are prepared, to carry the goods on to Baghdad.1 Here the
Lesser Zab, or Altun Su, is augmented by a considerable
stream coming from Koi-Shnjak, a town of 1000 houses,8
and distant about 40 miles north, 3 5miles east:3 from thence
it becomes navigable by rafts.4 At their junction the Tigris
is about 500 yards broad;6 and a little below there is a kind
of cataract, called Kelab, where the descerTt is so rapid
that the river appears as it were to run down hill.6 This
place is much dreaded by the people when descending in
boats; but it does not seem in reality to offer any serious
impediment to the rafts so frequently passing between Mosul
and Baghdad. The Euphrates steamer not only passed over
this difficulty, under Lieutenant Lynch, but also proceeded
as high up as the bund opposite the ruins of Nimrud.
The^ river now bends eastward of south, between Tel
Truliyah on the east and Kal’at Jebbar on the west, preserving
its width, and forming several islands ; and, at about 24
miles from the Lesser Zab, the canal of Is-haki leaves on
the west side, and that of El Burech on the east,7 just after
the Tigris has succeeded in forcing its way through the
Hamrin hills at a spot called El Fatt’hha.8 Here, on the
left bank, there is an abundant supply of sulphur; and,
directly opposite, naphtha rises in great quantities from
the bed of the river; it appears in black spots on the
surface, but gradually vanishes in the water. The raft-
men say, that Alla has caused the two hills of Hamrin to
be at continual war; and that their strife forces the naphtha
to bubble up from the bottom of the river. Here the people
cut wood for the Baghdad market.8 The river continues in
the same general direction, or a little east of south, without
receiving any other tributaries worth mentioning, as far as
Tekrit, which is below the Lesser Zab, at about 43 miles
from the Burech canal.
1 Rich’s Kurdistan, Vol. II., p. 12.
2 See Mr. Ainsworth’s Journey in the ‘ Expedition.’
3 Rich, Vol. II., p. I I ; but the name of the river is not given.
I P i r ’ P‘ !,2' ^ * Rich’s MS' MaP‘ 6 Ormsby’s MSS.
IM g and probably, according to Lieut. Lynch, a feeder of the Nahrawdn
Rich s Kurdistdn, Vol. II., p. 142. » Lieutenant Ormsby’s MSS
Tekrit stands on the right bank, and is remarkable for a
castellated building upwards of 200 feet high, with a vaulted
staircase leading to the Tigris;1 the building is surrounded by
a ditch, which was once filled from the river. A little below
the castle, and also on the same bank, stands the modern town,
which is now reduced to about 600 houses of burnt brick.8
The ruins cover a considerable space below the southern side
of the town, and form about it a large crescent, extending for
some distance to the north of the citadel. This place takes
its modern name from Tekrit, the daughter of Wayal, sister
of Beckr; and its castle, they say, was built by Sabar, son of
Ardechir.3
Below Tekrit, the aqueduct, or canal of Is-haki (Khiyat-al-
suk) leaves the Tigris, taking a course southward, and nearly
parallel to the river for some distance; it afterwards joins the
river near Baghdad, between which place and Tekrit it was
followed at intervals by Dr. Ross.4 This is the river Al-
Is-haki, which was dug in the days of Al-Mutwakkel by his
general Is-hak, to water a part of Irak.5
At about nine miles south, 8° east of Tekrit, is the saint’s
tomb, called Imam Dur, which Mr. Rich thought to be the
place where Jovian constructed a bridge for the passage of
his army; and which, he adds, might also be the Dura of
Nebuchadnezzar. At about a mile and a half lower down
are visible the remains of a cut, called Nebi Suleiman, which,
according to tradition, was the work of Solomon ;6 its course
has since been traced by Dr. Ross, and found to be the bed
of an extensive canal.
This canal, which passed by the eastern side of the ruins
of Sammara, must, from its direction, have crossed the Suther
Adhim stream, coming from Kerkuk; it must also have
crossed the Dokhala canal, as well as, subsequently, the
Diyalah itself; and thus it may have conveyed a large portion
1 Rich’s Kurdistan, Vol. II., p. 14*7. 2 Ibid.
8 MS. translation of Abu-l-fedi, by Mr. Rassam.
4 Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, Vol. IX. Part III., p. 448.
5 MS. translation of Abii-l-feda, by Mr. Rassam.
6 Rich’s Kurdistdn, Vol. II., p. 149.