The buried city of the East, Nineveh: a narrative of the discoveries of Mr. Layard and M. Botta at Nimroud and Khorsabad;

Front matter

I R( >\\ I HH UBkAkY OF

BENJAMIN PARKE AVERY,

Gift of Mrs. a VERY,

Preface

When the news reached England that Mr. Layard had found the long lost Nineveh, and was opening its buried palaces to the light, very great and general interest was excited. It seemed as if the Nineveh of the Bible were about to be once more restored for the contemplation of the Christian inquirer, and the Nineveh of the classics laid bare to modern gaze, to verify the faith of the scholar in the older historians. Mr. Layard's book, when published, realized these anticipations. A city buried for more than twenty centuries offered its remains for comparison with the aspects of modern London or Paris ; and the sculptured monuments of a bygone race rose up to offer a contrast with the works of modern art. Whilst this was the case in England, the French were almost equally interested, for they, too, had a diligent inquirer, Monsieur Botta, in Assyria, digging and discovering and sending home the spoils of superb ancient edifices to increase the treasures of the Louvre. The English investigator had worked with limited funds supplied from private sources ; the Frenchman, more fortunate, enjoyed the generous sympathies and liberal pecuniary aid of his government. Layard's story of his trials and successes was given

VI PREFACE.

to the world by the private enterprise of an English publisher. Botta, on the contrary, found his way into print at the expense of the French nation.

When a series of good cheap volumes was in contemplation for the National Illustrated Library, the popularity of the subject induced an opinion that Botta' s book, published in Paris in a series of huge and costly folios, might form the basis of an interesting work for the English public. Hence, the following pages, in which, whilst the labours of the French savant have been freely used, a considerable amount of original research has been employed that the volume might be rendered worthy of the place it occupies as one of a cheap and valuable series.

London, 1851.

Chapter I

r vge

The Buried City and its Discoverers, Layard and Botta— Layard's Ancestors— His Parentage and Education— His Early Travels— Proceeds to Asia— Visits Susan— His Excursion in the Neighbourhood of the Tigris and Nineveh— Mosul— Kalah Shergat— Al Hadhr— The River Kartin— A^Tower of Living Men— Returns to Mosul— Proceeds to Constantinople— Sir Stratford Canning .... 9

Chapter II

The Nineveh of the Bible— Nimrod— His Character expressed in his Nomenclature— Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh— Their Present Sites— Nimrod's First and Second Kingdoms— Their Localities traced— Nineveh, "that great city"— Its supposed Extent and Population— The Assyrian Kings— Their Wars and Conquests—The Destruction of the Assyrian Army— Death of Sennacherib— Nebuchodonosor— The Fall of Nineveh 23

Chapter III

The Nineveh of the Classical Writers— Their Difficulties in the Pursuit of History— Ninus— His Identity with Nimrod— Semiramis— Her Story told by Diodorus Siculus and Justin— The Revolt of the Medes— Sardanapalus, Herodotus, and Ctesias— The Overthrow of Nineveh, and the Rise and Fall of the Babylonian Empire

Chapter IV

Rich and Botta at Nineveh — Rich's Examination of its presumed Site — Assyrian Antiquities and Inscriptions — Botta appointed Consul at Mosul — M. Mohl — Botta's Researches and Disappointments — Opens the Mound of Kouyunjik— Excavations at Khorsabad— Success of his first Operations— Grant by the French Government for their Continuance— Difficulties with the Governor of Mosul— The Ex-

Vlll * CONTENTS.

TAGE

cavations stopped— Turkish Official Delinquencies— Additional Grant of Money —Permission to continue the Excavations— Arrival of M. Flandin— The "Village of Khorsabad purchased — Difficulties attending this Arrangement — Workmen engaged, and the Researches resumed— Return of M. Flandin to Paris— The discovered Relics packed and transmitted to Paris 49

Chapter V

Banks of the Tigris— The Mounds of Kouyunjik and Nebbi Yunus— Their Extent ■ and Relative Position— The Mound of Khorsabad— Its Situation— The Wall of Nineveh— The Mound of Nimroud— Its present Resemblance to Xenophon's Descriptions— The Mounds of Karamles and Kalah Shergat .... 70

Chapter VI

Layard at Nineveh- His Arrival at Naifa— His speedy Arrangements for Exploration, and immediate success— Visits the Pasha of Mosul— The Dangers attendant on his Task— A Shifting of Quarters— His Proceedings Interdicted by the Pasha —Departs from Nimroud — Visits Baghdad — Returns to the Mound and continues his Excavations— A New Interdict— Discovery of the Bas-relief of Nisroch, and Colossal Head— Further Proceedings Stopped, and the Workmen Discharged— Layard and the Sheikhs— Excursion to the Camp of the Shammar Tribe — Gives a Three Days' Feast at Nimroud— Recall of Ismael Pasha, and Appointment of Tahyas Pasha as his Successor— His Attention to Layard— Obstruction to his Operations through the Heats of Summer — Hunting Excursions with the Natives— Despatch of the Grand Vizier of the Sultan— Opening of the Great Mound of Kouyunjik— A rich Collection of Sculptures— Their Embarkation and Transport to Baghdad— Further Interruptions at Nimroud— Layard's Return to Mosul— Re-organization of a Band of Workmen at Nimroud— Layard again among the Ruins— Alacrity of the Arabs— Layard's Impartiality in the Character of an Arbitrator— Rapid Uncovery of the Buried Treasures— His Exploit against the Thieving Arabs— Embarkation of the Black Marble Obelisk — Examination of the Mounds of Kalah Shergat— The Friendly Jebours— Removal of the Lion and Bull from Nimroud— The various Operations necessary — Procession of the Winged Bull— The Embarkation — Strike of the Jebour Workmen—-Layard's ultimate Triumph— Entertainment to his Faithful Workmen- Farewell to the Arabs 77

Chapter VII

The Mounds on which the Assyrian Palaces stood— Khorsabad— Its Dimensions- Fortified Enclosure- Salt-swamps within the Wall— Mr. Fergusson's Opinion on the site of the City of Khorsabad— The Construction of the Mound— The neighbouring Swamps accounted for l°a

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Tin.

The Palaces of Assyria— Khorsabad, Plan of the Palace— The Winged Bulls at the doorway— Alabaster Slabs— Interior Bas-reliefs— Subjects of them— The only Assyrian Temple yet discovered— Kouyunjik— The Nebbi Yunus— Great Mound of Nimroud and its Palaces, with- their Gigantic-winged Figures— Conjectures as to the absence of "Windows, and Theories thereon— Enormous thickness of the Walls— The upper stories from which the Kings showed themselves— The Fact accounted for that all the Assyrian Palaces have been Destroyed by Fire — Architecture of the Assyrians influenced by absence of Natural Elevations- Contrast between the Ruins of Nineveh and those of other Ancient Cities — The almost total absence of Columns or Pillars accounted for— The early knowledge of Tubular Drain-tiles— Connection between the styles of Architecture of the People of Assyria and Babylonia— Absence of striking architectural effects in the Assyrian buildings— Coloured Decorations— Sculpture the means of attaining Structural Effects 113

Chapter IX

Sculptures and Sculptured Decorations of the Assyrians— The Bas-reliefs at Khorsabad— Their Arrangement— The Symbolic Character of the Figures— Details of their Dresses and Adornments — The Emblems borne by them — The Winged Bull— Detailed Description of this frequently-repeated Figure — The Winged Lions at Nimroud — Other Winged Figures— Their Dresses and Emblems- General Effect of these Colossal Decorations 129

Chapter X

The Warriors of Assyria — Their Battles, Sieges, and Triumphs, as shown in the Bas-reliefs at Nimroud and Khorsabad — Attack on a Fortress— Group of Prisoners -The King in his War Chariot— Archers attacking a Fortress— Assyrian Scaling-ladders— Various Bas-reliefs, representing the King in his Car engaged in the Fray— Costumes of the Besiegers and the Besieged— Another Fortress attacked— Dresses and Accoutrements of the Warriors— Continuation of Sieges — Assyrian Archers— Assyrian Battering-rams— The Besieged of the Negro Race— Warriors swimming across a river— Sacking of a Town— Groups of Prisoners brought before the King— Preparations for the attack of a Maritime place— Style of the War-boats— An Assyrian banquet after victory . . . 140

Chapter XI

The Assyrian King and his Court— Description of the King's Robes, Jewels, and other Ornaments— Costumes of the Royal Eunuchs— Procession of Present-bearers — Descriptions of the Presents— Procession of Tributaries— Magians,

X CONTENTS.

Guards, and Eunuchs— Their Arms and Costumes described— Hunting Scenes —Assyrian Falcon— Target Shooting— The King in his Car attended by Guards —Fishing Temple— Hunting Banquet— Court of Justice— The Fetters of the Prisoners — Crucifixion among the Assyrians 167

Chapter XII

Religious Worship of the Assyrians— The imperious character of the people, and its bearing on their Religious Sentiments— Probability of their Early Religion being a simple Deism— Worship of the Sun, Moon, and Stars— Worship of Fire— Sacred Symbols— Worship of the Groves— The Fir-cone— The Eagle or Vulture-headed Human Figure— The Winged Human-headed Lions and Bulls — The Chebar of Ezekiel and the Khabour of the Arabs— Assarac— Nisroch — Ashtaroth— Mylitta— Alitta— Place, Form, and Spirit of the Worship— The Lion and the Bull, Emblems of Royalty and Power 189

Chapter XIII

Assyrian Art, Industry, Dress, Ornaments, and Equipages — Perfection of the Art of Sculpture in Nineveh— Assyrian Art intermediary between the Grecian and Egyptian— Splendour of Costumes— Warlike Weapons— Extreme Care of Beards -Love of Ornament— Ear-rings— Bracelets— The Style of Art which characterized their Ornaments — Comparison with more familiar forms of Greek Art— Assyrian Industry— The High Degree of Perfection it attained— Acquaintance with the Art of Working various Metals— Burnt Clay Idols— Seals of Clay— Funeral Urns— Enamelled Bricks— Altars— Nails— Chariot Wheels- Lap is Ollaris— Glass Bottles— Commerce of Ancient Assyria— Its chief branches 203

Chapter XIV

The Assyrian Relics in the British Museum— Layard's Contributions— The King in his War Chariot— King's Army— Passing of a River by the Army— King in his War Chariot— Pursuit of the Enemy through a Wood— King in the van of the Battle— Battle Scene, and Route of the Enemy— Eunuch Warrior in Battle —Fortress on an Island— Flight of an Arab on mounted camel— Attack on a Fortified City— Military Operations of this period closely resembled those of the present day— Battering-ram— Final Assault of the City— Abandonment of the City— The Triumphal return of the Victorious King— "The League, or Treaty of Peace"— The return of the Conquerors— Tribute and Prisoners to the Great King— Eunuch and Prisoners— King's Exploits in the Chase— King returning from the Chase— A Bull Hunt— King refreshing himself at conclusion of the Sport— A Lion Hunt— The Nimroud Obelisk, and description of its four sides— Incidents and Occupations of Domestic Life— Slave grooming horses- Figures in masks dancing— Man and Camels— Colossal Figure of the King—

CONTENTS.

TAGE

The Hawk-headed Deity— Nisroch— Winged Priests or Divinities— Colossal Human-headed Fignre— Relics recently lodged in the Great Hall of the British Museum— Winged Human-headed Lion— Winged Human-headed Bull— Cuneiform Inscriptions— Monument from Kalah Sherghat— Slab with Arrow-headed Characters— Mr. Hector's Contributions— The King wearing the Truncated Cap— Provincial Governor— Detached Fragments 230

Chapter XV

Assyrian Inscriptions and their Interpretation— The Arrow-headed Character— How it came to be deciphered by Professor Grotefend— Suggestions of M. Burnouf and Professor Lassen— Col. Rawlinson and the Behistun Inscription— Process of Analyzing the Assyrian Texts— The Inscriptions at Khorsabad— The Situations in which they were found— Botta's Opinion on these Inscriptions— Major Rawlinson's account of the labours of his predecessors and of himself— The Babylonian unquestionably the most ancient Cuneiform Writing — Tablets at the Mouth of the Nahr-el-Kalb— Cuneiform Writing confined exclusively to Sculptures and Impressions— The Inscription on the Obelisk found at Nimroud— Major Rawlinson's Translation and Remarks 271

Chapter XVI

Botta's Opinions on the Destruction of the Assyrian Palace at Khorsabad . . 300

Chapter XVII

Latest Proceedings and Discoveries in Assyria — Language and Mode of Writing of the Ancient Assyrians— Difference between the two Systems of Major Rawlinson and Dr. Hincks in Interpreting Inscriptions— Intelligence of Layard, 1849, 1850, and 1851 303

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Frontispiece, The King, attended by Eunuchs and V?

Map of Nineveh and the surrounding country

Portrait of Layard

Ruins at Al Hadhr

Birs Nimroud (Supposed Tower of Babel)

Bas-relief of Nisroch .

Bust of Herodotus

Turkish Pasha ....

The Mound of Khorsabad

Village of Khorsabad .

Statue found at Kala Shergat

The Mound of Nimroud

Winged Bull ....

Procession of the Winged Bull .

Arab Sheikh ....

Group of Arabs ....

Doorway of the Palace of Khorsabad

Plan of Palace at Khorsabad

Winged Lion, Nimroud

Side of Doorway at Khorsabad

Winged Divinity

Bas-relief of Priests, found at Nimroud

Winged Divinity ....

Assyrian Archers

Fortress taken by scaling ladders

Attack on Fortress \>y Archers

Horsemen in pursuit of the Enemy

The King in his War-chariot

Attack of a Fortress at foot of Mountain inged Figures

XIV LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

T.KOV.

Battering-rams .152

Attack of Fortress upon a Hill 154

Warrior in Chariot 155

Prisoners guarded by Eunuchs ] 59

Warriors and Raft 162

Servants carrying Wine to the feast of Victors 164

Assyrian Lyre 165

Assyrian Banquet 165

Assyrian Warrior 166

The King, Magian, and Attendant Esnuchs 167

Fly-flappers 171

Eunuchs and Present Bearers : . 173

Eunuchs with Throne, &c. - 174

Groom with Horses, &c. c 177

Assyrian Hunters 183

Eunuchs carrying Game 183

Assyrian Archers Shooting at Target 184

Attendants on the King while Hunting 185

The King in his Hunting Chariot 185

Assyrian Fishing Temple 186

Assyrian Parasol 188

The Sacred Tree 189

The Sacred Tree : : 202

Head-dress of Winged Bull from Khorsabad 203

Assyrian Vases 209

Assyrian Head-dresses 209

Assyrian Shields 210

Assyrian Bow, Arrow, and Quivers : 211

Assyrian Helmets and Head-dress 211

Assyrian Swords and Mace 212

Assyrian Ear-rings 213

Assyrian Bracelets . 213

Bronzed Lion 218

Burnt-clay Idols * 220

Section and Plan of arrangement of Funereal Urns 222

Assyrian Ship ' 229

The King in his Chariot, attended by Warriors .230

Passage of a River by the Army of the Great King and his Allies • 232

The King's War-chariot in the Boat 233

The Victorious Army pursuing the Enemy through a Wood 234

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XV

P\GE

The King in the Van of the Battle 335

Fortress on an Island 237

Arab on Camel pursued by Assyrian Horsemen 239

Assailants under cover of Breast-work 241

Final Assault upon the City 242

Abandonment of the City 243

The Triumphal Return of the King to his Camp 243

Women on the Battlements watching return of Conquerors 245

Procession conveying Tribute and Prisoners 246

Lion Hunt 248

Bull Hunt

The King Drinking after the Chase . 250

Nimroud Obelisk, the Front 251

Nimroud Obelisk, Left Side 254

Nimroud Obelisk, the Back .256

Nimroud Obelisk, Fourth Side 257

An Assyrian Kitchen and Domestics 258

Assyrian Groom and Horses 259

Masked Figures Dancing 259

Officer Receiving Captives 260

Assyrian Standard 2/0

Slab with Cuniform Inscription to face 2166 es the space within which the ancient Nineveh, with its suburbs, were supposed to have been included.

ACSTEN HENRY LATiRI

THE BURIED CITY OF THE EAST

NINEVEH.

Chapter I

The Buried City and its Discoverers, Layard and Botta— Layard's Early Career and Travels.

Far away— a thousand miles — from the highways of modern commerce, and the tracks of ordinary travel, lay a city buried in the sandy earth of a half-desert Turkish Province, with no certain trace of its place of sepulchre. Vague tradition said that it was hidden somewhere near the river Tigris; but for above two thousand years its known existence in the world was as a mere name; a word. That name suggested the idea of an ancient capital of fabulous splendour and magnitude; a congregation of palaces and other dwellings encompassed by walls and ramparts, vast but scarcely real.

Old writers — men who lived a thousand years before our times, yet a thousand years after many of the things they tell about— spoke of the buried city as one in their days known only by tradition, and as one the fate of which had long been sealed— blotted out of the world it had once helped to sway— and the very site of which could not with certainty be told.

More than two thousand years had it thus lain in its unknown grave, when a wandering English scholar and a French savan urged by a noble inspiration sought the seat of the once powerful empire, and searching till they found the dead city, threw off its shroud of sand and ruin, and revealed once more to an astonished and curious world the temples, the palaces, and the idols; the representations of war, and the triumphs of peaceful art of the ancient Assyrians. The Nineveh of scripture, the Nineveh of the oldest historians; the Nineveh — twin sister of Babylon — glorying in a civilization of pomp and power, all traces of which were believed to be gone; the Nineveh in which the captive tribes of Israel had laboured and wept, was, after a sleep of twenty centuries, again brought to light. The long lost was found. The dead palaces were exhumed; the strange huge sculptures were dug out; and their inscriptions were deciphered. The proofs of ancient splendour were again beheld by living eyes, and by the skill of the draftsman and the pen of the antiquarian travellers, made known to the world.

And the strange and stirring story of how courage and learning; talent and enterprise ; patience and industry, rescued from the earth these treasures of a long gone people — giving proof of a great civilization existing in the earliest stages of the history of the human race,— it is the intention of the following pages to tell.

Every romance has its hero — and the chief hero of this romance of antiquarian discovery is Layard. — And since we shall have to say so much about his achievements, we may as well commence with a sketch of his personal career previous to the period at which he began his labours at Nineveh.

Austen Henry Layard is the descendant of a French family, who, many generations since, embraced the Protestant faith, and who were in consequence compelled to fly from their native country when Papal influence succeeded in obtaining the revocation of the edict of Nantes. The family seems to have been long distinguished for mental talent and independent — some branches of it were among the earliest supporters of the persecuted Albigenses; but notwithstanding their known leanings towards unorthodox religious opinions, they appear to have received both honours and profitable grants from the kings of France. But when the day of trial arrived they had their share of miseries. In the slaughter of the Huguenots two members of the family were slain; but a third, more fortunate, succeeded in escaping to Holland, where the Layard s commenced a new career.

Their first appearance in England was under William of Orange, and in the list of those who held command under that Protestant Prince when he fought the battle of the Boyne will be found the name of the founder of the English branch of the family.

Previous to the revocation of the edict of Nantes, the name had been Raymond, but Layard was taken as a sobriquet when its owner fled from France, and has since been retained by the descendants of the religious exile. The mental characteristics that secured them distinction in Holland prepare us to find that the family throve in this their adopted country, and the grandfather of the discoverer of Nineveh, the Rev. Dr. Layard, became Dean of Bristol. The Dean had two sons ; the second— Henry Peter John Layard — held an important civil post in Ceylon, where, between the years 1820 and 1830, he distinguished himself by his great activity in the dissemination of the scriptures among the savage tribes of that part of the world. He is described as a man of much classical learning and of cultivated tastes. Like all persons engaged in official occupation in the East, Mr. Layard required an occasional recourse to the more genial climate of Europe. During a visit to Paris in 1817, his wife gave birth on the 5th of March to Austen Henry Layard, the man whose name will henceforth be identified with Nineveh.

With these few preliminary sentences about his family, we pass on to speak more exactly of the circumstances and education which prepared Layard for the career in which he has since signalised himself. His father's tastes, and the beautiful climate of Italy, induced the family to fix their abode in that country ; hence the early youth oi Layard was passed in Florence and its neighbourhood. In the midst of charming scenery, and in a place surrounded by historical associations,— rich also in works of art — and well supplied with ancient libraries, the future traveller and antiquary began his education. Italian became to him a second mother tongue, and his father took care that his talent should also be employed in the acquisition not only of the languages of Greece and Rome, but of the more modern ones. The clever boy could scarcely live in Florence without imbibing some artistic feeling, and young Layard, it would appear, without any elaborate efforts, laid the foundation of that skill as a draftsman so useful to him afterwards at Nimroud.

Though long resident in Italy, Mr. Layard was unwilling his son should lose the characteristics of an Englishman, and hence young Layard was subsequently sent to England for further education. A relative suggested the law as a profession, and under favourable circumstances its study was commenced, but legal fetters were too harsh for the feelings of a youth nurtured in Italy and already thirsting for

a 2 a life of adventure. In the summer of 1839 he joined a friend, and they set out together on a visit to Russia and other northern countries. Without any very definite plans he journeyed in succession through various states in Germany, paying special attention to those on the Danube, mastering not only the German language itself, but several of the dialects of Transylvania, in Montenegro. He remained some time in Dalmatia, assisting in the latter semi-barbarous locality a young territorial chieftain who was endeavouring to improve the condition of his people. From Montenegro he travelled through Albania and Roumelia, and not without perilous and troublesome adventures made his way to Constantinople, which he reached about the latter part of the year 1839.

Having by this time seen all that was most remarkable in Europe, a new field seemed opening upon him full of interest in Asia. His experience as a traveller had rendered him hardy, and equal to the emergencies of European journeyings, but new languages and new habits — a more perfect reliance upon himself — were requisite before he could plunge into the half wild life led in Asia Minor and other countries of the East. But the true spirit of the traveller and investigator was in him — and undaunted by difficulties he went to work to learn the languages of Turkey and Arabia. He studied the manners — adopted the costume— and was before long able to lead the life of an Arab of the Desert, and travelled frequently alone in Persia, in Mesopotamia, in Khuzistan, and elsewhere, visiting all the spots most renowned as the sites of by-gone cities. Some records of these wanderings found place in the journals of the London Geographical Society, and to these we may turn for a few particulars. In a communication which Layard made to that association relative to some ancient sites, under date, Karack, Dec. 31, 1840, he says :

" I have succeeded in reaching and examining Susan and some other places of interest in the Baktiyari mountains, to which attention was drawn by Major Rawlinson. I left Ispahan in the middle of last September, in company with Schiffeer Khan, a Baktiyari chief, and reached Kala Tul by a road through the mountains, having crossed the highest part of the great chain of Mungasht. The road we followed is not the Yanhai Atibeg, mentioned by Major Rawlinson ; that road we were unable to take on account of a blood feud existing between Schiffeer Khan and a neighbouring tribe.

My first expedition, on reaching Kala Tul, was to Manjanik. [ visited them on two or three different occasions, and can safely say that there are no mounds of any consequence. There are, indeed, the ruins of a city of some extent ; and as these ruins resemble those of the Sassanian cities which I have seen, they probably are of that period.

OF THE EAST — NISEVEII. II

The plain of Mel Amir contains ruins of two descriptions, the ancient mound and the Sassanian ruin. There are also several cuneiform inscriptions in the neighbouring mountains. The Shikafti Salman, mentioned by Major Rawlinson, is to the west of Mel Amir, and not on the road to Susan. Adjoining the natural cave, are four tablets with sculpture ; and there formerly existed extensive cunei-form inscriptions, one of which only I was able to copy ; the others are completely effaced. The sculptures appear to me to be of a very ancient date, and the character used in the inscription is very complicated. Two colossal figures appear to represent priests of the Magi ; between them is a natural recess in the rock, which may have been used as an altar. In the same plain, and on the road to Susan, there are other sculptures, and very extensive inscriptions, which I have not yet had time to copy. The plain is called Hong.

The plain of Mel Amir is separated from the valley of the Kuran by a ridge of hills of a considerable height. There are two roads across these hills to Susan. The distance may be between fifteen and twenty miles. I had much difficulty in reaching Susan, the neighbourhood of which is inhabited by a tribe of the Dinaruni, notorious for their predatory habits. Unfortunately 1 was robbed on my way thither of my watch, compass, and many other things which would have proved exceedingly useful to me.

I have experienced the difficulty of obtaining correct information as to things and places from Persians ; and I am not surprised that Major Rawlinson should have been misled by their exaggerated accounts. At Susan there are scarcely any remains which would indicate the site of a large city ; and those ruins which do actually exist are all confined to the°northern bank of the river. I do not doubt, however, that a large city did once exist here ; but there are no mounds of any size, or columns, or even hewn stones and bricks. On either side of the river, which enters and leaves the valley of Susan by narrow and almost impassable gorges, there are the remains of ancient roads, and the river was formerly spanned by a bridge, four buttresses of which remain and attest the stupendous nature oAhe building. The tomb of Daniel is neither of white marble, nor are there any sacred fish : it is a comparatively modern building, of rough stones, containing two apartments. It is regarded with great veneration, and is always known by the name of Gebr Daniel Akbar, or the greater Daniel, in contradistinction to the one at Shus. ^ There is an inscription near the tomb, which, however, from the extreme jealousy and suspicions of the people, I was unable to see. The story of the black stone of Shus had reached them, and they conceived that I wished to carry off their talisman. I trust, however, to be able to visit the place under more favourable auspices.

U THE BURIED CITY

In another number of the Society's transactions, we find a paper by Mr. William Francis Ainsworth, in which he gives notes of an excursion in the neighbourhood of the Tigris and Nineveh— Layard being one of the party. The travellers started from Mosul, and made their way down the stream to Kalah Shergat where the ruins of an ancient Persian city are still visible. In this excursion Layard passed the spot where his future excavations were to be made, and where he was to unveil Nimroud, and so raise a lasting monument to his own fame. Kalah Shergat it may be premised lies some forty miles from Nimroud, on the bank of the Tigris. It displays the third great mound covering ruins of Assyrian palaces. Mr. Ainsworth thus speaks of the journey, and of the circumstances under which Layard joined the party who made it:— "The accidental arrival of two English travellers, Messrs. Mitford and Layard, at Mosul, enabled us to make up a strong party to visit the sites of the ruined cities of Kalah Shergat and Al Hadhr.

The party consisted of the above-mentioned gentlemen, Mr. Pvassam, and myself ; and we were accompanied by an Arab of Tunis, of whose courage we had had proof in crossing Northern Mesopotamia, when he was in the service of Mohammed 'Ali ; but being worsted in an engagement between the Shammar Arabs (the men ' without bondage') and the irregular troops of Ibrahim Pasha, which had recently taken place, he had abandoned his horse to save his life, and sought refuge at Mosul. We had also with us a khavass from Mohammed Pasha of Mosul.

We started on Saturday, April 1 8th, 1840, travelling at first across the cultivated alluvial plain south of Mosul, named the Karakojah. At this season of the year barley was in ear, and beans in flour ; fig, almond, and mulberry trees were in full bloom, but the pastachio as yet only budding. On the sandy deposits of the river the water-melon had put forth its cotyledons. Doves and quails had returned a few days before from their migrations. As the river was high we were obliged to turn up the rocky uplands west of El Seramum, an old country residence of its Pashas.

The rocky acclivities and stony valleys of the Juba'ilah were now clad with a beautiful vegetation. Grass was abundant, and the green sward was chequered with red ranunculuses and composite plants of a golden-yellow hue, which enliven at this season of the year by their contrast the banks of the Tigris and the Euphrates, wherever they are stony. Crossing the Juba'ilah, and leaving the village of Abu Jawari, ' the father of female slaves' to our left, we descended upon another alluvial plain, such as, on the Tigris and Euphrates, whether cultivated or covered with jungle, is equally designated Hawi. The present one was cultivated, and contained the two villages, both inhabited by Arabs, now pasturing their flocks.