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122

COURSE OF THE RIVER.

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-Ctesiphon-Description of the Tauk, or Arch of Kisra-Suleiman PaukHistorical 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 ran aground several times after leaving Koote, but

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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 unnavigable 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 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, composed of sun-burnt bricks, twenty feet two inches high, and sixty-three feet in circumference. It was

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EXTENSIVE RUINS.

formed of eight layers of bricks, consisting of seven layers placed horizontally, and one vertically; between the layers was interspersed cement, one-half the thickness of the brick. The pillar stands at the eastern side of a large mass of ruins, apparently the remains of an extensive 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 instruments 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 surface of which was corroded, indicating a long exposure. A raised causeway extended due S. from these ruins, to some mounds apparently four or five miles distant. Half a mile

EXTENSIVE RUINS.

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to the W. N. W. on the banks of the river are some mounds, the remains of a burying

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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

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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 sunset, 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 surprized 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.

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