of the Saklawiyah canal. It is from 35 to 40 feet high,
with towers at intervals of 55 paces from each other along
its western side; and there is a ditch towards the exterior 27
paces broad. It is called Chalu, or Sidd Nimrud, and is built
of the small pebbles of the country imbedded in lime of great
tenacity.1 This interesting relic of the olden time had been
previously passed farther westward by Mr. Fitzjames in 1836;
and, subsequently to Dr. Ross, by Lieutenant Lynch, who
followed it for some miles in 1838.
After a course of about 15 miles eastward from the Dujeil
the Tigris makes a deep double bend, so as to pass close to
the site of Opis, in the form of the letter S ; and at the eastern
extremity of the bend it receives the river Adhim. The
centre of ancient Opis appears to have been in the bend, above
the Adhim, and also in the angle formed by the junction of
the two branches of the Nahrawan,2 of which the lower one,
or Nahr al Resas, comes from Kaim,3 and the other, the
Nebi Sule'im&n, already mentioned, from below the extensive
ruins of Imam Dur.4 The latter was, no doubt, excavated to
feed the principal branch, by commanding a supply of water
higher up at certain seasons of the year.
The main trunk of the Adhim rises in the mountains
north of Kerkuk; and, after a southerly course for some
distance, it receives the Tak, a tributary coming from the
N .E .; and, a little lower, the Tuz-Khurmati, coming by a
westerly direction from the Karadagh range.8 The course
of the Adhim continues to run southward1 through the
Hamrin hills, at the foot of which, on the southern side, are
the remains of a remarkable bund, which was constructed
of the most solid materials6 at a remote period. Its object
was to raise the water so as to supply the canal of Ratham,
1 Dr. Ross’s Journey to Al Had h r: pp. 445, 446, Vol. IX. Part III.
Journal of the Royal Geographical Society.
2 Dr. Ross’s MSS., Journey, p. 13.
8 Called hy Abii-l-fedd, Albadia.—MSS. of Mr. Rassam.
4 Rich’s Kurdistan, Vol. II., p. 148.
8 Mr. Ainsworth crossed these branches.—See 1 Expedition.’
° The larger side across the stream is 156 paces long, and the shorter, which
forms nearly a right angle with it, is 64 paces.—MS. of Dr. Ross.
which runs to the S.S.E., as well as that of the Nahr Batt.
¡The latter is cut on the western side in order to irrigate the country lying S .S .W .; after which the remainder of its
waters appear to have been conveyed into the Nahrawan, eastward
of Sammara.1 Towards its confluence the river is but
15 yards wide, and 20 inches deep,2 and at one time of the
year the water is still lower; in fact, Lieutenant Lynch ascertained
from the natives, that it is dry during from three to
five months.3
After continuing an easterly course for six miles below the
Adhim, the Tigris bends S.S.E. for six more, to the sandy
shoals near Dokhala;4 just above which village the Khalis
enters the Tigris. This canal is cut from the Diyalah
through the district of Khalis, from whence it takes its name,
and which contains 62 villages.8
After a sweep to the westward, a little below Dokhala, the
river takes a tolerably straight course for 39 miles by the
stream, or 20 miles S. by W. direct distance, from that village
to the spot where the minarets of the city of the Khaliphs rise
from both banks amidst extensive clusters of splendid date-
trees.
This remarkable city, the classic scene of the Thousand and
One Nights, is unequally divided by the river, two-thirds being
on the left bank, and the remainder on the right, or Mesopotamian
side; the two divisions are connected by a bridge of
boats. The town is fortified by a high brick parapet wall,
flanked at intervals with bastioned towers, and surrounded
by a ditch; the citadel, which is a respectable work, is situated
at the north-western extremity. The bazaar, built by Daud
Pasha, is one of the finest in the East, and is well stocked
with home and foreign manufactures. Some of the mosques
are also striking, but the rest of the buildings show, as usual
1 MSS. of Dr. Ross, Journey in 1834. 8 Ibid.
8 Vol. IX. Part III., p. 472, of the Geographical Journal.
4 An accident having occurred to the rudder of the Euphrates steamer, and
the waters being also very low, Major Estcourt returned to Baghddd in January,
1837, without attempting to ascend higher; and there laid up the vessel, in
consequence of orders from England.
5 Rich’s Kurdistdn, Vol. II., p. 156.