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PERSONAL NARRATIVE
ft
OF A
JOURNEY FROM
INDIA TO ENGLAND,
BY BUSSORAH, BAGDAD, THE RUINS OF BABYLON,
CURDISTAN, THE COURT OF PERSIA,
THE WESTERN SHORE OF THE CASPIAN SEA, ASTRAKHAN,
NISHNEY NOVOGOROD, MOSCOW, AND 8T. PBTERSBURGH !
IX THE YEAR 1824.
BY
CAPTAIN THE HON. GEORGE KEPPEL.
t^mMst df£
PHILADELPHIA :
CAREY, LEA & CAREY— CHESNUT STREET.
SOLD IN NEW YORK, BY G. & 0. CARVILL, — IN BOSTON, BY HILLIARD„
GRAY, & CO., AND RICHARDSON & LORD,
1827.
^Q>
GRIGGS U DICKINSON, Printer*.
Whitehall.
TO
THE EARL OF ALBEMARLE,
In sending forth this, my first Work, to the Pub-
lic, I am naturally anxious to obtain for it a protector.
To whom, then, can I better apply than to you, my dear
Father, for whose entertainment I was first induced to
keep a Diary of my Travels ?
Your affectionate Son,
GEORGE KEPPEL.
Dublin Castle.
00 Co
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page.
No. 1. Ruins of a Pillar on the Easter Bank of the
Tigris 76
2. Fragment of a Statue - - - - 79
3. Babylonian Cylinders - - - - 110
4. Statue of a Lion found in the Ruins of
Babylon 123
5. Specimen of the Ruins at Kisra Shereen - 176
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
My fellow-travellers — Futteh Ali Khan — Departure from Bom-
bay — Persian Syyud — His Compliment to the English, and
opinion of our Devotion — Luminous Surface of the Sea — Din-
ner with the Prince — Persian Politeness — Arrival at Muscat —
Barren Appearance of the Cove — Fortifications — Shipping —
Ignorance of the Imaum and of his Ojteers in Navigation — An-
ecdote — The Imaum and Futteh Ali Khan — Our introduction
to the Imaum — His character — Wahhabbee Pirate — Town of
Muscat — Bazaar — Inhabitants — Method of extracting Toll —
Imaum's stud — Slave Auction. Page 13 — 24
CHAPTER II.
Suburbs of Muscat — Drunken Persian*— -Fish-fed Horses — Sterile
appearance of the country — Village of Poorshur — Giaffer's con-
duct — Set sail for Bussorah — Cape Jask — The Quoins — Cape
Musendom — Islands of the Tombs — Pulior — Cape Nabon —
Cape Verdistan — Bushire — Karrack — Arab Pilot — Sick Native
— Cape Baungk — Pilot's mode of navigating the ship — Runs
her ashore — His apology— Appearance of the Coast — Behaviour
of an Arab Sheikh. Page 25 — 35
CHAPTER III.
The Sheikh's modest demeanour — His Residence — Repast — Spi-
rited Reply of the Sheikh's Son — Captain Taylor — Land at
Bussorah — New Governor — Ex-Governor — The New Govern-
or's Public Entrance into Bussorah — First ait of his Govern-
ment — His Visits to the Political Agent — His Visit returned —
Wearing Shoes in the Chamber of an Asiatic — Horse-racing in
the Desert — The Governor's attempt at Oppression — An Ar-
menian's Betrothment — Pas de deux between a Jew and a
Turk. Page 36—46
Vlll CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IV.
Ancient Ruins — Tombs of Ali, the Barmecide, and of Zobeir, an
Arab Chief — Town of Zobeir — Sheikh of Dirhemmia — City of
Bussorah — Filth of the Streets — Old and New Bazaars — Cof-
fee-houses — Trade — Population — Productions — Preparations for
departure — Guard of Arabs — Aboo Nasir — Entertainment on
board the Alligator. Page 47—53
CHAPTER V.
We take leave of our Shipmates — And proceed on our Voyage —
Our Boatmen and Guard— -Abstinence from Wine — Koorna —
The River Tigris— II Jezeerah, the reputed site of Paradise —
Appearance of the Country — Our first interview with the Desert
Arabs — Arab Village — Conduct of our Guard — Goomru — Tri-
bute — Extortion — Tomb of the Prophet Ezra — Abundance of
Game — Kill a brace™! Partridges in the Garden of Eden —
Curious Scene — Behaviour and Appearance of the Female
Arabs of the Desert. Page 54 — 62
CHAPTER VI.
Aboo Nasir — Village Jester — Akushee — English Gentlemen at-
tacked by the Arabs — Munjummil — Thuyn II Swyah — Mohu-
mud Abool Hassan — We are challenged from the shore by the
Arabs — Our Boatmen's answer — Manner in which the Arabs
lie in ambush for Travellers — Cheshef — Illyauts — Black Tents
illustrated by Scripture — Mr. Hamilton and I shoot at a
Lioness — Curious flight of birds — Barter — Gubur Jumdeer —
Ali Shurgee — Animals like Bats — Filifileh and Sooroot, an an-
cient ruin — Encampment of Arab Banditti — Aboo Nasir's an-
swer to their inquiries — Muddukil-Hujauje — Koote — Horses
procurable from hence to Bagdad — Description of the village —
Jubul Afeez, a ruin — Arab Greyhounds — A Dandy of the
Desert — Mr. Hamilton proceeds by land to Bagdad — Boats
laden with firewood for Bagdad — Ummuttumim, a large Canal —
Grotesque description of Boat*— Shifeleh — Extensive Ruins —
Observations on the general appearance of Ruins in this coun-
try — The ruins of Mumliheh — Coins — Want of instruments
for digging. Page 63 — 74
CHAPTER VII.
Tortuous course of the River — Extensive Ruins — Fire Temple —
Devil's dance — Dawurree, a tribe of thieves and buffoons —
CONTENTS. IX
Ruins of Seleucia — Camel-riding— Illustration of the Prophecy
of Isaiah — Ancient Statue — Tradition — Powder Mill — Ctesi-
phon — Description of the Tauk or Arch of Kisra — Suleiman
Pauk — Historical notices of Seleucia and Ctesiphon — Arrival
at Bagdad — Public Entrance — Mr. Hamilton's Journey across
the Desert — Anecdote of the Chief of the Artillery.
Page 75—88
CHAPTER VIII.
The Pasha's Garden — Armenian Church — Our Host's Policy —
Monastery of Calendars — Tomb of Zobeide — -Visit to the Cath-
olic Bishop of Bagdad — Anecdote — Journey to Babylon — Our
Establishment — Description of a Caravanserai — Our first Night's
Lodging. Page 89—99
CHAPTER IX.
Bir-iunus — Caravans of Persian Pilgrims — Mode of Travelling —
Women — Corpses — Coffins — Iskanderia — Earthenware Coffins
— Mohowel — An old Man and his Wives — Distant appearance
of the Ruins of Babylon — Reasons for supposing the Ruins to
be those of Babylon — Causes of Deterioration — Mujillebe
Mound — Illustration of the Prophecy of Isaiah — Hilleh — Po-
pulation — Musjid Eshams — Babylonian Inscriptions — Bricks —
Cylinders — Throwing the Jereed — Sham fight — Tower of Babel
— Babylonian Boats — Earthenware Tombs — Statue of a Lion —
Hanging Gardens— Palace. Page 100—124
CHAPTER X.
Triumph of Travelling over Prejudice — Grotesque Dance — Fire
Temple — Presentation to the Pasha of Bagdad — Feast of St.
Gregory — Visit from the Officers of the Pashalick — Instance of
the Pasha's despotic Power — We return the Visit of the Offi-
cers — The Pasha's Garden — Musruf Effendy and his Screw-
pump — First impressions on visiting Bagdad — Description of the
Streets and Bazaars — Interior of a House — Dress of the Wo-
men — Liberty enjoyed by Turkish Females. Page 125 — 141
CHAPTER XI.
Buildings in the time of Haroun Alraschid — A House— Mosque —
Disregard of the Turks for Antiquities — Preparations for de-
parture — Advice to Travellers — Roguery of the British Agent
—Mr. Wolff, a Missionary — Extortion of the Servants of Aga
Saikeis — We leave Bagdad — Gold-stick bearer — Benee-Sad —
Ruined state of the Town — Aboo Nasir throwing the Jereed —
Bacoubah — Devastation of the Army of Mohumud AH Meerza
— Alarm of Robbers — Aboo Nasir's Request— The Silver-stick
Bearer and Aboo Nasir take leave. Page 142— 1*3
B
X CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XII.
Ruins of Artemita — Historical Notice of Shehreban — Ruins of
Apollonia — Crossing the Diala — Ancient Tradition—The Ha-
merine or Carduchian Mountains. Page 154 — 163
CHAPTER XIII.
Ruin at Baradan — Gaur, the City of Magicians — Khanaki — Our
Janizary — Calor, a Tribe of Banditti — Annoyances of the
Journey — The Shurgee or Siroc Wind — Ruins of Kisra She-
reen — We are visited by Robbers — Dangerous Adventure.
Page 164—178
CHAPTER XIV.
March by Moonlight — Our Chief Muleteer — Pool Zohaub — Stu-
pendous Scenery — Curious Custom of Illyaut Women — Ancient
Sculpture — Ascent of the Zagri Pilae — Magnificent Scenery—
Pa-ee Takht — Suridage — Vexatious delay of the Muleteer —
Town of Kurund — Visit from the Governor. Page 179 — 190
CHAPTER XV.
An Illyaut Breakfast — Beautiful Female — One of the King's
Wives — Town of Harounabad — Beauty of the Women — Ma-
hidesht — Escorted into Kermanshah — Description of the Town
— An Order of Knighthood — Character of Mohumud Ali Meer-
za, the late Prince of Kermanshah. — Anecdote of His High-
ness and Gaspar Khan — Visit from the Prince of Kerman-
shah. Page 191—204
CHAPTER XVI.
Three Arab Visiters — A Chieftain — An Astrologer — A Moolah —
Ancient Sculptures at Tauk Bostaun — Chosroes, Shereen, and
Furhaud — Persian Dance — Equestrian Evolutions — Turcoman
breed of Horses — Persian mode of clearing the way for a great
Man — Funeral Procession of Mohumud Ali Meerza — The
Moolahi Bashee — Suleiman Khan Kuruzungeer, and the Sect
of Illahi. Page 205—221
CHAPTER XVII.
Misunderstanding between Messrs. Court and De Veaux — Con-
duct of Senor Oms — Reconciliation between our Hosts —
Moolah Ali's opinion of Duelling — Second interview with the
Prince — Departure from Kermanshah — Unsuccessful Expedi-
tion into the Mountains — Pic-nic Breakfast — We take leave of
Messrs. Court and De Veaux — Be-sitoon — Bas-reliefs — Sahanah
— Concobar — Visit the Governor — Temple of Diana.
Page 222—236
CONTENTS. XI
CHAPTER XVIIL
Sadawar — Our Host and his two Wires — Hamadan — A Chupper,
or Courier — Hajee Abbas, the Prince's Mehmaundaur — Dis-
pensation from the Fast — Ancient Inscription — Elwund —
Morning Visiters — The Prince's Physician — His Eulogium on
Sir John Malcolm — The Rabbi of the Jews — Chief of the Ar-
menians — A Persian in pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone —
High respect for the English Character. Page 237 — 249
CHAPTER XIX.
Daparture for Teheraun — The Prince's arrival prevented by the
Astrologers — The March of Alexander — Our Persian Costume —
Advice to Travellers — Beebee Rubaut — Fatiguing March to
Kujur Minar — Plain of Rubaut — Rubaut Kereem — Bukhtiari
Banditti — Arrival at Teheraun — Persian Bath — Dyeing beards —
Nigauristoon— -Persian Flowers — Rhages — Visit Meerza Aboo-
Hassan Khan — Kissera Kajar — Levee of the Ameen ed Dow-
lah — The Palace — Court Dress — The Prince Governor of Tehe-
raun— Presentation to the King — Bastinado. Page 250 — 265
CHAPTER XX.
Summer Palace of Ali Khan Meerza — Gypsies — Soolimanea, Sou-
gherabad, and Sufur Khojah — Casbin — Serah Dhan — Aubhaur —
Saingula — Curious Animals — Ruins of Sultanieh — Tomb of
Sultan Khodabundah — King's Summer Palace — Zingaun — ■
Town, Bazaar, Mosque — Armaghanah — Auk-kend — Kaufilan
Koh — Mountain of Tigers — Kizil Oozan — Bridge — Rude Sce-
nery — Murder of Mr. Brown — Superstitions — Kurz Kula —
Causeway — Oppression of Drowsiness — Arrive at Masana — Cu-
rious Exhibition — Description of Maeana — Extraordinary Bug
and Earth Louse — Turcoman Sha-ee — Tikhmadash — Wasmitdi
— Arrival at Tabriz — Departure of Messrs. Lamb and Hart — -
Introduction to the Prince Royal. Page 266 — 277
CHAPTER XXI.
Dinner with Colonel Mazerowitch — Projected Route — Arrange-
ments for the Journey — Departure from Tabriz — Appearance
of the Country — Shehruk — Golijah — Aher — New Mehmaundaur
— Hoja Kishlaukh— -Arabshehr — Beautiful Scenery — Yokhari
Perasewaun — Gulakundee — Wheat Harvest — Venomous Ser-
pent — Illustration of Plutarch — Cross the Araxes — Illyaut
Encampment — Arrival in Russian Territory — Meralian — Kara-
baugh, the country of the Sacaseni — Peerhumud — Luxuriant
Foliage — Cossacks Haymaking — Khanakhi — Armenian Villages
—Arrival at Sheesha — Appearance of the Town — Russian Offi-
cers' Quarters-— Aga Beg. Chief of the Armenians, and his
XII CONTEXTS.
Brothers — Two Missionaries — Visit to the Commandant — Tomb
of Nartuck — Sheesha, its Population, Trade, Climate, and
Costume — Prescribe for my Host's Brother — My fame as a
Physician. Page 278—290
CHAPTER XXII.
Cossack Posts, Horses, Cheer — Mode of making Tea — Ruins, of
Berda — Abundance of Game — Lug — River Kur, the Ancient
Cyrus — Koordameer — The Na-ib — Shumakhi — Interview with
the Commandant — Town of Bakoo — Bazaar — Productions — -Po-
pulation — Military Force — Fire-Temple of Indian Pilgrims — A
Brahmin — A Viragee — A Naphtha Well — My Servant knocked
up — Cossack Officer — His Quarters — Breakfast — Town of Ku-
ba — Kula noo — Fall asleep on Horseback — Flooded state of the
river Samur — Lesguy Tartars — Russian Notion of English
Radicalism — Major of Cossacks — City of Durbund — Ancient
Walls — Population — Extensive Barracks — Russian Salutation —
Dinner — My new Servant — His Appearance and Dress — His
easy Manners — Polite Attention of my Host — Departure from
Durbund — Nervous Irritability — Vexatious Delays — My Ser-
vant a Catcher of Tartars — His desisting from Sleep.
Page 291— 31 a
CHAPTER XXIII.
District of Shamkhaul — The Shamkhaul — Tarkee-— A little Ama-
zon — River Koi Soui— Extraordinary Flight of Locusts — Nogai
Tartars — Quarantine-house — Arrive at Kizliarj am the guest of
a friend of my Servant's — The Town, Population, and Produce
—My new Servant, a Jew boy — Anecdote — Departure from
Kizliar — My new Equipage — Post-horses, Cossack and Kalmuck
Drivers — Locusts in the Desert — Quarantine — Arrival at As-
trakhan — Scotch Missionary-house — Alexander Cassim Beg — ■
Obstacles to the Missionaries — Their Privileges — City of As-
trakhan — Population — Variety of Costume — Prisoner begging
Russian Charity — Trade — Salt — Productions— Indecent Cus-
tom — Sturgeon Fishery. Page 314 — 327
CHAPTER XXIV.
Departure from Astrakhan — Mode of dispersing Locusts — Colony
of Sarepta — Modern Hippophagi — German Colonies — Russian
travelling — Saratoff— Penza — Nishney Novogorod — Effect of
an Uniform — A Cossack Sentry — Rascolnicks — Horsemanship
Theatre— Russian Dance. Page 328—338
CHAPTER XXV.
Arrival at Moscow — Messrs. Hart and Lamb — Governor Gene-
ral — Military Honours — Gallitsin Hospital — Burning of Mos-
cow—The Kremlin— The Diligence — State Prisoner — Arrival in
England. Page 339— 344
NARRATIVE,
&c. &c.
CHAPTER I,
My fellow-travellers — Futteh AH Khan — Departure from Bom-
bay — Persian Syyud — His Compliment to the English, and
opinion of our Devotion — Luminous Surface of the Sea — Din-
ner with the Prince — Persian Politeness — Arrival at Muscat —
Barren Appearance of the Cove — Fortifications — Shipping —
Ignorance of the Imaum and of his Officers in Navigation — An-
ecdote — The Imaum and Futteh Ali Khan — Our introduction
to the Imaum — His character — Wahhabbee Pirate — Town of
Muscat — Bazaar — Inhabitants — Method of extracting Toll —
Imaum's stud — Slave Auction.
In the month of January, 1824, Mr. Ker Baillie Ha-
milton, Mr. Lamb, Captain Hart, and myself, met from
different parts of India, at the Presidency of Bombay.
We were all resolved upon an overland journey to Eng-
land, but differed as to the precise route. By making a
few mutual concessions on this point, we agreed to travel
together.* We were assisted in this arrangement by
Captain Alexander, who kindly granted us a passage to
* The Author begs to return his best acknowledgments to Mr.
Lamb for the use of his notes, and to Captain Hart for the draw-
ings which accompany this Work.
2
14 1U LTEH ALI KHAN.
Bussorah in his Majesty's ship Alligator, of which he
had the command.
January 26. — The night before we sailed, the officers
of the frigate, and our travelling party, were invited to
dine with His Highness Futteh Ali Khan, who, as well
as ourselves, embarked on board the Alligator the follow-
ing morning.
Futteh Ali Khan is a eunuch in the seraglio of his
brother-in-law, Abbas Meerza, the Prince Royal of Per-
sia, who married his sister. He is the son of the brave
but unfortunate Lootf Ali Khan, the last Persian king of
the Zund dynasty, who was murdered by Aga Mohum-
raud, in 1794.
Looft Ali has been aptly compared to Richard Coeur-
de-lion of England, and Charles XII. of Sweden, and he
is still the subject of song and poetry in Persia. The
usurper destroyed nearly all the members of the deposed
family; the remainder, he dispersed over Mazanderaun.
At the period of his father's overthrow, our royal ship-
mate was seven years old ; his life was spared probably
on account of his tender age ; but the condition to which
he was reduced by the barbarous policy of the conquer-
or, made the boon of little value.
The year previous to our meeting at Bombay, I had
seen His Highness at Calcutta, where, in my capacity of
aide-de-camp to the Marquis of Hastings, the then Go-
vernor General of India, I had frequent opportunities of
conversing with him. He had at that time just arrived
from the court of the Prince Royal of Persia on a visit
to India ; and our Government, with its usual liberality,
had allowed him a hundred rupees a-day, and a splendid
establishment ; attractions which proved so great to His
Highness, that there is no knowing to what period he
might have prolonged his stay, had not ill health accele-
rated his departure.
DEPARTURE FROM ROM BAY. 15
His Highness is tall and emaciated ; his eyes are large
and black, and his complexion is sallow. Though not
more than thirty-eight years old, he appears double ttiat
age, and his voice and features so resemble those of a fe-
male, that when wrapped up in shawls, he might be ea-
sily mistaken for an old woman.
January 27. — We went on board the Alligator at ten
o'clock this morning. Shortly after us, Futteh Ali Khan
embarked, under a salute from the batteries. As His
Highness was in a delicate state of health, he was hoist-
ed, or in sea- phrase, ** whipped on board." The
sailors, whose notions of princely appearance were pro-
bably formed by the pictures of our own royal family,
seemed much surprised at the feminine look of the un-
fortunate Persian. Many a joke, incapable of repeti-
tion, did I hear made on this wreck of a fallen dynasty.
We got under weigh the moment the Prince was em-
barked. The weather was fine and the wind favourable.
Those of our friends who had come to take leave, were
soon obliged to retreat to their boats, as we were rapidly
getting out to sea.
Before sun-set the town of Bombay had disappeared
from view, and the high ghauts, (mountains) which mark
this coast, were all we could discern of Indian land.
The principal person of the Prince's establishment,
was a Persian Syyud, a man of some information, and
not deficient in humour. As I could speak Persian with
tolerable fluency, I used frequently to amuse myself by
asking his opinion respecting the improvement of our
nation in different branches of science. Amongst other
subjects, I tried to explain to him the properties of a
steam-boat lately established in Calcutta, which, from its
power of stemming wind, tide, and current, had been
called by the Indians " Sheitaun koo noo," the De-
vil? r Boat,
16 A PERSIAN SYYUD.
Wishing to pay a compliment to our nation, the Syyud
replied, " When arts were in their infancy, it was na-
tural to give the Devil credit for any new invention ; but
now, so advanced are the English in every kind of im-
provement, that they are more than a match for the De-
vil himself."
Mahometans are at all times ready to acknowledge our
superiority in every thing connected with manufactures
and arts. This concession, indeed, could not well be
withheld, as most articles of a finer quality are imported
from Europe into the East, and the greater portion of
them from England. Nevertheless it is surprising that a
people so bigoted to their own superiority in most re-
spects, have allowed us a pre-eminence even in this.
They reconcile it, however, to their vanity, by obser-
ving that we, as infidels, have our enjoyments in this
life, while theirs, as true believers, will be in a world to
come. In short, that we are as superior to them, as
" the children of this world are, in their generation,
wiser than the children of light."
January 29. — This morning, (Sunday,) divine service
was performed. As soon as it was over, I went up to
the Syyud, who had been watching our motions, and, to
observe his reply, asked him why he had not said his
prayers this morning? His answer was very laconic,
ffuftee mun, Booze Shuma. " Daily I, weekly you."
The Mahometans believe, not with the Syyud, that
we pray once a week, but that we never pray at all ;
and, to say the truth, the general conduct of our coun-
trymen in the East, rather favours the supposition.
February 1. — The sea was covered this morning with
a vast quantity of luminous blubber, the molusca of the
medusa species. It is sometimes of a scarlet colour;
that which we saw was blue, and resembled the flower of
the convolvulus. At night it gave the sea the appear-
PERSIAN POLITENESS, 17
ance of waves of liquid fire. This is a constant indica-
tion of an approach to the Persian shore.
Captain Alexander being confined to his bed by a se-
vere fall from a horse while at Bombay, deputed me to
do the honours of the table. The Prince would some-
times favour us with his company, though, except for
the honour, we could willingly have dispensed with his
visits. On some of these occasions, he would describe,
with true Persian minuteness, those particulars of health
which we generally reserve for our physician. At other
times he would sop his long skeleton fingers in all the
dishes most suitable to his palate, thrust them into his
mouth, and then, while wet with saliva, into the plate
of some wondering midshipman beside him. His High-
ness had one more habit which, though contrary to our
opinions of good breeding, is reckoned in Persia the
greatest proof of politeness, as it intimates a compliment
to the host's good cheer. I mean eructation. In this
sort of ventriloquism. His Highness was so well-bred,
as to give us daily specimens of his powers to the disgust
of our naval friends, who, not aware such a custom was
fashionable in Persia, thought it " more honoured in the
breach, than in the observance/'
February 2. — At two, p. m., we saw the high land
near Muscat, distinguished by a conspicuous break in the
mountains called the Devil's Gap. At sun-set, the land
was about thirty miles distant. We continued under
easy sail, standing off and on during the night.
February 3. — At day-break we were surprised to find
ourselves to the leeward of our port, having been carried
a long way to the north-west by a current.
February 4. — We anchored in the Cove of Muscat,
the seat of government of a sovereign Arab prince,
whose title is that of Imaum. The Cove is formed by a
deep circular indentation in the coast, and the land, or
18 ARRIVAL AT MUSCAT.
rather rock, for there is not the least appearance of soil,
rises nearly perpendicular in crude rugged masses, pre-
senting an aspect of the greatest sterility imaginable.
The roadstead and town towards the sea, are defended
by a great parade of fortifications, but they appear to be
in so ricketty a state, that the firing of their own guns
would demolish them. Four large vessels belonging to
the Imaum were at anchor in the harbour ; one of these
was the Liverpool frigate, lately of his Majesty's service,
which the Imaum purchased two years ago. His High-
ness is very fond of ships, but knows very little about
them. From the manner in which his fleet is managed,
it may be considered rather as a plaything, than as ap-
plicable to any serviceable purpose. His officers know
about as much of nautical affairs as the Imaum himself.
A short time ago, one of the ships being in danger, it
was recommended to the officer commanding, that a part
of the standing rigging should be cut away. This he
refused to do, on the plea that " it would spoil the look
of the ship !"
On anchoring in the Cove, we gave His Highness a
salute of eleven guns, which was immediately answered
from the shore. Shortly after, Mr. Hunter, a lieutenant
in the navy, and Gulaub, a native of India, agent to our
Government, came on board to see if they could be of
any service.
We asked the Prince if he intended to go ashore, but
he declined because he was not on good terms with the
Imaum. The cause of difference was this : Futteh Ali
Khan touched at Muscat on his way to India. The
Imaum, agreeably to Oriental custom, supplied his table
with whatever was requisite. Futteh Ali, who is some-
what avaricious, made an application for money equiva-
lent to the food with which he had been supplied. To
this, the Imaum replied by sending him a dollar a-day '.
INTRODUCTION TO THE IMAUM. 11)
Hence the coolness between their Persian and Arab
Highnesses!
Our party accompanied the first lieutenant ashore.
The beach, up to high-water mark, was every where
covered with oyster-shells. The sea literally swarmed
with fish, and the air was almost darkened by the nu-
merous water-fowls in pursuit of their finny prey.
We landed at the northern extremity of the town,
close to the market-place, through which we passed in
our way to the Imaum's palace. As His Highness was
at prayers when we arrived, we waited at the house
of Mr. Hunter till three o'clock, when we received a
message by Gulaub that the Imaum was ready to re-
ceive us.
We were admitted through a narrow wicket into a
square court. In the middle was a fountain; round it
where a few sickly shrubs. Arabs, variously armed,
were collected into several groups, some sitting in a
circle, others sleeping. In a corner of this court was a
ladder like that used in a granary. We ascended to
the top, and found there the Imaum, who shook hands
with us separately, as we entered a long, narrow, un-
adorned apartment, where chairs were placed for him-
self and guests. Though His Highness understands
Persian, and Hindoostany, and, as it is said, English, he
spoke Arabic, and Gulaub officiated as interpreter. The
conversation, as may be supposed, was not of much in-
terest. The Imaum made many inquiries about the
ship, and her rate of sailing, and said (in allusion to
Futteh AH Khan,) that if captain Alexander had been
alone, he would have gone to visit him. He repeated
several times, that the English and himself were as one,
and that his house, his ships, and all that he possessed,
were ours. A boy about ten years of age, who always
accompanies the Imaum ; was the only person present
20 HIS CHARACTER*
during the interview, and Mr. Hunter informed us, that
it was not his custom to allow his own people to be by$
in his conversation with Europeans. Some sherbet, well
flavoured with rose-water, was handed round by the
eunuch in attendance. It may be worthy of remark,
that pipes were not brought in, the Imaum, and other
natives of Muscat, belonging to a sect called Bee-asis,
whose strict tenets forbid the use of tobacco. In half an
hour we took our leave, as much struck with the Ima-
um's handsome person, as w T e were pleased at his polite
and unaffected address.
The patriarchal simplicity of the Arab character is
strongly marked in every thing connected with this
court. In the daily divan held by the Imaum, every
one seats himself without any reference to priority.
Even beggars can demand this audience, and may be
sure of having a patient hearing given to their com-
plaints.
The Imaum has on all occasions shown himself a sin-
cere ally of the English. It is owing, indeed, to our
having extirpated the Wahhabbee pirates, that he is
now in possession of his sovereignty. When about six-
teen years old, he succeeded his uncle, the late Imaum,
in the following manner.
Being discontented with his conduct, he one day pro-
posed a ride to him. They were scarcely outside the
walls of the town, when the nephew, lurking a little be-
hind, drew his scimitar, killed his uncle, and, returning
to Muscat, seated himself without opposition on the va-
cant throne. He is, notwithstanding, much beloved by
his subjects, who speak in high terms of his justice and
moderation. As to the mere act of murdering his re-
lative, it is held in the light of a " family difference,"
and is no bar to his standing well in public estimation, as
a prince of mild and peaceable demeanour.
TOWN OF MUSCAT. 21
In quitting the Imaum I must not forget to mention an
anecdote of the man who admitted us into the court, his
bold countenance having particularly attracted our atten-
tion. He was for many years one of the most formida-
ble of the famous Wahhabbee pirates whose successful
depredations struck terror throughout these seas, and
threatened the total extinction of the Imaum's power.
A reverse of fortune led him to offer his services to the
Imaum: they were immediately accepted, and the pirate
was not ungrateful. In the action of Beneeboo-Ali,
His Highness was deserted by his troops, was wounded
in the wrist, and would have been taken prisoner, but for
the exertions of his former foe, who alone remained faith-
ful to him. Ever since that time, he has held a confi-
dential situation about his person.
From the palace we went to take a view of the town.
The bazaar, or market, is covered in at the top to pro-
tect the wares, which are exposed for sale on open plat-
forms in front of the shops. A large colony of Indians,
principally from the banks of the Indus, carry on the
wholesale and retail trade. Amongst other articles ex-
posed for sale, we observed coarse cloths, different kinds
of grain, sweetmeats, not very tempting in appearance,
and fried locusts. Besides these, were vast quantities
of salt and sulphur, which are all the remains of the
boasted " wealth of Ormuz."
The houses are flat roofed, and built of unhewn stone.
The streets are extremely filthy, and so narrow, that by
extending the arms, I could touch the walls on both sides.
The town is of small extent, comprising a circumference
of two miles, and containing a population of two thousand
souls.
The natives are very squalid in appearance, there are
scarcely any who have not sore eyes, and one-tenth of
3
22 THE lNUAfclTAXTS.
the population is blind of an eye. The inflammation is
probably produced by the light particles of sand blown
from the sea-shore, by the powerful reflection of the
sun's rays from the walls, and by poverty of diet, which
consists almost entirely of fish.
The women, instead of the thick veil I have seen in
other Mahometan countries, wear a kind of black domi-
no, with large triangular holes for the eyes. They are,
generally speaking, the offspring of Arab men and Abys-
sinian negresses. They are not handsome, as they par-
take too much of the flat noses and thick lips of their
mothers.
I have said that the natives of Muscat are of a sect
called Bee-asis. Before I notice them, it may be as well
to mention, that the two principal sects of Mahometans
are Sunnis and Shiahs. The Turks are of the former,
and the Persians of the latter persuasion. The Sunnis
recognize Aboobeker, Omar, and Ottoman, the three first
successors of Mahomet, as lawful Caliphs. The Shiahs
consider them as usurpers of the caliphate; which they
affirm belonged of right to Ali. The Sunnis receive
the Sunna, or book of oral traditions of Mahomet, as
canonical authority. The Shiahs reject it as unworthy
of credit.
The Bee-asis differ, in some respect, from Sunnis
and Shiahs : both of which sects have a kind of venera-
tion for the descendants of Mahomet. The Bee-asis, so
far from granting them a pre-eminence, maintain that all
who are Mahometans by birth, are eligible for any
employment in church or state. For this reason, the
Sovereign Prince of Muscat is called Imaum 5 which ti-
tle, amongst other Mahometans, is given only to Princes
lineally descended from their prophet.
All Mahometans are forbidden the use of strong
CURIOUS MODE OF EXTRACTING TOLL. 23
drinks. The Bee-asis are more rigid than the other
sects, both in precept and practice. They not only ab-
stain from all fermented liquors, but also from tobacco,
and from every description of pomp or magnificence in.
their dress, their houses, or their mosques. They wor-
ship no saints; and have neither convents nor dervishes.
They have a great regard for justice; and a universal
toleration for other religions.
At the Custom-House we observed a curious mode of
extracting toll. A negro slave, standing on a mat at the
gate, had in his hand a long sharp grooved instrument,
on the principle of a cooper's bung-tap. With this he
perforated every bag of rice that was carried past him,
and extracted a small portion from each.
The Imaum possesses a tolerably good stud of horses.
We observed that the manes and tails of the colts were
kept close clipped. I know not whether this custom is
common throughout Arabia; but here, as well as at Bus-
sorah and Bagdad, where this mode of clipping is practi-
sed, the horses are all remarkable for their flowing manes
and long tails.
In visiting the slave auction, I felt almost angry with
myself, for not experiencing more disgust at witnessing
so disgraceful and unnatural a traffic.
The market was held in an open space near the land-
ing-place. Some twenty or thirty fat little negresses,
from twelve to fourteen years of age, having their wool-
ly locks neatly plaited, and their bodies well oiled, to
give them a sleek appearance, were ranged in two rows,
on some logs of timber. Too young to trouble them-
selves with their degraded state, they sat giggling and
chattering with the utmost non-chalance. Our uniforms
appeared to afford them much merriment. One dingy
little coquette, by significantly pointing to us, set the rest
24 SLAVE AUCTION.
in a roar of laughter. In the meantime the slave-mer-
chant was leading by the hand one of the party, and
calling out her price. As for herself, she seemed more
intent to catch the joke of her companion, than to ascer-
tain any thing respecting her future destiny.
SUBURBS. 25
CHAPTER II.
Suburbs of Muscat — Drunken Persian — Fisb-fed Horses — Sterile
appearance of the country — Village of Poorslvur — Giaffer's con-
duct — Set sail for Bussorah — Cape Jask — The Quoins — Cape
Musendom — Islands of the Tombs — Pulior — Cape Nabon —
Cape Verdistan — Bushire — Karrack — Arab Pilot — Sick Native
— Cape Baungk— Pilot's mode of navigating the ship — Runs
her ashore — His apology— Appearance of the Coast — Behaviour
of an Arab Sheikh.
February 5. — The suburbs of Muscat appear more
populous than the town. The inhabitants are principally
Abyssinian slaves. There is also a large encampment of
Nomade Arabs, who live in mat tents, which they trans-
port from place to place. We visited many of these en-
campments in the course of the day, and found the in-
habitants singing and dancing. Their tents are in the
form of a Bengal routee, having an enclosure in front, in
which the cattle are lodged at night.
Half a mile from the town, we observed several oxen
employed in drawing water from wells, which supply all
Muscat, by means of channels formed in the rock. Com-
manding each spring is a circular bastion — a most neces-
sary defence against an enemy, who might, if they were
unguarded, easily divert the course of these scanty reser-
voirs, and occasion a complete drought in the town.
The scarcity of water in Arabia, has always made that ele-
ment of a value, not so well understood in our country,
where it is in such abundance. Nearly the first conten-
tion of which we have an account in Scripture History
is, when " the herdsmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's
20 WELLS.
herdsmen," for some wells which were called, on that
account, u Esek and Sitnah," — Contention and hatred.
Except in the immediate vicinity of the wells, no ver-
dure was observable on this side of the town, the whole
country being a succession of black, rugged, and lofty
rocks. On the other side we saw a few enclosures, con-
taining date trees, wheat, and a few vegetables.
In the evening, our party dined with Mr. Hunter, at
whose hospitable board we had an opportunity of ascer-
taining the excellent flavour of the beef, mutton, and kid
of Muscat, which, in common with cattle of every de-
scription, are fed on dates, fish, and the seed of the cot-
ton plant. Strange to say, these animals thrive under
this peculiar diet, their flesh is not affected by any fishy
savour, and the butter was the best I had tasted since
leaving England.
The inhabitants of this, and the opposite coast, subsist
almost entirely upon fish, not having altered in this re-
spect since the time of Herodotus, who describes them as
the Ichthiophagi, or Fish Eaters.
February 6. — In consequence of a strong N. W.
wind, which caused a heavy surf, the ship's company
were prevented from getting in their water till the even-
ing. This caused a day's delay, of which Mr. Lamb
and I availed ourselves to visit some hot-springs, twenty
miles distant.
We took with us a drunken Persian of the name of
Giaffer, the superintendent of the Imaum stud, who had
acted as our cicerone the day before. We started at an
early hour in a canoe, to a small town called Muttra, dis-
tant five miles. On our way, we observed one of the
pearl-divers, who remained ninety-one seconds under
water. Muscat is famed for its pearl-fisheries : but we
had no opportunity of visiting them.
At Muttra, we went to the house of a respectable
A DRUNKEN PERSIAN. 27
Parsee merchant, who very kindly laid before us as com-
fortable a meal as his habitation afforded. We offered
Giaffer some spirits, but his modesty got the better of
his inclination, and he declined. There were two bot-
tles of gin upon the table; from one of these we poured
out a glass, which he drank off, pretending to mistake it
for water; first, however, looking cautiously round, lest
any Mussulman should observe him thus openly infringe
the Prophet's laws.
From the windows of our host's house, we saw a sloop
of war of twenty guns, building for the Imaum. She
was standing with the broadside on to the beach, in
which manner she was to be pushed into the sea.
By the kindness of the Imaum, all Englishmen visit-
ing Muscat are furnished with horses from His High-
nesses stables. After breakfast, three were brought to
the door for us. They were small cat-hammed fish-fed
wretches ; one of them was a mare, large with foal, and
they were all apparently incapable of undergoing the la-
bour of such an excursion. They, however, belied their
appearance ; for we were no sooner seated in our saddles,
than off they scampered over stony beds of torrents, up
rugged rocks, down frightful precipices, and not always
with the consent of their riders.
The road led N. along the coast, the course of which
we followed, ten miles distant from the sea. We passed
heights rising abruptly immediately behind the town,
and then went over a level plain two miles in extent,
many parts bearing marks of cultivation, although not a
blade of verdure was then visible ; and the thin sprink-
ling of soil with which it was partially covered, seemed
little adapted for crops of any description. In the pla-
ces where crops appear to have been raised, numerous
pits are dug for irrigation, without which, nothing can
be produced. We passed four small villages on our
28 VILLAGE OF POORSHUR.
journey, saw a few date-trees, and some little cultiva-
tion. We reached the village of Poorshur, near which
the springs are situate, in a couple of hours. About a
mile from the village, we crossed a sandy ridge, on
which were a few stunted plants of the Mimosa Nilo-
tica, the only natural vegetation which we saw in this
country.
The temperature of the hot-spring is 113 Farenheit.
The water issues from a crevice in the mountain (which
is a conglomerate sand-stone) in a rapid stream of three
inches diameter. No gas escapes from it, and from the
taste, it has no mercurial properties. The villagers use
it for culinary purposes, and it is supposed to be good
for diseases of the skin. We filled a bottle with the
water, for analysis, but rode so fast back again, that we
were obliged to leave it behind. I was told by an Arab,
that there was a spring of boiling water twenty miles
beyond Poorshur. A small reservoir is built near the
place whence it issues from the rock, for the convenience
of bathing. Giaffer jumped in, and remained some
time ; we followed his example, but the heat made us as
quickly jump out again.
. The village of Poorshur is the most agreeably situated
of any we passed. A considerable portion of ground is
cultivated around it, and the scene is diversified by seve-
ral large trees.
A mat was laid in front of a small hut; and on the
contents of a basket provided by Mr. Hunter, we made
a hearty dinner. While we were eating, a crowd of
villagers formed a semi -circle in front of us. Giaffer
distributed the fragments amongst them; which some of
them tasted, apparently from curiosity. All the time
we remained, village females passed to and from the
spring for water, and generally without being veiled.
They were natives of Beloochstan> a province of Persia?
NATIVES OF BELOOCHSTAN. 2$
opposite Muscat. Some of them had good figures, and
regular features; but the complexion of all was a dingy
sallow.
Giaffer played the great man amongst the villagers;
and being an officer of the Imaum's, ordered them about,
as if they had been his slaves. He had now overcome
his morning scruples, and drank great quantities of wine
and brandy. Amongst other jokes, he tried to intoxicate
a female, who applied for relief from rheumatic pains,
by giving her brandy, and calling it medicine. He then
made her sit down beside him, and eat some ham, which
forbidden food he told her was European mutton. He
accounted to us for his particular kindness td her, by
saying, that she had a very handsome sister ; who, if we
wished, should be immediately forthcoming.
In returning, Giaffer gave us an account of his life:
he was very anxious to come with us to Persia; but
we had seen too much of him, to desire a further ac-
quaintance.
We found some difficulty in procuring a boat at Mut-
tra, to take us on board, as it was near sun-set, and the
boats had not returned from their daily employment.
We at last engaged a canoe ; but one of the slaves de-
murred about rowing us alongside, lest we should press
him into the service. Two persons navigate . these ca-
noes, which are formed out of a single tree.
We were challenged several times in passing the bat-
teries, and were informed that the port regulations did
not admit our quitting the shore after dusk.
When on board, Giaffer intreated us to give him ei-
ther more money or more liquor; but we refused, as he
had already had plenty of both. Finding us persist iit
our denials, he threw himself on his face, and repeated- 1
ly kissed the deck, to enforce his petition.
4
oO SET SAIL FOR BUSSOKAH.
February 7. — We sailed this morning at break of
day, with the wind as favourable as it could blow. Our
numbers were increased by Lieutenant Taylor of the
Madras cavalry, and his lady, and Mr. Harrison of the
Bombay Marine. They had come from Bombay to
Muscat in the Liverpool, and had been waiting for an
opportunity to proceed up the Gulph, when Captain
Alexander with his usual kindness, granted them a pas-
sage. Lieutenant and Mrs. Taylor were going on a vi-
sit to their brother Captain Taylor, our political agent
at Bussorah. Mr. Harrison was proceeding to join one
of the Company's cruisers.
February 8, 9. — We passed Cape Jask on the 8th;
and, on the evening of the 9th, arrived off the Quoins.
These are five small rocky islands. Ships generally
prefer going outside ; but the wind was too scant to en-
able us to do so.
The wind continued favourable, and the weather de-
lightful. The kindness and good humour of the officers
and every one on board, made the voyage quite a party
of pleasure. We had a beautiful view of Cape Musen-
dom, of the islands of the Tombs, and of Pulior, in suc-
cession: this last, the Pulior of the Greeks, we passed
within a mile. They are all rocky, and elevated three
or fouf hundred feet. From the distance at which we
were, they had a volcanic appearance ; which is, I be-
lieve, their character.
February 10, 11. — We passed Cape Nabon on the
10th, and Cape Verdistan on the 11th.
February 12. — The S. E. wind which had blown
gently hitherto, now increased to a strong breeze. The
next morning we arrived at Bushire, (or more properly,
Abooshehr.) At this place travellers disembark, who
intend taking the direct route through Persia. It was
KARRACK. 31
Captain Alexanders intention to have touched here, but
the wind not serving to enter the harbour, and being fa-
vourable for pursuing our voyage, we took advantage of
the opportunity of meeting the Honourable Company's
cruiser Discovery ; and sent letters and parcels by her to
Bushire. After which, we proceeded on our voyage,
and reached Karrack at three in the afternoon. The
Discovery was engaged on a survey of the Arabian
shore. Her officers informed us that they had discover-
ed a large inlet, into which they proceeded to lat. 81. in
the meridian of Muscat.
Karrack, the Icarus of Arrian, is a small rocky island,
famous for its pearl fishery. It was formerly in posses-
sion of the Dutch, w r hen the population amounted to
three thousand ; but it has now not more than three
hundred inhabitants. They manufacture a coarse kind
of cloth ; and subsist upon the produce of their gardens,
and fishing-nets. The ruins of warehouses, and a
church, bespeak the former grandeur of the place-
Ships bound to Bussorah engage a pilot here. We
sent on shore for one, who came off, accompanied by a
sick townsman, whom he brought for medical advice.
The ship had been lying-to for a couple of hours for
the pilot, and was only waiting for his directions to make
sail. The sun was just setting, as he came upon deck ;
he, however, took no notice of our impatience to pro-
ceed, but went aft, and spreading his mat, was soon so
engaged in prayer, as to be seemingly unconscious of all
external objects.
The case of the sick man, who accompanied the pilot,
is rather singular. About ten months ago, in digging
for the foundation of a house, he found a quantity of an-
cient gold coins. The discovery soon came to the know-
ledge of the Sheikh, or Governor of Bushire, who im-
mediately caused the whole treasure to be transferred to
32 ARAB PILOT.
his own coffers- The Sheikh's officers, long after all
had been given up, so alarmed the poor finder of the
gold, by going to him daily, and saying they were come
to lead him to instant execution, that they drove him
to a state of derangement, under which he was labour^
ing when we saw him. The apprehensions of losing
his life, had so worked upon his imagination, that he
continually fancied he heard voices, bidding him prepare
for instant death.
In making sail, the mainyard gave way. During the
consequent delay, our favourable wind forsook us. Be^
ing now within the influence of the tide we were obli-
ged, when it changed against us, to anchor on the Per-*
sian shore, off Cape Baungk, the Bang of the charts.
The South-East wind, called Shurgee, had blown un->
usually long for the season. The North-West, or Shu-r
maul, being the regular wind at this period.
We continued close along the Persian shore, beating
to the West, while favoured by the tide, and anchoring
when it changed.
The mode adopted by our pilot for ascertaining the
proper channel, was by the state of the soundings. If
hard, he would decide that we had reached the bank of
the channel, and would put the ship about, till a similar
indication proved we were on the other side, when he
would order the ship on the opposite tack. His whole
stock of English consisted in two inquiries ; one relative
to the ship's course, and the other, to her soundings.
The repeated queries of, " How is her head ? Hard or
soft?" produced a combination of words that afforded
much merriment to the sailors.
February 16.- — In this manner, we continued to grope
our way for the channel, till, on the morning of the
16th, I was standing at the gangway repeating, in Per-
sian, to the pilot, the soundings as given by the man in
THE SHIP RUN ASHORE BY THE PILOT. 33
the chains, when some one forward cried out, " Shoal
a-head." I immediately informed the pilot of this; but
as he would not alter the ship's course, in one moment
we found ourselves aground. Every effort was made for
relief. Our water was started, and a small anchor laid
out, by which means, in two hours, she was hauled off,
and very fortunately, without sustaining any damage.
We anchored soon after, in three fathoms water at high
tide ; and as the tide fell nine feet, the ship lay aground
for some time; but the bottom being soft she was quite
safe.
While this was going on, the author of our calamity
was pacing the deck, the picture of terror and indecision,
calling aloud on Mahomet to assist us out of the danger.
His fears were not much lessened by the threats thrown
out by each passing tar. " I say, Jack," said one of
them, "we'll string you up for this;" making his ob-
servation intelligible, by pointing with one hand to the
yard-arm, and with the other, to the neck of his audi-
tor, at the same time imitating the convulsive guggle of
strangulation. When called to account for his obstinacy,
the pilot gave us an answer in the true spirit of predes-
tination ; « If it is God's pleasure that the ship should
go ashore, what business is it of mine ?"
The place where we ran aground, was one of the
banks, at the mouth of the united streams of Euphrates
and Tigris, called Shut ul Arab, or Boundary of Arabia.
Seven channels form the approach to the river, but only
one is navagable for large ships. On the morning of the
17th we came in sight of the once famed land of Meso-
potamia, than which nothing can be more uninteresting
in appearance. The country is so dead a flat, that the
numerous pelicans, which darken the sands at the mouth
of the river, are the first indications we obtained of our
approach to shore. Shortly after, when the land was on.
34 ARAB SHEIKH.
both sides of us, the classical Euphrates was to be seen
lazily pursuing its course between low banks of mud and
rushes. In proceeding up the river the scene changed,
offering a nearly uninterrupted succession of date-trees
till we reached Bussorah.
A short time before we anchored, we passed the ship
Sultan, and sent letters by her to our Indian friends.
The sultan had on board a cargo of horses, from Busso-
rah, for the Calcutta market. Ships trading between
the Indian Presidencies and the Gulph, find horses a pro-
fitable speculation.
February 18. — In working up the river this after-
noon, we were visited by the Sheikh, or chieftain, of
the adjacent country, who brought a present of fish for
the Captain. He w T as a tall commanding-looking man,
wore a dagger in his girdle, and was dressed in loose
flowing robes of light green silk.
Shortly after he came on board a few minutes, he ad-
dressed himself to me as the interpreter, and said in a
whisper, that he should like to pledge the officers in a
glass of brandy and water; but, being a Mahometan, he
felt a difficulty in drinking before the Prince. On this
hint, he was invited into the gun-room, and a brandy
bottle being placed before him, he made such copious li-
bations, that he completely overcame his Mahometan no-
tions of modesty, and when summoned to dinner, seated
himself next the Prince, and so terrified him with his
drunken embraces, that His Highness begged I would sit
between them. By this unenviable honour, I came in
for the greater share of his kindness. It was not, how-
ever, confined to me. Seizing the dishes within his
grasp, he severed, with his brawny fingers, the several
meats contained in them, and threw a piece to every
person at table. Then turning to the Prince, and flour-
ishing his greasy arm, bared to the elbow, he abused
BEHAVIOUR OF AN ARAB SHEIKH. 35
His Highness for not pledging him, in no very measured
terms.
If the Arab showed too much national dislike to the
Persian, he was rather too cordial towards us, calling us
brothers, and expressing his regard by gestures, as well
as by words. His attentions were beginning to be rather
annoying, when he was luckily obliged to make a speedy
retreat from the table.
The scene, though distressing on account of the agony
which the effeminate Persian endured, under the mus-
cular grasp of this Arab barbarian, was nevertheless
amusing, — the timid uneasiness of the one, being ludi-
crously contrasted with the satyr-like drunkenness of the
other.
36 THE SHEIK1TS MODEST DEMEANOUR.
CHAPTER III.
The Sheikh's modest demeanour — His Residence — Repast — Spi-
rited Reply of the Sheikh's Son — Captain Taylor — Land at
Bussorah — New Governor — Ex-Governor — The New Govern-
or's Public Entrance into Bussorah — First act of his Govern-
ment — His Visits to the Political Agent — His Visit returned —
Wearing Shoes in the Chamber of an Asiatic — Horse-racing in
the Desert — The Governor's attempt at Oppression — An Ar-
menian's Betrothment — Pas de deux between a Jew and a
Turk.
February 19. — It was entertaining to observe the
timid and downcast look, which the Sheikh put on his
countenance this morning, differing so widely from the
habitual ferocity of his aspect. To cheer up his spirits,
and to make his mind easy, Mr. Hamilton and myself
accepted his invitation to go to his house. Once out of
the ship, he soon regained his spirits, and proved to be a
very agreeable companion.
The Sheikh told us, that within a few miles of Mo-
humrah, there was a stone with an inscription in Euro-
pean characters. This may possibly be an ancient
record, and worthy of the notice of some future travel-
ler. From the direction in which he pointed, it must
be nearly south of Mohumrah.
The Sheikh's residence is in a quadrangular mud
fort ; the walls of which, in many places, have been bat-
tered down by the rain.
The mansion, like the fort, is built entirely of mud :
round it are the huts of the Sheikh's retainers. The
interior of the dwelling is entirely destitute of ornament,
SHEIKH'S SON — HIS SPIRITED REPLY. 37
A carpet was spread for us on the dusty floor, round
which we seated ourselves very comfortably, to some ex-
cellent fish, fruits, and sweetmeats; and with this good
cheer forgot the unfurnished state of the apartment, an
the absence of knives and forks.
We were much amused with the Sheikh's son, a child
three years old, whose spirited answers were strong in
dications of the manner in which his father was bring-
ing him up. I asked him, among other questions, if he
was an Arab or a Persian. Indignant that there should
be a doubt upon the subject, his little hand grasped the
dagger in his girdle, as he replied in an angry tone,
"God be praised, I am an Arab!" an example how ear-
ly a mutual hatred is instilled into the youth of these ri-
val nations.
February 20. — We anchored within ten miles of Bus-
sorah. Captain Taylor, the political agent, came on
board, was received with the customary salute, and after
dinner returned ashore.
The next morning, the ship anchored opposite the
town. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, and our travelling party
disembarked, and landed at the British factory, the resi-
dence of the political agent. With the exception of the
palace, this is the best house in town. It is situate a
mile up a narrow creek, which discharges itself into the
Shut ul Arab.
A few days before our arrival, the brother of the Pa-
cha of Bagdad, himself a Pacha of two tails, had been
appointed governor of Bussorah. He was encamped in
the Desert, outside the walls, and was shortly to make
his public entrance into the town.
The late governor, having a short time before receiv-
ed secret intelligence that his successor was appointed,
one night mounted his horse and traversed the Desert to
Bagdad. He thought it expedient not to wait to deli-
5
38 EX-GOVEllNOU OF BUSSORAH.
ver up his authority formally; because it is the usual
custom of a new governor to seize upon the person of
his predecessor, and to extract from him what money he
can. By this means, the ex-governor has generally to
refund some of his ill-gotten wealth here, and on arriving
at Bagdad, to answer the additional demands made upon
him by the Pasha of that city, whose delegate he is. In
the present instance, he has only to satisfy the rapacity
of the one, instead of both the brothers. He will then
fall back into his original situation of janizary, with
which he must be content, till his stars guide him to an-
other government, or a bow-string.
February 22. — The Pasha made his public entrance
this morning. We saw the whole procession from the
windows of a Persian's house. They came in the follow-
ing order : —
At nine o'clock, a body of armed men, forming an ad-
vance guard, announced their approach by a continual
discharge of musquetry, and passed us at a jog trot;
then another party, who occasionally halted, and danced
in a circle; marking time by striking their swords against
each others' shields. These were followed by large par-
ties of Desert Arabs, of the Zobeir tribe, preceded by
their immediate petty chiefs, on horseback. Each of
them had carried before him, a large flag, red, green,
and red. The Zobeir Arabs are mercenary troops, and
acknowledge a kind of subjection to the Governor: they
are small, mean-looking men, with an Indian cast of fea-
tures. They carried either fire-arms, or swords and
shields. Some had their robes bound at the waist with
a girdle ; others wore only a loose shirt. Several had
on the handkerchief turban, peculiar to the Arabs; and
a few were bareheaded, having their hair twisted into
several long plaits. This appears to have been the an-
cient custom of the people of the Persian Gulph. Dio-
governor's public entry. 39
dorus Siculus describes the inhabitants of Gidrosia,* as
keeping their hair thick and matted, t« t^;^^« *sir t xSf&
vtv tact.
After these came the toofungees, personal troops of
the Governor, distinguishable by fur caps, nearly a yard
in diameter; then the Pasha's led horses richly capari-
soned. Behind them, a troop of mounted Tchouses,
(messengers,) beating small drums placed at the saddle-
bow. These were followed by the native officers of the
English factory, mounted on horses " trimly decked.''
Then the Capitan Pasha, (the Admiral,) who, with a
watch in his hand, was timing the auspicious moment, as
laid down by the astrologers, for the Pasha's entrance
into his palace. This was decided to be twenty minutes
past three, Turkish time; or twenty minutes past nine,
according to European computation. Next came the
Cadi and Mufti, whose offices are so often mentioned in
the Arabian Nights ; and then the Pasha, with his hand
on his breast, returning the salutations of the popu-
lace. At the moment of his appearing, a group of wo-
men, covered from head to foot, set up a loud and shrill
cry. A troop of mounted Janizaries brought up the
rear, having with them a band, the music of whose in-
struments resembled that of so many penny trumpets.
During this procession, muskets were incessantly fired
off; the report of which, combined with the squeaking
of the music, the noise of the tamtams, the squalling of
the women, and the rude singing of the soldiery, form-
ed a din of discord more easily conceived than de-
scribed.
* Gedrosia is now the Province of Mekran. Alexander the
Great passed through it, on his return from India. It was the
country of the Ichthiophagi, and the present name, Mekran, has
the same signification-.
40 FIRST ACT OF HIS GOVERNMENT.
Salutes from His Majesty's ship Alligator, and all the
ships at anchor, announced the reading of the firman, or
order, appointing the Pasha Mooselim Governor; and
the first act of his government was to publish an edict,
graciously informing the loyal citizens of Bussorah, that
any one of them, found in the bazaar after nine in the
evening, would certainly be hanged.
February 24. — After some diplomatic discussion, the
Pasha consented to pay the political agent the first visit,
provided the compliment was immediately returned. He
came this morning, attended by the same retinue which
accompanied him on his arrival into town. The inter-
view was uninteresting ; the Pasha being a man of mean
abilities, and excelling in nothing, but that at which
most despots are proficients — extortion.
February 26. — This morning, Captain Taylor return-
ed the Pasha's visit. He was preceded by his Drago-
mans, Tchousses, and Janizaries, bearing banners ; and
accompanied by Captain Alexander, the officers of the
Alligator, and our travelling party. Following us, were
numerous Christians, Jews, and Mahometans, enjoying
British protection. Our procession, though not quite so
numerous as that of the Pasha, was more regular and or-
derly ; and our pageant was considerably swelled by the
addition of the Alligator's marines, whose steady march
formed a strong contrast with the savage dance of the
wild Arab soldiery we had seen a few days before.
When we arrived at the Serai, (palace,) we dismounted
from our horses, and ascended the stairs. We were no
sooner in sight of the Pasha, than two of his officers, one
on each side, put their arms under his shoulders, and
carried him into the hall of audience, as if he had been
suddenly deprived of the use of his legs ; a similar form
was observed by the attendants of Captain Taylor. In
this manner, both, according to established etiquette,
CURIOUS CEREMONY. 41
entered the apartment together : for, as in Turkey the
inferior rises to receive the superior, and as both here
considered themselves equal : the one rising for the
other, would have been a concession that neither would
have made.
The ceremony of carrying the great man into the
Divan is an ancient custom, and is mentioned in the
Arabian Nights. Abon Hassan, (the Sleeper awaken-
ed,) when acting the Caliph, was lifted up the steps of
the throne by Mesrour the Chief of the Eunuchs, and
another officer, whose business it was to assist in this
ceremony.
The floor of the room in which we were received,
was covered with Persian carpets, and Turkish pillows
were placed round the walls. The Pasha, and his Eu-
ropean guests, occupied chairs. Servants came in and
threw over each of us an embroidered scarf, by way of
a napkin: we were then presented with sweetmeats,
coffee, Turkish and Persian pipes, and sherbet. The
Pasha very civilly offered to give our travelling party
letters to his brother, the Pasha of Bagdad ; but this fa-
vour was declined for us by Captain Taylor, on the plea,
that we felt assured of a kind reception. In half an
hour, the attendants brough us rose-water, and some
chafing dishes containing incense for perfuming the
beard, a ceremony, which was performed by every
downy cheeked midshipman of the Alligator.
During this visit, we wore our hats, in conformity to
the Eastern custom of always keeping the head covered ;
and agreeably to an exclusive privilege granted to Eng-
lishmen, we did not take off our shoes. Without enter-
ing into the merits of that John Bull policy, which ex-
acts from the natives of the country in which we are
residing a conformity to our customs, instead of our
adopting theirs, the privilege we Englishmen claim, both
42 HORSE-RACING IN THE DESERT.
at Bagdad and at this place, of keeping on our shoes in
the presence of the Pasha, certainly does appear a use-
less acquisition of privilege on our parts, and one that
cannot but be highly offensive to their Asiatic feelings.
It is scarcely necessary to mention, that throughout
the East, the mere act of a native entering a room with
shoes on, is the greatest possible insult, as it is on the
floor that all meals are eaten. Let us put the question
to ourselves. Would any of us be pleased, if a foreign-
er were to claim the right of coming from the streets, in
his dirty boots, and of dancing up and down our dinner-
table?
March 1. — We went this afternoon into the Desert to
a horse-race: an amusement, of which the natives of
Bussorah are as fond as our own countrymen ; though I
fear, if an English jockey had been here, he would have
thought the profession disgraced by the exhibition. For
our own parts, we were more amused, than if the busi-
ness had been conducted according to the strictest rules
of the turf. The spot selected was the Great Desert,
which commences immediately outside the town; a cir-
cular furrow of two miles marked the course ; and the
stakes consisted of a small subscription raised from
amongst our European party. The five candidates who
started for the prize, were well suited to the general
character of the scene. Instead of being decked in all
the colours of the rainbow, a coarse loose shirt comprised
all the clothing of the Arab jockey: and the powerful
bit of the country was the only article of equipment of
the horse he bestrode. Thus simply accoutred, at a sig-
nal given, these half-naked savages set off at full speed,
each giving a shout to animate his horse. They arrived
like a team at the goal; the prize was adjudged to an
Ethiopian slave. The scene was highly animated and
interesting., though we had neither splendid equipages*
MORSE-RACING IN THE DESERT* 43
nor fair ladies to grace our sports; but what we lost
in splendour and beauty, we gained in novelty ; and
though, when occasionally gazing on some wearer of
gaudy silks, the bright smile of woman did not repay
our curiosity, we almost forgot the disappointment in be-
holding the animated countenance of a turbaned Turk,
who, bearded to the eyes, would be seen scampering past
us with jereed in hand, to challenge a comrade to the
contest; and spurred on by his favourite amusement,
would lay aside the gravity of the divan, in the all ex-
hilarating air of the Desert.
Such an exhibition was amusingly set off by the per-
formances of our shipmates. Every youngster of the
Alligator had provided himself with a horse, and, as
much at home here as if on Southampton Downs, was to
be seen scampering across the Desert on Arabs, scarcely
broke. One of these, zealous for the honour of his
cloth, challenged me to ride a race with him : off we
both set in gallant style, but in his anxiety to get to
windward of u the soldier officer," he ran foul of a com-
rade, whom he capsized, as well as himself, at the same
moment ; the palm was consequently adjudged to me,
though my rival competitor swore " he should certainly
have won, if the lubber had not come athwart his
hawse !"
March 2. — The Pasha hearing of the feat of the suc-
cessful horse of yesterday, sent for it this morning to his
own stable ; and it was only on the representation of
Captain Taylor that he was induced to forego his claim.
March 3. — Mr. Taylor, the officers of the Alligator,
and our travelling party, went this afternoon to the
house of an Armenian, named Parsigh (the head drago-
man to the British factory,) for the purpose of being
present at the ceremony of his betrothment to an Ar-
44 AN ARMENIAN BETROTIIMENT.
menian lady, whom he had never seen, now resident at
Bushire.
We were admitted into a long narrow apartment, fit-
ted up in the Turkish style, where we found, seated
with their backs to the wall, fifty Armenian ladies, who
rose on our approach. At the top of the room was the
nishaun, or betrothing present, consisting of a bottle of
rose-water, sugar-candy, and oranges covered with gold-
leaf; over the nishaun were thrown two or three em-
broidered scarfs. The Armenian bishop, accompanied
by two priests, now entered the room, carrying wax-
candles, ornamented with gold-leaf. Their dress was
simple and uniform, being merely loose black robes,
clasped in front with a small silver crucifix. Their
heads were shaved, with the exception of the crown,
thus completely reversing the mode of tonsure practised
by the Roman Catholic clergy. An officiating priest
brought in a glass of wine, over which the bishop waved
the crucifix, and dropped in a diamond ring. Chapters
from the Old and New Testament were then chanted by
the bishop and priests.
This ceremony of betrothing only takes place when
the parties are at a distance from each other. In this
instance, the nishaun and ring are to be forwarded to
the betrothed at Bashin. When the ceremony was over,
we retired to another room to dine. Among a great
variety of dishes, I recognized many of those mentioned
in the Arabian Nights in the imaginary feast of Hindbad
the Porter, with the merry Barmecide Lord.
After dinner one of our party proposed the health of
the bride elect, which was drank with " three times
three," to the astonishment of our host, who did not
know what to make of our noisy civilities ; but as we
were rulers of the feast we had it all our own way, and
A PAS DE DEUX. 45
amused ourselv T es with joking the future bridegroom on
the fertile subject of matrimony. In this, we were join-
ed by his relations, while the subject of our merriment
sate blushing and smiling with all becoming modesty. In
the course of the evening, one of the relations sang a
song, with a loud nasal twang, to our national air of
" God Save the King."
In the midst of this revelry, attracted by the sounds
of music, we stole on to a terrace where we found all the
ladies assembled. They were dancing in a circle with a
slow measured step, with their little fingers linked to-
gether. This dance is the Romaic, which I have myself
frequently danced in the Ionian Islands, and which is ac-
curately described by Lord Byron : —
** A groupe of Grecian girls,
The first and tallest her white kerchief waving,
Were strung together like a row of pearls,
Linked hand in hand and dancing."
Two very pretty girls, with their hair neatly plaited
down their backs, then danced a pas de deux. The
step, though slow, was not deficient in grace. The
females that we saw were handsome. Their hair, from
the straggling specimens which escaped from out the
handkerchief, appeared to be generally of a beautiful
auburn. Of their figures no correct opinion could be
formed, from the disadvantageous shape of a dress con-
sisting of loose quilted robes, open in the front so as to
leave the chest quite exposed, and a large scarf tied neg-
ligently about the hips.
As the evening advanced, we Europeans took share in
the performance in a merry reel, to the music of the
drum and fife of the marines. After this, we witnessed
the curious ceremony of a Turk and a Jew dancing to-
gether to celebrate the betrothment of a Christian — a
6
46 A DANCE BY A JEW AND A TURK.
circumstance remarkable in a country so distinguished
for religious rancour to those of a different persuasion.
The exhibition was truly pantomimic and highly enter-
taining:, as it served to contrast the bustling activity of
the European with the steady demeanour of the Asiatic.
The dance was meant to represent a fight for a fair lady.
It commenced with divers gliding movements, and at last
ended in an open-handed sparring match, in which both
turbans were discomposed: not so the gravity of the
wearers, who during the dance, which lasted upwards of
a quarter of an hour, moved not a muscle of their fea-
tures. At a late hour we retired to rest, attended by a
numerous host of servants carrying linen lanterns, which,
reflecting on the mingled group of Europeans and Asi-
atics, had a very picturesque appearance ; so, not hav-
ing, like the inhabitants, the fear of a halter before our
eyes, for keeping late hours, we placed the drummer and
fifer in the van, and returned to the Factory singing and
dancing all the way, our sounds of merriment breaking
in upon the dead silence of the streets.
TOMB OF ALI THE BARMECIDE. 47
CHAPTER IV.
Ancient Ruins — Tombs of Ali, the Barmecide, and of Zobeir, an
Arab Chief — Town of Zobeir — Sheikh of Dirhemmia — City of
Bussorah — Filth of the Streets — Old and New Bazaars — Cof-
fee-houses — Trade — Population — Productions — Preparations for
departure — Guard of Arabs — Aboo Nasir — Entertainment on
board the Alligator.
March 5. — Mr. Hamilton, two officers of the Alliga-
tor, and myself, went to Zobeir, a town eight miles dis-
tant, to examine some ruins in the neighbourhood, sup-
posed, by some, to be those of the ancient city of Bus-
sorah. Within two miles of Zobeir, the remains of a
wall can be traced ; and here commence the ruins, which
are very extensive. Large fragments of stone pillars lie
scattered in every direction ; many of these remaining in
the original position, show that the former buildings
were spacious, and supported by colonnades. About a
mile west of Zobeir, the remains of buildings are much
more, indicative of former splendour* than elsewhere.
Our guides informed us, that this quarter was formerly
inhabited by the wealthy Barmecides, of whom mention
is made in the Arabian Nights. This noble family was
of Persian extraction, but settling afterwards in the ci-
ties of Bagdad and Bussorah, its members enjoyed, un-
der several successive Caliphs, the highest honours of
the state. The portion of a handsome arch, containing
a Cufic inscription, was pointed out to us, as the Jamee
Ali Barmekee, the tomb of AH the Barmecide. This
personage was the uncle of our old acquaintance, the
48 TOMB OF ZOBEIR. TOWN OF ZOBEIR.
Vizier GiafFer, of i\rabian Nights' celebrity. Half a
mile to the west of this tomb, is a small mosque, covered
with glazed tiles, containing the tomb of Zobeir, an
Arab chief, from whom the neighbouring town derives
its name. This chieftain was one of the earliest follow-
ers of Mahomet, and was slain at the battle of the Ca-
mel,* which was fought near this place ; an action me-
morable in the Mahometan annals, as the first in which
the arms of the " faithful " were stained with civil
blood.
It would be difficult to assign a correct date to these
ruins. D'Anville supposes them to belong to the city of
the Orchaeni, a sect of Chaldean astronomers and mathe-
maticians. Niebuhr, and other travellers, say they are
those of ancient Bussorah; but then the time in which
that city was founded, has never been correctly defined.
By some, we are assured that Bussorah owed its exist-
ence to Omar, in the 14th year of the Hegira, and 635th
of the Christian era ; and by others it is attributed to the
Roman Emperor Trajan, who reigned hve hundred years
previous to the former date.
We were met within a mile of Zobeir by Hajee Yu-
suf, one of the principal inhabitants, who, with two or
three horsemen, paid us the compliment of preceding us
into the town. On arriving at the Hajee's house, we
alighted from our horses, and partook of a plentiful Arab
breakfast.
Zobeir has regular streets, and an air of cleanliness
that must strike every one coming from the stinking city
of Bussorah. It was built a century ago, by some Arabs,
who fortified themselves in it, against the attacks of that
desperate gang of Mahometan dissenters — the Wahhab-
bees, so called from their leader Abdool Wahheb.
* A. D. 655.
SHEIKH OF DIRHEMMIA. BUSSORAH. 49
After breakfast, we received a visit from the Sheikh,
or Chief of Dirhemmia, who begged us to pay him a
visit. His residence was of the general appearance of
an Arab chieftain's. It was enclosed within a mud fort,
and considering its situation id a sandy desert, certainly
did great credit to the projector. The name Dirhem-
mia is derived from Dirhem, a small coin, signifying the
expense the building occasioned. In taking us round
the premises, it was easy to see that our host expected
unqualified approbation of every thing he showed us.
That upon which he seemed most to pride himself, were
his large reservoirs of water, a characteristic of the
value the desert Arab attaches to this first necessary of
life. He next took us round the fortifications, which,
as he seemed to appeal to us for an opinion, we pro-
nounced to be tajoob, (wonderful 5) though we would
scarcely have trusted our backs against the battlements.
The city of Bussorah is enclosed within a wall, eight
miles in circumference. Of this space, the greatest por-
tion is laid out in gardens and plantations of date trees.
It is traversed throughout by numerous canals, supplied
by the Euphrates, into which they empty themselves at
every turn of tide. The abundance of water, besides
irrigating the gardens, which it does effectually, might
also be the means of keeping the town clean were there
not in the inhabitants an innate love of filth. Bussorah
is the dirtiest town even in the Turkish dominions.
The streets, which are narrow and irregular, are almost
insupportable from the stench. Some houses are built
of kiln-burnt bricks, but the greater number are of mud.
From these, project several long sprouts made of the
body of the date tree, which convey filth of every descrip-
tion into the streets, so that a passenger is in frequent
danger of an Edinburgh salutation, without the friendly
caution of Garde? loo.
50 FILTH OF THE STREETS. — COFFEE-HOUSES.
The old bazaar is extremely mean. Rafters are laid
across the top, and covered with ragged mats, which
prove but a poor protection against the heat of the sun.
Throughout the bazaar we observed numerous coffee-
houses ; they are spacious, unfurnished apartments, with
benches of masonry built round the walls, and raised
about three feet from the ground. On these are placed
mats; at the bar are ranged numerous coffee-pots, and
pipes of different descriptions. It is customary for
every smoker to bring his own tobacco. These houses
were principally filled by Janizaries, who were puffing
clouds from their pipes in true Turkish taciturnity.
The principal trade is with our Indian possessions,
which, with the exception of a few English ships, is con-
fined to Arabian vessels. The return for the articles with
which we furnished them, are pearls, horses, copper,
dates, and raw silk. The population is estimated at six-
ty thousand, principally Arabs, Turks and Armenians ;
but I have no doubt, that on a close inquiry, there would
be found natives of every country in Asia. Dates are
the principal production here ; there are, besides, quan-
tities of rice, wheat, barley, and abundance of fruits and
vegetables.
March 6. — The ordinary mode of proceeding to Bag-
dad by water, is to secure a passage on board one of a
fleet of boats, which start at this season of the year,
whenever their numbers are sufficient to enable them to
resist the attacks of the lawless tribes of wandering
Arabs, which infest the banks of the river. On our ar-
rival at Bussorah, several of these vessels had taken in
their cargo, and were only waiting for others to join
them, to proceed on their voyage. We had originally
intended to have availed ourselves of this opportunity;
but our patience being quite exhausted by their depar-
ture being protracted from day to day, we adopted the
PREPARATIONS POR DEPARTURE. 51
more expeditious mode of procuring a boat for our entire
use, and proceeding alone. This was a description of
vessel called a Bughalow. It was sixty feet long, four-
teen wide at the broadest part, and much peaked at the
fore ; the cabin was ten feet square, and four high.
There was one mast, with a lateen sail, which was used
for crossing the river ; for the wind blowing mostly from
the northward, we could seldom use it for sailing. As
the voyage was principally performed by tracking, to
ensure expedition we engaged a double set of boatmen,
whose business it was to track, or tow the boat, as horses
do in canals in England. Our agreement was, that they
should proceed night and day ; and, as a defence against
the attacks of the wandering banditti, we engaged a
guard of twenty of the Zobeir Arabs. Besides the cap-
tain of the boat, and the commander of the guard, we
had a superintendent of the whole establishment, by
name Aboo Nasir, a good-natured, drunken vagabond,
whose gratitude for a life, thrice spared by British in-
fluence from the sentence of three successive Pashas, we
deemed a sufficient guarantee for his fidelity to us, and
in no instance did we find our confidence misplaced.
This man was a stout, tall, elderly Arab, on whose faGe,
the sun and strong liquor seemed to have been contend-
ing for many a year which could give it the strongest
tinge of scarlet, for Aboo Nasir was one who had long
forsworn " thin potations. "
The expense of our whole establishment, including
fees to the different powerful sheikhs, through whose
countries we were to pass, amounted to sixteen hundred
and ninety piastres.
When there was sufficient water in the canal, our boat
was moored alongside of the British factory, where we
embarked our baggage, and a fortnight's stock of provi-
sions and necessaries, consisting of tea, coffee, sugar,
52 ENTERTAINMENT ON BOARD THE ALLIGATOR.
spices, dates, biscuits, rice, tobacco, and a plentiful sup-
ply of spirits. We had had some difficulty in procuring
servants, but at last succeeded in engaging three : an In-
dian Syyud, who had officiated while on board the Alli-
gator, as cook to Futteh Ali Khan, continued with us in
the same capacity; the other two were, a Persian, who
had made the pilgrimage to Mecca, and a half-starved
Ethiopian. At three o'clock, the gates of the British
factory were opened, and first discovered to us our guard
of Arabs; who, armed with swords, shields, and mus-
kets, scrambled on board, singing and dancing to the
rude music of the fife and tamtam, — presenting as wild
an appearance as any of those savages against whom they
were engaged to protect us.
It had been our intention to have started the same
evening, but we remained till the following night, to bid
karewell to our kind friend Captain Alexander, who was
to give an entertainment to Captain Taylor and some Ar-
menian ladies. After seeing our boat safely moored at
the mouth of the creek, we went on board the Alligator,
and dined with the gun-room officers.
March 7. — The quarter-deck of the Alligator was
tastefully fitted up with flags for the reception of the
guests, who came on board at five in the afternoon.
Captain Alexander, thinking it would gratify the curio-
sity of the Armenian ladies, showed them every part of
the ship, which was in most admirable order; but we
could not discover whether they were pleased or other-
wise, for they went through the business like victims,
and looked at every thing that was showu them, with
the most immoveable gravity. I handed to dinner a
pretty looking girl, from whom I tried in vain to extract
an answer to any of my questions. Amongst the party
was a handsome girl, a native of Ispahan ; whence her
parents had fled with her a few months back. They had
ENTERTAINMENT ON BOARD THE ALLIGATOR. 53
come to Bussorah for British protection, to save her from
being immured in a Mussulman harem. From living
among Mussulmen, the Armenians have in many respects
adopted their customs, and amongst others, that of the se-
clusion of women in their own families, though they allow
them to go abroad. The party who visited the Alliga-
tor consisted entirely of females, unaccompanied by any
male relation, and we were informed that the two sexes
are never seen together in public.
54 TAKE LEAVE OF OUR SHIPMATES,
CHAPTER V.
We take leave of our Shipmates — And proceed on our Voyage—
Our Boatmen and Guard — Abstinence from Wine-— Koorna —
The River Tigris— II Jezeerah, the reputed site of Paradise —
Appearance of the Country — Our first interview with the Desert
Arabs — Arab Village — Conduct of our Guard — Goomru — Tri-
bute — Extortion— Tomb of the Prophet Ezra — Abundance of
Game — Kill a brace of Partridges in the Garden of Eden —
Curious Scene — Behaviour and Appearance of the Female
Arabs of the Desert.
At ten o'clock we left the ship, and went on board
our boat, after taking an affectionate leave of our ship-
mates ; to many of whom, I grieve to say, we bade an
eternal adieu. Since my arrival in England, I have re-
ceived the afflicting intelligence that our excellent host,
Captain Alexander, and five of his officers, have fallen
victims to the Indian climate.
March 8. — We were nearly starved with cold last
night, our cabin was shut in on two sides by mats only,
which were imperfectly closed up, and a strong north-
west wind blowing, we could not keep ourselves warm
with all the bed-clothes we could procure. We halted
three hours during the night, and proceeded again at
daybreak. Flocks of cattle and sheep were every where
grazing on the banks, and we saw some very fine horses
loose, but all having clothing.
The natives of no two countries could form a stronger
contrast to each other in appearance, than our Arab
guard and our Arab boatmen, the former (with the ex-
ception of two tall negroes) were small thin young men,
ABSTINENCE FROM WINE. 55
about five feet five inches in height, with sallow com-
plexions and Indian features ; while the latter were as
hardy and muscular-looking fellows as I ever saw. A
loose brown shirt, of the coarseness of sackcloth, was
the only covering of the latter. This, whenever labour
required it, was thrown aside, and discovered forms most
admirably adapted to their laborious avocations ; indeed,
any of the boatmen would have made an excellent model
for a Hercules ; and one in particular, with uncombed
hair and shaggy beard, struck us all with the remarkable
resemblance he bore to the statues of that deity.
In the evening we sate down cross-legged, to our first
meal as fellow-travellers — a well greased pilau. Though
amply provided with spirits, and all professing due alle-
giance to the bottle, we tried to content ourselves with
water; an experiment which we found to answer so well
that, while actually on the road, w r e entirely abstained
from drinking any thing else. To this circumstance we
alone attribute our health during our long and fatiguing
journey, and we earnestly recommend the substitution of
the pure element for fermented liquors to the serious
consideration of all, but more particularly to Oriental
travellers. It is, however, to be understood, that when-
ever the traveller halts for a few days, he will, as we al-
ways did, make up for the abstinence during the march.
March 9. — We passed this morning a Turkish three-
decker at anchor, commanded by the Captain Pacha. It
was a rotten hulk, seventy years old, with seven men on
board, though the Government was charged with the ex-
pense of the full equipment.
At nine, we arrived off the town of Koorna, the an-
cient Apamea, a city built by Seleucus Nicator, in hon-
our of his wife Apamea. Koorna is situate at the
extremity of a narrow slip of land, formed by the con-
fluence of the Euphrates and Tigris. We saw here
56 PASSAGE UP THE TIGRIS.
several boats, waiting to be joined by others from Bus-
sorah, as the navigation beyond is unsafe for single boats,
owing to the lawless tribes that infest the banks. We
did not land at the town, as we wished, because our
Arabs were at enmity with those on shore ; we therefore
kept the opposite bank, and our guards, with a view
perhaps to demonstrate their force, assembled at the
head of the boat, struck up their music, and forming
themselves into a circle, began singing, dancing, and
striking each others' shields with their drawn swords.
Boats, in general, pay duty here, but we passed unmo-
lested.
Leaving the Euphrates to the west, we proceeded up
the Tigris, where we soon found ourselves in a current
running between six and seven knots an hour, which ful-
ly proved to us the appropriate name of Teer (arrow,)
which the ancient Persians gave to this river on account
ef the rapidity of its course.
Two miles above Koorna, the plantations of date trees,
which had hitherto covered the banks, ceased, and the
country on both sides was overflowed. We landed in
the afternoon on the west bank to shoot, and walked sev-
eral miles ; the ground was very wet, and the state of
the vegetation indicated little fertility. This destitute
place, which is called II Jezeerah (The Island,) is gener-
ally held to be the seat of Paradise. If such be the case,
it certainly is not what the garden of our first parents is
described to have been. Only a few shrubs have been
visible since we left the vicinity of Koorna. The whole
country is a dead flat; and so much flooded in many
parts, that we could hardly pass through it. The few-
dry patches of soil were covered with salt.
If the present barren appearance of this spot be the
only reason for rejecting it as the site of Paradise, the
same objection would apply to the surrounding district,
THE SITE OF PARADISE. 57
which, though now a sandy desert, has been celebrated
for the richness of its soil. Pliny calls it the most fertile
of the East, {solum Orientis fertilissimwn,) and who
does not remember the vivid descriptions, in the Arabi-
an Nights, of the delightful gardens of Bagdad and Bal-
sora?
Half an hour before sunset we arrived at a village of
wandering Arabs. One of the men, a wild-looking sa-
vage, on seeing us approach, ran forwards in a frantic
manner, and throwing down his turban at our feet,
fiercely demanded Buxis (a present.) He was made to
replace his turban, but continued screaming as if dis-
tracted. This fellow's noise, and our appearance, soon
collected a crowd of men, women, and children; the
greater number had evidently never seen a European
before. The men advanced close to us with aspects far
from friendly. The commander of our guard expressed
a wish that we should not enter the village ; but so ar-
dent was our curiosity in this our first interview with
the Arabs of the Desert, that we disregarded his advice.
Seeing us resolved, he let us have our own way ; but
would not allow any of the people to approach, being
doubtful of their intentions towards us.
The village was a collection of about fifty mat huts,
with pent roofs, from thirty to sixty feet long. The
frame of the huts somewhat resembled the ribs of a ship
inverted. It was formed of bundles of reeds tied to-
gether ; the mat covering was of the leaves of the date
tree. An old Mussulman tomb stands on a mound at the
south end of the village, and is the only building in
which any other material than reed and date-leaves have
been employed.
When we reached the banks of the river, we had to
wait for our boat, which was tracking round a headland,
and was still at some distance from us : so we stood with
5S ARAB VILLAGE.
our backs to the water to prevent any attack from the
rear. In the mean time, crowds of the inhabitants
continued to press forward. As their numbers were
greatly superior to ours, and their demeanour rather
equivocal, we tried by our manners to show as little dis-
trust of them as possible ; not so, our guards, who, from
being of the same profession as these marauders, treated
them with less ceremony, and stood by us the whole time
with their guns loaded and cocked, their fingers on the
triggers, and the muzzles presented towards the crowd.
Some of the Arabs occasionally came forward to look at
our lire-arms, particularly our double-barrelled guns,
but whenever they attempted to touch them, were al-
ways repulsed by our guard, who kept them at a dis-
tance. In the midst of this curious interview, the
sheikh, or chief of the village, a venerable-looking old
man with a long white beard, came, accompanied by two
others, and brought us a present of a sheep ; for which,
according to custom, we gave double its value in money.
The sheikh's arrival, and our pecuniary acknowledg-
ment of his present, seemed to be an earnest of amity,
as the crowd, by his directions, retired to a small dis-
tance, and formed themselves into a semicircle — himself
and his two friends sitting about four yards in front.
The scene to us was of the most lively interest.
Around us, as far as the eye could reach, was a trackless
desert; to our left was the rude village of the wanderers,
and immediately in the foreground were their primitive
inhabitants, unchanged, probably, in dress, customs, or
language, since the time of the "wild man" Ishmael,
their ancestor. There was little variety in the dress of
the men — a large brown shirt with open sleeves, extend-
ing to the knee, and bound round the loins with a lea-
thern girdle, formed their principal, and sometimes only
habiliment; a few wore the handkerchief or turban.
TRIBUTE. 50
They were armed either with long spears or massive
clubs. The dress of the females was also a loose shirt,
but not being bound at the waist, it left the person con-
siderably exposed. Some of the women had rings in
their noses, others wore, necklaces of silver coins, and
the hair of several of the girls was divided into long
plaits, and completely studded with coins: they were
all more or less tattooed on the face, hands, and feet, and
some were marked on the ancles with punctures resem-
bling the clock of a stocking.
This village is called Goomruk, and its inhabitants are
notorious robbers; they are subject to the sheikh of
Montefeikh. It is customary to exact a stipulated tri-
bute from every boat that passes; this, after some con-
versation, we paid, and (our people not wishing to stay)
we proceeded on our voyage, having much better luck
than a boat we left here, with horses for the Pasha of
Basra, which, not being strong enough to resist the de-
mand, was detained for an additional exaction. Five
boats which had left Bussorah a week before us, had pro-
ceeded that morning on their voyage to Bagdad.
We continued our voyage while moonlight lasted, and
then anchored till day-break. At nine in the evening
we passed an Arab encampment, pitched so close to
the bank that our track- rope damaged several of the
tents. This occasioned an uproar from a crowd of men,
women, children, and dogs. They all rushed out to-
gether to discover the cause of the disturbance. On our
guard's calling out Abdillah, their chief's name, we
were welcomed from the shore, as a friendly tribe, with
an assurance that they would send off milk, butter, and
whatever else their camp could furnish.
March 10. — We now came in sight of the Hamerine
Mountains, to the north-east. At a little before day-
light, we passed a building, called II Azer, (Ezra,) re-
60 THE TOMB OF THE PROPHET EZRA.
ported by tradition to be tbe tomb of tbat prophet. It
is surmounted by a large dome covered with glazed tiles
of a turquoise colour. The tomb is held in high vene-
tion both by Jews and Mahometans, and is said to con-
tain great riches — the offerings of pilgrims, particularly
those of the former persuasion.
We saw numerous encampments of the wandering
tribes, many of whom brought us milk, butter, and
dates, and appeared to be most kindly disposed towards
ourselves and crew.
Three of our party went out shooting in the Desert,
and had excellent sport. Hares, black partridges, and
snipes, were in the greatest abundance. For my own
share of the game, I claim a brace of partridges, not a
little proud, that nearly the first birds which ever fell
by my gun, should have been killed in the garden of
Eden. Another of our party killed a hare, but the
boatmen objected to our having it dressed on board, as
it had not undergone the ceremony of being made hulaul,
(lawful.) This is performed by repeating a prayer, and
by cutting the throat of the animal, with the neck pla-
ced towards the tomb of Mahomet. Yet, according to
the Jewish law, from which nearly all Mahometan pro-
hibitions respecting food are taken, the hare is an un-
clean animal, " because he cheweth the cud, and divi-
deth not the hoof." *
At two, p. m., we passed the residence of Sheikh
Abdillah Bin Ali, an Arab chief. As we continued our
shooting excursion over a desert tract, unmarked by hu-
man habitation, we approached a boy tending cattle,
who, immediately on perceiving us, set up a loud cry,
* For the circumstance of the hare chewing the cud, vide Lc-
vit. chap, xi., and also the account given by Cowper, of his three
hares.
CURIOUS SCENE. 61
and ran with all his might to a small mound, so gradually
elevated as to be scarcely perceptible to us. In an in-
stant, like the dragon's teeth which Cadmus sowed, a
large body of men, armed with spears, appeared on the
brow of the hill, and seemed to have grown out from the
till then unpeopled spot. The men set up a loud shout,
in which they were joined by the women and children,
who now made their appearance. All, with one accord,
rushed impetuously towards us, demanding the nature of
our intentions ; they were no sooner assured of our pa-
cific disposition, than their clamour ceased, and in two
minutes we were on the most friendly terms.
A little after this, several women, accompanied by a
host of children, brought milk, butter, and curds, for
sale, and followed the boat for some time. One of the
women, from whom we received a vessel of milk, was
offered a quantity of dates in return, by our servants.
Not being satisfied with them, she desired to have her
milk again. A piastre was thrown to her, which after
taking up and examining, she ran off to a considerable
distance, dancing and shouting with joy. Another very
handsome young woman, with a child in her arms, asked
for some cloth to cover her infant's head ; we gave her a
silk handkerchief, which so delighted her, that she ap-
proached the boat, and, with her right hand raised to
Heaven, invoked every blessing on us in return. The
handkerchief appeared to excite great curiosity, for a
crowd collected round her, and it was held up and ex-
amined in every direction, seemingly with much delight.
The behaviour of these females formed a striking con-
trast with the manners of the Indian women, and still
more with those of the veiled dames of Bussorah. They
came to our boat with the frankness of innocence, and
there was a freedom in their manners, bordering perhaps
on the masculine ; nevertheless, their fine features, and
8
62 APPEAllAKCE OF ARAB FEMALES^
well-turned limbs, presented a tout ensemble of beau-
ty, not often surpassed, perhaps, even in the bril-
liant assemblies of civilized life. True it is, their com-
plexions were of a gipsey brown ; but, even on this
point, there may be some who see
" A Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt."
The woman who was so grateful for the handkerchief,
as she stood on the edge of the bank, her beautiful eyes
beaming with gratitude, would have been a fine illustra-
tion of some of the striking passages in Scott's forcible
delineations of female character.
ABOO NASIB. 63
CHAPTER VI.
Aboo Nasir — Village Jester — Akushee — English Gentlemen at-
tacked by the Arabs — Munjummil — Thuyn II Swyah — Mohu-
mud Abool Hassan — We are challenged from the shore by the
Arabs — Our Boatmen's answer — Manner in which the Arabs
lie in ambush for Travellers — Cheshef — Illyauts — Black Tents
illustrated by Scripture — Mr. Hamilton and I shoot at a
Lioness — Gurious flight of birds — Barter — Gubur Jumdeer —
AH Shurgee — Animals like Bats — Filifileh and Sooroot, an an-
cient ruin — Encampment of Arab Banditti — Aboo Nasir's an-
swer to their inquiries — Muddukil-Hujauje — Koote— Horses
procurable from hence to Bagdad — Description of the village —
Jubui Afeez, a ruin— Arab Greyhounds — A Dandy of the
Desert — Mr. Hamilton proceeds by land to Bagdad — Boats
laden with firewood for Bagdad — Ummuttumim, a large Canal —
Grotesque description of Boat— Shifeleh — Extensive Ruins-
Observations on the general appearance of Ruins in this coun-
try — The ruins of Mumliheh — Coins — Want of instruments
for digging.
At four, p. m. we passed an encampment similar to
that we had seen the night before ; here our European
costume and white faces so much attracted the attention
and curiosity of the inhabitants, that they accompanied
us along the bank for upwards of a mile, singing and
dancing all the way. Aboo Nasir, who was a friend of
their chief, had just drank sufficient to put on that
solemn aspect a tipsy man so often assumes. Seating
himself in midships, with his pipe in one hand, and his
silver baton of authority in the other, he returned the
salutations of the mob with the most amusing gravity,
while our band squeaked a tune, and our guard figured
away in the sword-dance.
64 VILLAGE JESTER. MUNJUMMIL.
In every village that we passed there was a merry noisy
fellow, who seemed by general consent to be the common
spokesman and buffoon. At this place, in particular,
the representative of the people appeared to be highly
agreeable to his constituents, as every sentence that he
uttered brought down from them a roar of laughter,
which was immediately re-echoed by our boat's crew.
Eight, p. m., off Akushee. At this place, some time
ago, a Mr. Low and another Englishman were taken by
the Arab hordes, and obliged to pay a stipulated sum
for their release ; but they had not proceeded far, when
numbers came off in boats to attack them, for the pur-
pose of extorting an additional sum. Incensed at this
conduct, our countrymen fired on their treacherous oppo-
nents, and killed two of them ; but knowing that their
tribe, which occupied both banks, would soon be up in
arms against them, and the current being too strong to
contend with, they were obliged to return to Bussorah.
March 11. — At nine in the morning, we passed a sta-
tion called Munjummil, from an Arab Sheikh of that
name, which, from the time of Ishmael,* has been the
general origin of names borne by different places in these
countries.
We have not met with any habitations that could be
considered permanent, nor any formed of more substan-
tial materials than mats and reeds. The liability to in-
undations, and the habits of these wanderers, would
prevent them from erecting buildings which could not
be moved.
We passed in succession on the right bank, the usual
station of Thuyn II Swyah, and Mohumud Abool Has-
san, Arab chiefs of note.
* " These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names,
bv their tons, and by their castles, , v Gen# chap. xxv. ver. 16.
ENCAMPMENTS OP ARABS. 65
We saw numerous encampments of Arabs on both
sides, all of whom, as our boat approached, loudly de-
manded who we were. We always answered them by
mentioning the name of Mohumud, a powerful sheikh of
the Montefeekh tribe, whose protection our boatmen
claim. This question was repeated night and day, and
men frequently started up in the jungle, where neither
habitations nor any appearance of population were ob-
servable.
We were given to understand, that a boat was in no
danger of being attacked when any number of Arabs
were collected on the banks, as there was then no pre-
meditated intention of robbery, but when only one or
two made their appearance, there was reason to suspect
that the remainder of the gang were at no great dis-
tance ; and we frequently observed that Aboo Nasir and
the boatmen were always more on the alert on these oc-
casions. Indeed, the circumstance of our boat having
to make its way against a rapid and tortuous stream,
through a treeless desert, gave to robbers, who might be
disposed to molest us, a great facility of observation, as
well as ample time to make every necessary preparation
for attack. Jeremiah alludes to this mode of lying in
ambush, in his denunciation against the wickedness of
Judah. a In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the
Arabian in the wilderness."*
At two, p. m., off Cheshef. Here we fell in, for the
first time, with the Illyauts, another description of wan-
dering Arabs. Instead of the mat huts we had before
seen, they occupied black tents, probably of the same
description as those of their earliest ancestors. We have
a curious illustration of this in the Songs of Solomon,
* Jer. chap. iii. ver. 2.
66 ILLYAUTS. ABUNDANCE OP GAME.
where his bride compares the blackness of her complex-
ion to the tents of Kedar.*
We made frequent visits to these encampments, which
were all extremely wretched. The tents were about six
feet long and three high, and brought strongly to mind
the habitations of the English gypsies. A large stud of
blood horses were grazing near the tents, which being
well cased in body cloths, formed a curious contrast with
the miserable appearance of the Illyauts themselves.
At four o'clock, we stopped at a patch of brushwood
jungle, where nearly all the boatmen and guard went to
cut wood for fuel. In the midst of this employment, one
of the party disturbed a lion that was sleeping under a
bush. He was greatly frightened, and speedily commu-
nicated his terror to his comrades, who hastened on
board. The lion stole away, and the trackers who had
to walk through the same jungle, continued their work
without making any objection. Game of every descrip-
tion is abundant throughout, which reminds us that we
are in the ancient kingdom of Nimrod, that " mighty
hunter before the Lord." The spot we were now pass-
ing, was quite living with the immense quantities of ani-
mals of all descriptions. At every step, our trackers
put up pelicans, swans, geese, ducks, and snipes ; num-
bers of hogs were seen galloping about in every direc-
tion ; a lioness strolled towards our boat, and stood sta-
ring at us for two or three seconds ; when within thirty
* "lam black but comely, oh ye daughters of Jerusalem, as
the tents of Kedar, the curtains of Solomon." — Solomon's Song,
chap. i. verse 5.
Kedar was the second son of Ishmael (Gen. xxv. :) his tribe,
under the name of Cedraeni, are mentioned by Pliny, as descen-
dants of Kedar. The Cedrsean Arabs form a part of the Sar-
acens.
ALI SHtfRGEE. 67
yards, Mr. Hamilton and myself both fired at her, but
as we were loaded with small shot, we did her no injury,
the noise of our guns made her turn quietly round, and
she went away as leisurely as she came.
We saw, this afternoon, a numerous flock of small
birds, which presented the appearance of a large whirl-
wind, and literally darkened the air in their flight.
Both Mr. Lamb and Mr. Hart had seen the same in
India, and told me that they were birds of the ortolan
species.
March 12. — We remained on board this morning by
desire of Aboo Nasir, who told us that the Arabs here
were very uncivilized, and likely to molest us.
In the afternoon, we arrived off a small village, where
we took in some milk and butter, and gave in exchange
a handful of dried dates, which these primitive inhabi-
tants liked equally as well as money. We saw here
some small trading boats laden with dates, which they
barter with the inhabitants for ghee and coarse cloths,
manufactured from the wool of their sheep. We passed
a small mound, called Gubur Jumdeer, erected in me-
mory of a Sheikh of the Bence Lam tribe, who died
there, but whose body was sent for interment to Mushed
Ali, the holy land of the Shiah sect of Mahometans.
Ten, p. m. — On the left banks of the river, we passed
a place marked by a large clump of trees, called Ali
Shurgee, where the Mahometan prophet Ali is said to
have left the print of his foot in his ascent to heaven.
We saw here several animals, which might have been
birds, flitting about the trees, but which appeared to us
like the large Bengal bats, called the flying foxes.*
March 13. — We visited the remains of an ancient
building on the right bank of the Tigris, composed of a
* The Vestpertiglio ingens of Linnaeus,
68 FILIFILEH AND SOOROOT. — KING KISRA.
large square mound of sun-burnt bricks, sixty paces
long, forty-eigbt wide, and about twenty feet high.
This place the Arabs called Filifileh, from a lady of rank
and beauty, who, they said, flourished in the reign of
King Kisra : a cause-way extended to the east, interrupt-
ed by the river, to a similar mound, called Sooroot, so
named from a handsome young husbandman who lived on
the opposite bank, and with whom Filifileh is said to
have fallen desperately in love. The tradition is, that
Sooroot, like Leander, was in the habit of swimming
across the river to his lady love, who, grieving that any
time should be lost in such an exploit, erected this cause-
way to facilitate his visits.
The name of the monarch, Kisra,* which, as well as
Khosro and Chosroes, are synonymous with Cyrus, is in-
tended by the Arabs to designate Noosheervan, sur-
named Adil (the Just,) who is highly celebrated in Ori-
ental history for his justice and piety. It was the boast
of Mahomet that he was born in this monarch's reign ;
and so proud are the modern natives of his memory, that
they assign to him all doubtful remains of antiquity.
March 14. — We went on shore to an encampment of
Illyauts, whom we found employed in making the carpets
for which they are so celebrated. The inhabitants here
were remarkably civil and respectful, and brought us se-
veral bowls of milk: our swords and pistols were as
usual the great objects of their curiosity. We gave
some money to a woman, which one of our guard at-
tempted to appropriate to himself, but being discover-
ed, was obliged to refund. When we returned on
* " Kisra or Cosra, Chosroes or Cyrus, an Emperor, the sur-
name of several kings of Parthia, like Ptolemy amongst the
Egyptians, or Caesar with the Romans." Richardson's Lie-
tionary.
ENCAMPMENT OF 1LLYAUTS. 09
board we made a complaint to Aboo Nasir, who ordered
him to be flogged ; the culprit, on hearing his sentence,
rushed into the cabin, threw himself on his knees, and
kissed the cufF of Mr. Lamb's coat? and was pardoned
at our intercession.
At ten at night, we reached an encampment of re-
nowned robbers, and immediately received a caution
from Aboo Nasir to be on the alert. They appeared
either to have just arrived, or to have been on the point
of departure, all their tents (with the exception of eight
or ten) being struck. In a few minutes, three men ap-
peared on the bank, and demanded why our boat travel-
led at night, and what we were laden with. Aboo Na-
sir answered, " We have troops on board, and are pur-
suing our journey ; we are laden with fire, with which,
if you don't leave the bank, we shall accommodate
you." Our querists took the hint as we intended, dis-
appeared on the instant, and we were troubled with no
farther questions.
March 15. — The windings of the river were exceed-
ingly tortuous to-day. At one, p. m. we observed an
extensive mark on the right bank of the river, the re-
mains of an encampment, where one of the great Mecca
caravans was plundered a hundred and thirty years ago.
The place has been deserted ever since. It is called
Mudduk-Il-Hujauje, and appears to have been of great
extent, for we came again upon its ruins, at another turn
of the river, several hours afterwards.
Towards evening, we saw the apparent remains of an-
cient buildings, in a northerly direction, and at dusk
reached the village of Koote, which is considered half-
way between Bussorah and Bagdad.
At this place, horses in any number are always ready
for the traveller who may wish to perform the rest of the
journey to Bagdad by land. The distance is one hun-
9
70 KOOTE. — JUBUL AEEEZ.
dred and twenty miles, through a barren desert. In the
dry season the journey is performed in thirty-six hours,
when it is necessary to carry provisions and water, both
for riders and horses; but at this time of the year
abundance of water is found in the Desert, as also nume-
rous encampments of Arabs, so that the traveller may
proceed at his leisure. Mr. Hamilton wished to avail
himself of this opportunity, and horses were immediate-
ly put in requisition for his use, but we preferred re-
maining on board our boat, being anxious to visit the
ruins of Seleucia and Ctesiphon, situate on the banks of
the river.
March 16. — At day-break, Mr. Lamb and myself
went on shore to examine the neighbourhood. Koote is
a small, square, and wretched mud-built village, sur-
rounded by a wall, not more than six feet high ; and is
the first permanent establishment we have seen since we
left Koorna. It is the residence of the powerful chief-
tain of the Benee Lam Arabs, whose influence extends
as far as Goomruk to the south, and Bagdad to the north.
Shut-ul-Hie, a navigable stream, runs, opposite Koote,
into the Euphrates. Two miles north of Koote, are the
remains of a wall thrown across the neck of the peninsu-
la, formed by the winding of the river.
To the north of the wall was a mound, covered with
large sun-burnt bricks, apparently the remains of a for-
tress; and, from the position of the whole, I should be
inclined to think, it might have formed the field-work of
a military camp. This place was called by the Arabs,
Jubul Afeez. It is said to be co-eval with the ruins at
Filifileh and Sooroot. While we were examining these
ruins, we put up great numbers of hares and partridges.
We met also some men with greyhounds ; these dogs are
very beautiful animals, and are somewhat smaller than
the English breed \ the ears hang down, the tail is fea-
AN ARAB DANDY. 71
thered, and both are covered with hair as line as silk.
The Arabs are very fond of this species ; but the dog
being an unclean animal according to the Mahometan
law, the Faithful are not allowed to touch it, except on
the crown of the head, that being the only part of the
animal which he is unable to pollute with his tongue.
The owner of these dogs was rather an anomalous be-
ing for an inhabitant of the Desert — a young Arab dan-
dy; his turban and robes were adjusted with the great-
est neatness, his eyelids were stained with antimony, two
or three rings graced each finger, and he conversed with
an air of the most amusing puppyism.
In our excursion, we met Mr. Hamilton and his par-
ty. All were armed from head to foot; he was accom-
panied by our Ethiopian servant, Yacoot, a guide, and
five of our Arab guard, all of whom were mounted at
his expense ; the hire of each horse from Koote to Bag-
ded being ten piastres ; the horses of the party were
very small, and apparently ill calculated to sustain the
fatigues of the journey ; but of high blood, and accus-
tomed to go through it with ease.
While waiting for our boat, I shot a crow, which our
guard, after having roasted it by a fire they made in the
jungle, ate ; though the crow is forbidden by the Ma-
hometan as well as the Levitical law.*
We returned on board at eight in the morning, and
tried to make way against a strong wind, which increa-
sed so much by ten o'clock, that our trackers, unable to
proceed against it, were obliged to lay by till two in the
afternoon, when the wind moderating, we continued our
journey. This was the first time we were wind-bound.
During our detention, Arabs encamped in the vicinity
brought cloaks, skins, and worsted yarn for sale ; we pro-
* Lovit. chap. ix. verse 16.
II UMMUTTUMIM.
cured two fine milk goats and kids, for which we paid
eleven piastres. We passed a boat cutting fire-wood
frotn the brush- wood of the jungle, for sale at Bagdad;
this must be a scarce article, since a journey of three
hundred miles is made to obtain it.
At four p. m. at a place called Ummuttumim, we came
to a large canal, running in an easterly direction; the
bed of which was filled up nearly to the level of the sur-
rounding country, but the banks on both sides distinctly
marked its course, the brick foundation of a wall was
here visible. The canal appeared to fall into the Tigris,
about two miles from the place where we approached it,
and might have been made for the purpose of carrying
off the superabundant waters of the river during the
freshes, for which purpose, so many canals were said to
have been formed in ancient Babylonia. We followed
its course upwards of four miles to the north-west, but
did not see its termination in that direction. The river,
to-day, has not been so winding as yesterday, though we
have had one or two very abrupt turns.
Owing to the strong N. W. wind which has prevailed
the whole of the day, our progress has been very slow,
more so, indeed, than on any day since leaving Busso-
rah; the water is rapidly decreasing, as appears by the
banks, which have fallen nearly six feet.
March 17. — The windings of the river increased, and
the water continued to fall very rapidly. We saw great
quantities of brush-wood on both banks, and passed many
boats laden with it. These vessels are of a very gro-
tesque description, being nearly as broad as they are
long, and deviate very little from the circular boat com-
mon to the Euphrates and Tigris: they are constructed
of wicker, and coated with naphtha, and when laden
with brush-wood, piled twelve or fourteen feet high, ap-
peared too unwieldy to be moved in any other direction
SHIFILEH. ASSYRIA A\D BABYLON. 73
than the current. We stopped at noon to lay in a stock
of firewood, having been informed we should not meet
with any more jungle on our voyage.
At tw T o, p. m., at an abrupt curve of the river, we
passed Shifileh, a square brick fort, the residence of
Sheikh Tyobeid, a powerful Arab chief, whose country
extends from the right bank of the Shut-ul-Hie to Bag-
dad, while the left bank, from Koote to Bagdad, is under
the influence of Sheikh Zummeir.
Shortly afterwards, we came upon some extensive
ruins on the left bank of the river, which we landed to
examine; indeed, from hence to Bagdad, this now desert
tract bears the marks of having once been covered with
large and populous cities. Previous to entering upon a
description of this place, a few general observations are
necessary respecting the appearance of all ruins of this
once populous region.
The soil of ancient Assyria and Babylonia consists of a
fine clay, mixed with sand, with which, as the waters of
the river retire, the shores are covered. This compost,
when dried by the heat of the sun, becomes a hard and
solid mass, and forms the finest material for the beautiful
bricks for which Babylon was so celebrated. We all
put to the test the adaptation of this mud for pottery, by
taking some of it while wet from the bank of the river,
and then moulding it into any form we pleased. Hav-
ing been exposed to the sun for half an hour, it became
as hard as stone. These remarks are important, as the
indication of buildings throughout this region are dif-
ferent from those of other countries, the universal sub-
stitution of brick for stone being observable in all the
numerous ruins we visited, including those of the great
cities of Seleucia, Ctesiphon, and of the mighty Babylon
herself, for which we have the authority of Scripture,
M MUMLIHEH.
that her builders " had brick for stone, and slime had
they for mortar."*
In consequence of this circumstance, the ruins now
before us, which our guides called Mumliheh, instead of
showing fragments of pillars, or any marks by which we
might conjecture the order of architecture, exhibit an
accumulation of mounds, which, on a dead flat, soon at-
tract the eye of a traveller, and have at first sight the
appearance of sandy hillocks. On a nearer inspection
they prove to be square masses of brick, facing the car-
dinal points, and, though sometimes much worn by the
weather, built with much regularity ; the neighbourhood
of these large mounds are strewed with fragments of tile,
broken pottery, and manufactured vitreous substances.
Coins, the incontestable proofs of former population, are
generally to be found. In this place, they are so abun-
dant, that many persons come from Bagdad in the dry
season to search for them. Aboo Nasir told us, that
some time ago he found a pot full of coins, and Mr. Hart
picked up two, with apparently Cufic inscriptions, but
their characters were not very decipherable. Near the
place where they were found, was the fragment of a
vessel which had possibly contained them.
Travellers, in making this tour, ought to provide
themselves with instruments for digging, which would
both facilitate their researches, and in all probability
amply repay their curiosity.
At midnight, we passed the western side of a consi-
derable island, by which the river is divided into two
navigable channels. The nights are beautifully clear,
and well suited to the study of astronomy ; which re-
minds us that we are in the land of the Chaldeans, the
earliest professors of that science.
* Gen. chap. xi. verse 3.
TORTUOUS COURSE OF THE RIVER. 75
CHAPTER VII.
Tortuous course of the River — Extensive Ruins — Fire Temple —
Devil's dance — Dawurree, a tribe of thieves and buffoons —
Ruins of Seleucia — Camel-riding — Illustration of the Prophecy
of Isaiah — Ancient Statue — Tradition — Powder Mill — Ctesi-
phon — Description of the Tauk or Arch of Kisra — Suleiman
Pauk — Historical notices of Seleucia and Ctesiphon — Arrival
at Bagdad — Public Entrance — Mr. Hamilton's Journey across
the Desert — Anecdote of the Chief of the Artillery.-
March 18. — The river becomes more winding, as we
ascend, forming a chain of peninsulas, which makes the
distance by water fully three times longer than by land ;
the bed of the river is enlarged, and numerous banks
are formed in it, rendering the navigation very difficult
when the water is low. Our boat run a-ground several
times after leaving Koote, but being light, we got off
without difficulty, and this happening at a time when the
river is so high, proves that it must be wholly unnaviga-
ble in the dry season.
At noon, we passed extensive mounds on the north
bank, which they told us were called Shejer; considered
half way between Koote and Bagdad. An Arab whom
we met here informed us of Mr. Hamilton's arrival at
Bagdad, yesterday, at the hour of afternoon prayer (four
o'clock.)
We passed to-day, numbers of turtles on the banks
and shoals, which the rapid fall of the river had recently
left exposed.
At noon, we examined some extensive mounds of the
76 EXTENSIVE RUINS.
same general description as those we saw yesterday.
One of our party picked up a brick with an inscription,
but of a very imperfect character. Half a mile from
the banks of the river was the portion of a pillar, com-
posed of sun-burnt bricks, twenty feet, two inches high,
and sixty-three feet in circumference. It consisted of
eight layers of bricks, several compartments of seven
layers placed horizontally, and one vertically ; between
the layers was interspersed cement, one-half the thick-
ness of the brick. The pillar stands at the eastern side
of a large mass of ruins, apparently the remains of an ex-
tensive palace, or temple; that portion which is left,
proves it to be detached, and there were evidently no
means of ascending it : we were not provided with in-
struments with which we could open its base, or examine
among the ruins for any part of its capital, or ornament,
and we could gain no information respecting it. The
annexed sketch will show the resemblance this pillar
bears to those ancient columns so common in Ireland.
Amongst the ruins we found some different kinds of glass,
perfectly white and transparent, like flint-glass ; the sur-
face of which was corroded, indicating a long exposure.
m
FIRE-TEMPLE. 4 7
A raised causeway extended due S. from these ruins, to
some mounds apparently four or five miles distant. Half
a mile to the W. N. W. on the banks of the river
are some mounds, the remains of a burying-ground, on
which the river has evidently encroached, and recently
washed down a considerable portion. At this place,
was an earthenware vessel of an oval shape; this Mr.
Hart broke open with his dagger, and found to contain
the skeleton of a child, which crumbled to pieces on
being exposed to the air ; the vessel was eighteen inches
deep, three feet long, and twenty-two inches wide :
higher up in the bank was another vessel, somewhat
larger, but corresponding with the other in its general
appearance, but as this had been broken, no bones were
discoverable. In the course of our journey, we found
vessels of a similar description, of which I shall make
mention in another part of the journal.
Near sun-set, we saw at some distance, bearing south
by west, an elevated mound, which Aboo Nasir called
Gubri Bena, the temple of the Ghebers, or ancient fire-
worshippers. As we looked upon Aboo Nasir to be
less superstitious than his countrymen, we were not a
little surprised to hear him gravely assert that a large
troop of devils were in the habit of assembling at the
temple every night, and dancing round it, amidst flames
of fire ; he added, that many Arabs had seen them at a
distance, that none had ever dared to approach the spot
by night, and that no Englishman had ever visited the
haunt of these evil spirits.
March 19. — Our boat was accompanied this morning
for a considerable distance by a party of fellows, who
kept up a kind of running dance, of a most grotesque
description ; with them, was a man playing a flute, made
of bamboo, from which he managed to extract some kind
of melody. They belonged to a tribe called Dawurree,
10
78 vUk ivlSKA.
and arc countenanced by the Pasha of Bagdad ; are pro-
fessed thieves and buffoons, and said to be very skilful in
both callings. As far as we could judge,, their appear-
ance certainly did not belie their vocations.
The banks of the river were lined with camels and cat-
tle, and a numerous encampment of Illyauts.
During the day, we passed an uninterrupted succes-
sion of mounds, the remains of the once magnificent ci-
ties of Seleucia and Ctesiphon. At night, we came in
sight of Tauk Kisra, an ancient arch, which we visited
the following day.
March 20. — We landed first on the W. bank of the
river, on the site of the ancient Seleucia. Having to go
some distance in search of a statue, and not being able to
procure horses, we each hired a camel from amongst some
which we found grazing on the banks; these animals had
nothing on their backs but the common wooden frame,
or pack-saddle for carrying burthens, and were totally
unprovided with any convenience for riding ; so we each
seated ourselves on their rumps, and guided them with a
long stick, by striking their cheek on the opposite side
to that which we wished them to go. I do not answer
for my companions, some of whom were fastidious re-
specting their conveyance, but for my own part, I
thought the motion was not intolerable, nor so rough as
to prevent me from writing legibly, while my beast was
going his best walking-pace.
We reached the statue of which we were in search,
after a ride of five miles, through a country strewed with
fragments of ruined buildings. As far as the eye could
reach, the horizon presented a broken line of mounds;
the whole of this place was a desert flat : the only vege-
tation was a small prickly shrub, thinly scattered over
the plain, and some patches of grass, where the water
had lodged in pools, occupied by immense flocks of bit-
ANCIENT STATUE. 79
terns: so literally has the prophecy of Isaiah been fulfill-
ed, respecting devoted Babylon, that it should be
" swept with the besom of destruction/ ' that it should
be made " a possession for the bittern and pools of wa-
ter."
The statue was lying on the ground near the remains
of some extensive buildings. It consisted of the lower
portion of a figure in a sitting posture in long vestments,
the form of which proves them to belong to a female. It
■
is executed with considerable skill, particularly the orna-
mental part of the robe, and the feet, which are exceed-
ingly well delineated. The figure is seated on a square
stool, standing on a base ten inches thick, apparently for
the purpose of fixing it in its place, as it is left rough:
the upper portion is broken off, as it would seem from
having fallen down from a height. This is indicated by
the manner of the fracture, which is obliquely down-
wards, while the stone is rent throughout. The entire
figure appears to consist of a block of compact granite,
of great tenacity, as we found on making an unsuccessful
80 TRADITION.
attempt to break off a small portion from the fractured
part.
Our guides had, as usual, a tradition respecting the
ruins and the statue. \ The city, they said, was destroy-
ed by, the Almighty, for the sins of the people. In for-
mer times, a brother and sister, both very beautiful,
were so constantly together, that, as they grew up, an
improper attachment was formed, and God, to punish
them, turned them to stone.
We returned a different way from that which we
came, but the same signs of building were apparent: the
people who accompanied us on foot, picked up four cop-
per coins, but they were so much corroded that they
could not be made out. On our return, we passed what
appears to have been the W. wall of the city, composed
of sun-dried bricks, with layers of reeds. It is of great
thickness, and in many places, notwithstanding its long
exposure to the washing of the rains, upwards of twenty
feet high. It stands about a mile from the present chan-
nel of the river; the line of the southern wall can also
be traced, and the remains of a mound running east.
The water is encroaching in this direction, and has wash-
ed away the eastern wall, if such ever existed.
The Turks have established a gunpowder manufacto-
ry, at which we found some men at work : the ruins of a
small square fort, evidently of a later erection, stand
about the middle of the southern wall, from which it is
separated a hundred yards, and must have been com-
manded from it. The form of the interior building,
which is of burnt bricks, can still be traced, and we saw
a well on one of the bastions. Though a brisk wind was
blowing, the heat was very oppressive, and we were glad
to get to the protection of the boat. We found a ser-
vant of Aga Saikeis, the British agent at Bagdad, wait-
ing on board; with a letter from Mr. Hamilton, inform-
ARCH OF KISIiA. 81
ing us, that apartments were preparing in the agent's
house, and that horses would be sent to this place to take
us on to Bagdad.
In the afternoon, we crossed over to the E. bank near
to the Tauk (Arch.) which we went to examine, after
having rested a couple of hours. It stands about half a
mile from the river, the intervening space being entirely-
covered with brick mounds, which, in every direction,
appeared to extend as far as we could see. We rode on
asses, which we obtained on hire. The annual fair,
which is held at the tomb of Suleiman Pauk (a Mohome-
tan saint,) terminated yesterday, and a number of the vi-
siters still remained. The view of the ruin far exceed-
ed our expectations. From a scene of broken walls en-
tirely devoid of ornament, we came suddenly in sight of
this large and noble pile of building. The arch in the
centre is, according to our measurement, eighty-five feet
wide, and one hundred and one feet high ; the curve of
the arch forms a large parabola, springing from about
half the height ; this leads to a vaulted hall of the same
breadth and height, one hundred and fifty-seven feet
long; this is the only portion of the interior, of which
the roof remains : the back is also broken down, as are
fifteen feet towards the front: the ceiling is pierced with
a number of holes at regular distances, which, according
to our conductors, formerly held chandeliers. The
whole is built of well-made kiln-burnt bricks, one foot
square and three inches thick ; but they do not, as is ge-
nerally asserted, belong to the Babylonian ruins. The
massive structure of the whole building has saved it from
a similar fate from the roof. It does not appear to have
suffered much dilapidation since it was visited by Ives,
in 1758; and, if left to the effect of time, may endure
for many years. The walls that support the arch are
fifteen feet thick; four tiers of arches remain, diminishing
82 TOMB OF SULEIMAN PAUK.
in succession. Tradition asserts that the palace, when
entire, was double its present height.
While we were engaged in our measurements, a Turk
attended by a large suite, dismounted and spread his mat
near us. We sat down, smoked a pipe together, and
drank some coffee, while he directed one of his atten-
dants to ascend the top of the building, a work of some
difficulty. The crowd seemed to admire our measuring
line, and the facility with which we wrote with our pen-
cils. One of our party, in opening his coat to look for a
pencil, discovered to the by-standers a small pistol in each
waistcoat pocket. Significant glances were exchanged
by the crowd, who seemed impressed with a high opin-
ion of our desperate courage, from having concealed arms
about us. With the Asiatic traveller, his weapons of de-
fence are the most conspicuous appendages of his dress,
his object being more to intimidate the robber from at-
tempting an assault than to resist when attacked.
From the ruins, we went to the tomb of Suleiman
Pauk, w r hose name has superseded that of the builder of
this magnificent pile, in giving a name to the district.
The tomb is a small building with a dome ; the interior
(to which they allowed us access, on our pulling off our
shoes,) was ornamented with arabesque arches, and the
surrounding enclosure was used as a caravanserai.
Suleiman Pauk, or Solomon the Clean, was the con-
temporary and zealous partisan of Mahomet, and is now
the patron saint of the barbers, who came from Bagdad
in annual procession to visit his tomb.
Seleucia stands prominent in the page of history, as
having caused the final destruction of Babylon. On the
death of Alexander the Great, which happened in the
latter city as he was about to rebuild the Tower of Babel,
his immediate successor in Asia, Seleucus Nicator, built
Seleucia for the avowed purpose of ruining Babylon.
SELEUCIA. CTESIPHON, 83
The spot selected, though now a desert, was at that time
the most fertile of the East. Seleucia, which became
the metropolis of Assyria, was formed on a Greek model,
and received from the founder a free constitution. Such
attractions soon drew from the already exhausted Baby-
lon its few remaining inhabitants, and the population of
the new city increased so rapidly, that, according to
Pliny, it soon amounted to six hundred thousand. Seleu-
cia continued to flourish for several centuries ; and that
author who lived five hundred years after the foundation,
says, that even in his time it still enjoyed the blessings of
freedom — " Libera hodie ac sui juris."*
Meanwhile Ctesiphon appears to have been a small
town on the opposite bank. As the Seleucians, who
were a free people, would naturally view with jealousy
the establishment of a military force within their walls,
the monarchs were accustomed to quarter in Ctesiphon
their Scythian soldiers, who performed the same military
service at that period, which their descendants, the wan-
dering tribes, do for the soverigns of the present day.
Seleucia suffered at the hands of the Parthians the
same fate which she had inflicted on Babylon. Ctesi-
phon, in her turn, became a great and populous city, the
capital of the kingdom. In the time of the Emperor
Julian, she was in the zenith of her glory; and the re-
collection becomes more interesting, from being connect-
ed with the history of that singular character, the splen-
dour of whose great and good qualties has been obscured
by the forbidding though well-merited epithet of u The
Apostate."
Ctesiphon is said by Ammianus Marcellinus, the his-
torian and contemporary of Julian, to have been built by
Vardanes, and afterwards beautified and walled by Pa-
* Plin. lib. 6. cap. xxvi,
84 IL MEDAYX.
corus, a Parthian king. This city is by some supposed
to be the site of Calneh, in the land of Shinar, mention-
ed in Genesis:* and Pliny's placing Ctesiphon in Cha-
lonitis,f favours the idea. Why not, too, the expression
in the sixth chapter of Amos, applicable to this, " Pass
ye into Calneh and see?"
Ctesiphon and Seleucia were subsequently united un-
der the name of II Medayn, the dual number of an
Arabic word, signifying two cities which Nooshirvan,
sirnamed Kisra the Just, adorned with many beautiful
palaces, the principal of which was the Tauk or Arch,
which I have described. Gibbon gives a detailed account
of the sacking of this palace by the Saracens, and of the
immense wealth found within the walls. The barbarians
seemed struck with the riches, and, as they entered, ex-
claimed, " This is the white palace of Chosroes ! — this
is the promise of the apostle of God !"
We returned on board at dusk, intending to resume
our examination next day ; but Aboo Nasir, as tipsy as
usual, had weighed and sailed without our knowledge.
Luckily a strong breeze sprank up from the southward,
which brought us in the morning off the renowned city
of Bagdad.
March 21. — As we approached the suburbs, the no-
velty of our dress attracted numbers of people on the
bank. There were several women in the crowd, who
did not scruple to lift up their veils, the better to in-
dulge their curiosity. Some of them set up the same
kind of cry, as that with which the women welcomed
the new governor into Bussorah. They have tolerably
* And the beginning of his (Nimrod's) kingdom was Babel, and
Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. — Chap. x.
ver. 10.
f Ctesiphontera juxta tertium lapidem in Chalonitide condiderc
Parthi Plin. lib. vi. cap. xxvi. p. 136.
ARRIVAL AT BAGDAD. 85
good features, but their pale pink complexions strongly
mark their state of habitual seclusion. Their robes, be-
ing open as far as the chest, leave the person considera-
bly exposed.
Our boat was moored near the gates of the town. An
hour after, two of the agent's Tchousses (avant-couriers)
came to tell us that the horses had been sent to Suleiman
Pauk, but that they would soon return. Hearing this,
we proposed walking ; but the Tchousses stared with as-
tonishment at the idea of an Englishman compromising his
dignity so much, as to walk in the streets at noon-day.
As this was impracticable, we remained for another hour,
when the horses arrived at last, and with them came a
host of attendants, who accompanied us into Bagdad.
One of them, a mounted Tchouss, went before us with
his baton of office, a silver stick surmounted with a gilt
ball of filigree work. Our horses' bridles were very
handsomely ornamented, and the furniture of our sad-
dles, which covered nearly the whole body of the horse,
consisted of velvet studded with gilt and silver knobs.
In short, we entered the city with a state that would
have better befitted ambassadors than private travellers,,
We were received with much attention by Aga
Saikeis, the British agent. Shortly after our arrival,
the Pasha's secretary sent a message welcoming us to
Bagdad, and apologizing for not visiting us in person.
On meeting with Mr. Hamilton, he gave us a lively
description of his journey across the Desert, which we
here repeat, to help the choice of a future traveller be-
tween the land and water journey.
" On the 18th, Mr. Hamilton passed through several
encampments of Arabs, from whom he experienced all
those rites of hospitality for which those tribes are cele-
brated. He describes the plain as being in some parts
quite alive with numerous encampments and their atten-
11
86 JOURNEY ACROSS THE DESERT.
dant herds of camels, oxen, and horses. At nine in the
evening, he came to the bed of a very broad canal, the
banks of which are thirty feet high.
He saw vast quantities of birds, called bitterns, of
which the Scriptures tell us that Babylonia was to be-
come the possession.
He met an Arab Bey, attended by four men well arm-
ed and mounted; these carried hawks on their wrists,
and were followed by several greyhounds. Mr. Hamil-
ton drank coffee with his new acquaintance out of cups
with gold saucers. The Bey was very civil, and promis-
ed to show him some good hawking on a future occasion.
He slept the first part of the night in the tent of an
Arab, the father of two beautiful girls. A sheep was
brought to the tent door, and milked by one of his fair
hostesses ; a carpet was spread for him in the upper part
of the tent, a fire was lighted, and he was regaled with
pipes, coffee, milk, butter, and a sheep roasted whole.
He bivouacked from one till three o'clock in the morn-
ing, to rest his cattle. On resuming the march, the cold
was so intense, that his party were obliged to alight from
their horses and make a fire with some brushwood they
found in the jungle. The heat during the day had been
nearly insupportable, and the opposite extreme at this
time brings to mind Jacob's spirited remonstrance with
his father-in-law, Laban, when in a similar situation.
I In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by
night.' *
They were all huddled round the fire, when a soldier
gave the alarm of robbers. They were up in arms in a
moment ; but the enemy, on seeing their numbers, made
off.
On the 19th, he saw the ruins of a circular building;
' Gen. xxi. verse 40.
ARAB BEY. 87
which, from its description, must have resembled that we
saw on the banks of the Tigris.* It was forty feet in di-
ameter, and built of red bricks fourteen inches square.
Every flock of sheep that he saw in the night was at-
tended by three or four armed men. At midnight he
reached another encampment, and met with treatment si-
milar to that of the night before.
The Arab, in whose tent he was breakfasting, was told
by a boy, that a party had carried off some of his sheep :
he seized his sword and spear, snatched a musket from
one of the soldiers, mounted his horse bare-backed, and
in one moment was scouring across the Desert.
They resumed their march on the morning of the
20th, and reached Bagdad in the afternoon."
In the evening, we went to the Hummaum, (hot bath)
not quietly as we wished, but with the same retinue as in
the morning. A Turkish Hummaum has been so often
described, that it will be sufficient to mention our having
undergone the whole process of kneading, cracking joints,
and champooing. After the bath, we were, by the civil-
ty of Aga Saikeis, regaled with iced water, pipes, coffee,
and sherbet; we were then sprinkled with rose-water;
and frankincense was brought us to perfume our musta-
ches.
March 22. — We received a visit next morning from
the chief of the artillery to the Pasha of Bagdad. He was
a tall thin man, about sixty years of age ; his weather-
beaten face had been bronzed by a long exposure to an
Eastern sun; formidable white mustaches graced his up-
per lip; and over his eyes were a pair of ferocious bushy
eye-brows, the peculiar elevation of which infallibly
stamped him a Frenchman.
The variety observable in his dress marked the true
* Vide page 76.
88 CHIEF OF ARTILLERY.
Soldado : the buttons of his coat were adorned with the
imperial crown and initial of Napoleon ; from the but-
ton-hole was suspended a croix of Louis the Desired ;
and a flaming pair of capacious Turkish trowsers bespoke
his present service. The top of this gaunt figure was
crowned with a small hat, which rested on his left ear.
With the volubility which so strongly characterizes
his nation, he dilated on every subject. Hearing my
name mentioned, he inquired of me if I was related to
" the unfortunate Keppel." Perceiving that he con-
founded the fate of the two admirals,* I attempted to
convince him that it was Byng, and not Keppel, who had
been unfortunate, but he interrupted me with a " par-
donnez;" and assured the company that an English
friend of his threw up his commission in consequence of
Keppel's execution.
* Admiral Byng was tried and executed in 1757. Admiral
Keppel was tried and acquitted in 1779, and in 1782, was made
First Lord of the Admiralty.
THE PASHA'S GARDEN.
X£f
CHAPTER VIIL
The Pasha's Garden — Armenian Church — Our Host's Policy — ■
Monastery of Calendars — Tomb of Zobeide — Visit to the Cath-
olic Bishop of Bagdad — Anecdote — Journey to Babylon — Our
Establishment — Description of a Caravanserai — Our first Night's
Lodging.
In the afternoon we visited one of the Pasha's gardens
— our heads full of the splendid descriptions in the
Arabian Nights. Though not so sanguine as to expect
a garden like that in which Ibrahim entertained the fair
Persian, we hoped at least to see something like Eastern
magnificence in the summer retreat of a three-tailed
Basha. We were doomed to be disappointed. The
garden, comprising eight or ten acres, and enclosed
within a mud wall, contained a confused assemblage of
shrubs and fruit-trees. A summer-house on the banks
of the Tigris, well worthy of the garden, was a rickety
little building, where dirt, damp, and neglect, had ob-
literated nearly every trace of the fresco daubings of
flowers, with which the walls had once been decorated.
To compensate in some degree for this destruction of
our air-built castles, we had, from the windows of the
summer-house, a fine view of Bagdad and its neighbour-
hood.
In our way home, we stopped in a small by-street to
visit the Armenian church, which looked, indeed, as if
90 ARMENIAN CHURCH.
it belonged to a despised and persecuted religion ; and
gave us an idea of what our churches might have been
in the early times of Christianity. The door by which
we entered was not above five feet high, and the exteri-
or of the building had nothing to distinguish it from the
humble dwellings in its neighbourhood. An old grey-
bearded priest admitted us through an inner court into
the church. It was a small narrow apartment ; at the
east end stood an altar, decorated with faded silk and
silver tinsel ; a few wax tapers on the tables were light-
ed by the priest, who seemed anxious that his church
should be seen to the best advantage. A few paltry
daubs hung upon the walls, executed with the true East-
tern contempt for perspective. One represented Abra-
ham about to sacrifice Isaac, with the anachronism of the
Crucifixion of our Saviour in the back-ground.
In the course of conversation, we mentioned to Aga
Saikeis our wish to be acquainted with the Pasha of
Bagdad. Perceiving his unwillingness to introduce us,
we pressed him for his reasons ; and were not a little
surprised to find, that our omitting to call upon the
Pasha was to form a part of a plan he had in view to
frighten that potentate, and, by so doing, to render him
subservient to his own purposes.
To explain our host's policy, it may be mentioned,
that some time before our arrival at Bussorah, Captain
Taylor, the political agent, had, for some infraction of
the treaty on the part of the Pasha, hauled down the
British flag, and did not intend to hoist it again till he
had received instructions from the Indian Government.
Shortly after this, the Alligator had arrived at Bussorah,
and the Pasha's brother had taken possession of his gov-
ernment.
OUR host's policy. 91
A British man-of-war anchoring off Bussorah was an
event so unusual, that it struck alarm into the mind of
the new governor, who, soon after our visit, wrote to his
brother at Bagdad, informing him that a king's ship had
arrived for some especial purpose; that a large European
force was on board (so he termed the marines;; and that
four Europeans (meaning our party) were about to pro-
ceed to Persia through Bagdad, as he surmised, on some
political mission.
These concurring, though accidental circumstances,
were such as would naturally alarm an Asiatic, ignorant
of our customs. It was with a view of keeping alive
these fears, that Aga Saikeis wished to prevent our
waiting upon the Pasha ; by which he intended to make
it appear, that we, the pseudo-diplomatists, had received
instructions from our Government thus to express a nega-
tive disapprobation of the Pasha's conduct.
March 23. — Mr. Hamilton and I went this morning
to the opposite bank, to visit a monastery of wandering
dervishes, called Calendars, of which sect mention is
made in the Arabian Nights. The bridge, which we
crossed on horseback, had a somewhat alarming appear-
ance. It was formed by a number of boats, irregularly
fastened together, and surmounted by a narrow platform
made of the trunks of date- trees. This, in many places,
was full of holes ; and, as there was no balustrade, and a
crowd was constantly passing to and fro, the slightest
start of our horses would have precipitated us into the
river. When the wind sets in at the S. E., the bridge
becomes impassable, and the communication between
Bagdad and its suburbs is suspended for several days.
At a quarter of a mile from the bridge is the monas-
tery, presenting the appearance of substantial neatness.
92 A MONASTERY OF CALENDARS.
On the walls are numerous inscriptions in the Arabic and
Cufic characters, and one of considerable length over the
gateway. In the court-yard are a number of fruit-trees,
principally the orange and the vine.
On dismounting from our horses, we were conducted
to the Sheikh Calendar (the Superior of the monastery.)
He was seated on a tiger's skin, in a room describing
three sides of a square of tw T enty- eight feet, and about
forty high. We saw fixed on the walls several rude
iron instruments, which had been implements of war
prior to the use of fire-arms, and had been presented
to the monastery by various contributors. There were
also some brass urns, a number of ostrich eggs, and some
white stones, fixed in the walls. The Sheikh wore a
low drab cloth turban, bound round with green, called
the tajee derveishaun (dervish's cap ;) the other Calen-
dars had caps of a similar shape, with red tassels. From
the neck of each Calendar were suspended a circular
onyx-stone, with indented edges, somewhat bigger than
a crown-piece (this was called the sung-i-tulsim, or ta-
lismanic stone,) and one somewhat larger, called the
$ung-i-canaut (the stone of repose,) emblematic of the
peaceful life of the wearer. Round the waist was worn
a stone of an oval form, called the Kumberia, which ac-
companies the wearer to the grave.
The Sheikh was a clever talkative little man, and
possessed that agreeable vivacity and store of anecdote
which are occasionally found in men who have had
much intercourse with the world. He had seen vari-
ous countries, and spoke Persian with great fluency — in
which language we conversed. On our approaching him,
he vociferated a dozen doggrel rhymes in token of his
self-abasement, calling himself a Jew, an infidel, a rogue,
A MONASTERY OF CALENDARS. 93
and a drunkard. As he repeated these frequently, I
caught the following lines, which may serve as a speci-
men of the metre : —
Herkeh puoshum
J5aud-i-no6shum
Meeferooshum.
He next began a long speech, thanking us for the ho-
nour we had conferred on a poor dervish who had quit-
ted the world; though, from his lively conversation,
there was little of the anchorite perceptible in him.
We were very anxious to learn some account of his Or-
der; but he was so fond of hearing himself talk, that we
were obliged to let him have his own way. He dwelt
much on the forbearing and pacific doctrine of the Ca-
lendars' code ; and told us that for a blow given no blow
would be returned, but the simple ejaculation of "God's
will be done!" We observed, however, that no Calen-
dar was without a dagger in his girdle. He informed us
the monastery was built by the Caliph Haroun Alras-
chid, nine hundred and twenty-five years ago: he also
showed us a picture, which he said was intended to re-
present the circumstance of a European king coming to
pay his respects to the King of the Calendars. In the
adjoining room we were shown a small niche, in which
the Calendars are supposed to sit. It was covered with
Arabic inscriptions — most probably quotations from the
Koraun.
On returning to the first room, the Sheikh gave us
pipes and coffee, and an excellent breakfast of milk,
dates, and sweetmeats; after which we took our leave,
much pleased with the eccentricity of our reception.
The Arabian Nights furnish but few details respect-
12
94 TOMB OF ZOBEIDE.
ing this Order: the only place in which they are men-
tioned, is the story in which three sons of kings, all
blind of the right eye, assume the habits of Calendars,
and sup with the three sisters, where they meet Haroun
Alraschid, the Vizier Giaffer, and Mesrour, the chief
of the Eunuchs. These Calendars were said to have
shaved their beards and eye-brows ; by which it would
seem, that formerly such a custom formed a part of the
duties of a Calendar, but I was not able to extract from
our talkative host any elucidation of this custom. The
Calendars, so called from Calendar, the name of their
founder, are a sect of Mahometan dervishes, whose de-
bauched morals and vagabond habits give great offence
to their more orthodox brethren. They wander as men-
dicants over all parts of Asia. In India they wear a
party-coloured dress, to denote, as I should suppose,
their extreme poverty.
In returning home, we visited the tomb of Zobeide,
the wife of Haroun Alraschid : even when new, it must
have been very Inferior to what we should naturally
have expected in honour of the favourite of so renown-
ed a caliph. The building under which Zobeide lies
buried, is a column formed of a pyramid of polygons of
thirty feet high, decreasing in number of sides towards
the vertex. The interior of this building is seven pa-
ces and a half wide; in it are three tombs of brick-
work, in a very dilapidated state, containing the bodies
of the mother of one Pasha, and the son of another : in
the third is all that now remains of the once beautiful
Zobeide. There is no appearance of any inscription to
perpetuate her memory: the only one visible in the
building was to Ali Bey, the son of Mohumud Pasha ;
nor were there any traces of ornamental work, so com-
mon in the Arabic buildings.
VISIT TO THE CATHOLIC BISHOP. 95
We have been kept such close prisoners, ever since
our arrival in Bagdad, that we have not been permitted
to leave the house without a numerous train of attendants.
Against this ridiculous and petty annoyance remon-
strance has been tried without effect. We are answer-
ed by an appeal to our pride, that " the English name
is great in Bagdad," and that it would be wrong in us
to compromise it, by doing any thing so derogatory to
the Turkish ideas of great men, as to go into the streets
unattended. It is in vain that we tell Aga Saikeis that
such observations are inapplicable to private travellers
like ourselves, who have no wish to be taken for great
men: but no; he is deaf to our entreaties for liberty;
and we are obliged to submit with the best grace we
can. This evening we wished to see a mosque that had
been built by Haroun Alraschid; and knowing that a
large retinue would attract a crowd, we tried to escape
from our guard, and to steal out unperceived, but with-
out success; our persecutors soon overtook, and prece-
ded us as usual. These men, thinking it impossible that
we could go out except on a visit of ceremony, conduct-
ed us by mistake to the house of the Catholic Bishop of
Bagdad. This gentleman had been sent out by the
French Government, and, as it is supposed, will shortly
be appointed Consul for that nation.
We found in the Bishop, all that politeness and viva-
city which form the characteristics of the Frenchman.
Although we were at first disappointed at not finding
the object of our search, we soon forgot our chagrin, by
listening to his agreeable conversation.
The Bishop detailed to us, with considerable humour,
the account of his journey by the caravan, across the
Desert, from Aleppo to this place. He told us that he
had been robbed three times by the wandering tribes.
9G OUR ESTABLISHMENT.
On one of these occasions, the robbers, seeing him with
a very neat and clean pair of boots, were so polite and
obliging as to take them off his feet, without giving him
the trouble to dismount : at the same time one of the
gang was about to seize a small chest containing all his
valuables; but this was saved, by one of the fellow's
comrades desiring him to leave it alone, as it only con-
tained medicines, or, according to the Bishop's version
of the story, " Bah ! c*est itn Franc, il rta que la me-
dicine"
March 24. — At four this afternoon, our arrangements
being complete for our visit to the ruins of Babylon, we
left Bagdad with the buoyant spirit of schoolboys break-
ing up for the holidays, so pleased were we at leaving
our state-prison, and exchanging it for the pure air of
the Desert.
Our present establishment consisted of the Syyud,
who continued to officiate as cook ; Yacoot the Ethiopian,
who, upon our drawing lots for him, fell to Mr. Hart ;
Yusuf, an Armenian, was Mr. Lamb's servant ; Mohu-
mud Ali, Mr. Hamilton's ; and Hajee Ali, my own.
As we had frequently to speak of our servants in their
presence, and as some of them understood English, we
deemed it necessary to designate each by some epithet
which he could not understand : thus, we called the
Syyud, " the Descendant of the Prophet ;" the Ethi-
opian, " the Raven," from his hoarse voice and black
colour ; the Armenian, the " Dandy," from the care he
paid to his toilet ; Mohumud Ali, the well deserved ap-
pellation of i( the Policon ;" and Hajee Ali, " the Ca-
mel," from the resemblance his face and figure bore to
that animal.
Some apology is necessary for introducing these vaga-
bonds to notice; but they occasionally afforded much
JOURNKY TO BABYLON. 97
amusement to us, and often dissipated the ennui of a dull
and oppressive march. In addition to these, who were
well armed and mounted, we took with us our old friend
and messmate, Aboo Nasir, the mounted Tchous of Aga
Saikeis, and six of our old Arab guard, who were also
mounted and armed at all points ; a precaution more
than usually necessary, from the circumstance of a cara-
van having been plundered only two days previous to
our march.
Each of our party rode his own horse, and mules were
hired to carry our attendants ; we also had a firman (or-
der) from the Pasha, to be supplied with whatever we
might require on the journey.
The traveller finds himself in the Desert the moment
he is outside the walls of Bagdad. The first part of the
road is a beaten track, formed by the constant journey-
ing of pilgrims to the tomb of their patron Saint, Ali,
the cousin of Mahomet, who is buried to the westward
of Babylon, at Meshed Ali, to which place he has given
the name. Fully to appreciate the pleasure of our mode
of travelling — and while the novelty lasted, it was not
without its charms — all ideas of European expedition or
comfort must be set aside. We seldom went faster than
a foot-pace, and the stoppages were so numerous, from
the laziness and inattention of our muleteers, that our
rate rarely exceeded two miles an hour.
Before dark, we saw Tauk Kisra, about six miles to
the E. At two fursukhs* from Bagdad, we passed the
caravanserai of Kiahya Khan, which from its vicinity to
the city, is seldom used. One of these caravanserais is
to be found at the distance of two fursukhs from the
* The fursukh, by the Greeks spelt pstpxwyw parasangus, com-
prised thirty stadia, about four English miles.
98 DESCRIPTION OF A CARAVANSERAI.
other, the whole way between Bagdad and Meshed Ali :
they have been erected by the piety of some rich Per-
sian pilgrims, for the benefit of their countrymen in gen-
eral. From the earliest periods caravanserais have been
established in Oriental countries, and at about the same
distance from each other, as at present. Herodotus enu-
merates one hundred and eleven of these stathmi, or
mansions, in the dominions of the King of Persia, all of
which he describes as being beautiful and splendid.
At nine in the evening we arrived at Assad Khan,
where we, or rather our servants, found the best accom-
modations occupied by other travellers, who, by virtue
of the Pasha's firman, were unceremoniously turned out
to make way for us. This caravanserai, which differed
but little from any that we afterwards saw, was a quad-
rangular building, with a court-yard. In the centre was
a square, comprising about forty feet of solid masonry,
raised three feet, called the Bauri Kesh, for travellers'
baggage. The entire building occupied about two acres
of ground ; a range of cloisters, having a succession of
recesses ten feet in breadth and height, served either as
apartments for travellers, or as mangers for their cattle
— to both of which purposes we applied them.
Having arrived some hours after dark, completely ha-
rassed by travelling by night, we had to wait for some
time before we could procure a light. The fire that was
boiling water for our tea, nearly suffocated us with its
smoke ; our mules, which were close to us, almost stun-
ned us with the incessant jingling of their bells ; our
servants kept up a constant and angry chattering ; our
horses, a loud and continual neigh ; while we, by our
bitter lamentations, added to the general discord. Our
beds, composed only of Persian carpets, were but a poor
defence, to our bruised bones, against the hardness and
our night's lodging. 99
unevenness of the ill- paved floor. If to these grie-
vances were added the attacks of myriads of fleas, which
did not leave us till they had marked us like lepers, it
will be allowed that we must have passed any thing
but an agreeable night.
100' MODE OF TRAVELLING.
CHAPTER IX.
Bir-iunus — Caravans of Persian Pilgrims — Mode of Travelling —
Women — Corpses — Coffins — Iskanderia— Earthenware Coffins
— Mohowel — An old Man and his Wives — Distant appearance
of the Ruins of Babylon — Reasons for supposing the Ruins to
be those of Babylon — Causes of Deterioration — Mujillebe
Mound — Illustration of the Prophecy of Isaiah — Hilleh — Po-
pulation — Musjid Eshams — Babylonian inscriptions — Bricks-
Cylinders — Throwing the Jereed — Sham fight — Tower of Babel
— Babylonian boats — Earthenware tombs — Statue of a Lion — -
Hanging Gardens — Palace.
At daylight the following morning we left our com-
fortless lodging, and stopped to breakfast at Bir-iunus,
another caravanserai, eight miles distant. At these halt-
ing-places the traveller is always sure of being supplied,
at a moderate price, with eggs, poultry, dates, sweet
limes, and generally with mutton and kid.
We saw, in the course of the day, various caravans of
Persians ; some going to, and others returning from,
their pilgrimage. We were much gratified by the pic-
turesque appearance of these passing groups.
The higher class of Persians were generally mounted
on good horses, unencumbered by any burthen except
the apparatus of the kuleoon, or Persian pipe. Two or
three servants, mounted on horses lightly laden with
baggage, formed the suite of one person. The equi-
pages are always very light — a Persian rejecting, as
superfluous, many travelling articles that would with us
be deemed indispensable. The bed, for instance, is a
small carpet of the size of a hearth-rug.
MODE OF TRAVELLING. CORPSES. 10l
In each caravan, the women comprised ahout a third
of the party. The wives of the rich rode astride on
horses ; those of the poorer class were either placed on
the baggage-cattle, or seated in a pair of covered pan-
niers slung across a mule — one woman in each pannier.
The most remarkable, and not the least numerous part of
this assemblage, was the crowd of defunct Shiahs, whose
corpses were going to be buried at the tomb of the pa^-
tron Saint. These bodies were enclosed in common
wooden coffins, in shape and size not unlike those used
by the lower orders in England : two of them were slung
across one mule. One man had generally the charge of
six or eight bodies.
The men who convey these corpses to Meshed All are
not the relations of the deceased parties, but persons who
gain a livelihood by this peculiar occupation.
No order of march seemed to be observed in the cara-
vans — the living and dead were indiscriminately jumbled
together. Often, when halted for the night, the coffins
were thrown down in the first vacant space in the cara-
vanserai, and the bodies, though embalmed, were not so
impervious to a burning sun as to be free from a most
disagreeable smell. According to Niebuhr, two thou-
sand dead and five thousand living annually go to Meshed
Ali. Besides the corpses which come direct from Persia
for interment, many are brought from India for the same
purpose.
Three miles from Bir-iunus, the road branches off in a
south-west direction to Meshed Ali. At twelve o'clock
we came to a caravanserai, which, in common with the
district, is called Iskanderia. Iskanderia, or Roomia,
are names given by Oriental nations to the remains of
towns supposed to have been built by Alexander the
Great, who is well known in the East, as Iskander Roo-
13
102 1SKA N J )E R r A .— M0HO W EL.
mee {Alexander of Greece.) Here we saw large and
extensive mounds, exhibiting the same appearance as the
ruins of Seleueia and Ctesiphon. A quarter of a mile to
the northward of these mounds, and in a situation that
would have constituted the exterior of the town, we saw
some circular earthenware vessels, similar to those con-
taining human bones, which we had seen on the banks of
the Tigris on the 13th of March.
From the name of the place, and its vicinity to Baby-
lon, it seems fair to infer that these mounds are the re-
mains of some town built by Alexander the Great, al-
though no mention is made in ancient authors of a city
on this precise spot. The nearest town, of the name of
Alexandria, is placed by D'Anville on the banks of the
Pallacopa.
If we consider the ease and facility with which Alex-
ander built such towns as Alexandria, on the banks of the
Iaxartes, said to be in circumference three leagues, the
ramparts and houses of which were, according to Rollin,
completed in twenty days, — it is not unreasonable to
suppose that he might have built a town in the neigh-
bourhood of his capital, though no mention should be
made of it by his contemporaries.
In the evening we arrived at a caravanserai, called
Mohowel. A squinting old man came in shortly after,
attended by four women, to one of whom he gave a good
beating for turning back to look at our party. On dis-
mounting from their horses, the four women retired to
one of the small recesses, and were concealed from the
rest of the company by a curtain placed before it.
Within a mile of the caravanserai is the bed of a large
canal, and near it a considerable mound of bricks. Mr.
Hart; and some of our servants, picked up two or three
copper coins, but they were so thickly incrusted with
RUINS OF BABYLON. 103
verdigrise, that the impressions were undecipherable.
I found a brick, with an inscription in the arrow-headed
characters : it was coated with a vitrified, or bituminous
substance, of so hard a composition, that I broke the
brick in attempting to chip a bit off.
From this place, the ruins of the once mighty Baby-
lon are distinctly visible, presenting the appearance of a
number of irregular and mis-shapen hills. Fourteen
miles to the N. N. E. is the Tower of Babel, now
known by the name of Nimrod's Tower.*" Since my
return to England, I have been occasionally asked, what
grounds I had for supposing the ruins 1 visited were
those of Babylon. Rennell has so completely establish-
ed f their identity with that city, that I shall merely
state the following reasons for my belief.
The place in question is still called Babel by the na-
tives of the country. The traditions of Oriental wri-
ters, and those of the neighbouring Arabs, assign the
highest antiquity to the ruins. The accounts given by
ancient authors agree with the Oriental traditions. The
appearance of the place answers the description given
by those authors,! and the position agrees in the rela-
tive distance of Babylon from other great cities: the
city of Seleucia,§> for instance, to the north-east, and that
of Is || to the north-west. The ruins seen by me cor-
• Ber's Nimrod. t Rennell's Geography of Herodotus.
X Herodotus, Quintus Curtius, Pliny, Diodorus Siculus, Strabo.
§ According to Strabo, and the Theodosian tables, Seleucia was
forty-four Roman miles from Babylon.
|| " Within an eight days' journey from Babylon is a city call-
ed Is, near which flows a river of the same name, which empties
itself into the Euphrates. With the current of this river, parti-
cles of bitumen descend towards Babylon, by the means of which
the walls were constructed." Herodotus, Clio. c. 178. Its mo-
dern name is Hit.
104 DECREASE OF THE RUINS.
respond with all ancient accounts, both in their geogra-
phical relation to Babylon, and to the peculiar descrip-
tion of building. The appearance of the fallen city is
precisely that which the divine writings predict Baby-
lon should exhibit after her downfall. The geographical
accounts convince me, that Babylon could not have stood
elsewhere than on the spot I visited ; and the prodigious
remains are conclusive evidence, that they could have
belonged to no other city.
The next point for consideration is, the reason why
greater remains of Babylon are not to be found? Re-
membering the circumstances under which this city was
built, there will be no difficulty in accounting for the
deficiency. It is the vast size of Babylon, and not the
want of durability in its materials, that ought to excite
our wonder. I have before stated, on the authority of
Scripture, that the builders of Babylon substituted
" bricks for stone, and slime for mortar;" a peculiarity
which is mentioned by Herodotus, and various ancient
authors ; and I have also remarked on the ready adapta-
tion of the wet mud on the banks of the river for the
making of bricks. When we consider the sandy nature
of the soil on which Babylon stood, the perishable mate-
rials of which the city was composed, and the many
large cities that have been built of the ruins; when it is
remembered, that workmen have been constantly em-
ployed in removing the bricks; that for two thousand
years the ruins have been subject "to the operations of
the weather, and that in consequence of the Euphrates
periodically overflowing its banks, they are for two
months of every year in a state of inundation; — we
ought the rather to be surprised, that such vast masses
should have withstood so many concurring causes for to-
tal extinction. From these circumstances, I take it fo^
WALLS OF BABYLON. 105
granted, that all the ordinary buildings are crumbled into
dust, and that only the remains of the largest exist.
Whoever has seen the mud habitations of an eastern
city, will readily accede to this suggestion. If any fur-
ther argument were wanting, the fact mentioned by Dio-
dorus Siculus, that the greater portion of the place with-
in the walls was ploughed up in his time, would be, in
my opinion, conclusive evidence.
After stating upon what grounds I rest my belief in
the indentity of these ruins, it is fair to add, that our
party, in common with other travellers, have totally fail-
ed in discovering any traces of the city walls.
The divine predictions against Babylon have been so
literally fulfilled in the appearance of the ruins, that I
am disposed to give the fullest signification to the words
of Jeremiah, that " the broad walls of Babylon shall be
utterly broken."* We are told by Herodotus, f that
Babylon was surrounded by a very wide and deep
trench, with the earth of which the wall was construct-
ed. This wall was 200 cubits or 300 feet high. When
Darius took Babylon, being exasperated against the in-
habitants for the resistance they had shown him, he re-
duced their wall from its original height to 50 cubits.
As his object was evidently to incapacitate the proud ci-
tizens from again opposing him, it is highly probable
that he refilled the trench with the earth which had
been taken from it. The work of destruction did not
stop here. Xerxes, on returning from his ill-fated Gre-
cian expedition, is said to have levelled the remaining
part of the wall. This statement, however, must not be
taken too literally. St. Jerome, who lived in the fourth
century of the Christian era, states, that the wall was
still standing; nevertheless, the reduction by Xerxes
« Jer. li. 58. \ Her. Clio. 178. 179,
106 MUJILLEBE.
must have been very considerable. From the time of
Jerome, no mention is made of Babylon for several cen-
turies, in which interval it is most probable that what re-
mained of the wall must have contributed to the build-
ing of the numerous cities which have been formed out
of these ruins.
March 26. — At day light we quitted Mohowel, from
which place the ruins of Babel commence, though they
are not of a nature to merit particular notice. At eight
o'clock we arrived at the first ruin of any magnitude ; it
is called by the natives, the Mujillebe, or " overturned."
In 1616 it was visited by Pietro della Valle, who, not
having examined the vast ruin on the opposite bank of
the river, supposed it to be the Tower of Bable. The
form of the Mujillebe may have been originally square,
but, owing probably to the operation of time and the
weather, it is now oblong. The sides face the cardinal
points of the compass. Those to the north and south are
upwards of two hundred paces* in extent ; that to the
east, one hundred and eighty; and that to the west, one
hundred and thirty -six. The height is very irregular.
To the south-east, it rises one hundred and forty feet.
It is well worthy of observation, that in Pietro della
VahVs time, the altitude of this ruin was two hundred
feet, and the base measured about two thousand six hun-
dred — a circumstance proving the remark I have before
made, of the liability of the Babylonian ruins to gradual
decrease ; for, in the space of two hundred years, this
mound has diminished sixty feet in height, and nearly
five hundred in circumference. Let us suppose the de-
crease of the ruin, in each preceding century, to be only
• I have throughout adopted Rich's measurements, in his Me-
moir on the Ruins of Babylon, after personally ascertaining their
correctness. i
MUJILLEBE. SCRIPTURAL ILLUSTRATION*. 107
half of what I have stated, and the size of the original
building would exceed the accounts of any ancient au-
thor.
The western side, by which we ascended, though the
lowest, is the most remarkable, as it shows more distinct-
ly the form of the structure. The mound appears to be
a solid mass: it is composed of sun-dried bricks, cement-
ed with clay-mortar : between each layer of bricks is one
of reeds. The summit is traversed throughout by large
channels formed by the rain. In walking, we stepped
on several pieces of alabaster, and on a vitreous substance
resembling glass. We saw great quantities of ornamen-
tal and other kinds of pottery. There were vast num-
bers of entire kiln-burnt bricks, which were all four-
teen inches square, and three thick. On many were
inscribed those unknown characters resembling arrow-
heads, so remarkable in the ruins of Babylon and Perse-
polis. The freshness of the inscriptions was astonishing,
appearing to have been recently stamped, instead of hav-
ing stood the test of upwards of four thousand years.
From the mode in which the bricks are disposed in this,
and several other ruins, it is evident that, with some ex-
ceptions, the great buildings of Babylon were composed
of sun-burnt bricks, and coated with bricks burnt in the
furnace.
The mound was full of large holes : we entered some
of them, and found them strewed with the carcasses and
skeletons of animals recently killed. The ordure of
wild beasts was so strong, that prudence got the better of
curiosity, for we had no doubt as to the savage nature of
the inhabitants. Our guides, indeed, told us, that all
the ruins abounded in lions, and other wild beasts ; so
literally has the divine prediction been fulfilled, that
<• wild beasts of the Desert should lie there ; that their
108 HILLEH. — MOSQUE OF THE SUN.
houses should be full of doleful creatures; that wild
beasts of the islands should cry in their desolate
houses."*
After exploring the Mujillebe, we proceeded to Hil-
leh. With the exception of a few huts, the town is sit-
uate on the west bank of the Euphrates. We crossed
the river by a bridge of boats, like that at Bagdad. The
Euphrates, at this point, is four hundred and fifty feet
broad.
On producing our firman, the house of Syyud Murad*
the govenor of Kerbela, was given up for our accommo-
dation, and a janizary was sent by the governor to at-
tend us*
Hilleh was built in the twelfth century, out of the
ruins of Babylon. It is enclosed within a mud wall, of
mean appearance, but the bazaar is tolerably good. If
we except the few Turks who are employed in the gov-
ernment, the population consists entirely of either Arabs
or Jews: the number of inhabitants is estimated at ten
thousand. Near one of the gates of the town, we were
shown the Musjid Eshams, or Mosque of the Sun. The
outside resembles the tomb of Zobeide. The interior is
a fine specimen of arabesque architecture : it is said to
contain the tomb of Joshua ; but the Mahometans rever-
ence it as the place where AH offered up his early pray-
ers to his cousin, the prophet. On the summit of this
mosque is a small cone, which our guides told us moved
with the sun, to commemorate the event of the sun's
having stood still to enable Ali to fight the enemies of
Mahomet. The account given in Scripture of a similar
miracle having been performed in favour of Joshua has
evidently given rise to this fable.
* Isaiah, chap. xiii. ver. 21, 22.
HILLEH. BABYLONIAN INSCRIPTIONS. 109
Hilleh is under the subjection of the Pasha of Bag-
dad, who lets it out to one of his own officers for the sum
of 260,000 piastres. Besides this rent, the governor has
to pay a stipulated sum to the Kia-hya (lieutenant gov-
ernor, (and to the principal officers of the Pashalick, all
of which demands are wrung from the wretched inhabi-
tants. The office of Cadi, a circumstance uncommon in a
Turkish government, is here hereditary : the family of
the present officer has held it for a long time. The town
is surrounded by a number of gardens, which produce
rice, dates, and grain. The soil is very productive; but,
as is natural under such an extortionate government,
it is but little cultivated. If any thing could identify the
modern inhabitants of Hilleh as the decendants of the an-
cient Babylonians, it would be their extreme profligacy,
for which they are notorious even amongst their immoral
neighbours.
The veranda of the house we occupied, was paved
with inscribed Babylonian bricks. We amused ourselves
during the day in comparing them with others we had
brought from the ruins.* At first sight, many appear-
ed exactly alike ; but, on a closer examination, some let-
ters were found to be different: this would indicate, as
I should suppose, that they were not stamped from a
mould, but separately.
These characters have hitherto baffled the inquiries of
the learned ; of some, however, at Persepolis, a Dr.
Grotefund,f of Frankfort, has given a translation. The
Doctor has furnished tables for any one who may wish to
attempt the task of deciphering them. MauriceJ is of
* I have presented one of these bricks to the Calcutta Asiatic
Society,
t Vide Rich's second Memoir on Babylon, p. 48.
J Maurice on the ruins of Babylon, p. 21.
14
110
BABYLONIAN CYLINDERS.
opinion, that the inscriptions have reference to astro-
nomy.
When Alexander came to Babylon, Callisthenes was
informed by the Chaldseans, that their astronomical ob-
servations were recorded upon kiln-burnt bricks, " coe-
tilibus laterculis inscriptas"* We brought with us
from Babylon several curious cylinders, of which, num-
bers are found amoungst the ruins. I have presented
three to the British Museum, on which, as they are of
such high antiquity, I hope to be excused offering a few
remarks :
No. 1.
No. 2.
• Simplicius on Aristotle de Coelo, p. 123.
BABYLONIAN CYLINDERS. Ill
These cylinders differ from each other in size and
material ; the largest is an inch long, and the other two
somewhat smaller : they are all perforated in the centre ;
and, from the numbers in which they are found, have
probably been worn by the common people as amulets.
No. 1 is of agate : it describes two persons seated be-
fore an altar, each holding a small fish. One of them is
a man with a beard ; the other is a woman. Behind this
last is another female, who is holding over her head
what appears to be a palm branch — a most ancient mark
of royalty.* In nearly all the Persepolitan sculptures,
the king, or chief, is similarly attended. On the altar is
a fish, and above it are a star and a crescent, which
would favour the opinion, that the cylinders, as well as
the bricks, have some reference to astronomy. The
bearded personage in this amulet, I consider to be a
priest and the female a princess, who is offering sacri-
fice to the large fish on the altar, probably the earliest
form of the idol Dagan.
Dagan,f the first syllable of which word signifies a
fish, was the same as Oannes, respecting whom EusebiusJ
says, that his whole body was like that of a fish, and that
* Numerous examples might be given of the high dignity which
the palm branch was supposed to confer. The Egyption god Her-
mes, aixi the goddess Isis, are both represented as holding palm-
branches in their hands. The Jews hailed our Saviour as '* King
of Israel," by taking branches of the palm and strewing them in
his way. — John, chap. 12.
t JH, Dag et run, Dagah piscis interpretatur. — Selden de Diis
Syris, Syntag. II. p. 188. The idol Dagan, in his subsequent form,
was half man and half fish. Berosus mentions that in his time
there was a representation of him at Babylon, rwh et^ovoc ovrov en
xeci vw hcKpvXccTTio-Sxi (ev BctfivXent) This idol has been thought to
have been an emblem of Noah.
X Euseb, Chronu p. 6-.
112 S [SIT TO THE TOWER OF BABEL.
a delineation of him was to be seen in Babylon. The
stars and the half- moon may denote the precise period in
which this sacrifice was performed.
The length of hair worn by the figures on this amulet,
proves that such was the custom of those days, and is
singular as contrasted with the shaved heads of the pre-
sent day. Herodotus* says that the Babylonians wore
their hair long. In the Persepolitan sculptures, and in
the coins of the Sassanidse, the figures are always de-
scribed with a profusion of hair. In the song of Solomonf
we are told, that u his locks are bushy ;" and every one
remembers the hair of Absalom, which weighed " two
hundred shekels after the king's weight."}
No. 2 is of a substance resembling glass. Two men,
without clothing, appear to be contending with two beasts.
Similar figures are observable in the Persepolitan bas re-
liefs. Those accustomed to the examination of Babylo-
nian antiquities will easily trace several lines in the ar-
row-headed characters.
No. 3 is of argillaceous earth ; it represents four per-
sons dressed in loose robes, with broad ornamental bor-
ders.
The first and the last of these amulets are curious, as they
illustrate the account of Herodotus respecting the dress
of the Babylonians; that " they have two vests, one of
linen which falls to the feet, another over this, which is
made of wool ; a white sash covers the whole. ' ? §>
March 27. — Early this morning we set out to visit the
Tower of Babel, accompanied by our Tchouss' one of
the governor of Hilleh's janizaries, two servants, and five
of our guard, all well armed and mounted. At a short
* Herod. Clio, xcv. f Solomon's Song, v. 11.
X 2 Sam ; xix. 26, § Herod. Clio, xcv.
THROWING THE JEREED. 113
distance from Hilleh, we took in a re-enforcement of ten
horsemen, furnished us by order of the governor. A
just idea may be formed of the state of the country by our
being obliged to have a party of twenty armed horsemen
to go a distance of six miles though we had nothing ex-
cept our arms to attract the cupidity of robbers. On our
road we met a large body of the Desert Arabs, who,
though more numerous than our party, oifered it no mo-
lestation, but gave us the usual salutation of **. Salam
Aleikum." They were probably of the same tribe as
our guard, otherwise it is not likely we should have es-
caped so well. When we arrived in the desert, our new
detachment galloped before us and threw the blunt je-
reed. This instrument, which is made of any heavy wood,
is about a yard long, and the thickness of a mop-stick.
One horseman galloping forward with loud shouts and
menacing attitudes, challenged his comrades; an oppo-
nent soon appeared ; — as these retired, two new cham-
pions started forward in the same manner. It is astonish-
ing to see the dexterity used in this game : the object is
for one party to pursue and the other ,to fly and try to
elude being struck by the jereed : this is managed by the
person pursued throwing himself completely out of the
saddle, and clinging to the cantle, either by the heel of
the lower part of the leg, at the moment the jereed is
darted. If the jereed strikes him, he is obliged to pick
it up, which he generally does, not by dismounting, but by
throwing himself out of the saddle as before, till his hand
touches the ground ; and if it misses him, the other picks
up his own jereed, and in turn becomes the party pursu-
ed. Our guard was amusing itself in this manner, when
we came within sight of a few miserable huts. From
these a large body of Arab horsemen, armed with swords
and long spears, rushed suddenly forth, and began shout-
114 TOWER OF BABEL.
ing with all their might. Both parties halted for a mi-
nute : a herald from each met half way* and, after a few
moments' conference gave a shout, which was immediate-
ly re-echoed on both sides. All was again in motion.
The two companies struck their shovel stirrups into their
horses' sides, rode at each other with equal speed, and,
resuming their shout, commenced a sham fight.
Nothing could be more animated, or would have af-
forded a finer subject for the painter, than this group of
wild men. It is difficult to conceive the effect of a large
party of armed horsemen thus huddled together in the
greatest apparent confusion, with drawn swords and
couched lances. This was a gentle passage of arms, and
not without its interest; but it not unfrequently happens
that two hostile tribes meet, who then put into fierce
execution the address which they acquire by this con-
stant practice.
From Herodotus we learn that the Tower of Babel,
or (what was doubtless the same) the Temple of Belus,
was a stadium in length and breadth, .
124 THE PROPHET DANIEL.
It is composed entirely of kiln-burnt bricks of the finest
description, which are laid in with a cement of the ut-
most tenacity. The workmen have long left this un-
touched, from the impossibility of detaching the bricks
from the cement. As the palace is in the midst of other
elevated ruins, the precise height cannot be ascertained,
though it is possible that the foundation may be on a
level with the plain. The walls are eight feet thick ;
they are rent throughout, but evidently not by the hand
of man, as nothing but some violent convulsion of na-
ture could produce the vast chasms observable in this
ruin. The freshness of the brickwork is such, that we
should have had difficulty in identifying it with the ruins
of Babylon, had we not found it situated in the midst of
other buildings, instead of being detached from them.
The solid appearance of the original structure impressed
the mind the more strongly with the image of devasta-
tion that it now presents.
MOttOWEL. PREJUDICE OVERCOME. 125
CHAPTER X,
lYiumph of Travelling over Prejudice — Grotesque Dance — Fire
Temple — Presentation to the Pasha of Bagdad — Feast of St.
Gregory — Visit from the officers of the Pashalick. — Instance of
the Pasha's despotic Power — We return the Visit of the offi-
cers — The Pasha's Garden — Musruf Effendy and his Screw-
pump — First impressions on visiting Bagdad — Description of the
Streets and Bazaars — Interior of a House — Dress of the Wo-
men — Liberty enjoyed by Turkish Females.
Having concluded our examination of the ruins, we
retraced our steps towards Bagdad, and reached Mo-
howel, the nearest caravanserai to Babylon, in the even-
ing. After we had dined, our servants and the chief
muleteer sat down together, and made a meal on the
provisions that were left, — an incident showing how far
travelling had been able to overcome national and religi-
ous prejudices. The persons composing the party were,
two Sunnis and four Shiahs, betwixt which sects exists
the most violent hatred ; and to complete the party, two
Christian " Infidels " were on the present occasion wel-
come partakers of the same meal with the u True Be-
lievers:" of all the party, the Indian Syyud was per-
haps the person who had made the greatest sacrifice of
his religious scruples ; for the Indian Mahometans, fol-
lowing the prejudices of the Gentoos, deem it a profana-
tion to eat with others not professing exactly the same
tenets as themselves, and to eat " the leavings" of an-
other has become in India a proverbial expression of
16
126 FIBE TEMPLE. — GROTESQUE DANCE.
abuse. What then must have been the situation of this
descendant of the Prophet, who scrupled not to eat the
leavings of those who deny the divine mission of his great
ancestor, in company with two individuals of that hated
race?
March 29. — We resumed our march this mornings
and passed as many pilgrims as before. We arrived at
Khana Zund in the evening, where we halted for the
night. A few miles from the caravanserai we observed
a mound, which we thought might be the Fire Temple
described by Aboo Nasir, where he told us the devils
were in the habit of dancing amidst flames. Notwith-
standing his denial of it now, we were convinced it was
the same place ; because it corresponded with the bear-
ings we had taken on board our boat, and more particu-
larly because he showed so fixed a determination not to
go with us to the spot, begging to be excused on account
of sickness, — a plea which but ill accorded with his
ruddy features. Aware of his superstitious fears, we
amused ourslves by pressing him to accompany us after
dark; but he was obstinate, and we were ultimately obli-
ged to give up the point.
As the night came on, we went frequently out to try
if we could not observe any lire produced by naphtha,
for which Babylonia was so famous, thinking it possible
that some such production might have given rise to the
tradition; but we could see nothing to justify this con-
jecture.
Before we went to sleep, two of our Arab guards en-
tertained us with a dance of the most grotesque descrip-
tion : one, who represented a lover, evincing his attach-
ment by hallooing with all his might and jumping round
the other, who personated a female, and continued danc-
ing within the circle, preserving as much diffidence of
TEMPLE OF 'HI E GU EBRES . ] 27
demeanour as might have heen expected from a fair
Arab of the Desert. If strength of lungs and activity
of limbs would have been claims to the hand of a fair
lady, this athletic S ten tor would have proved a formid-
able rival.
Besides our own attendants, all the chance inmates of
the caravanserai assembled to witness this dance, and,
with loud expressions of applause, animated the per-
formers to continue their exertions. The whole, indeed,
formed a very interesting group; for the unsteady glare
of a dying fire reflecting on the swarthy countenances of
the dancers, was no bad illustration of Aboo Nasir's ac-
count of the devil's dance.
March 30. — We visited the Guebri Bena (the Tem-
ple of the Guebres) at day-light, but could not persuade
Aboo Nasir to make one of the party. It is constructed
of mud cemented with rushes, like the Mujillebe at Ba-
bylon. Each side faces a cardinal point: that towards
the west gradually inclines to the plain. It measures
thirty feet from the summit to the visible base, and is
two hundred and thirty-three feet in circumference.
We saw the usual fragments in the neighbourhood. The
whole ruin exhibits considerable marks of the ravages
of time. It bears W. of Ctesiphon, and N. by W. of
Khana Zund caravanserai. Notwithstanding the dilapi-
dated state of this mound, I feel no difficulty in conject-
uring the form of the original structure.
I suppose that, like the Babylonian ruins, it was a
quadrangular building : the interior of which was com-
posed of regular layers of mud and reeds, and, as may
be deduced from the fragments around, coated with
kiln-burnt bricks. From the gradual slope towards the
plain to the west, on that side was the ascent to the tem-
ple; the east being the place where stood the altar on
which was placed the sacred fire.
3 28 TEMPLE OF THE GUEBRES.
To put this supposition in a clearer light, let us remem-*
ber in what the temples of the Guebres differed from
those of other worshippers. The doctrine of Zoroaster
was, that there was an infinite and all-powerful Being, to
whom the early Persians were taught to pay their devo-
tions. As so simple a doctrine could not long satisfy the
corrupt nature of man, the sun, as the brightest emblem,
and subsequently lire, were allowed to be worshipped as
symbols of the Deity. It was not, however, till the ap^
pearance of a second Zoroaster, that temples were adopts
ed ; but even then they were of the simplest structure,
probably of the form I have just described. Roofs,
walls, or pillars, were expressly forbidden in these edi-
fices. To illustrate this circumstance, Xerxes destroyed
the temples of the Greeks when he overran their coun-
try, because they presumed to enclose within walls Him
who was the universe itself.
At eight miles from Bagdad we met a caravan of Per-
sians, which appeared to form the suit of some woman
of rank. Nine veiled females, all mounted astride on
horses, were riding in a line. She who by the superior-
ity of dress appeared to be the principal lady, had her
horse led by a eunuch.
We arrived in Bagdad at half-past three in the after-
noon, having suffered so much from the intense heat of
the sun that our hands and faces were completely blister-
ed. On our return, we found Aga Saikeis in considerar
ble alarm for our safety, as we had returned a day later
than we proposed, and during our absence a battle had
been fought between the Turks and Arabs, in which the
latter were victorious.
March 31. — We employed the morning in returning
the visits of the European gentlemen who had called
upon us : they all received us in the Turkish style, with
pipes and coffee. The Chief of the Artillery intro-
ACTION ON THE MOUSSOUL ROAD. 129
duced us to his wife, an Armenian, and his family, con-
sisting of three daughters and one son. They were all
dressed in the costume of their country. He gave us
an account of the action, which had taken place on the
Moussoul road, between the Arabs and the Pasha's
troops : the latter, it appeared, had lost forty men and
three pieces of cannon. He appeared to be much an-
noyed at the result of the engagement : not so much on
account of the men killed, " for they," as he said,
" could easily be replaced ; nor of the guns, for there
were enough of them ;" the object of his great grief was
the loss of the carriages on which they stood. Observ-
ing us smile at this peculiar cause of grievance, he told
us that the Pasha was so extremely parsimonious, that
when the gun-carriages were worn out, he would not go
to the expense of new ones ; consequently, half the guns
on the ramparts were dismounted and unserviceable.
As an example of the niggardly disposition of the Pasha
in this particular, he told us that the British agent some
time ago presented him with a handsome English chariot,
which was placed in the Palace yard, and where it has
remained unemployed ever since. The only observation
made by the Pasha on receiving the present was, wheth-
er the wheels could not be taken off and turned into
gun-carriages.
April 2. — We went this morning to pay our respects
to the Pasha of Bagdad, dressed in full uniform, and ri-
ding horses gaily caparisoned, and accompanied by a
numerous mounted retinue. The Pasha's secretary sent
some of his servants to attend us, and we were met at
some distance from the palace by a deputation of janiza-
ries. On entering the gates of the palace, we came into
a spacious court, where the Pasha's troops were drawn
up under the command of our friend the Chief of Ar-
tillery, who presented arms to us as we passed. On ar-
130 PRESENTATION TO THE PASHA.
riving at the gates of the second court, we dismounted :
here the principal officers of the Pasha received us, and
ushered us into his presence, to which we passed through
two lines of janizaries, who, standing with their arms
folded, preserved an immoveable gravity. The hall of
audience was fitted up in the oriential style, and decora-
ted with numerous small looking-glasses of a triangular
form, which had a curious dazzling effect. In one cor-
ner was seated the Pasha, supported by cushions ; chairs
were placed for us ; and, as had been previously stipula-
ted, we seated ourselves without taking off either our hats
or shoes. The Pasha was remarkably affable and polite,
and begged we would fix an early day for visiting one of
his gardens, distant a few miles from Bagdad. We took
our leave, after going through the usual routine of cof-
fee, sweetmeats, &c.
Davoud (David) Pasha is a Georgian by birth, and
was formerly a slave to Syyud Pasha ; but, having at an
early age abjured Christianity, he assumed the character
of a Mahometan devotee, and seating himself at the
palace gate, acquired so large a sum by begging, that he
was sufficiently rich to become a candidate for the pur-
chase of the Pashalick, and sent in his proposals to the
Grand Signior. His application was answered in the
usual way, by forwarding an order for the execution of
the ruling Pasha; which being put into immediate effect,
the mendicant slave stepped quietly into the place of his
old master. He had no sooner possessed himself of the
the Pashalick, than he threw off the mask of ascetic, and
appeared in his true colours. Convinced that a situation
which was gained by blood, " by blood must be maintain-
ed," he has been as reckless of life as any of his prede-
cessors; and I have been informed, that no less than fif-
teen hundred persons have fallen victims to his ambition
or rapacity. He is a good-humoured looking man, an-
CHARACTER OF THE PASHA. 131
parently between forty and fifty years of age, and of very
prepossessing manners. During the interview, I tried to
discover in his fine countenance any lines of remorse for
such a load of crime ; but I looked in vain ; — and, re-
membering Byron's descriptive lines on Ali Pasha, found
it not less difficult
" To trace
The deeds which lurk beneath, and stain him with disgrace. n
Previous to leaving the palace, we called upon the
Kia-hya, (lieutenant-governor.) whom we found seated in
his divan, and surrounded by Georgean slaves.
April 3. — This being the feast of St. Gregory, the
patron Saint of Armenia, we went with the agent to the
Armenian church, attended by the usual state retinue.
The place was very crowded : the women were in a sep-
arate apartment from the men, having been kept out of
sight in compliment to us. We occupied seats close to
the altar. During the service frankincense was frequent-
ly presented to us. The service was chanted by priests,
and a choir of boys ; the ceremonies were similar to those
in use amongst the Greeks, but more numerous. In one
of them the principal priest held up his hands, and, after
a variety of ceremonies, placed them, with the palms
closed together, before the second, who, having kissed
them, in like manner offered his hands to be kissed by a
third ; and in this manner the sanctified kiss went
through the whole congregation. The service was in-
dolently and unimpressively performed. One of the
boys assisting in the choir got a sound box on the ear for
inattention, which immediately set the rest of them
laughing. Aga Saikeis remained for a short time, and
then left the church in the middle of the ceremony.
April 4. — Some of the principal officers of the govern-
ment, amongst whom were the Chief of the Janizaries?
132 PROPOSAL FROM THE PASHA.
the secretary, and the Musruf Effendy, the treasurer,
paid us a visit this morning, to acknowledge the Pasha's
sense of our civility in waiting upon him : at least, that
was the ostensible, though not the actual reason of their
visit ; for, after sitting with us for some time, they spoke
privately to Mr. Lamb, who had formerly practised
medicine, and laid before him a proposal from the Pasha
to make him his physician. I forget the terms of the
offer; but, of a definite sum, part was to be paid by the
Pasha himself, and the remainder was to be made up by
each of his officers being forced to employ Mr. Lamb in
his professional capacity. My fellow-traveller replied,
that though he could not, under any circumstances, avail
himself of the Pasha's flattering offer, he had no objec-
tion to give advice gratuitously during our stay in Bag-
dad. The high estimation in which European doctors
are held in the East, is a proof how deficient the Asia-
tics are in this most important science ; but, in spite of
their present ignorance, I doubt whether they are worse
informed now than in the earlier periods of their history.
We are told by Herodotus, that even at Babylon, in its
most prosperous times, the custom was to carry a sick
person into a public square, for the purpose of being
questioned by the passers-by; and if any one happened
to have been once suffering from a similar complaint, he
would detail to the invalid by what means his own cure
had been effected.
We had a practical illustration, this afternoon, of the
Pasha's despotic will and power* Having occasion to
make some purchases in the bazaar, we were informed
that the Pasha had depreciated the coin one-half the cur-
rent price !
April 5. — The following morning (5th; we returned
the calls of our Turkish acquaintances. Our first visit
was to the Yunitchery Assy (chief of the janizaries,}
VISIT TO THE SECRET ART* 133
whose dreSs was remarkable from its resemblance to an
English judge's gown, being a loose scarlet robe with a
broad collar of ermine.
This officer enjoys a high reputation in Bagdad, and
has always proved himself friendly to the British inter-
ests, in gratitude (as he told us) for his life having once
been saved by the intercession of our agent, Mr. Rich,
after he had been condemned to death by Syyud Pasha,
On leaving the chief of the janizaries, we went to the
secretary, who was in his haram when we arrived.
Amongst the servants in attendance, a woman was point-
ed out to me, who, dressed as a eunuch, formed one of
the suite ; this being a privilege occasionally granted to
women, when (as in the present instance) age and ap-
pearance are a sufficient guarantee for their good beha-
viour. The secretary soon made his appearance, bring-
ing with him a tolerably correct Arab map of the Grand
Signior's dominions, of which he seemed to have no very
indistinct idea. While we were looking at this specimen
of Arab science, Meerza* Nasir, a Persian of rank, came
in, having just arrived on a mission from the prince gov-
ernor of Kermanshah relative to the safe conduct of the
body of His Highness's father, the late governor of that
province,! to Meshed Ali, the proposed place of its in-
terment. As soon as we were introduced to this gentle-
man, he overwhelmed us with protestations of kindness.
Understanding we were about to proceed to Kermanshah^
he promised to write to all his friends there, to ensure us
a good reception.
From having the map before us, the conversation na-
* The word Meerza before a name signifies secretary; after it,
prince.
t Mo^ummud Ali Meerza, eldest son of the King of Persia,
^vhom 1 shall hereafter have occasion to mention, died two years
previous to the date of this notice.
17
134 INTRODUCTION TO MEERZA NASIR.
turally turned on the subject of our travels. It was
amusing to observe the surprise our auditors expressed
on hearing that we travelled for our own gratification
only. Meerza Nasir, in particular, asked how we, as
officers of the King, could find funds to defray our ex-
penses ; and if any of us should die on the journey, what
would become of any property we might leave. We
told him that the King paid us just the same as if we
were actually on his duty; and that on the death of
either of us, the next of kin would succeed to the pro-
perty, even if his Majesty wished it otherwise. This
was so contrary to the custom of Persia, where every
casualty goes in favour of the existing power, that he in-
terrupted us with an incredulous expression of ajieeb !
(wonderful !) evidently thinking we were indulging in a
traveller's privilege, notwithstanding the Persian pro-
verb, that " an Englishman never tells a lie."
Aprils. — We went this morning, according to our
appointment, to a garden of the Pasha, distant about
four miles from the city, and reached it after an hour's
pleasant ride along the banks of the Tigris.
The Pasha in this, as in every other instance, seemed
desirous to show us every attention ; for we found as-
sembled at the appointed place the Lieutenant-Governor
and the principal persons of the Pashalick — an honour,
which we were given to understand, was seldom, if ever,
shown to private individuals. We entered a small ob-
long room, where all these personages were seated,
smoking their pipes with true Turkish solemnity.
Through the centre of this room ran a stream of water,
of which I was first made aware by stepping my foot into
it, in my anxiety to do the honours correctly. We sate
cross-legged ; and remained so long in this painful posi-
tion, that we were completely tired of our honours, when
luckily the Musruf Effendy (treasurer) called us out to
THE PASHA'S GARDEN. THE SCREW PI MI\ 135
look at an awkward kind of pump, worked by one horse,
on the principal of the Archimedes' screw, for letting
the water of the Tigris into the Pasha's garden.
The Musruf looked with peculiar complacency on this
machine, and claimed the honour of the invention ; al-
though one of his detractors whispered in my ear that he
was indebted for it to a Persian. Be this as it may, the
Musruf is unquestionably a man deservedly celebrated
for every species of expediency ; in proof of which may
be mentioned an admirable plan he has lately invented,
in his own department of treasurer, for settling with the
troops, whose pay is four piastres, or two shillings Eng-
lish, a month. In lieu of this, he has given them a cer-
tain quantity of tobacco, worth about half the sum. So
valuable a servant could not but be highly acceptable to
his master; accordingly, there are few persons in such
high favour, as is the Musruf Effendy with the Pasha of
Bagdad.
Attracted by an arbour formed of vine- trees, we bent
our steps towards it for the advantage of its shade, as we
were now suffering from the meridian rays of an Eastern
sun; but, alas! the approach to it was completely inun-
dated, owing to the active mechanism of the Musruf ? s
screw-pump.
This mode of watering a garden, however inconsistent
with our ideas of English neatness, has probably been
found to be most efficient, as it is the common mode in
use both on the banks of the Euphrates and the Tigris,
and has been so from the most ancient period of history.
Herodotus mentions that the Assyrians used hydraulic
machines for irrigating their lands. With the know-
ledge of this circumstance, it is somewhat difficult to re-
concile the accounts given in the Arabian Nights of the
delightful walks taken by various heroes and heroines in
136 FIRST IMPRESSIONS ON ARRIVING AT BAGDAD.
these same gardens of Bagdad ; for this irrigation, hav
ing been a daily process, must have rendered the paths
somewhat too muddy, one might think, for the luxurious
promenade of Eastern beauty.
Being now about to take our departure from this city,
a few general remarks may not be unacceptable.
A traveller coming by water from Bussorah is likely
to be much struck with Bagdad on his first arrival.
Having been for some time past accustomed to see noth-
ing but a desert — there being no cultivation on that side
of the city by which he arrives — he does not observe
any change that would warn him of his approach to a
populous city. He continues winding up the Tigris
through all its numerous headlands, when this once re-
nowned city of gardens bursts suddenly on his sight.
Its first view justifies the idea that he is approaching the
residence of the renowned Caliph, Haroun Alraschid,
in the height of its splendour ; a crowd of early associa-
tions rushes across his mind, and seems to reduce to re-
ality scenes which, from boyish recollections, are so
blended with magic and fairy lore, that he may for a mo-
ment imagine himself arrived at the City of the En-
chanters.
Bagdad is surrounded by a battlemented wall ; the
part towards the palace, as was the case in ancient Ba-
bylon, is ornamented with glazed tiles of various colours.
The graceful minarets, and the beautifully shaped domes
of the mosques, are sure to attract his eye. One or
two of these are gaudily decorated with glazed tiles of
blue, white, and yellow, which, formed into a mosaic of
flowers, reflect the rays of the sun : the variegated foliage
of the trees of these numerous gardens,* which most
* Bag, or more properly Baugh, (the first syllable of the word
Baugfedad.) signifies garden.
DESCRIPTION OF BAGDAD. 137
probably have given the name to the city, serve as a
beautiful back-ground to the picture. Thus far the tra-
veller is allowed to indulge his reverie ; but on entering
the walls, his vision is dispelled.
The walls are of mud : the streets, which are scarcely
wide enough to allow two persons to pass, are so empty,
that he could almost fancy the inhabitants had died of the
plague : he looks upwards — two dead walls meet his
eyes; he now enters the bazaar, and finds that he has no
reason to complain of want of population ; a mass of dirty
wretches render his road almost impassible ; with some
difficulty he jostles through a succession of narrow clois-
tered passages, traversing each other at right angles ; the
light, which is admitted by holes a foot in diameter from
the top, gives to the sallow features of the crowd below
a truly consumptive appearance, agreeing well with the
close, hot, fulsome smell of bad ventilation. The travel-
ler, by this time, has seen sufficient to cure him of the
dreams of earlier life ; and, on arriving at his destina-
tion, he makes a woful comparison between the reality
of the scenes and the picture imagination had drawn.
Such, or nearly such, was the impression first made by
my arrival in Bagdad.
The interior of a house is much more comfortable than
its outward appearance would lead you to expect. The
residence of Aga Saikeis is not a bad specimen of this ;
it consists of a succession of square courts surrounded by
galleries, each forming a distinct habitation. In the
outer court is a room, or rather a recess, forming three
sides of a square, and open towards the front ; this, in
Persian, is called the Dufter Khoneh (office,) where the
ordinary business of the day is transacted : the second
court is somewhat larger, but of a similar structure, in
which is also a recess 5 this is the (Dewan Khoneh) au-
138 DESCRIPTION OF THE HOUSES.
dience-room.* From the galleries are partitioned off
several rooms, some of which we occupied, having win-
dows opening to the court, formed of small diamond-
shaped panes of glass of every colour, and disposed in
various fantastic shapes : the interior of these chambers
is decorated in the same style ; the ceiling is composed
of a kind of trellice-work describing flowers of different
colours. The walls are formed into small arched reces-
ses, of the Arabesque order, and are gilded in a gaudy
manner. The number of these courts is increased ac-
cording to the size of the house ; the innermost always
comprising the haram, or women's apartments. The
few windows that look towards the street, are covered
with a frame of lattice- work. During the warm wea-
ther, the inhabitants sleep on bedsteads placed on the
roofs, which are flat, and surrounded by parapet walls.
As some of the roofs are more elevated than others,
those occupying the highest can observe the women who
dwell in the lower apartments ; but a stranger will think
well before he indulges his curiosity, as a Turk would
feel himself justified in sending a ball through the head
of his prying neighbour.
There is every reason to believe that Eastern houses
are of the same form, and applied to the same purposes
as formerly. From a variety of texts of Scripture, the
roof appears to have been always inhabited. The ex-
pression of Isaiah, that " thou art wholly gone up to the
house tops," f evidently refers to this circumstance.
It was from " the roof of the king's house " that David
first saw Bathsheba.J This he could easily do, as, of
course, the royal palace was more elevated than the sur-
* Dewan, pronounced in England Divan,
f Isaiah xxii. ver. 1. i 2 Sam. xi. 2.
TURKISH HOUSES* 139
rounding habitations. Samuel communed with Saul on
the top of the house, and the next morning called him
up to the same place, to send him away.*
In my note upon Bussorah, I have mentioned, that at
an Armenian feast, a large party were assembled on the
terrace to celebrate the betrothment of our host. In
the same manner, three thousand Philistines met on the
roof of the house, on the day of a " great sacrifice unto
Dagon, their god," and to rejoice " that Samson had
been delivered into their hands."
The parapet wall round these terraces, was ordained
by the Jewish law to prevent any one from falling off :
" When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make
a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon
thine house, if any man fall from thence/' f
The lattice on the windows, is also mentioned in Holy
Writ. In Solomon's Song, the bride says " he looketh
forth at the windows, showing himself through the lat-
tice." x
There is hardly any variety in the dress of the Bag-
dad females. A blue check robe, enveloping the whole
person, has been selected by the Turks, probably from
the homeliness of its colour, as least likely to attract at-
tention ; a thick horse-hair veil, through which it is im-
possible to discern the features of the wearer, extends to
the chest : a lady thus habited is allowed to go abroad,
attended by a female servant, whose dress diners from
that of her mistress only in the coarser texture of the
materials. Numbers of these females may be seen in an
evening outside the walls of the city ; some of them are
mounted on mules, when a pair of long yellow boots are
* 1 Sam. ix. ver. 25 and 26. t Deut. xxii. 8.
% Sol. Song. ii. 9.
140 DRESS OF THE BAGDAD WOMEN.
added to the dress; others on foot, proceeding towards
the garden to fulfil an assignation with their lovers. In
our evening rides we frequently passed some of these fe-
males, who, if they were alone, and a Mussulman not in
sight, would lift up their veils, and show such a disposi-
tion to become better acquainted, that if we had been
inclined for this species of an adventure, our addres-
ses would doubtless have met with a favourable recep-
tion.
The gardens commence within half a mile of the walls
of the city, and extend four or five miles along the wa-
ter's edge. They are separated from each other by walls;
a small door opens from each garden towards the river,
which often serves to admit some female, who, gliding
softly in a small boat, enters the garden by this means,
while her lover comes in from the opposite side : here
the precautionary measures of dress, that were intended
to ensure fidelity, prove useful only in preventing dis-
covery. A woman thus disguised can escape without
much fear of detection; the uniformity of the dress pre-
vents any one from identifying her figure, and no man,
whatever his suspicions may be, will dare to lift the veil
of a woman in public. In Constantinople;, Englishmen
who have engaged in this description of adventure, have
disappeared, and never been heard of afterwards. In
Bagdad there does not appear to be so much danger; we
heard of some of our own countrymen having escaped,
even after detection, though, in some instances, the fe-
male, and some of the principal abettors of the intrigue
have fallen victims to their imprudence.
From these circumstances it will appear that Turk-
ish women have more liberty than is usually supposed,
and though by the customs of the East they are de-
prived of that respect and admiration of the men,
LU3EKTY OF TURKISH WO&EN. 141
which are the birth-right of Englishwomen, they have,
perhaps, more power of indulging their licentious in-
clinations, and with less fear of detection than our ladies,
who like our monarchs, have a legitimate though limit-
ed sway.
18
142 BAGDAD.
CHAPTER XI.
Buildings in the time of Haroun Alraschid — A House— Mosque —
Disregard of the Turks for Antiquities — Preparations for de-
parture — Advice to Travellers — Roguery of the British Agent
— Mr. Wolff, a Missionary — Extortion of the Servants of Aga
Saikeis — We leave Bagdad — Gold-stick bearer — Benee-Sad —
Ruined state of the Town — Aboo Nasir throwing the Jereed —
Bacoubah — Devastation of the Army of Mohumud Ali Meerza
— Alarm of Robbers — Aboo Nasir's Request— The Silver-stick
Bearer and Aboo Nasir take leave.
During our stay in Bagdad, we were very anxious to
observe any customs in use amongst the modern inhabi-
tants, with which we might associate our recollections of
their ancestors, as recorded in the Arabian Nights ; but
Bagdad is no longer the Court of the Caliphs. The for-
mer capital of the Eastern empire, has dwindled into the
seat of government of a remote province. The deputy
of the Caliph's successor occupies the seat once filled by
commanders of the faithful ; and, although in the decline
of a great city there must be a smaller field for the de-
lineation of character, than in the days of its prosperity,
the customs of the present inhabitants have such an affi-
nity to the accounts handed down to us of the days of
splendour, as to bear ample testimony to the fidelity of
that admirable picture of Oriental life.
In our search for illustrations of the Arabian Nights,
we were not unmindful of buildings in the time of the
Caliph Haroun Alraschid, the detail of whose midnight
BUILDINGS IN THE TIME OF IIAROUN. 143
pranks have so amused our earlier life. Though there
are few remains of this merry monarch, these few, un-
satisfactory as they were to our craving curiosity, were
visited by us with a grateful respect for his memory,
proportionate to the pleasure we had derived from the
perusal of his exploits. A house situate on the banks of
the Tigris was shown to us as having once been the resi-
dence of Haroun. There is nothing in its actual ap-
pearance to attract notice, though it is remarkable for
the judicious situation in which it is built. The far-
famed Tigris washes its walls, and from its lattices is a
fine view of the surrounding scenery.
Another memento of the Caliph is a mosque in a di-
lapidated state, which bears marks of having once been
beautiful and elegant ; it is nearly the highest building in
the city. Captain Hart attempted to make a sketch of
it, but was prevented by the importunate curiosity of the
Turks, who had gathered round us to discover the ob-
jects of our attention.
Here it may not be irrelevant to offer a few remarks
on that disposition so observable in Eastern nations to al-
low the works of antiquity to decay. The people who
do not look backward to their ancestors, will never look
forward to posterity. The Turk, careless and indolent,
dozes through his existence, unmindful of the past, re-
gardless of the future. With us, the actions of our fore-
fathers are associated with our own. The motives which
stimulate us to present exertion are the recollection of
our predecessors, and the hope of benefiting our posteri-
ty. The Turk, from the frail hold by which he clings
to life, merely regards the moment of present enjoyment.
To-morrow he may be dead, or he may be a beggar.
To-day, is his existence. He knows that like the
mighty Davoud, the slave may become the three-tailed
144 PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE.
bashaw, but he also knows that the same sum which pur-
chased the head of his predecessor, may be given for
his own. He exercises power while he may, in extor-
tion and oppression. Prodigal of the life of others,
equally careless of his own, he yields when his turn
comes, with the indifference of a predestinarian, and re-
spectfully submits his neck to the bowstring, whenever
"the vicar of the holy Prophet" dooms him to destruc-
tion.
April 8. — For some reasons, that we were unable to
divine, Aga Saikeis threw every obstacle in the way of
our departure. Whenever we made inquiries respect-
ing any opportunity of joining a party proceeding to
Kermanshah, our next halting-place, he always evaded
giving us an answer, till the caravan in question had pro-
ceeded on its journey.
Impatient at this protracted delay, and being suspi-
cious that we were again to become the innocent instru-
ments of some deceitful project, we determined to fol-
low the plan we had adopted at Bussorah, of forming
our own caravan, and travelling independent of others.
For this purpose, we purchased tents; Mr. Hart and
Mr. Lamb had a small one a-piece, and Mr. Hamilton
and myself a larger one between us. We were assisted
in our arrangements by Gaspar Khan, a wealthy mer-
chant, who engaged for us twenty-four mules, to carry
our servants and baggage. The chief muleteer gave us
a written agreement, by which he was bound to go to
Kermanshah within a given time, or to remain on the
road as many days as we required. We had each two
servants, and two saddle horses; we hired two tent-
pitchers for the whole party, and the,descendant of Ma-
homet still continued to act as cook. The Pasha hearing
of our projected departure sent a janizary to escort us
ADVICE TQ TRAVELLERS. 145
to the Persian frontier, witli a firman, exempting us from
all tolls and exactions whatever. Aboo Nasir begged us
to allow him to accompany us the two first stages, for the
sake of old acquaintance, a proposal to which we willing-
ly acceded.
From the moment that Aga Saikeis saw these prepa-
rations, his spirits entirely forsook him. He frequently
tried to rally, but in vain ; and there can be little doubt
that by our departure, we defeated some favourite plan
he had formed for his aggrandizement; as from the time
we commenced our preparations for the journey, we
observed him in close conference with his confidential
secretary, an Armenian of the establishment, whose sym-
pathetic features reflected the wo-begone countenance of
his principal.
Should any traveller follow our route, he need not
employ so large an equipage as that imposed upon us
by Aga Saikeis. If he travel alone, he will only have
occasion for a saddle horse for his own riding, and two
mules, one of which, more lightly laden than the other,
will also carry his servant. With so small an equipage,
however, it will be advisable for him to join a caravan ;
indeed, at all events, he had better do so, as there is
considerable danger in passing the frontier, on account
of the numerous predatory hordes that infest the moun-
tains; and, though we did not come in actual contact
with these robbers, we have good cause to remember
them. The traveller is recommended not to put himself
to any expense in the purchase of portmanteaus, as the
articles of the country are infinitely cheaper and better
adapted to the mule loads. A small breakfast-canteen is
indispensable. With v regard to equipment, and an esti-
mate of expenses, Lieutenant Colonel Johnson's journey
through Persia, to London, gives very excellent advice
146 ROGUERY OF THE BRITISH AGENT.
to travellers. It is the best itinerary that has been pub-
lished of a Persian tour, and affords a fair valuation of
expenses, though, perhaps, occasionally underrated: at
least, we were unable to make such good bargains. Our
route was not the same as Colonel Johnson's, but his re-
marks are equally applicable to both lines of march.
I cannot close these observations without strongly re-
commending any future traveller visiting Bagdad, to
avoid the house of Aga Saikeis: if his objects be curio-
sity, economy, or expedition, he will in all probability
enjoy as little liberty to pursue his observation as our-
selves ; the good cheer of which he may partake, though
not charged in a bill, will draw from his pocket, by in-
direct means, an ample remuneration. If it should suit
the views of the agent, so many obstacles will be thrown
in the way of his departure, that nothing but the most
decisive conduct will prevent his detention. It was not
till some time after our departure from Bagdad, that we
were fully convinced of this Armenian's rogueries; each
succeeding day brought to light some fresh instance of
his extortion, in proof of which, candour obliges me to
relate a circumstance, which, for the reputation of our
party, ought to be kept secret, the misfortunes being
of that desoription which would obtain us no commisera-
tion from our sporting countrymen. In short, Aga
Saikeis, with some very few exceptions, took in the
whole of our party in the sale of horses.
As I could not presume to impeach the judgment of
my fellow travellers, in a point on which all Englishmen
are so punctilious, the names of the sufferers must not be
mentioned ; but out of our stud, one horse wanted an eye ;
a second, a pair of hind legs ; a third, recommended, as
likely to suit a timid gentleman, ran away with him eve-
ry day to the amusement of the rest of the party 5 and
Kit. WOLFF. WOflSttTPFERS OF THE DEVIL. 147
of the two horses I bought, one died at Teheran, and the
other was very well sold at Tabriz for a sum equivalent
to two pounds sterling.
Having thus pointed out the shoals of which the
traveller is to steer clear, it is but fair to give a few
directions for the course he ought to pursue. He is re-
commended to hire apartments for himself, and to em-
ploy no servant but his own. If he should require in-
jformation connected either with arrangements for his
journey, or with objects worthy of his curiosity, he is
recommended to the Chief of the Artillery, who will be
proud to afford him every assistance in his pow T er, and
to whose good offices our party feel themselves much in-
debted.
While we were at breakfast this morning, Mr. Wolff,
a Missionary, came in, having just arrived from Aleppo
after a long and arduous journey across the Desert. Of
this, his appearance bore ample testimony, as his com-
plexion, naturally fair, had turned to a copper colour
from the scorching influence of the sun. He appeared
to have encountered various difficulties and dangers, and
seemed so overjoyed at again meeting with European
faces, that he could scarce restrain his satisfaction within
bounds. He gave us an interesting account of his jour-
ney through Mesopotamia, and of the various perils he
had encountered on his road.
At a short distance from Merdan he met with the
Yezedees, an extraordinary sect, who entertain a sort of
pious regard for the Devil. On one occasion being seat-
ed between two men, he asked one of them, who was a
Christian, of what persuasion the other was ? the person
alluded to, replied, that he belonged to a particular
tribe, who neither bowed the head, nor bent the knee in
prayer. Mr. Wolff then asked him if he was not one
148 MR. WOLFF.
of the worshippers of the Devil? He replied, "We
worship nothing, hut we never pronounce that name
which you have just uttered." We staid so short a time
with Mr. Wolff, that we were unahle to gain much in-
formation respecting this extraordinary people, who, he
told us, believed that the Devil was a fallen angel, but
that in the course of time he would again be received
into divine favour.
We were much interested in our new acquaintance,
who, in the course of conversation, evinced an inex-
haustible fund of anecdote, and showed such enthusiasm
in the laborious and perilous office in which he is em-
ployed, that, though we may not agree with him in the
efficacy of his mission, few can help admiring his unaf-
fected piety, and the sincerity of his religious zeal.
Mr. Wolff is a native of Germany, and was in early
life of the Jewish persuasion, from which he was con-
verted to Catholicism, and became a member of the
"propaganda fide." Living at Rome, he observed so
many practices which he deemed inconsistent with his
notions of Christianity, that he abjured popery, and
published such an anathema against his Holiness himself,
that his friends, in regard for his safety, hurried him
out of the Holy City. His mission, when we saw him,
was from the London Bible Society, to inquire into the
religious state of the Jews in the East ; and the result of
his observations have since appeared in a periodical work
entitled the " Jewish Expositor."
It was his intention to have sent his journal home by
us ; but as our arrangements were made for departing in
the course of the day, and we found that his baggage
might be detained for some time, we were reluctantly
compelled to forego the pleasure of its perusal.
We had various visiters this morning, who came either
QUIT BAGDAD. 149
on business with the agent, on a visit to Mr. Wolff, or
to take leave of us. During the day, the conversation
was carried on in no less than ten languages. Aga
Saikeis had occasion at different times to speak Turkish,
Arabic, Armenian, and Persian ; Mr. Wolff spoke Ita-
lian, German, and Dutch ; and our party spoke French
to the Chief of Artillery, Hindoostan to our servants, and
English among ourselves.
The rest of the day was less pleasantly occupied. No
sooner had we retired to our rooms, than we were be-
sieged by the whole household of Aga Saikeis, who col-
lectively and individually put in their claims to be
remunerated for some alleged services. In this emer-
gency, we sought their master to protect us from impo-
sition. As usual, when our interest required his pre-
sence, he had some convenient occupation that called
him out of the way ; finding our condition hopeless, we
acted as our countrymen always do in like cases — we
paid the money, not failing, when we found Aga Sai-
keis, to make a statement of our grievances. Instead
of assisting us, he replied with his favourite theory, that
we were charged more than usually high for every
thing, because " the English name was so great in Bag-
dad."
After satisfying the demands of these cormorants, we
sent forward our servants and baggage, and at five in
the evening, had the satisfaction of finding ourselves out-
side the walls of Bagdad. On our road to Kermanshah,
we were accompanied by Aga Saikeis, and a large party
of native gentlemen for some distance out of the city, and
submitted to their presence with patience, knowing that
it was the last time we should have the honour of their
society, of which, to say the truth, we began to be a lit-
tle tired.
19
150 SILVER-STICK BEAREK. — BEXEE-SAD,
We had not proceeded more than two miles on our
journey, when we were overtaken by the silver-stick
bearer, who, seeming to think his presence necessary,
said, he was ordered to aceompany us to Baeoubah, two
stages distant ; we told him we had no farther occasion
for his services, but the hopes of more fees induced him
to disregard our hint, and to take his usual station in our
retinue.
We pursued our course in a N. N. E. direction. At
eight, we passed some mounds. The road for a consi-
derable distance was strewed wih broken bricks; we saw
a number of old water courses. We traversed for three
miles what appeared to be the old bed of a river. These
remains indicate a former state of culture, of which they
are the only vestiges.
With the exception of a few patches of verdure in
some hollow places, where the rain has lodged, the
whole extent from the foot of the wall of Bagdad is a
barren waste, without a blade of vegetation of any de-
scription. At ten p. m. we were at Benee Sad; our
tents were pitched at the north side of the caravanserai,
on the edge of a swamp, over which the wind blew
piercingly cold. Adjoining the caravanserai is a small
village, from which we procured sheep and fowls. We
arrived, very hungry, on our ground but had nothing
ready to eat. In our journey to Babylon, our Bagdad
host laid in an ample store of cold provisions, and bread
sufficient for us till our return. On the present occasion
of our final departure, he had not thought any attention
of this kind necessary, the ends of his policy, regarding
us, having been accomplished.
The advanced guard of the army under Mohummud
Ali Meerza, the late Prince of Kermanshah, marched as
far as this place, on their road to Bagdad. They have
THROWING THE .TEHEED. THE DIALA. 151
left striking proofs of their visit in the ruinous and deso-
late state of the town, which they destroyed.
April 9. — We left Benee Sad at seven A. m. After
three hours march we crossed the bed of the river Nar,
which tradition states to have been the ancient bed of
the Tigris one branch of which falls into the sea.
Our day's march was not without its amusement.
Aboo Nasir having indulged in a stirrup cup, was more
than usually merry; riding before us, with jereed in
hand, he dared us to the contest, We each of us grasp-
ed a jereed, and in turns pursued him, but his legs,
which were the only sober members of his body, stuck
so close to the saddle, that we could neither upset him,
nor touch him with the jereed, as he always managed to
elude the blow, at the moment we expected to see him
prostrate on the ground.
At eleven we arrived at the river Diala, the Delas, or
Pasitrigis of ancient history : we crossed it on a large
platform ferry, that carried over the cattle with the load
on their backs.
Near the ferry was a garden, in which we remained
till our party was ready to proceed ; here we drank cof-
fee, smoked our pipes, and ate sweet limes, which we
found truly refreshing, as the heat was very oppressive.
That curious optical delusion, called by the Persians the
Saharaub,* was so strong that we were deceived into a
belief that we were close to the Diala long before we
reached it.
From the ferry we rode about two miles along the
banks of the river, and arrived at Bacoubah, our second
day's march. This appears to have been a very consi-
derable place, but has been laid almost entirely in ruins
* Literally, « water of the desert."
A BOO NASIR' S REQUEST.
by the army of Coords, under the command of Mohum-
mud Ali Meerza, late Prince governor of Kermanshah,
whose head quarters had been established here for some
time. The cholera morbus breaking out among them
caused their speedy return to Kermanshah, where the
Prince soon after died.
The time he wasted at this station saved the Pasha-
lick; had he marched immediately to Bagdad, it is the
general opinion that he would have obtained possession
of it, so great was the terror his former successes had
occasioned.
Two or three attempts were made to-day to frighten
us into a belief of robbers, and to urge the necessity of a
guard of twelve men. In the evening we were inform-
ed that three fine horses had been carried off the night
before, from the very spot where we were encamped.
Ahoo Nasir upon hearing this volunteered to keep
watch, and sent to us for a bottle of brandy to keep him
awake ; whether owing to his vigilance, or not, certainly
no robbers came.
April 10. — As Aboo Nasir was to leave us this stage,
he came to us in the morning and asked us to give him a
written character, which he might show to any of our
countrymen pursuing the same route. As soon as he had
obtained the document, he said to us, " I can't think of
asking you for any liquor, I therefore, positively, shall
not accept more than five bottles of spirits." Such an
appeal it was impossible to resist ; so we gave him the
five bottles, and he left the tent, his drunken eyes gleam-
ing with anticipated enjoyment.
We were setting off on the journey, when, as we had
premised, it was intimated that a present would be very
acceptable to the silver stick bearer; but we were so dis-
gusted at this additional attempt at extortion, by one we
ABOO nasir's FAREWELL. 153
had treated so well, that we unanimously resisted his de-
mand, advising him to go for payment to him who had
sent him on so fruitless an errand. As we were about to
depart, Aboo Nasir, drunk as usual, came rolling in his
saddle to bid us good-bye; his jolly scarlet face being
humorously contrasted with the serious disappointed
demeanour of his companion of the silver stick.
154 RUINS OF ARTEMITA.
CHAPTER XII.
Ruins of Artemita — Historical notice of Shehreban — Ruins of
Apollonia — Crossing the Diala — Ancient Tradition — The Ha-
merine or Carduchian Mountains.
We started at three p. m. that we might have time,
before dark, to examine ruins which lay on one side of
the road, two hours' journey from hence. Our road was
N. E., over grass plains highly capable of cultivation,
with numerous encampments of Illyauts, through two of
which we passed, and were treated by the wanderers
with the greatest attention and respect.
Seven miles E. of Bacoubah we came upon ruins,
which I consider to be those of the ancient city of Arte-
mita, the favourite residence of Chosroes, King of Persia,
the rival of the Emperor Heraclius. The first was a
square mound of bricks facing the cardinal points, resem-
bling in form the Gabri Bina on the road to Babylon. It
was called by our guides Hud Mootsir, and is probably
the site of some temple in the suburbs of the city. A
mile beyond this temple commence the ruins themselves,
which, from the regularity of the mounds, appear to
have been built with much taste and judgment: a succes-
sion of longitudinal mounds, bearing N. and S., and
traversed by others E. and W., show the regularity with
which the streets must have been formed. In the wes-
tern extremity of these ruins, in a situation that would
have constituted the principal street, is a mound higher
than the rest, which we suppose to have formed the roy-
al residence. Before it is a grass plain, about as large
RUINS OF ARTEM1TA. 155
as Lincoln's Inn Square, which I shall call the park or
garden of the sovereign : of this, the circumstance that
the grass grows in every place but where it is impeded
by the foundation of buildings, is a sufficient indication.
Immediately before the supposed palace, there are seve-
ral other square spaces covered with grass, and may pro-
bably have once been the gardens of the city. The
whole is surrounded by mounds, which mark the foun-
dations of the outer walls ; and circular bastions may be
traced at regular distances : even the vacant spaces, oc-
casioned by the entrance gates, are very apparent ; many
of the bricks are fourteen inches square, of the same ap-
pearance and dimensions as those at Babylon. We saw
here great quantities of broken pottery : Mr. Hamilton
found part of an enamelled vessel, on which was the fig-
ure of a head encircled with a wreath. We were in-
formed, that after a shower of rain, the Arabs were in
the habit of finding amulets, and numerous coins of gold,
silver, and copper. In the short space of half an hour,
Mr. Hart picked up twenty-one copper coins: on one
of these we could distinctly trace the head of a male fig-
ure on one side, and that of a female on the other. This
would favour the conjecture of a residence of Chosroes,
many of whose coins were stamped on one side with his
own head, and on the reverse with that of his queen,
the fair Sira or Shereen. The Arabs called this place
Kurustur, but could give us no farther information re-
specting it. We regretted not having been previous-
ly informed that these ruins were so well worthy atten-
tion, that we might have encamped in the vicinity, and
devoted a day to their examination.
D'Anville* places Artemita near a town called De-
* D'Anville Mem. de l'Academie des Inscriptions, torn, xxxii.
pp. 268". 571.
156 SITE OF ARTEMITA.,
scara : and Kinnier * considers it the same as Kisra She-
reen, a ruined city in the Hamerine Mountains, five
days' journey hence.
As some explanation is necessary for differing from
two such respectable authorities, it may be mentioned,
that our party, after carefully examining the place men-
tioned by D'Anville, could find no traces of buildings
whatever. As the learned antiquary never visited this
country, and formed his opinion from geographical de-
duction, I shall consider the absence of ruins a sufficient
reason for rejecting his opinion; and state my objections
against that of Mr. Kinnier.
Gibbon f says, " In the space of twenty -four years,
he (Chosroes) was deterred by superstition or resentment
from approaching the gates of Ctesiphon; and his fa-
vourite residence, Artemita, or Destagerd, was situate
beyond the Tigris, about sixty miles to the north of the
capital."
It is well known that the Persian monarchs were ac-
customed to pass their summer months in the mountains,
for the benefit of the cool air, and during the winter to
reside in the plains, f
Strabo § informs us, that on account of the mildness
of the climate, Ctesiphon was the winter residence of
the Parthian kings: it is, therefore, highly improbable
that Destagerda should have been in so elevated a situa-
tion as Kisra Shereen ; besides, that city, instead of six-
ty, is nearly a hundred miles north of Ctesiphon. Isido-
rus of Charax, and Strabo, || both speak of Artemita as
a great and populous city. D'Herbelot gives an account
of its former splendour, and Theophanes of its subse-
quent ruin.
* Kinnier's Geographical Memoir of the Persian Empire.
t Gibbon, vol. viii. chap. xlvi. t Strabo, lib. xi. p. 522.
§ Lib. xvi. p. 743* !i Strabo, lib. xvi. p. 744.
DEPARTURE FROM ARTEMITA. 157
In the year 627 the Greek Emperor Heraclius took
Artemita, and in revenge for the numerous calamities
that had been inflicted by Chosroes on the Greek pro-
vinces, destroyed with fire all the valuables that the
army could not carry away. The renowned Chosroes es-
caped through a hole in the wall, and sought refuge in
the hut of a neighbouring peasant.
From the destruction of Artemita may be dated, not
only the overthrow of Chosroes, but the extinction of the
whole race of Guebres. A very few years after, the
mighty Mahomet appeared, and involved Greeks and
Persians in one common ruin.
On leaving the ruins of Artemita, we followed the
course of a canal for about three miles. We met with
several oval earthen vessels on its banks, and many re-
mains of buildings. We then passed over a rich plain,
with numerous water-courses for irrigation ; the Country
was well cultivated. The road was mostly flooded, and
in many parts very difficult to pass.
We saw the fires of Illyaut camps in every direction,
but met with none of the plunderers, which we had been
taught to expect.
We reached Shehreban at eleven o'clock p. m., and
found it almost entirely deserted. It is a place of con-
siderable extent. We wandered through the desolate
streets some time, without finding any house with inha-
bitants, till we came to a caravanserai, where we met a
man who told us that all the inhabitants had left the
place, which had been sacked and ruined by the Coords.
We pitched our tents a quarter of a mile from the
town : and remained the following day at Shehreban, to
enable us to examine some ruins in the neighbourhood.
April 11. — In the morning, Mr. Hart and myself
mounted our horses, and took with us a guide. About
three miles to the N. of Shehreban, we came to a spot
20
Io8 LNS OF APOLLONIA.
bearing the usual indications of ruined cities in the East.
The most remarkable of these was a square space of half
a mile, enclosed in a wall : the sides to the N. and E.
are to be traced; towards the S. and W. the wall is in
many places thirty feet high. Three hundred yards to
the E. side, is a high abrupt mound of sun-burnt bricks,
strewed as usual with broken tiles, fragments of orna-
mented pottery, &c. We could gain nothing satisfactory
from our guide, of the traditions respecting this place :
he called it Uske Bagdad (Ancient Bagdad,) and said
that it was the ruin of a city built by Chosroes, to whom
all doubtful remains of ancient buildings are attributed
in this country.
According to D'Anville, this spot is the site of the
ancient Apollonia, a town which gave the name of Apol-
loniatis to the surrounding district. It was probably co-
eval with Seleuoia on the banks of the Tigris, and built
by Seleucus, who doubtless gave it the name, to comme-
morate his pretended descent from Apollo.* In the
early part of the reign of Antiochus the Great, Molo,
the Satrap of Media, presuming on the youth of the
king, led an army against him, and rendered himself
master of Apolloniatis ; and after various successes, re-
tired with his army into the city of Apollonia, to which
place he was pursued by Antiochus, and being betrayed
by his followers, killed himself in despair.
From these ruins, we proceeded to an extraordinary-
looking building, which formed a long and solid mass.
The bricks, which are fourteen inches square, are con-
* Respecting the divine origin of Seleucus we have these words
in Justin : — " Laudice cum nupta esset Antiocho, claro inter
Philippi duces viro, visa est sibi per quietem ex concubitu Apol-
linis concepisse."
This place is mentioned in Ptolemy, lib. vi., cap. ,1. Polybius.
lib. 5.
RUINS OF APOT.LOXIA. 159
nected together by a hard and beautiful cement, compo-
sed of lime-stone and alabaster. . This building, general-
ly speaking, is in high preservation. To the eastward,
at regular distances from each other, protrude sixteen
well -formed bastions ; twelve of them are entire, two in
rather a ruined state, and two with the bases only visible.
The W. side is a flat wall, the brick-work of which is in
most places very perfect ; corresponding with each bas-
tion, is a regular ascent from the opposite side, and a
kind of arch across. In the wall, between each bastion,
are three loop-holes, which one would suppose were for
the admittance of air to a subterranean passage, but its
appearance impressed us with the idea that the whole is
a solid substance. The building measures from the sum-
mit of the bastion to its visible base, twenty-eight feet,
the semi-circumference is one hundred feet, and the
space between each bastion fifty-eight feet. The Arabs
call this place the Zindan, or prison, and, with their usu-
al love for the marvellous, tell you that in it are a num-
ber of cells, inhabited by genii, who take, off the heads
of every one who may be unfortunate enough to enter
this enchanted habitation. If, as its name implies, it was
formerly a prison, the loss of head might occur to the
luckless inmate without the aid of supernatural agency,
and some such circumstance has probably given rise to
the tradition.
In the evening, we visited Shehreban, or rather its
ruins, as there was scarcely one entire house remaining.
A winding stream of water, occasioned by a cut from the
Diala, traverses nearly every house. This stream has
been occasionally embanked with masonry, of which
many portions remain that appear ancient, and may have
been built during the time of the former city. There
are also numerous bridges of bricks, forming communica-
160 HU1NS OF SHE IIIl KB AN.
tions with the different streets, but, apparently, not old-
er than the modern town.
No remains of ancient buildings exist, and the present
town bids fair to add its heap of ashes to its predecessor.
It was for some time in the hands of the Persians. The
works they have left here, and at the other places we
have passed, give abundant proofs of their expertness in
spoliation. The spectacle it presents is truly wretched.
The roofs of most of the houses are fallen in ; the wood
having been probably used for fuel.
This town was not many months back one of the most
populous and thriving in the Pashalick of Bagdad ; now
the whole population consists of about three families.
The mosque, which is very large, has been spared by
these marauders, probably from a religious feeling. The
same inducement has made them leave the caravanserai
untouched, for the use of their countrymen on a pilgrim-
age to the tomb of their saint. Whatever may be their
motives, the effect of these three buildings in preserva-
tion, only serves to complete the picture of desolation, by
the contrast they bear with the rest of the city.
Before we returned to our tents, we examined the for-
tifications and outer works. Some of these are almost
level with the ground. Those that remain standing,
every where pierced with cannon shot, have left ample
traces of its destructive powers ; here the action must
have been desperate; the point of attack being on the E.
side of the city, it must have been necessary for the be-
siegers to have escaladed the garden- walls, after having
carried the outworks. We could distinctly trace the
several breaches that had been made.
April 12. — We left Shehreban early in the morning.
We sent forward our baggage and servants to Khizil Ru-
baut% distant eighteen miles. After an hour's ride, we
IIUIXS OF THE DIAL A. 161
diverged from our road two miles to the N. W. to see
a place where the enamoured Khosro is reported to
have built a palace for the fair Shereen, situate on the
right bank of the Diala. The country was covered with
verdure, chiefly wild barley and oats, and watered with
numerous rills. From a distance, we thought we could
distinctly trace the outline of an extensive building. On
our nearer approach, we perceived that a piece of rock
of peculiar form had caused this delusion; an hour and a
half brought us to the Diala, at its embouchure from the
hills. The whole of this spot showed marks rather of
the commencement of some undertaking, than the re-
mains of a finished building. It is possible that Khosro
might have here been engaged in constructing an edifice,
when the approach of the Emperor Heraelius, obliged
him to make so precipitate a retreat.
On the left bank of the Diala, we observed what had
the appearance of a large unfinished flight of steps, com-
posed of masses of stone four feet in length, and one and
a half in depth and thickness; this extended nearly to
the water's edge, and is all we met with to indicate the
site of a palace.
We were ferried across this classical Diala, on a small
raft, called a kelluckj composed of inflated sheep skins,
supporting a platform of reeds, which had been prepar-
ed on purpose for us. The raft was managed by two
men, and though one of them had lost his right arm from
the elbow, he appeared to be equally expert with his
companion. The stream is about a hundred yards wide,
and very rapid : they conducted the raft with paddles of
the most primitive description, formed also of reeds :
notwithstanding the fragile texture of the platform,
which one of our party fell through, on entering upon it,
we went and returned without accident: we landed at
162 PALACE OF SilEREEX.
the place they call the palace of Shereen, close to the
river side.
Instead of the large building which appeared at a dis-
tance, we found a perpendicular rock, with some exca-
vations, apparently the stations of ascetics. In one of
them is the figure of a man rudely traced on the rock,
with some marks like hieroglyphics near it. The largest
cave is about fourteen feet square, and vaulted in the
roof ; the rock is a mass of soft reddish sandstone, rest-
ing on a stratum of large oyster shells, and bedded in
clay. On the top of this rock, are many parts scarped
for the foundation of buildings, and a small portion of a
wall remaining. To the N. E. of this scarped part, and
considerably higher, are two large heaps of rounded
pebbles of limestone, apparently an original deposit.
The view from this eminence was very fine, contrasted
with the scenery we had just left. The Diala could be
traced some distance, winding among the hills, and to a
considerable extent over the plain we had traversed,
which it fertilizes. The numerous water-courses we
have passed in our journey from Bagdad, have been sup-
plied from its stream, which at one time they must have
almost absorbed. — We were rather astonished to hear our
Arabs relate the well known tradition of Herodotus, that
in consequence of one of the horses dedicated to the sun
having been lost in this river, Cyrus vowed he would
make it so contemptible a stream, that a lady should be
able to pass over it without wetting her tunick.
On regaining the road, we arrived at the lowest range
of the Hamerine Mountains : having so long been ac-
customed to traverse a dead flat, we were much gratified
at being relieved from the usual monotony of our march,
though the change was only from desert plains to barren
hills.
MOUNTAINS OF CURDISTAN. 163
This chain of mountains, which formerly separated the
empires of Assyria and Media, was called Mount Za-
gros, and distinctly marking the limits of these once
splendid rivals, seemed to form a kind of neutral barrier
between them. The chain, commencing in Armenia,
and extending to the Persian Gulf, may still be consider-
ed as fixing the boundaries of the same countries, dis-
tinguished in modern language as Arabian and Persian
Irak.
It will doubtless be remembered, that the mountains
of Curdistan have, from time immemorial, been inhabit-
ed by wandering tribes, who, though formerly in the
immediate vicinity of Media and Assyria, led, unawed
by their civilized neighbours, a lawless, predatory life.
This people, who, beyond a doubt, formed one of the
tribes of Ishmael, are mentioned as the Carduchi by Xe-
nophon, who had good reason to remember them, from
the reception they^ gave him, and the ten thousand
Greeks, after the memorable battle of Canaxa. In the
more modern appellation of Coords, they have, during a
lapse of ages, been always observed to adhere to the pre-
datory habits of their progenitors, whenever their tur-
bulent spirit brought them forward in the page of his-
tory. The Emperor Saladin, himself a Coord, from his
contest with our forefathers in the chivalrous days of the
Crusades, has left behind him a name that must be fami-
liar to every one.
164 KHIZIL KUBAUT.
CHAPTER XIIL
Ruin at Baradan — Gaur, the City of Magicians — Khanaki — Our
Janizary — Calor, a Tribe of Banditti — Annoyances of the
Journey — The Shurgee or Siroc Wind — Ruins of Kisra She-
reen — We are visited by Robbers — Dangerous Adventure.
We continued our march for about ^ve miles over a
succession of eminences, with rounded flattened tops,
composed of lime-stone shingles. The road was very
rugged, and mostly over a succession of deep narrow
ruts formed by the passage of cattle. On arriving at the
summit of this mountain, w f e came in sight of an exten-
sive plain: and, at what appeared the distance of two
miles, we saw the caravanserai of Khizil Rubaut. The
weather being intensely hot, we comforted ourselves with
the hope of soon reaching our destination; but we were
wofully disappointed in finding, that instead of two we
had to traverse a tract of nine miles. The plain which
we now entered, was rich, and for the most part well
cultivated. After a march of three hours we arrived at
Khizil Rubaut, completely worn out with the heat and
closeness of the atmosphere.
Our tents were pitched to the north of the town.
Khizil Rubaut, in common with its neighbours, has suf-
fered from the vindictive spirits of its Coordish enemies.
A body of the Pasha's troops were stationed here, and
gave to it a less desolate appearance than the other town
through which we passed.
ANCIENT BUILDINGS. 165
The valley abounds in remains of ancient buildings, and
proves how populous this country must have been in
times of old. To the south-west of Khizil Rubaut are
some extensive ruins, possibly the site of the ancient
Celonse, a town said to be situated near Mount Zagros,
through which the army of Xerxes marched on its road
from Susa to Critalis in Capadocia, the general rendez-
vous of that monarch preparatory to his intended inva-
sion of Greece.
At two hours' journey, near a small village called
Baradan, is a large mound. Three quarters of a mile
to the E. N. E., were the ruins of the ancient City of
Gaur, called, in the Arabian Nights, the City of En-
chanters. Three miles to the N. W. are the ruins of
another ancient town, said to be of very great extent.
We were so much fatigued with the heat of our
march, and our visit to the excavations, that we felt no
inclination to undertake any distant excursion ; we there-
fore confined our examination to some old water-mills
about a mile from our tents, to which we walked in the
evening. The channel supplying water was broken down
and dry. Respecting the machinery, we could only
judge by the disposition of the masonry, that the water
had been supplied from a height in the manner of vertical
wheels with buckets. A small Martello-shaped tower is
attached to each, with a spiral staircase to the top, which
has probably been constructed to defend the works. I
am the more inclined to this opinion from having seen
the same sort of towers near Bussorah, to protect travel-
lers from the Wahhabbees, and at Muscat, where a num-
ber were regularly fortified for the purpose of defending
the stream which supplied the whole town with water.
Jlpril 13. — We halted to-day, to examine some of the
ruins in the neighbourhood. Mr. Lamb and I visited
Baradan., two hours distance from Khizil Rubaut. We
1GG A FIRE-TEMPLE.
took with us our Janizary, and a guide, and proceeded in
a S. W. direction. Two miles from our tents we cross-
ed the Diala on a kellack. The stream is as broad and
as rapid here as at the place where we went over
yesterday : we were obliged to make our horses swim
over. From the Diala, we followed the course of a canal
which served to irrigate the plain. In an hour and a
half we found ourselves at Baradan, which, in common
with other villages, has suffered from the inroads of the
Coordish army. A mile and a half before we reached
Baradan, we found the road strewed with broken bricks
and small mounds, the remains of buildings.
To the S. W. of the village, is a mound little inferior
to the Tower of Babel. It consists of a raised platform
two hundred yards square, and thirty feet high. Erom
this mass rises a quadrangular tower, ninety yards long,
fifty yards wide, and eighty feet high.
The whole consists of earth mixed with rounded peb-
bles ; a portion to the N. E. which has recently fallen
down, exhibits its structure of successive layers. y From
the quantity of broken bricks, it has evidently, like the
Babylonian ruins, been coated with them. The centre
of the mound is much injured ; huge ravines being
formed on three sides of it by the rain. We found nu-
merous fragments of broken pottery, &c. Near the top
of the upper mass, we saw a vessel containing the bones
of animals.
The appearance of this mound corresponds with the
accounts given by Strabo and Pausanias of some Fire-
temples, which on account of their being situated on large
mounds of earth, they called M