on the exterior, either dead walls or ruins ; but when viewed
from a distance, and especially from the river, the luxuriant
date groves and rich gardens, contrasted with green domes
and graceful minarets, present a rich and attractive appearance.
Previously to the plague, which commenced its ravages in
1830, there were 110,000 inhabitants; but the number now
scarcely exceeds 65,000.
The Tigris may be considered as having an average1 width
of 200 yards from Mosul to Baghdad, with a current, in the
high season,1 of about four miles and a quarter per hour.
The country is highly cultivated, from Mosul to Nimrud, on
both sides of the river ;2 but, from the latter place to Tekrit,
all cultivation nearly ceases ; and it is but partially found in
the tract along the river between Tekrit and Baghdad. The
Tigris is navigable for rafts at certain seasons3 from the
bridge of Diyar Bekr to Mosul, a distance of about 296 miles.
Below the latter place it is more or less so throughout the
year ;4 and the descent to Baghdad is performed with such
ease and speed that the river is known by the expressive name
of the cheap camelier.5 Large rafts supported by 2006 or
even 300 inflated skins are much in use for the transport of
goods ; and, when the merchants are on board, a small room
is raised on the raft in order to give shelter from the sun and
rain. During the flood season the voyage is performed in
three or four days ; whereas at another time it requires about
fifteen days.7
At five miles below Baghdad the canal of Saklawiyah, or
Isa, brings, during the season of floods, a portion of the
waters of the Euphrates into the Tigris from a spot about six
1 In March, when Mr. Rich descended. 1 Rich’s Kurdistdn, p. 129.
* Colonel Shiel’s Journey: Geographical Journal, Vol. VIII. Part I., p. 89.
* The Euphrates steamer, under Lieutenant Lynch, went as high as the
bund of Nimrud in 1838; and this officer made a map of the river, from
Baghdad to M6sul, by trigonometrical operations between points which were
determined by astronomical observations. 5 MSS. of Mr. Rassam.
8 The raft constructed to carry the Right Honourable John Sullivan from
Mdsul to Baghddd, in 1181, was supported hy 200 skins, and had on it a
small cabin.—Voyage de Sestini a Basrah, p. 153.
7 Niebuhr, Vol. II., p. 28’7.
miles above the castle of Felujah. This canal crosses Mesopotamia
in a direction generally eastward, passing, in the latter
part of its course, near the great mound of Akar-Kuf; and
it is, without doubt, one of the most ancient commercial
communications in the world. It may not, however, be out
of place to remark here, that these two important streams
might be connected together by opening a canal of only 18
miles in length, from the eastern extrepiity of the Isa to the
mounds of Muhammed on the Euphrates. Such canal would
be passable at all seasons of the year. At 21 miles below the
termination of the Saklawiyah, in the direction of S., 28° E.,
the Diyalah brings into the Tigris a vast body of water,
which is obtained by the junction of several great branches,
all coming from a considerable distance. On account of the
extensive range of country traversed, as well as of its individual
importance, and because it probably coincides with the
ancient Gyndes, this great stream seems to deserve a separate
notice.
The principal branch, called the Abi Shirwan, rises on
the northern side of the Kuh-i-Sungur, about 40 miles west
of Hamadan, nearly as many N.E. of Kirman-shah, and at
nearly two degrees east of Sule'imaniyah.1 Its direction is west,
inclining to north for about 40 miles, then N.W. for about
40 more, that is as far as the ruins of Darnah ;2 and it receives
in this part of its course numerous petty streams from the
mountains of Shahie and Avroman.
About 10 miles beyond Darnah, in the same direction, it
takes a westerly course of 20 miles, through the mountains,
to Gundar, where it receives the river of Chumi-Zamgan,
which rises near Galwarah, in the Guran country, at about
70 miles distance towards the S.E. Immediately after this
increase the Abi Shirwan forces its way through a narrow
gorge (without even sufficient space for a footpath along its
bank) into the plain of Semiram, where it is joined by a
considerable affluent formed by the waters of the Taj-rud and
Salm. These streams unite about eight miles to the north
1 Major Rawlinson : Vol. IX. Part I., p. 28, Journal of the Royal Geographical
Society. * Darnah of Ptolemy,, ibid., p. 29.
VOL. I. D