
the high and con-
trary wind, which
has now abated.
5 15 S. .
5 55 Brought to for the
night, at an is-
land. Hamreen
visible to a great
extent.
El Fafhha bear-
ing N. 5 K.
Country pretty open,
but not very low or allu-
vial-like.
Albu Mahommed Arabs.
Khan Ehemina, S. 60
W.J two very consider-
able tepehs or mounts,
and close under them
large ruins : a very curious
place.
Just south begins a low
range of hills, or rather
elevated strip of countiy^
with a flat surface, called
Jebel Khemiua. It runs
to Tekreet
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AFP. IV.]
BY THE TiOlliS..
359
Left BatUi
Some water-wheels and
cultivation on the islands
and left bank, belonging
to the Jowari Arabs.
Water-wheels belong-
ing to the Albvi Mahom-
med Arabs.
7 45
Coune.
March 8.
Got under way at
•>45»highS. E. wind.
7 30 when I began to
observe, Fat'hha
bore N. 10 W.
Gourw S.; very
slow going.
& 40 E. Fat'hha
N.
Hamreen on both
sides, extending
from N. 25 W. to
N.60E.
K.
S. 60 £.
S. 35 W»
£1 Fat'hha, N.
low.
S. 30 E. Our
going extremely
slow and difiicult.
S. 65 E.
8 5
8 20
8 40
8 55
9
Right Bank.
9 5 E.
9 55 Stopped, or rather
driven by the wind
against the left
bank, where we
stopped till 4^'
16"*.
Tekrit, S. 5 W.
Abu Khalkbalan,
S. 85 W., 1 mile..
The reach, S. 45
E., ^ mile«
4 15
Got under way*
S. 45 E.
At the Kheruina hills.
4 20 S. 70 W.
On the Khernina hills,
the tomb of Kereim Abu
Khalkhal, a son of Imam
Mousa.
The Khernina hills
from this make a turn
more southerly, and then
sweep round again.
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360
MOUSUL TO BAGDAD,
[APP. IV ♦
Left Bank.
Course,
4h50"'Khalkhalan,N.
Open country.
Right Bank,
Khemina cliffii again, if
pebbly soil ; about 0119
hundred feet higlu
Hamreen in sight
4 55 S.
5 S. 45 E. ; river at
least 1 mile broad.
Open country.
Islands.
5 7 S.20E.
ElFat'hha,N. 10
W.
Tekreet about S.
10 £.
5 15 S.
5 30 AtSelwa,thecave
of the Syien, in
the Khernina
hills.
El Fafhha, N. 10 W,
A cape in the Kliemina hills, which, from the Selwa,
make another bend in, and return again near Te-
kreet ; that iS| in feet, only the country cut down by
the water, the river having evidently at one time
passed by them. From Selwa our course S.
6»«40»S. low,
5* 50" A violent squall from the W., which drove
us on the E. bank. The squall lasted so long that
it was not worth while to get under way again after
it was over. The ruins of Tekreet begin a little be-
low us, on a high perpendicular cliff.
March 9,
b^ 30« Got under way.
6 Tied up, on the
bed of pebbles be-
fore Tekreet.
Alhadr is two long days off, in N. 30 W. ; said to
be W.from Kyara.
Saw the p3rramid, pr rather, cone of Door, S. 8 E*
4 hours.
The Hamreen visible from N. 20 W. to N. 70 E.
El Fat'hha, N. 10 W.
A caravan just leaving Tekreet for Kerkook. It
sleeps at the Hamreen^ and tbe next day arrives at
Kerkook.
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APP. IV.]
BY THE TIGRIS.
361
LefiBomk
Course.
12^15"LeftTe1(ieet.
The Tekieet reach
of the river, 8.60
£.
12 20 8. SOW.
12 50 8., at the clifis
again.
RiglU Bank,
Open and level*
1 11 8.30E.
cuffs.
1 21 S. 70 E.
Auja, a little itnam
comingdown through the
clifft. The cli A continue
their own Ibe, and leave
a flat countiy between
them and the river.
1 50 &
Hamreen per-
fectly clear and
dirtiT*g"*<Thi^^lf>i
iBlands cultivated ; be-
1 55 S.15W.
hind them undulating
countiy.
2 15 8.
2 31 8. 60 E.
Islands; behind them
ihe cliffs.
•
Tekreet,N.10W.
Hamreen visible
beyond Tekreet.
Undulating pebbly
2 40 S. Island.
The Khemina cliffs #
country.
good way in.
• Imam Door.
2 55 River broad. Is-
lands.
3 5 S.30W,
3 10 Hheimra, a Zikr,
or obstruction, not
extending far from
the left bank.
3 15 S,
3 20 S. 30 E.
3 24 Ruweiahh, a Zikr
just like Hheimia.
Pebbly high banks.
3 30 S.
3 35 S. 30 W.
3 40
Tel el Mehaji; consi-
derable tumulii some way
in.
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362
MOUSUL TO BAGDAD,
[API*. IV.
Left Bank.
A Nahar ; said to be a
canal dug by King Solo-
mon, and to go as far as
Howeiza.
Eski Bagdad, on the
high pebbly cliffii.
the pebbly hills sud-
denly turn in, and make
a sweep easterly.
Esld Bagdad still on
the clifis; heaps of rub-
bbh.
High clifi& again.
Still ruins.
Still mills.
Square enclosiire, called
Thinars ; seems to be the
end of the ruins.
Pebbly hills run in-
%r«rdi<
Island.
Hawil-ubsai
Ruins.
Course,
3h47«S.
3 50 S. 20 E.
4 5 S. 45 £.
4 25
4 25 S. 30 W.
4 35 S. .
4 40 S. 70 E.
4 55
5 5
S. 10 £.
Mosque of Samara
bears S. 10 £.
Course S.
S. 55 E.
5 50 S. 20 B«
5 55 Si 4d W.
6
6 10
6 20 S<
Samara^ 6. 35 E.
7 20 Samara.
March 10.
12 35 Gotunderiray.
S.10E.
12 50 S.30W.
I S.30E.
1 20 Samara, N.
Right Bank.
Islands.
Islands.
Island.
Islands.
Islands.
Kabr u Seid; 6 lump
of concretio% formiaK a
rapid on the right bank.
Some more lumps, said
to be the remains of the
bridge of Ashek.
Ashek.
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A».llr.]
Left Bank*
Nahar el Erflas, the
head of the Nahrawan
canal. On it a square
briek buildings ieemintfly
of the age of the Caliphs,
A place called El Sa-
nam the Idol, or Nabga.
Sassaniaa nuns, at Qa-
desia, or Kadesia. Sa-
mara boie N. 20 W.; the
building at the mouth of
*the Nahrawan, N. 40 W.
The Nahrawan runs at
the back of Kadesia, at
about one mile distance.
BY TkE TIQRI8.
Cmirie.
1»«51«8.30B,
a 8.
2 12 S. 50 E.
Misrakjee Khan, which
we have long past, bear-
ing north.
2 38 Stop.
4 15
way
36d
Right Bank.
Mouth of the Dajjeil, a
little below that of the
Nahrawan.
Istablat; mounds of
ruins.
5 35
Got under
again.
S. 30 E.
E.
Brought to on the
left bank. BuUd-
ing at the mouth
of the Nahrawan,
N. 36 W.
March U.
Off. Began to ob.
serve at
Course S. 30 E.
N. 70 E.
8 15
8 25
8 40
8 45
9
E.
S.70E.
S. 80 E.
S.
S. 30 E.
S. 20 W.
si
Beled, the principal
village of Dujjeil. Mina-
ret and date-trees a little
way in from the bank
Ghowadir.
Khan i Seid. Tomb, of
Seid Mahommed a little
below it.
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364
MOUSUL TO BAGDAD,
[aPP. IVf
LeJtBank.
Course.
9>»40«N,70E.
The river all the
way this morning
has wound great-
ly, and formed a
great many is-
lands and chan-
nels.
9 50
N. wind high.
10 10
Stop.
Khan iSeid, bear-
ing N. 20 W.
11 30
OS again, N.
Miiraga, high alluyial
hanks.
11 45
N.60E.
12 20
S.
12 40
S. 30 E.
12 51
S.50E.
The junction of the Ad-
1
E. Stop,
havmand the Tigris
AahAjm is the
..The
trunk
stream that receives the
Kerkook, Taook,
and
Too^hoormattee waters.
Now ahoiit one hundred
yards wide.
1 30
Got under way
9gain.
E.
2
N. 70 E.
2 20
S. 10 E.
Very slow going.
Scarcely any cur-
rent.
3 25
S. 50 £.
Zemboor.
3 40
S.20E.
3 54
S. 70 £.
4 15
S.
Date-trees on th^
Khalis in sight*
4 20
S. 20 W.
4 32
S.
Before us Tel
Khu
4 40.
N, 70 E.
meisia.
Right Bank.
Steep banks of pura
mould. We are now in
the alluvial country ; not
a pebble to be seen.
4 50 E.
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APP. IV.]
BT THE TIGRIS.
365
Left Bank.
Course,
5»»5-
s.
5 20
S.20W.
Tel Khmneiua a litUe
behind itf. River makes
a great bend east.
6 25
S. 30 W.
5 30
S. 80 W.
6
Brought to for the
night at Sindia,
the first village of
Khalis.
Here we found
our yacht. We got
ou board at night
March 12.
5 30
The yacht got un-
der way.
7 30
When I came on
deck, we were
going S., and just
below the village
of Mansooria. Di-
rection of Sindia
pointed out to me
in N. 10 E.
7 45
The following vil-
lages inland :—
Jedidat ul Agba-
wat, E.
Aliabut,N.70E.
Doltova and Alia-
but in one, N. 55
E.
Jezzani, S. 70 E.
8
Course S. 45 E.
8 25
S. 45 W.
8 40
S.60W.
9 e
Aground.
9 20
Offagain.S. lOE.
A long reach.
10
Yenghijeh.
10 20
S. 20 W.
10 55
S. 60 W.
U 10
N. 60 W. ; long
reach.
RighiBank.
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366 MOUSUL TO BAGDAD. [APP.iV,
Left Bank.
Course.
Right Bank.
n>»30mS.40W. Yenj?-
hijeb, N. 80 E.
11 35
Aground again.
11 50
Off again. S. 40
W.
12 10
S.20W.
12 35
Slow going.
I 5
S,20E.
1 15
S, 35 E.
I 40
S. 30 W.
1 50
W. 5 TCry slow
going.
2 20
S.70W,
2 45
S.; good going
again.
First of the Bagdad
3
S, 20 E.
gardens.
3 10
S. 35 W.
Open country on both
3 25
S. 10 W*
sides.
3 35
Kazemeen village
S. lOE. The old
canal^ extending
farther than I
could see, N.
3 40
S. 45 £.
4
Driven against
the high bank.
4 15
Off again. S. 20
W.
5
At the Nuwaub's
garden, then E.
5 45
S. 15 W.; the
reach of Imam
Aadhem or Aa-
zem.
6
B.; the Pasha's
garden-re a<;h.
6 5
Opposite the
Kasr.
6 20
S. 20 W.
~
6 30
B. 45 E.; the
reach into Bag>
d^d.
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AHP. JV.]
367
From Bagdad to Bwtora, by the Tigris.
Left Bagdad for Butsora, Mif II, 1821, Wind 8. E.
Left Bank.
Course.
Right Bank.
7»'30"
^ got undar way.
S. 45 £,
River nearly at
its highest.
7
45
round into S.25E.
from the Bastion.
7
50
8. 20 W.
8
S. 45 W.
8
10
W.
8
30
S. 45 W.
Islands.
Islands still.
9
^at the right bank,
then S,
9
5
Shat el Aateek, an old
branch of the river, now
only full at high water,
or when the river is full,
and then even shallow.
Islands.
£.
Kaaemeen, N.25
W.
Zobeide,N.10W.
9 20 N. 70 E.
9
30
N. 45 B.
9
40
Dhunnana, from
"whence at
9
45
roxmd into
S. 70 E.
Island.
10
5
N. 45 E.
Hindia.
10
10
25
35
round into S.
Outrey's garden.
;Bajee Abdulla Aga's
garden.
10
11
50
10
S, 10 R
a 30 E.
11
20
S.45£f
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368
BAGDAD TO BUSSORA*
[aPP; iV^
Left Bank.
Tauk Kesra.
The Bostan, or end of
the ruins of Tauk Kesra,
Course,
llh40mK,totheDiala.
RiglU Bank.
1 AttheDiala.
5 30 Anchored at our
old station.
Station near Hod-
heifa, at Tauk
Kesra.
Maif 12*
5' Got under way.
6 S.45W.
Tauk, N. 35 E.
6 15 At the mouth of
the ranal called
Abul Hiti, I be-
lieve to be a cut
from the Nahar
Malca. .
Abul Hiti.
From Abul Hiti
rounded g^adually
by S. inte S. E.,
and then £.
6 45 N. lOE.
6 55 N.45E.
Hharrea, scattered
mounds of ruins to a great
extent.
7 20 N.20E.
7 30 N. low.
7 35 Rounded into E.,
and then S. 40 £.
8 to S\ 45'» Could not
disengage our-
selves Irom the
left bank.
8 50 S. 20 E.
Tauk Kesra, N.
50 W.
9 30 Turn gradually
into S. 45 W»
10 S.
10 15 S.45E.
Al Hammam> nuns
scattered about.
Tauk Kesra, N.
25 W.
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LefiBmk.
Law and manhy.
Ruins ; many mounds
with a firagment of wall,
call^ Taj.
DaUiala.
Vol. II.
BT THE TIGRIS*
Course*
This leaeh called
SI Lei.
10»30«8.70S.
11 15 E.
11 20 N. 60 S.
3 S.
3 30 N.45S.
4 Brought to for
the night.
J%13.
4 30 Got under way.
6 15 We had turned
fipom S. W. into
N.45E.
6 45 Ruebia«
7 30 N.70E.
8 10 S.45E.
8 45 S.25K
9 S.20W.
9 20 S.30W;
9 45 We had rounded
into S. 45 S.
10 S. 80 E.» a long
leach*
10 50 N.45E.
11 30 Rounded into
S. 20 W. from
N.E,
Detention of 20
minutes, then
S.35W.
12 45
Thence round
S. S. £. and £.
into N. 45 E,
2 30 S.W.
3 W.
369
Right Bank
Long lines of ruins, or
the remains of a canal
called Da?ar. Query: is
this the Nahar Malca P
Ruins.
Haddara; ruins.
Zor Abdalla great
ruins.
2B
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"J
3T0
BAGDAD to HCrslORA, {aPP. tV«
Ltft Bahk.
OtnS»
Zoweiya, an immense
collection of ruins, extend-
ing as far as the eye
could reach in the desert,
and down the bank of the
i 25 S. 45 K
I 30 N. 45 E.
L 35 Humeinya ruins, seem-
ingly a continuation of
the Zoweiya.
River now N., sweeps round, makidg a peninsula.
Boats in sight N. W., where we have come from,
and S. £. where we are going to. The reach we
are in, N., and pretty long ; detained 10™. In
rounding into the next reach again, detained a few
minutes. A fine breeze N, W« At 5h 20™ we
rounded ; and at
5 45 Came to.
8 30 Got under way.
May 14.
Fine nighi; made good way; at daybreak the
Hamreen visible.
Ishan ; mounds of ruins.
6 15
S. 15 W.
7
N. 65 £.
8
Rounded into S.
■
8 30
S.E.
9 30
£.
Dawar Arabs.
U
5
In ih« reach
wheM Jumbul
the bridge is,
S. 45 £.
5 30
E.
5 45
Sw45E,
6
S.
6 20
S. 45 E.
6 45
N. 45 E.
7
E. then round
into the reach
where Koot-al
Amara 18,8. 45 E.
Koot al Amara.
8
Brought to at
Koot, on the left
bank.
Buzheila, a mud fort.
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APP. IV,]
Left Bank.
BY THB TIORIB*
871
Ga^it^ Ri§hi Btmk.
3h 30m Got under wa;
rounded into )
45 W.
4 Koot,S.45W.
4 20 Course N.
5 20 N.45E.
6 40 £.
5 45 S. 50 E.
6 10 The nver rounds Ruins,
up into N. 45 W.
again.
Here it blew so hard, obliged to bring to. There
are twelve of these crooked teaches^ turning into
N. 45 W., after Koot»
9 20 Off again.
11 Brought to.
4 Off again.
7 45 Brought to.
Ma^ 16.
Beni Lam camp. 2 15
3 30 The Naharwan canal.
In the morning could j^erfectly distinguish three
ranges of the Loristim mountains.
8 45 E.
9 10 S. 45 E.
9 20
Ruins.
9 25 S.
9 30 E.
9 35 S.
Detained Id mi-
nutes rounding a
point.
10 5 Rounded it^ then
E.
10 20 S.45E.
10 35
10 45 S.20W.
12 30
Um ut Beia, a canal
now full.
Imaum Gherbi; a place
of pilgrimage.
2 B 2
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872
BAGDAD TO BUSSORA,
[APP. TV.
Left Bank.
Ccmrse.
Right Bank.
Ruins of Fleifli*
Detained from 2^
30»to3h30".
Ruins.
4h 0»
Ruins of Seoroot.
ft 45
S.45E.
5 50
S.
6 10
E.
Morass.
6 15
S.45E.
Morass.
6 45
Broaghttoonthe
right Dank.
ImamAliSherki,
bearing S. 10 E.
on the left bank.
10
Got nnder way;
but at
10 30
driven aground^
where we remain-
ed all night.
May 17.
4 30
Got under way.
6
N. 50 W.J course,
S. 45 E.
6 10
S. 70 E.
6 20
N.70E.
6 40
S.
6 45
S.45a
6 55
S.
7 10
S.45E.
7 20
s.
7 30
S.45E.
Tied up.
8
Offagam.
11
During the inter-
val, some deten*
tions.
Jebeela.
1 20
S.20W.
1 30
E.
1 40
S.70E.
Mahommed abul Has*
san> a place of pilgrimage.
A grove of trees.
AlHhttd.
2 10
S.60E.
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AFP. IV,]
BT THE TIGRIS*
878
Left Bank.
Course.
2>»30«The Hhud, a
blanch of the Ti-
gris, going off £.
tothelCerkhaand
Howeisa rivers.
Hence S.
3 30
' RighiBank.
4 4 Detained by the
sepoy^ boat get-
ting aground.
Afterwards for one
hour good sailing,
altenrards slow.
3 30 S. 45 E.
Vm ul Jemmal, a canal
which goes to the Eu-
phrates.
6 40 N. 45 E.
6 50 S. 20 £•
S. 20 E. is now
the prevailing di-
rection of the
reaches.
6 55 Brought to.
9 30 Got under way
again.
May 18.
Quite cahn^ glid-
ing down the
stream. .
Camp of Albu Mahom-
med ^abs.
5
AbdallabenAli>aplace
of pilgrimage.
5 40
I
; 6 25 W.
'
7 15 S. 20 W.
1
7 50 E.
8 10 S. 20 W.
8 22 S. 70 E.
8 35 S. K
8 50 N. 45 E.
9 K
9 20 S,45E.
9 40 S. 20 W.
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374
BAGDAD TO BUS80BA.
[APP. IV.
a.
Ccurse.
Oseir, or Esra'^
tomb, & 30 W.
'Right Bcmk.
9»»50«8.20B.
\0 15
S. 70 E.
10 40
B.
10 50
S. 20 W.
11 30
N.W. .
11 55
S. 45 W.
a's tomb.
12 10
Stop at Ozeir.
1 10
Off again.
8. 45 W.
2 35
3
S.
S. 45 E.
Abu Khalkhal, a pUce
of pilgrimage.
3 15
£.
3 30
S. 20 W.
4
N. 46 W.
4 10
S. 45 E.
4 15
4 35
8.
Abu Mugroon, a place
of pilgrimage, surrounded
the village of Zekia.
4 40
S. 46 W.
4 50
S. 70 W.
4 55
S. 20 E.
5
a2ow.
A 15
8. 20 E.
5 30
S, 70 E.
5 50
N. 70 E.
6 10
S. 70 E.
6 30
S. 70 W.
6 35
S. 45 W.
The date-trees of Kooma just visible through the
lass, in S. 10 W.
6 40
n;45 w.
6 55
S. 20 W.
11 30
Entered the Shkt
ulArab.
Went on all night,
some ded^ction {q
be made for the
tide.
May 19.
10
Arrived at JSus-
sora.
Digit
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A». v.] 875
V.
J0itrnai ef Bearings and Duktmces^ during a >oufiMy te ike
FnmHers o/SbulA Kemlislan^ which vhui mad$ in the MenAi
of March and Aprils 1820, by fir. ^icJi,
Mmh 18.**^We left Bagdad at 7^ 40>^ A.iff. At ff" 60^
the highest mtnarat of Bagdad bore S. 29 W.« village of
I^aatmeeii> ob the Tigris^ S. 54 W., village of Imam Aiem,
8. 48 W. ; road, N. 27 E. At 10^ B^ we passed Bir el
Abd, or Moghussil, a well, with a little building over it ;
just past it a large canal.
At lO*" 40°" road to Tchubook and Sulimania on the left.
At 1 1^ 50* we arrived at the Khan Beni Seid^ called in
Turkish Orta Khan, where we halted. It is an unfinished
khan, with a miserable village of Beni Saeed Arabs. Road
to Bagdad S. 32 W. ; Bakooba, N. 35 B.
At 12^ 45°^, P.M., we mounted again.
At S^ 3Qf^ we can^e to the Naharawan canal, which runs
8. 10 fl., and N. 10 W. It is at leasi as wide as the Diala.
Khanl Seid N. 27 E.
Road to Bagdad, S. 23 W.
Shufteh, £.
Bahris, S. 40 E.
BakoQb9, N. 40 E., deduet ten minutes.
We arrived at Khan i Seid at 4^ 10"*. It is situated on
the"* Diula, which here forms a bow, Bakeobi^ b^ng on the
light and Howeida on the left,, facing eiioh other, the Khan
being the chord of the arc.
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876 JOURNAL or [app. Vi,
River up, N. 84 W.
River down, S. 3 W.
A ruin between Bakooba and Baris, S. 24 E.
The river serpentines backwards and forwards much.
© N. limb at setting, N. 83° 30' W.
March 19. — Left the Khan soon after sun-rise ; crossed
the Diala at the ferry of Howeida, after which directed our.
course to Bakooba; obliged to take refuge from a storm in
a Khan at Bakooba for 30°".
Left Bakooba at 8^ 50™ a.m., road E., afterwards obliged
to make a great round, on account of canals and swamps.
At 10^, road N. 7 E., saw some meadow land, and
many canals from the grand trunk stream, besides a large
f^anal at a dbtance, and the village of Kharnabat and some
other villages on our left.
At 11^ 30" road N. 50 E.
Atl2»'roadN.25E.
At 2^ we came to the bridge of one arch over the Meh-
rout canal, which runs N. to the Diala, and we halted till
3^ at Imam Seid Mokdad al Kundi.
Shehraban was due E.
We arrived at Shehraban at 3^ 15"*.
March 20. — I set out in the morning to visit the Zendan,
a ruin^ said to be 1^ 30°^ S. of Shehraban. After passing
various canals and pasture lands, our guide^ the master
mason of the place, asked us if we would not look at an old
castle on our right. We agreed, and parsing over a canal
we came at once on the ruins of a Sassanian town, just 45^
from Shehraban, though its N; extremity goes much nearer
|hat place.
From a high mount, called Bint el Khalifa, I got thi$
following interesting bearifigs, with the small surveying
compass.
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IFT.T.] BBARINQS AND DISTANCES.
87T
Imam Mukdad
Shehraban • •
Awaahek
Zenirat • • •
Abu Seita the greater
Abu Seita the lesser
Wugeihia • •
Seneikia • •
Barkania • •
Aumua •
SkdteiiSeidAU
Beledrooz •
On the Diala.
N. 30*^ ac W.
N.
N. 84J° C W.
N. 89i*» (y W.,
S. 48° C W.
S. 43°3(yW.
S. 204° 0' W.
S 14i° (ywi '^'* behind the west
'l point of the Zendan.
S. 1^ CW.
S 304^ £ I ^^'^ visihle in the
' t horizon.
S. point of the vail of the town S. 26 W. Near it is a
gate. These ruins are called Eskt Bagdad, but are evi-
dently before the time of Islam.
Half way to the Zendan» opposite Seid Sultan Ali» are
two parallel Sassanian walls, N. £. and S. W.
The Zendan is about 45°^ from these ruins of Eski
Bagdad.
March 21.— Left Shehraban about 6^ 50» a.m., N.25E.,
for a few minutes, then N. 70 E. to the first rising in the
ground we had seen since leaving Bagdad, which rising
ground we reached at T" 25°". Road N. 45 E., village of
Haroomia, N. 80 E.
At 8^ Haroopaia bore S. 30 E., one mile or one mile and
a half off on the right hand.
We passed the Beladrooz canal, and at 8^ 90" reached
the Hamreen hills. We came to the end of the hills at 10*^.
Baradan • • N. 5 W. On the other side of the Diala.
Kizsebebat • N. IDE.
.Zowra • • N. Oa this side of the Diala.
We arrived at Kizzelrebat soon after leaving the hills.
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878 JOURNAL OF [aPP. T.
The Diala visible ffom Kizzelrebat, distant about two
miles.
March 22. — Left Kizzelrebat at 6^ 40™ a.m., road
N. 65 13. At 7" came to the canal of Kizzelrebat.
Kizzelrebat bore N. 80 W. At 7^ 45» we reached the
bills.
At 9^ we came to Yenitcheri Tepeh» which is reckoqed
half way between Kizzelrebat and Khanakeen. Road
winding through hills, generally in the direction of N. 45 E.
At W Khanalieen bore N. 45 E. Aliavo, N. 80 E.,
distant 30°^ from the latter. Kolai, in the district of Kiz-
zelrebat, N. 60 W. Hence the country slopes gently dawn
towards Khanakeen.
We halted in the plain of Khanakeen S0°*. About a
mile from Khanakeen a road turns ofif to Mendeli, which is
distant twelve hours from hence. Crossing a small emi-
nenee we descended upon Khanakeen^ where we arrived at
12'* 15°*, and crossing the bridge over the Elwan^ we took
up our quarters at Hajee Kara.
March 23. — I have just got a route, which I shall in all
probability follow.
From Hagee Kara to
Hours*
Kasr i Shireen • , • . • 5
Haoush Kerek • . • • • 3
Bin Kudreh • , • . . 3
Kiusk i Zenghi • • . • . 4
Kifri 4
Karatepeh 9
March 24.— Mounted at 6** 20°* a.m. Road N. 70 E.,
then B. for half an hour, then over the hills in N. 55 B. At
8**, from a hill, the Bagdad road bore due W.
At 9** we reached Kalai Selzi, a guard house. The
direction of Kasr i Shireon from hence was N. && B.
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Houn.
N. 15 E.
4
S. 60 E.
S. 35 E.
3
S. 17 S.
9
4fP. v.] BEARINOS AND DinANCES. 879
A% IV 30» w« Krrivod itt the Khu of Kair i SbiNtQ.
I inmiedifitely went to inspeqt the raia^* from whieh I oame
Imk in three bouri.
From a mount among the rains I got the following
Zehav
Tauk .
Ghilan
Mendeli • • »
The latitude of Kasr i Shireen^ by rough computation, is
N, 34^ SO' 39^.
. We encamped en the declivity of a hill behind the Khan,
on an eminence over the river Elwan, with the W. bank of
whicb river we came up about two miles from the Khan.
March 25— .1 rose by peep of day, and while the tenU
were striking, I went to look at a ruin we had forgotten
yesterday. We mounted at 7^ a.m. Our road at first lay
filong the foot of the hills^ and then among hills.
At 9** 30™ we arrived at the ruins of Haousb Kerek.
The road wound much aniong the hills, but the general
direction was N. 80 W. from Kasr i Shireen.
At 11^ we mounted again, and continued our way over
hills till about 1^, when we descended into the plain,
through which we saw the Diala winding far on our right.
At 1^ 50^ we arrived at Bin Kudreh. From hence direct
to the Diala is about half an hour; to the town of Zehav
nine hours ; to Khanakeen, direct oyer the hills, three hours.
It is about S. 80 W. from Haoush Kerek, but our road
wound much and our going was indifferent. I do not
intend to pass the Diala here aa I at first intended, but I
propose going down to Dekkeh, opposite Zengabad.
March 26. — We mounted at T^ a,m., accompanied by
Hassan Aga, who will not leave us till he sees us safe over the
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380 JOURNAL OP [aPP. V»
Diala, which is not above half a mile in a straight line from
Binkodreh. We were near an hour in doing it^ the inter-
mediate space being a morass formed by the overflowing
of the river.
At 7^ 50™ we reached the banks of the Diala, after
crossing over which we mounted again at 1^ 30°*, and pro-
ceeded first over hills and then through an undulating coun-
try to Zengabad in S. 30 W. About three miles from it we
saw on the left bank of the river, just under the ridge of
hills, Dekkeh, which is one hour from Zengabad.
We arrived at Zengabad at 4^ I0°*. A couple of miles
from this place is Manateva^ another similar village. Zen-
gabad is about one mile in a direct line from the Diala»
which we had winding on our left at a small distance, ever
since we crossed it in the neighbourhood of Binkudreh.
About Zengabad> it flows oiF easterly for some time.
Bearings from the roof of the mosque at Zengabad : —
Kiushk i Zengbi in the hills, in a line with the W. end of
Kalan Tepeh, N. 19 W., 2 hours.
Dekkeh, on the other side of the Dials, under the hill *, N. 67 £.»
1 hour.
Kolai, S. 62 E., li hour.
Bin Kudreh, N. 45 E.
Khanakeen, N. 72 E.
The Zengabad hills^ which are N. of Karatepeh, and S.
of Zengabad, run down to above Kizzelrebat^ and form the
Kizzelrebat hills. The plain of the Diala, where it divided
these hills, bore S. 10 E.
* This hill is part of a chain, which on the W. side of the
Diala is called Kiushk Daghi, because Kiushk i Zenghi is built
on it. These hills sink very gradually before they come to the
Diala, and rise again gradually on the other side.
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APP. v.] BEARINGS AND DISTANCES.
381
. Marth 27.— We left Zengabad at 6^ 45^ a.m., and for
half an hour went dae N. over the road we had gone yes-
terday, in order to avoid canak. At 7^ our road N. 60 W.
At 9^ we arrived at Kiushk i Zenghi. Kalan Tepeh bore
jost S. 45 E.
Keeping the hills close on our left^ we proceeded N. SOW.
to the Kifri water^ or rather one of the many torrents that
flow from these hills into the plain of Kifri. We arrived at
the torrent at 1 1\
The above-mentioned hills now crossed our road, from
whence descended many torrents. We continued our way
through the hills^ first N., then N. 10 W. to Kifri, noticing
on our right On Iki Imam, on the Kiushk hilk, l'^ 30^
below, or S. E. of Kifri. We reached Kifri at 12^ 30».
Routes procured at Kifri: —
Houn.
6
5
4
5
9
7
5
5
6
Kifri to Shilshal • •
Albu Teraz, on the other side of the Adhaym*
The place of the Al Uzzi Sheikh
Samara • •
Kifri to Toozkhoormattee
Zenguleh
A place in the desert
Imaum Dour
Samara
March 29. — I got the following bearings from the top of
the ridge of hills above Kifri : —
On Iki Imam, 3 miles off, S. 34 £.
The Bagdad road, S. 22 W.
. EBkiKifn,S.41 W.
Toozkhoormattee, N. 60 W.
* The Taouk and Toozkhoormattee rivers pour themselves into
the Adhaym. r
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383 JOURNAL 01^ [aPP. V.
The hiUi v^e crossed on our way hem run out to the S. of
Kifri, md there the Bagdad road crosses them* Soon aftef
which they sifik gradually into the desert. The Kifri ridge
is (Vom the spot where we quitted them beyond, on Iki
Imam, abrupt and steep on the Bagdad side.
March do.— Left Kifri at &" 45^ A.it.^ and crossed over
two hiOs in Sv 32 W. Soon after 8^ we passed Telishan,
two little mounts \ and at 8^ 30^ crossed the KiFri water.
At 9*^ 40" we came to Tchemen Kiuprissi, a new bridge
over the Tchemen. Here we halted half an hour, then
proceeded in S« 15 W., passing two ranges of hHls to Kara-'
tepeh, where we arrived at 11^ 40°".
March 31 . — Mounted at 6** 45~ a.m. We journeyed doe
S. to the bridge of the Nareen, where we arrived at 8^ 5^*
We then proceeded S, 15 W., towards the Hamreen hills,
keeping between them on our right, and the Nareen on our
left. We continued going S. W. to the foot of the hills, at
which we arrived at 10^ 20". The ascent was gentle. At
the top I got the following sights : —
Karatepeh, N. 1 £.
Zowia, close on the banks of the Diala, Sk '72 £.
Kizzelrebat, E.
Baradan, at some distance from the Diala^ N. 65 £.
A fiat hill, part of the Hamreen, S. 20 £.
We reached the summit* of the Hamreen at Iff* 40*, and
after halting for 10°" we began to descend. At 12^ we kft
these hills, our road through which had been about S. ; and
keeping the S. face on our left, we proceeded in 8. 40 £. to
Adana Keuy, where we arrived at 1^ 20°^. Adana Keny is
near a cut from the Khalis canal, and close on the Diala.
April 1.— Left Adana Keuy at 6^ 30» a.m. After
travelling l^ we came to the banks of the Diala, and aftor-
wards to the canals with which this district is intersected f
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APP» T»] BBAKINM AND DIBTANCKI. 383
the largest of which it th« Khalis. We kept W., With the
Khalis on our left, and the Diala ako jost behind it.
At 8^ 10°" we reached Delli Abbas, on the Khalis; the
villages of the district of the Khalis soon began to appear
in the horizon ; those of the district of Khorassan^ on the
other side of the Diala> were likewise in sight
Our road was first S. 55 W.. then S. 20 W. At 10^ 30»
we came to Tchubook, a village, with a bridge over a little
stream, which is formed by the overplus of the Khalis^ and
comes from Serajik. It discharges itself into the Diala,
opposite Buyuk Abu Seid, or Abu Seid the greater. This
viHage is close by, the Diala being only some yards from
Tchubook.
At sunset I got the following sights from the bridge with
the surveying-compass : —
thirst, on the Khalis.
Hameira, N. 72| W.
Ajemia, ,N. 31 W., about half an hour off.
Goobbia,N.224W.
Serajik, N. I6i W.
Nebbi Shaed, N. SOj IS. Jebbel Hamreen just In sight.
Second^ on the other bank of the Diala.
Aawashek, N. 81 E.
Zeherat, S. 55 £.
Abu Seid the greater, S.
Abu Seid the lesser, S. 24^ W.
N. Limb. N. 76i W.
April 2. — We started at 6^ 30"*, and journeyed about
S. W. to Musabbah Khan, keeping the Diala close on our
left. At 7^ 45^ arrived at Mussabbah Khan.
I got the following sights from a hillock behind the Khan^
which is close to the Diala, in the chord of an arc formed
by a reach of the river, the S. elbow of which is S. 65 W.
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384
BEARINGS AND DISTANCES. [aPP. V.
Kharnabat
Howeidah •
. S.25W.
. s. low-
^On the E. bank of the
Bakooba •
. S. 5W/
Geria, or Saada, or Dura
. S. 5E.
Zobeira •
. S. 10 £.
On the KhoraBsan
AbdullalbnAU .
. S. 20E.
canal.
Jezzari •
• S. 85 £•
Hameira •
. N.20W.-
Bash Tchaiera, or
Kior Yenijeh
.}n.80W.
>On the Rhalis canal.
Buyuk Doltova •
. S.lbW.
Hopehop •
. S.65W.-
Direction of Howeish pointed out to me, S. 45 W.
At &" 35" left Musabbah, road S. 7 W. At l(fi 10» the
Naharawan running straight N. 10 W., S. 10 E.> road,
S. 7 W. Kharnabat due E., distant 1 mile. In another hour
we came to other canals parallel with the Naharawan^ then
to Seid Mukhsen, a place of pilgrimage^ on a small stream
from the Khalis; then S. 60 W. ; and at noon we arrived
at Toprak Kalaa, called also Kalan Tepeh> and Mujelibeh.
From hence Howeish bore S. 80 W., where we arrived at
April 3.— We left Howeish at ©» 30" a.m., and arrived
at Bagdad at 12^.
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385
VI.
Expedition from Bagdad to Bussora down the Tigris^ in the
year 1811.
(Referred to at p. 158, Vol. ii.)
March 19. — Left Bagdad for Bussora about P p.m.^ in
the Residency yacht, accompanied by six other boats, con-
taining the rest of our party. We dined that evening at
Abdulla Aga's garden, and after dinner got under way. We
liad passed Tauk Kesra before day-break the next morning ;
as the sun rose we saw it astern. In the evening we dined
in a reach of the river called Taj> which is about eight hours
from Tauk Kesra, on the same side of the river with it; but
there is no village. The place is famous for lions. After
dinner we again got under way, but were soon forced to
bring to under the right bank of the river, on account of
the wind continuing strong from the southward. . The next
morning the wind continuing to blow hard, and the motioa
of the boat being very disagreeable, we pitched a tent on shore
under the lee of a large bush, for I cannot call it a tree. A
little to the southward of our position we observed several large
moundsy like the ruins of Babylon, Seleucia, and Ctesiphpn,
which the next day in the evening I went to examine. I found
them to extend considerably in breadth into the desert, and to
be about twenty or twenty-five feet perpendicular height above
the level of the plain. The top of the mounds was covered
with pieces of brick, pebbles, and tiles, some of which were
varnished; and in places where the rain had made little
channels, I found several small brass coins, so entirely cor*
roded by the weather, that it was absolutely impossible to
to make out any figure or legend. In several parts of these
mounds there were appearances of regular rows of brick.
Vol. II. 2C
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386 ANCIENT RUINS. [APP, VI.
like the tops of walls that had been buried. The manner
in which these mounds were' formed is evident. The sand
accumalating on the ruins and filling up all the vacapt
spaces, aided by the gradual decomposition of the surface
of the bricks, w^s consolidated into one mass by the action
of the rain. We had a specimen to-day how such an ope-
latioQ might have taken place. The dust and sand was
drifted in clouds by the wind ; and bad any solid substanceV
our jolly*boat for instance, been placed on the ground in an
exposed situation, it would^ in a very short time, have been
buried under a hillock of sand, which a day's rain would
have converted into a solid mass. The bricks were well
baked, and resembled those found at Babylon. I intend*
on my return, to make more accurate observations, and to
perforate the mound in various directions, m hopes of dis-
covering some remains that may lead to a probable conjec-
ture on the nature and antiquity of these ruins.
I had an opportunity to*day of observing the picturesque
and sublime effects of obscurity on some scenes. The sky
was dark and louring, and a mist was diffused over tbe^
whole horizon, which softened and threw back the distance,
^nd gave a dignity to objects mean and unpicturesque in
themselves. The brushwood on the opposite bank of the
yiver was converted into a distant forest scene. The flatnesr
and continuity of the boundary line was softened and broken^
and the reach of the river in which we were, assumed the
appearance of an immense lake, bounded by varied and
Woody shores. Under a clear unclouded sky, it would have*
borne its real character, that of a common river, confined'
between two regular flat, brown stripes.
In some parts of the river, where the banks rise abruptly-
to the height of about ten or twelve feet, they are not devoid^
of beauty, though merely composed of indurated earth.-
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AW. VI; J 20BCIDE ARABg; 38T
Tliese banks, by the action of thfe water, are |)erpetually?
shivered into large flakes, which, breaking ofl^ fall to* tKer
bottom, and leave most picturesque breaks and variations.
I should imagine these appearances must be more beautifuV
when the river is rising, as when on its fall the hard earth
must have been converted into mud, by the fulness of the
river, and consequently present only a lumpish, disagreeable
object. Had these banks the accompaniments of wood
instead of mere brambles, the river would be really beaa-<
tiful.
We saw immense flights of herons here, called by tbf^
inhabitants koorkies. «
On the 23d, the wind having considerably abated, we;
weighed; and passed on the right bank some Zobeide Arabs*
This tribe once beat Ali, the Pasha of Bagdad, He was.
at Hillah, and intended falling by surprise on this tribe,
who had incurred his displeasure, with a chosen hwi of
Georgians ; but the Sheikh was aware of his intentions, and
resolving to be beforehand with him, actually surprised the
Pasha, and forced him to retreat ; and on the fljght, the
Pasha got a severe fall from his horse. The affair was
afterwards made up by the intercession of Suliman Kiahya,
and the Sheikh was pardoned. I saw the Sheikh some
time afterwards. He paid me a visit at the residency, and
consulted Mr. Hine on his case, a nervous and hypochon-
driacal affection.
On the 24th, about three o'clock p,m., we arrived abreast
of a large woody island called Moolbinni, which appears to
be about ten miles in length. We passed through the pas^
sage between it and the left bank of the river, at a place
called Jumla, a low islet, in which are some vestiges of
ruins. It was under water when we passed it ; but a friend
of mine. Captain Frederick, who came up when the river was.
2C2
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388 COOT AL AMARA. [APP. TI.
low, saw the ruins, and our pilot pointed out to us the
whirlpool caused by them.
At sunset we arrived at Coot al Amara^ where we found
that the passage of the Hye * was impracticable^ on account
of the shallowness of the water, and heaviness of the boats
that composed our fleet. We therefore determined on saiK
ing down the Tigris, a circumstance I by no means regretted,
as I had passed through the Hye thrice, but had never yet
seen the Tigris below Coot. We got underway after dinner,
and the next morning saw the Persian mountains, some of
which were covered with snow, and appeared to be about
eight leagues off. The intermediate country is inhabited
by the Beni Lam Arabs, some of whom are subject to
Persia. They are a bad race, and continually fighting
among themselves.
Their present Sheikh gained the government by assassi-
nation. He once visited me when I was encamped at
Gherara, on the banks of the Tigris. He had been in
Bagdad on business, and was returning to his tribe. After
leaving me, when he was about a hundred yards from our
camp, he sent one of his men back to tell me that he had
great occasion for a hundred piastres, as in his way to Bag-
dad he had fallen in love with a 'young girl, whom he
intended marrying, and he believed he should be able to
bring about the affair by the help of the sum in question, of
which he was not at that moment in possession ; but that
if I would lend it him, he would faithfully repay it the first
opportunity. I gave him the money of course, letting him
know that I did not expect payment.
* A small river of communication between the Tigris and Eu-
phrates, on which was situated the town of Wassit, built by Hegi-
age, the governor of Irak,' in the reign of Abdul Malek, the fifth
of the Ommiade Caliphs, in the 83rd year of the Hegira.
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APP. VI.] BANKS OP THE BIYE. 389
In the evening we arrived at a reach in the river, one
bank of which was adorned by trees that had attained a
very considerable size* This object was in itself beautiful, and
was rendered doubly so in our eyes by the powers of novelty
and contrast. It is impossible accurately to describe the
effects produced by the sight of hills, verdure, and wood
on us, whose eyes have been for three years tortured by
dwelling on a flat» brown desert, and the intolerable same^
ness of the date tree. The Hye river^ whose banks also
are wooded, is agreeable by contrast rather than really
beautiful, for the practice of cutting down its wood indis-
criminately for sale at Bagdad, where fuel is exceedingly
dear, always keeps it in the diminutive and shorn state
of a coppice, and prevents it from ever assuming a pic*
turesque appearance.
On the 25th, at noon, we passed by a village of reed
huts, on the Mesopotamia side of the river, where some
of our party landing, saw people conveying on a bier the
mangled remains of a child about twelve years old, who
had been killed by a lion.
The same evening. Dr. Colquhoun, accompanied by the
boats containing the hussars and imrahor, or chief groom,
went forward to prepare the way for us at Bussora.
The 27th, in the evening, we came to a place of pilgrim-
age of the Jews. It is a building like a mosque, on a pro-
montory formed by a circular sweep of the river, which
winds much in this part. A few Arabs have collected
about it, and formed a small village of reed huts. It is on
the right bank of the river. We landed to take a nearer
view of it. It is surrounded by a wall, with battlements,
the dome or cupola is covered with green, glazed tiles, and
surmounted by an ornament of brass^ representing an open
hand encircled with rays of glory. On entering the gate.
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890 ToMti OP t:zRA% [a?p. vU
we pAssed through a small csourt-yferd, fatid then entered a
targes glOdray hall, arched and supported by square masses
of brick-work, totally destitute of any ornament. From this
we entered by a low door Into the chamber which contains
the object of the Jews' religious veneration. The roorti is
vaulted, with small grated windows placed at a great height,
arid paved with tiles of white and green alternately disposed.
In a small niche there was a lamp burning. In the centre
of the room stood the tomb, which was oblong, with a
rianting roof, made of wood, and covered with green velvet.
The dimensions were about eight feet by four, and six high
to the ridge of the roof, with a passage of about three feet
between it and the walls of the room. Its corners and tops
i^ere Ornamented with large balk of copper gilt. The per-
son, an Arab, who showed us the tomb, told us it was that
of Ezra, whom the Mahometans call Ozeir*, and make him
* According to Mahometan tradition, Ezra was of the race of
Jacob, of the tribe of Levi, and the fourteenth in descent from
Aaron; and the. Holy Scriptures, and all the scribes and doctors
who could read and interpret them, were involved in the destnic^
lion of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, excepting a few who were
taken captives to Babylon. Ezra, who was then very youngf, was
among this number, and continued to read and teach the law of
Grod to his countrymen during their captivity. At the end of
the captivity Ezra returned to Jerusalem, and swne »ay there,
iKHOoe^ near Babylon, while he was occupied . in weeping over
>he ruined city and temple of God, he said often to hiaiself^
" How can fallen Jerusalem ever rise again !'* No sooner had he
coiiceived this thought when God struck him dead, and he re-
gained so for one hundred years, when he was raised aga'in, and
lOBployed the rest of his days on earth in explaining the wonrd of
Gjod to the Jews.
The Christians of the East say that Ezra drank three times of
a well in which the holy fire had been hid, and that thus he
received the gift of the Holy Ghost, which rendered him capable
of reestablishing the Holy Scriptures among his countrymen.
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APP. VI.] ARRIVAL AT BUSSORA. 391
out the nephew of Moses. He further informed us that a
Jew, by name Khoph Yakoob^ erected the present building
over it about thirty years ago.
The 25th, about three o'clock in the morning, arrived at
Koorna. I went ashore there after breakfast to inspect
some ruins^ supposing they might be the remains of Apa-
mea, according to Ptolemy, or Digba, according to Pliny,
which was situated hereabouts ; but I found them .to be
only the remains of a Turkish fortification.
The Turkish guard-vessel here saluted me. I returned
the salute with an equal number of guns : and^ to my no
small surprise, the Turk, unwilling to be outdone in polite-
ness, returned it with three guns.
We left Koorna about ten o'clock, and arrived at
Maghil House about midnight. We found the Dragoman
and Tchaoush of the Bussora factory, and the Tchaoush
Kiahyassi, a principal officer of the Turkish government,
waiting for us. The latter brought me a letter from the
Musselleem, who wished me to have a public entry into
Bussora. This, however, as his conduct towards my
assistant here had not pleased me, I thought it my duty to
refuse. The Tchaoush Kiahyassi put on board some boxes
of sweetmeats as a present from his master.
About bne o'clock we got under way, and anchored at
the mouth of the Bussora creek to wait the tide. Suti-
rise, the 29th, we entered the creek, the Honourable Com-
pany's Pattimar, the Barbara, and the Turkish men-of-war
saluting as we passed. Two boats, manned with creWs
from His Majesty's ship Lion, towed the yacht up the
creek, arid the Musselleem's two state-barges, covered with
scarlet cloth, followed. At the factory I was received by my
own'guafd and a party of Turkish troops.
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392 [App.vi.
BUSSORA»
The day before I left Bussora, on my return to Bagdad,
the Musselleem gave me an entertainment^ consisting of
a public exhibition of dancings feats of dexterity^ &c.
It commenced with four men dressed up to represent
two camels, one man composing the croupe, and one the
fore part of each. These mock camels fought, lay down,
ate grass, &c., as real ones.
Next two parties of Negroes were introduced to entertain
. us with their national music and dancing. One party was
composed of Bombazans. Their principal musical instru-
ments were a long wooden drum, one end of which was
shaped like a three-legged stool, and rested on the ground,
and a horn, which w&s blown at the side^ like a German
flute.
The dancers separated into two parties ; on one side the
women, on the other the men, who advanced and retreated,
then joined and separated, and went through several evolu-
tions, singing and keeping very good time. The Nubian
party attracted my attention. One of them played on an
instrument exactly resembling the ancient lyre. Their
dance was military, and represented attacking and skirmisl^-
ing. One man particularly distinguished himself. He wore
a kind of helmet of skulls and beads stuck with feathers,
and brandished a javelin with considerable dexterity*
After their exhibition was finished^ the Musselleem
ordered his Turks to entertain us. Immediately about one
hundred and fifty Turkish soldiers stood up, and, joining
bands, began a slow kind of dance, which at first consisted
merely in keeping time with the feet, and making gentle in-
clinations of the body^ moving round the circle. They were
accompanied by thg Musselleem's double-drums and oboes.
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AFP. VI.] TURKISH TCHOP£E« 393
and headed by a party of dancing boys, in their dresses.
In the centre of the ring> two men entirely naked, but
covered with flakes of cotton, and having immense white
cotton beards^ exhibited some ridiculous tricks, riding upon
long canes, and charging each other with red spears. The
music gradually quickened, and changed its measure, and
the dancers got yet more animated, till at last they went
round the circle with great rapidity, making the ground ring
under their feet. Ibrahim Aga, the Musselleem, told me
an anecdote of this dance, which in Turkish is called
Tchopee. Hassan Pasha, a former Pasha of Bagdad, hav-
ing been offended by the rebellious conduct of the Ehezail
Arabs, vowed to dance a Tchopee in the centre of their
capital. He accordingly entered their country with fire and
sword ; and having taken their principal town, and put to
death almost every inhabitant he could find^ himself, at the
head of his troops, performed his vow, and danced the
Tchopee.
After the Turkish dance, two sword-players advanced to
treat us with an exhibition of sword and shield. They
began by some slow movements, accompanied by the band,
and saluted first us, and then the company, and each other,
with their shields. Swords were afterwards given them, and
they cut and parried with their shields with some dexterity,
but no science or regular system. Single-stick was after-
wards introduced, which was played exactly in the same
manner with the shield.
. At last the Musselleem, by way of closing the whole, said
he would bring us two men who should astonish us. He
accordingly called up two Turks, and giving them two
shields, ordered them, to behave bravely. They accordingly
set to with a good will, and hammered each other for some
time most desperately, till they were parted by order of the
Musselleem. Thi^ finished the entertainment.
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894 [app.\i.
notes on return to bagdad.
Left Bussora 5th May. About Ozeir^ and a little way
above, the banks of the river, especially the right, are in-
habited by the Albu Mahommed Arabs, who are fatnotis
thieves. Higher up, on the right bank, are the Saad Arabs,
dependant on the Montefiks.
The jungle on the banks of the Tigris is composed of
arbor vitae and liquorice plant, which latter is very luxuriant,
being in some places about the height of a man. The
Turks are ignorant of its qualities.
The ground in many places was impregnated with nitre.
The encampments of the petty Arabs on the banks of the
Tigris present a very curious and not unpicturesque appear-
ance. They are formed of coarse mats, spread like an
awning, often in a semicircular form, supported by a few
sticks, under which you discover the women engaged in
their domestic employments, and a multitude of children
entirely naked, who flock down to the water's edge on the
appearance of a boat, to beg dates, which the passengers
occasionally throw them. The men are seen, in various
situations, idling about the camp, or driving cattle, with
here and there a savage, half-clothed figure leaning on his
spear, and staring at the passengers. Generally also a
spear or two is stuck in the ground, and a half-starved-look-
ing mare £(een grazing on the briars ; and a small boat is
frequently tied up in the fore-ground. These camps are
guarded by large and fierce dogs.
The Beni Lam encampments are of black horse-cloth
\ViB saw their grand camp on the left bank of the river.
Saw great quantities of the caper-bush, which was in flower.
Remarked a curious circumstance on the river: when there
ii a jungle on one side there is none on the other. As soon
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JiPP. VII.] TAUK RSSRA. 395
ins the juogteon one fiide ceases^ that on the other eoBi*
inences. This riile holds good only below Coot«
We arrived at Coot al Amara the morning of the 12th.
Every reach of the river hat a particular name. We paMed
-the night before a dangerous shallow, or mud bank, called
in Arabic ikellat two reaches below Coot.
The Arabs sound with a reed called katra, by the knots
on which they ascertain the depth of the water.
• Entered Bagdad the 18th May, 1811.
VII.
Voyage down the Tigris front Bagdad to Bussoray in the year
1812.
(Referred to at p. 158, Vol. ii.)
January 22. — Left Bagdad for Bussora in the yacht.
The wind was southerly^ but We arrived at Tauk Kesra
about nine at night.
23rd. — Landed to look at Tauk Kesra. Between
•it and the river • arfe vestiges of large walls of unburnt
bricks, with layers of reeds. The wall at the back of the
Tauk looks as if it had not formed part of the original plan,
though there is a range of niches at the top. The Turk&
say the wall was part of the house of an old woman, who
refused to sell it to Anushirvan, who being too just to de-
prive her of it by force, suflTered it to stand, though it inter-
fered with his hall of audience, through which the old
woman used to drive her jackass during the time of divart,
or when he was holding his court. The story is ridiculous,
but it seems to prove that the extraordinary appearance of
the wall has not escaped even the observation of the Turks.
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396 SANIVISLAND. [AFP. Ylh
Just under the key-stone of the arch is a large patch of mad
plaster^ and inserted in a beam of wood, in the very centre
of it, is an iron ring. The large beams of wood, every-
where visible in the facade of the building, are very curious.
The roof is perforated, and tubes of earthenware are intro-
duced into the holes* wbich are very numerous ; but for
what purpose they were intended it is impossible to say.
The bricks are neither so large, well shaped, nor well burnt
as those from Babylon. The lower part of the building is
much more decayed than the upper, to about seven feet
high all round, which, I am informed, is the case with all
ruins. In the hall a part of the facing, which is of fine
brick, is separating in mass from the building. The wall of
the front is thicker at the bottom than the top, decreasing
from about twenty to eight bricks in thickness. The arch
from the back of the building, on the river side^ assumes
more the appearance of a curve ; in the front it is more
semicircular. All around the top of the arch are semi*
circular niches, or scallop work, very well built.
On the 26th, at about 4^ we came to Jumbul, a dan-
gerous sand island. The river being much lower than when
we last passed it, we saw part of the ruin. Across the river,
in a diagonal direction, were whirlpools, under which^ our
pilot assured us, were buildings. At the end of this chain
of eddies was a piece of brickwork raised about two feet and
a half above the surface of the water. The current here
set very violently off it, running about seven knots, and
making a most dangerous passage. We were near being
driven upon it, and were obliged to let go our anchor, and
get a track-rope on shore to steady us past it. In the mean-
time I went out in the jolly-boat to sound. I found the
building to consist of fine burnt brick closely cemented. It
looked much like the pier of a bridge^ and ck>se to it the lead
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APF. YIlJ THE BENI LAMS. 397
scraped againfit more brick-work. At the bottom, between
this and the left bank of the river; the passage is five and
six fathoms. The right bank is called Moolbinni.
We arrived at Coot al Amara at 9^ p.m. ; our passage
from Bagdad had been delayed so long, from our having
several times got on shore. We left Coot at 8^ a.m. on the
27th. Below Coot are twelve intricate and difficult reaches.
On the morning of the 28th, about 2^^ a schooner
from Bussora met us ; and she proved to be one of the
Mussellem's bai^es> with an English gentleman of the name
of Bailey on board, who was on his way to join us at
Bagdad, but who consented to return with us to Bussora.
The day of the 28th was louring, and about 2^ we were
obliged to come to an anchor. It soon after came on to
blow very hard from the S. £., and we let go our large
anchor, and hove up the small one. In the night it blew a
perfect hurricane^ and continued blowing, with very little
intermission, the whole of the next day, with some rain. In
the night we had some squalls from the E., and more rain.
On the morning of the 30th the wind came round to the
W., and we got under way about 10** 30^. On the forenoon
ofthe31st we arrived at a clump of trees, three reaches
to the S. of which is a place called £1 Hhad, on the
southern boundary of the Beni Lam country, where that of
the Albu Mohammed Arabs begins. The wind was N. W.,
but we had some rain, which I attribute to the wind not
being sufficiently strong to carry back the clouds driven up
by the late furious gale. On the led bank of the river^
above El Hhad, was a long encampment of Beni Lam
Arabs.
At P the wind was again S. E. At 2** 30°* p.m., the Beni
Lams attacked a defenceless boat which was a litfle ahead
of us. When we came up with them we gave them several
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9iB CTRiKa Tims. [or. wu^.
lonndt df miuketry, which pat them to fli^t The wind
afterwaitls chftoged to N.N.B« Aboat faaaet we came to
El Hbad, or rather the begioniog of it Passed along a
grove of trees, aod the tomb of Mahommed Abal Hassan.
About one hour after midnight we came to an anchor, there
being a contrary reach of the river* and a canal running
from it, neariy as wide as the river itself, in which many
boats have been lost. About day-break« in the morning of
the 1st Febmary, we again got under way. The river here
was narrow, and the banks low. Part of the surrounding
country is lower than the surface of the river, and has a
green, morassy appearance. Here and there are vestiges of
former encampments. I believe, as the country is rarely
overflowed, the water is kept at its level by innumerable
canals, with which the country is intersected.
An English sailor, of the name of Moore, in my service,,
told me that, with a southerly wind, the effects of the springy
tides are sometimes felt as high as this ; that is to say, the
current does not flow so rapidly.
At two o'clock, the wind being S. E., the trackers of the
kitchen-boat, which was some way astern, was stopped by a
party of Arabs. Accompanied by one of the gentlemen of
our party, Woronow, my hussar-orderly, and three sepoys,
I immediately jumped into the jolly-boat, and pushed
ashore ; but the Arabs had fled, and there were only a few
peasants standing about, who were, however, rather insolent
The hussar not understanding what was going on, but think-
ing something an Arab was saying must of course be inso«
lent, before I could interfere, gave him a smart blow with
the butt-end of his carbine. We came on board again,
however, without having done any mischief.
We arrived at Bussora on the second of February, having
left Koorna in the morning at about eleven o'clock. .
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AFP. Vri J HUINED MDBQITE. 398
On the Bth, the friends, on vhose account we had under- ^
taken the journey from Bagdad to Busiora^* .went on board
the Honourable Company's cruizer, the Temate, which*
sailed immediately for Bombay ; and as soon as the neces-
sary arrangements could be made^ we proposed returning'
to Bagdad, without visiting Bussora at all. However, on
the 7th, my assistant at that place, Dr. Colquhoun^ and our
ilew friend Mr. Bailey, dinifig on board, the weather after
dinner grew very cloudy, and had a threatening appearance.
At the time the gentlemen were going away, it came on
squally ; the jolly-boat and the kitchen-boat both broke
adrift 5 the latter was very near being lost ; and the yacht
began to roll very much. The captain and boatswain were
ashore on duty. I went up on deck to see what was doing,
where I had not been many seconds before I saw Mrs.
Rich commg up the hatchway in the greatest alarm. As I
knew very well what her inclinations were, the night looking
very threatening, and the factory-boat being ready along^
side, I determined on going ashore; and accordingly we.
arrived safe at the- factory about half-past ten o'clock, and
were, as usual, most hospitably entertained by our worthy
friend Dr. Colquhoun.
On the 8th, the weather continued unsettled ; and as it
was necessary to make some repairs to the kitchen-boat, we
Were detained until the 11th; when at 3** p.m. we em*
barked again, and with the turning of the tide at 10^ we
attempted to get under way, but found our anchor had
taken such good hold, that it broke nine capstan bars, and
several' tackles and ring-bolts, and so much time was lost,
that it was needless to think of moving that night.
On the 12th, at IP a.m we got under way with a light
southerly breeze. At 4^ p.m. passed a ruined mosque, with
rather a high minaret. It was on. the Arabian side,, and ia..
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400 BURNING MARSH REEDS. [aPF. VII^
called Makan Mehhdi Zaman, that is, a plac^ where Mehhdi
rested or dwelt. • The Arabs say it was not built by haman
hands. I made a sketch of it.
All the evening we observed great clouds gathering in the
horizon, which, as it became darker, proved to be smoke
from the fires kindled in the Albu Mahommed and Mon-
tefik countries, to burn the reeds in the marshes, which are
by these means converted into excellent pastures. The
appearance of these fires, which must have been above 30
miles distant, and yet illuminated the whole of the horizon
with a red glare, was peculiarly grand and terrific: I can
compare it to nothing but an irruption of lava from Etna.
We were obliged to anchor to allow the other boats to join
us for dinner; and afterwards the breeze was so light, that
we did not arrive at Koorna till about midnight.
The 13th blew so hard from the S. E., that we could not
stir from the place we were anchored in, at the mouth of
the Tigris, oflF Koorna. The weather, however, was fine
and clear. About 6^ p.m» the wind moderating, we got
under way, and tracked all night, assisted by a light S.
breeze.
On the I4th, at 10 o'clock a.m., we passed the supposed
tomb of Ezra. The river is here narrow, and winds very
much. The country was perfectly flat, as far as the eye
could reach. At 4^ 30™ p.m. we saw on the Persian side
the tomb of Abdulla Ibn Ali, and some reed huts of the
Albu Mahommed Arabs ; the country was still flat, morassy,
and covered with reeds. Towards the morning of the 15th,
the S. E. breeze freshened greatly; and at 9^ a.m. we ar-
rived at El Hhad, or the river which runs from Shuster and
Howeiza, and discharges itself into the Tigris. At 10^ a.m.
we passed Mahommed Abul Hassan, where, besides the
tomb of the saint, there is a burying-ground. Close to the
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APP. VII- J ROOT AL AMARA. 401
river is the range of trees mentioned on our voyage down ;
among which was a small Arab encampment. The banks
of the river were now ratlier higher^ and were covered with
brushwood. At 5** p.m. we were obliged to anchor for
dinner, the kitchen-boat being far astern. At 7^ 30™ we
set oiF again. The wind continued from the same quarter,
but was much more moderate, and at midnight it changed
and came round to the N. W. We passed Ali Sherki and
AH Gharbi.
The morning of the 16th it blew strong from the N, W.,
and we were delayed two or three hours in consequence.
At ff* 1&" P.M. we brought to, on account of the high wind ;
but were off again in half an hour.
On the morning of the 17th we had a light south wind.
The wind settled at N. W. At midnight we heard on the
E. bank a great roaring of the waters, exactly like the surf
on the sea-shore after a gale of wind. I believe it to be the
place where the Neft Soo, or river, which runs from the Per*
sian mountains by Mendali and Jessan^ discharges itself into
the Tigris. A little after we came to a place where the
reaches of the river form exactly a right angle.
The 18th, there was a gentle breeze from the N, W., but
the wind rising, we brought to at half-past one p.m.,
and did not get off again till ten p.m. The track rope
broke several times in the night. We came to anchor
on the 19th at nine a.m., the wind being very strong from
theN. W. At six in the evening we got under way again*
At midnight we came to a place which was very difficult to
p^ss, on account of the violence of the eddy and the shal-*
lows in the river. At eleven o'clock a.m., on the 20th, we
cast anchor at Koot al Amara, The Hye was full, and the
current was running from the Tigris to the Euphrates. At
midnight it came on to blow hard from the S. E., and on
Vol. II. 2 D
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402 JASSEM BEY. [aPP. VIl.
the 2l8t there was quite a hard gale from the same quar-
ter, with occasional variations to the E. We were obliged
to strike our yards and topmasts. The gale lasted, with
undiminished violence, till about 5^ in die morning of the
22nd, when it became squally and rainy.
At lis A.M., the wind shifted to the N.W., whence it
blew hard till about 6^ p.m., when it moderated, and we got
under way. At ©* 30™ there was a violent squall from the
N.W., which, however, soon passed away, but at Itf^, the
weather bearing a very varis^le appearance, we brought
to for the night, and got under way again at 6^ a.m. of
the 23d.
At l^ P.M. we passed Jumbnl, which is now so com**
pletely covered with water, as well as the island near it,
that a vessel of twice our size, according to the pilot, could
sail over it
I hea,rd here that Jassem Bey and the Arifa Arabs have
taken possession ^f the banks of the river, and are prepared
to resist any troops the Pasha may send against them. We
passed a few tents of the Greish Arabs on the western, and
Shumars on the eastern banks of the river. About 3^ in the
afternoon it began to blow very hard again from the N.W.,
and we were compelled to cross over the river to get the
weather shore on board. On the 25th the wind abated.
About 4^ P.M. we saw at some distance in the rear, on the
W. bank, something like a minaret, which is said to be
ancient. I found we had passed it in the night. Soon
after we came to an island, now almost coTered with water,
on which not long ago « large lion was seen. At 8^ we
entered a reach of the river cdled Dokhala, and about 4^
in the naoming we weie detained a little by a sand island^
which obliged us to brii^ to till we had sounded die
passage. .
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APP. VII.] TAUK KESRA. 403
We arrived at Taj at 9^. From thence to Tauk Kesra
they reckon six reaches. At 4^ p.m. saw over the land we
had left the tomb which gives name to Taj, but I could not
learn who is buried there. Before sun-set Tauk Kesra was
visible from the mast-head. About 2^ in the morning we
got aground, and did not get off again before 6^. At 3^ 30"^
we were favoured with a light south-easterly breeze, and we
arrived at the south extremity of the wall of Ctesiphon^
called the Bostan> and anchored at 9^ 30^ abreast or rather
a little in the rear of the Tauk^ to the N. of the mosque
called Hodheifa.
On the 28th I landed to sketch Tauk Kesra^ and again
made some measurements. The thickness of the face at
the bottom is twenty bricks, just above the first swell eleven,
at the top seven. On the other wing, just above the swell,
there is fifteen bricks. I found in the town walls a layer
of reeds between each layer of bricks.
We crossed over and wandered about the ruins of Selen-
cia, almost the only vestige of which that remains is a part
of the N. face of the city wall. The wall must have been
of great height and thickpess, and built of unbumt bricks,
with a layer of reeds between every layer of brick, as at
Ctesiphon and Babylon.
At 7^ 30~ we again got under way. At 2** of the morning
of the 29th, we passed the mouth of the Diala, and about
5^ anchored at Gherara, whence rode up to Bagdad.
2D2
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404
VIIL
Excursion from Bagdad to the Ruins of Tauk Kesra^ at
Ctesiphon and Seleucia^ December ^ 1812.
(Referred to at p. 159, Vol. ii.)
.HAYiNti made a party to spend a few days at Taak Kesxa,
we went. on board the yacht at 9^ 30™ a.m., the troop gotiig
by land ; but the wind being southerly^ with frequent calms,
we did not reach the place of our destination till 8^30°^ p.m.
We remained on board the yacht. Mr. Hine and the rest
of the party took up their quarters at Selman Pak« and the
troop^ with the horses^ at a little building to the S. of the
Tauk» where is the tomb of a female saint; near this our
yacht wa& anchored, and on the banks we pitched two tents
for the kitchen^ &a.
' December 6. — We took a ride to the east of the Tauk ;
almost the only remains of Ctesiphon are the walls> which
are of unhurnt brick.
, December 7. — ^Went on shore to measure the Tauk, and
I ascertained the following dimensions by correct measure^
ment with a line and rule : —
Ftiet.
Length of the front of the building . . . 284
Width of the arch at the bottom or on the ground . 82
Height of the arch 101
Thickness of the wall at the ground • • .19
Depth or length of the hall . . . .153
In the evening rode along the W. part of the city wall,
the remains of which are more extensive than I had any
idea of, reaching, I conjecture^ about a mile to the N.,
where they are suddenly broken. Between the N. part and
the riv^r is a plain> which appears to be a comparatively
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APP. VIII.] WALL OP CTESIPHON. 405
recent accession of soil, by the river's having bent more
towards Seieucia* ; but no part of the wall appears to have
been exactly on the bank. The reach of the river is nearly
N. and S.
December 8. — Rode out again in the evening, the morn-
ing having been rather lowering. The eastern part of the
wall ofCtesipbon has a curious appearance ; as it seemis to
have formed an enclosure by itself, and separated as it were
from the rest of the city. This is the opinion of the inha-
bitantSy who call the enclosure the Bostan or garden. It is
to the east of the Tank, in the other reach of the river.
December 9.— Crossed to the western bank of the river to
inspect the -ruins of Seleucia, which are opposite, and not,
as Gibbon says, three miles above those of Ctesiphon.
There is an enclosure somewhat corresponding' with that of
the Bostan^ at the latter place, one si<le being formed by
the river, the other walled round. A great part of the
western wall is destroyed, but the northern^ which is about
three miles above, and the southern, which is nearly oppo«
site the Tank, remain. In the area are some heaps of ruins,
but the greatest quantity are outside the limits of the enclo*
sure to the westward, where they extend to a very great
distance. To the S. of the enclosure is a little ruin of the
tomb of a Sheikh^ which appears to have been erected above
a hundred years ago ; the threshold is formed by a fragment
pf the shaft of a column of fine variegated marble, evidently
not the work of those who erected the tomb. Still farther
to the S. is what I take to be the Naher Malca ; it runs N.
50 W.9 and is joined by a number of smaller channels*
Tauk Kesra bore from it N. 10 E. It bounds the horizon
to the west,. and appears as if it surrounded and bounded
the ruins. On o^e of the heap$ 1 saw a brick which had
* A Greek city on the opposite bank of the Tigris to Ctesiphon.
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406 STATUE IN THE DBSEtlT. [aPP. VIII.
Ibe oblong Babylonuui stamp, and though no letters were
vitibley I have no doubt but that it was Babylonian. We
saw several herds of antelopes, some wolves, and jackals.
December 10. — Having heard of a statue to be seen in the
desert, we took an Arab peasant for our guide, and again
Grossed the river^ directed our course about W. 10 S., and
in that direction^ upwards of four miles from the bank of the
river, at the foot of one of the heaps of rubbishy found the
curiosity we were in search of. It is a small statue of black
stone about three feet high, representing a female in a sitting
posture^ but all above the waist is broken off and lost. The
workmanship is evidently Babylonian^ and bears a perfect
resemblance to some of the sculptures on the cylinders in
my possession. The strong similarity of taste and desiga
between this and other Babylonian antiques, and the
Egyptian statues^ cannot fail of striking any one who has
ever seen an Isis.
The ruins of Seleucia extend very far to the W.^ but
there are none to the N« or beyond the northern part of the
enclosure mentioned in my Journal of yesterday.
DecenAer ll.-^In the afternoon went on shore on the
eastern sidOf took two views of the Tauk ; looked for the
ring in the keystone of the arch, but could not find it ; the
plaster too about it was broken away. On inquiring found
that the Arabs had taken it away, by slinging a basket with
a man in it by ropes on eadi side under the arch. It is said
die Arabs found it to be of gohl*
December IS^-^Left Tauk Kesra on hotseback at 10^ a.m.
and arrived at the passage of the Diala, where there is
ttsoally a bridge, which has been lately broken and carried
away by the vblenoe of the swell and current. At 1^ we
balled here to refresh ourselves^ and then getting into the
barouche« we arrived at the Residency tft » little aftef' three.
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407
IX.
, Bmtian of the Confluence of the Zab and Tigris.
(Referred to at p. 134, Vol. li.)
The following remarks are the result of Observations made
by Mr. Rich daring two previous voyages down the Tigris.
Abulfeda, and the Turkish geographer who follows him^
place Haditha and the confluence of the Zab and Tigris at
the distance of fourteen farsakhs, road distance/ below
MousuK Major Rennel makes it forty-two geographical
miles, direct distance^ which is evidently too much. Olivier^s
map/ wfaicb is, I believe^ drawn up from Beauchamp's au-
thorityj makes it ten leagues^ or thirty geographical miles^
and Nimrod six leagues. I was exactly eight hours and
twenty minutes dropping down the river on a raft (in the
month of April) from Mousul to (he mouth of the Zab^
clear of all deductions and delays ; the river was then pretty
high, and the current strong.
For further particulars, I was four hours precisely from
a place one hour below Mousul to Hamam Ali. Hamam
All I know to be at the distance of five hours by land from
Mousul. Kara Koyunlee I also know to be three hours
from MousuL I was two hours and twenty minutes by
water from the above place ; and just before I arrived at
Kara Koyunlee^ I set the high old minaret of Mousul^ which
bore N. 35 W., the supposed variation being eighty W.
From Hamam AU, Nimrod bore S. 35 E. Nimrod,
which Beanchamp or Olivier's map makes six leagues
from Mousnly iSj according to my information, just seven
hours' journey by land. I therefore make it on the map
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408 ZIKR EL AAWAZE. [aPP. IX.
18*2 geographical miles. In one hour and forty minutes
I passed the Zikr el Aawaze, or dam across the river^ which
is a little below Nimrod ; and in two hours and forty minutes
more arrived at the castle of Keshaff^ on the south bank of
the Zab, where it falls into the Tigris. The mouth of the
Zab is nine hours from Mousul by land * ; and several
other villages which are on the northern, or left bank of the
Zab^ from its. junction with the Tigris up tp the passage at
Kellek, are all said by the natives to be nine hours from
Mousul.
The passage of the Zab at Kellek I qonclude from my
travelling in my journey up to Mousul, to be in latitude
36° 16' 12'', and distance W. of the meridian of Bagdad
38° 3', (From this the]^ Zab runs towards th^ Tigris iu
S. 40 W.) The distance of the passage at Kellek from Mou-
sul is, according to my travelling, twenty-four geogrfiphical
miles. If my rate of floating do\yn the river from Hamam
All to the mouth of the Zab be the same as from Mousul to
Hamain Ali, and with the i^ame circumstances of river, &c.^
it would give 24*18 miles for the distance from Mousul,
which is, I am persuaded, near the truth.
Niebuhr's tracing of the Tigris between Bagdad and
Mousul cannot be depended on ; indeed, he drew merely
from information. Khanuza (which he incorrectly calls el
* N.B. I have taken at different times the most precise infor-
mation respecting the distance of the mouth of the Zab from
Mousul. Horsemen tolerably well mounted go in ^ight hours to
KeshafF, which is on the south side of the Zab, at its confluence.
Additional information since acquired : —
Mousul to Ham am Ali , . 4 hours.
To a place on the west bank, exactly opposite Keshaff 4 „
Mousul to Keshaff, all the way by the east bank of the
Tigris, including the passage of the Zab . 10 „
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APP. IX.] INCORRECT MAPS. 409
Keuka), he places opposite the mouth of the lesser Zab,
and Toprak Kailaa below the lesser Zab. Beauchamp's map
servilely copies Niebuhr. Neither of them mark the chain
Hamreen, which Major Kennel makes come from Ana*
Now I have myself followed it from Toprak Kalaa, and
even at that place it appears to come from the north and
west
In my tracing of the river, I follow exclusively my own
observations. 1 have twice floated down the river from
Mousul to Bagdad in a kellek ; but sorry am I to say^ with
no better instruments thjin a compass*. From KeshafT to
Bagdad I follow the same calculation as from Mousul to
Keshaffy and luckily I have some distances between places
on the bank, which act as a ch^ck oq my computation.
Tekreet, for instance^ is distinct from Imaunr Mohammed
Door two hours, peasants' travelling (at 2*6 miles per
hour) ; the direct distance would be 5*2 miles*
Now, in floating down the river, I calculated the distance
as 5*4, which is certainly a remarkable coincidence for a
merely approximate method, and never, then, could be the
effect of chance f . I have also cross routes, which satisfy
me 3 and on (lie whole, though my tracing of the river is of
course not so good as it ought to be, and as it would have
been had 1 observeci astronomically, yet it may be reckoned
much more correct tban any that has yet been made.
* During Mr. Rich's third expedition down the Tigris, the ac-
count of which is contained in the former part of the present
volumes, he was better provided with mathematical instruments,
which enabled him decidedly to fix the situations of places. The
results of the three voyages, it has been thought, might interest
the scientific reader.
t It must be remarked, that I had calculated the riyer distance
before I received the information of the land distance from Tekreet
to Door.
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410
DIRECT DISTANCES.
[APP. IX.
I observe that the direct distance by water is nearly the
same as that by land, at least, at the season when I came
down from Mousul, which was in Aprils when the river was
nearly at its height ; that is to say, that the rapidity of the
current in general compensates for the windings of the river,
in reducing the distance floated or travelled to geographical
construction. Adopting the same proportion as that used
from Mousul to Keshaf, I have the following distances from
the principal points : —
Keshaf to Geographical i
Dailes. Direct distance.
Sultan Abdallah
4.4
Toprall Kalaa and Hamreen
36-7
Mouth of the lesser Zab
13'0
ElFat'hha
9-6
Tekreet ....
18*2
Imaum Mahommed Door
5*4
Samara • « • •
ll'l
Sindia • • . •
30«4
Howeish • • • •
Additional distance from Mou-
14-6
143-4
Called by land seven
hours, going first to
Hope and thence
to Sindia.
tul to Keshaf
. 24'1
23*4 (supposed)
Total
167-5
Ascertained distance from How-
eish to Bagdad by the river
21-0
Distance from Mouaul to Bag- — -
dad by the river • • • 188*5
Distance from Mousul to Bag-
dad, calculated correctly by the
land journey « • • 189*3
THE END.
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