Memoirs / by Commander James Felix Jones ... ; compiled and edited by R. Hughes Thomas.

  • Jones, James Felix.
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Memoirs / by Commander James Felix Jones ... ; compiled and edited by R. Hughes Thomas. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    65/594 (page 29)
    In the evening visited the Malwiyeh. From its summit I obtained the following true bearings, as deduced from magnetic by a prismatic compass:—Minaret, or tomb of Imam Mahomed Dur at Dur, 342° 45' ; Khan Tholiyeh, 119° 30' ; Khan Mazrakji, 132° ; El Ghaim, tower at the entrance of the south branch of the Nahrwan, 165° 30' ; ruins of Ashik, on the right bank opposite, 299° 30'; Tel Benat, or the 11 Girls’ Mound,” near Dur, 34-3° 30'; Tel Alij, or the “ Nose-bag Mound,” 18° 30'; Khalifa, or Old Palace, 341° 00' ; Qadesiyeh, old fortress, extending from 147° to 157° ; Istabolat town, 167° : variation of the needle, 2D 55' west. April 15th.— Left Samarrah at 6.21, and steamed down the river against a heavy south wind, which, in the reaches directly opposite to it, raised the waters of the Tigris into a considerable swell. Passed Qadesiyeh at 7.25; Khan Mazrakji, 8.10; Khan Tholiyeh, 9.3; mouth of the Atheim, 10.0; Sindiyeh, where we stopped for fuel, at 11.52; Jedi- deh village, 3.7 p. m.; and anchored off the gardens of Trumba in a heavy squall of thunder, lightning, hail, and rain at 6.20. The next morning took up our old berth at Baghdad, after passing through the Bridge of Boats...; From these observations it will be seen that the journey northward against the stream occupied eighty-six and a half hours’ steaming, while the descent was performed in the short space of nineteen hours. I much regret the termination of our trip, for I had flattered myself that it might not only prove useful in a geographical sense, but also both instructive and amusing. I had contemplated, could I have only reached the neighbourhood of Moosul, a visit to that town and the adjacent ruins of the Assyrian cities of Nineveh, Khorsabad, and Nirnrud,* as well as a minute examination of the * A large and very ancient mound, I believe first described by Mr. Rich in bis Kurdistan and Nineveh. He identifies it with the Larissa of Xenophon. The learned Bochardt, in allud- ing to this spot, remarks the improbability of a town with such a name existing in this part of the world, previous to the conquests of Alexander. lie therefore conjectures that this city is the Resen mentioned by Moses in Gen. x. 12, and imagines the name Larissa to have been applied to it by Xenophon, not only from the attachment of the Greeks to this peculiar name, but from its resemblance to the Hebrew Laresen of Resen, which no doubt suggested its being corrupted to Larissa. He concludes by observing that it is easy to imagine how this word (Laresen) might be softened by a Greek termination, and made Larissa. Mr. Fraser, in his work on Mesopotamia and Assyria, states it is also known by the appella- tion of El Athur, or Asshur, from which the whole country derived its name. Be this as it may, there can be now no doubt of its great antiquity, for the enterprising and intelligent Bakhtujari traveller, Mr. Layard, so far back as last November, succeeded in discovering with little labour some beautiful specimens of antique statuary in very high relief, and large slabs covered with the Assyrian cuneiform writing. He is now actively employed in extensive excavations since he obtained the Firman from the Porte, and, I am informed, has realized in his discoveries all that an ardent antiquarian can wish for; indeed, Nimrud is represented as inexhaustible. It is probable that Mr. Layard’s first cargo of reliques has, ere this, reached Baghdad, thus far on its way to England ; and it is hoped, if the Government do not undertake