18 TH E B IT L IS AND KHARZAN TRIBUTARIES. [CHAP. I I .
ancient Chaldean religious establishments there existing, such
as Delr, Zaferan (Yellow Monastery), De'ir Safa, &c., has
long borne the name of Sacred.
On the opposite side, and about 29 miles lower than the
last mentioned tributary, the main stream is entered by the
Bitlis-chai, probably the second Nicephorius of Xenophon,1
who appears to have regarded it as the principal branch. It
rises at Bash Khan, on the southern side of Jebel Nimrud, at
a short distance westward of lake Vein, and its course from
thence is nearly south, to the town of Bitlis. Sixteen miles
southward of this place it is joined by a more considerable
stream, called the Bakiyah-chai, which comes into it from the
west. These waters unite at the foot of the Sir Sera, a high
mountain, forming part of the Ali Tagh range; from whence
the deep and rapid river thus formed, takes a south-westerly
direction to a spot eight miles N. W. of Se’rt, where it receives
the Kharzan-chai.2 This river comes from the west, through
the mountainous country of the Kharzan Kurds,3 the ancient
Arzanene;4 in which it receives a more western tributary,
the I’lijeh su, coming from the north of Khazero. After
this increase, the Bitlis-chai is about 50 yards broad and knee
deep, as it sweeps westward, at the distance of six or seven
miles from Se’r t ; it then takes a southerly course, and falls
into the Diyar Bekr branch, some distance above Til.5
At this small but remarkable village,6 the Tigris is joined
by another considerable stream, the Buhtan-chai, which, by
its course from the slopes of the Algerosh Tagh, would appear
to represent the Centrites of the ten thousand.7 As this
river passes within four miles of the eastern side of Se’rt, it
is like the Bakiyah-chai (on the other side), known as the
Se’rt su, although neither stream touches that town; and
1 The other Nicephorius heing a tributary of the Euphrates. ,
2 Mr. Ainsworth’s MS.
8 Visited by Mr. Brant.—See Vol. X. Part III., p. 317, of the Royal Geographical
Journal. 4 Mr. Ainsworth’s MS. 6 Ibid.
8 Aristashes, the Pontiff who succeeded St. Gregory, being murdered by an
Armenian, his body was brought to Til, and there interred: and Tigranes
caused a statue of Minerva to be brought from Greece and placed in this
village.—Mr. Ainsworth’s MS. notes. 7 Ibid.
CHAP. I I . ] JE Z IR EH -IB N -’OMAR. 19
much geographical difficulty has arisen in consequence. The
main branch of the Khabur, which will be noticed presently,
appears to have been confounded by Rennell, Kinneir, and
others, with the so called Se’rt su ; and nearly a similar mistake
occurred in the case of Mr. Rich, who was informed that
the Eastern Tigris rises 11 hours beyond Julamerik, and
passes Se’rt, where it is difficult to ford, even at its lowest;
and is, in the early part of its course, a much more considerable
river than the Diyar Bekr branch.1 Now, however, it
is ascertained, that the Buhtan and Bitlis are not only smaller
rivers, but the course of each is much shorter than that of the
great western branch. The windings of the Bitlis-chai, for
instance, appear to give only a distance of about 100 miles to
the point of junction; whilst the Diyar Bekr river makes a
sweep of 275 miles in coming thither, and carries a breadth
of 150 yards nearly waist deep.2
Soon after the junction of the Buhtan-chai, the Tigris
passes E.S.E., through a mountainous ravine, into the valley
of Chelek, in which there is a ferry and a large village of the
same name, defended by a strong, handsome castle, built on a
rock.3 A little lower it traverses another bold ravine, and
then makes a great bend westward round the peninsula of
Findik; forcing its way between limestone precipices, similar
to those of the Frat near Rum Kal’ah. The river then
sweeps E.S.E., and again takes a more southerly course to the
castles and gardens of Fenik; below which it makes its way
through Jebel Judi at the celebrated pass of Xenophon.4
Having cleared the latter, the Tigris winds to the E.S.E.,
and again west of south, till, at about 60 miles below the
junction of the eastern and western branches, it washes Jezi-
reh-ibn-’Omar.5 The island is covered with modern buildings,
which, generally speaking, are in a ruinous state; but portions
of the bridge constructed by the minister Noureddin over the
two branches still remain. This place is called in Syriac (ac-
1 Rich’s Kurdisti.n, Vol. I., p. 378.
8 In July, 1836, above the Bitlis river.—Colonel Shiel’s Journey: Vol.
VIII. Part I., p. 80, of the Royal Geographical Journal.
8 Ibid. 4 Mr. Ainsworth’s MSS. 5 Probably the Tigre of Ptolemy
c 2