NAVIGATION OF THE TIGRIS.

17

we saw, for the first time, the Hamrine mountains; the view of them gave me renewed life and energy. Those only who have resided for years or even months in a flat country, can appreciate the nature of my sensations.

OCTOBER 27.-We reached Ali Ghurbee, on the north, and Ali Shurgee, on the south bank, points at which the Imâm Ali is said to have encamped, when on a pilgrimage to Persia. Near this the river has fallen thirty feet, by actual measurement: as the banks are not once in fifty miles half this height, it is evident that in the month of June, when the Tigris is at its fullest height, the whole country must be overflowed, and the innumerable canals branching off in every direction, (at present dry,) become perfectly navigable. It is impossible to reflect, without admiration, on the inland navigation of which this country is capable, or to consider without deep sorrow into what barbarous hands it has fallen. There is not the most distant prospect of improvement. If there

C

were any hope of a revolution bringing improvement, it would here be virtue to wish for

one.

For the last three days, there had been such a provoking sameness in the appearance of the country, that had my weary limbs not convinced me I was moving onward, I could almost have supposed myself within the influence of the magnetised mountain of the Arabian Nights. The river still pursued a winding course, concealing itself behind continued headlands, covered with fresh brushwood. On the right side the mountains of Lauristan, of a bare and bluish appearance, form a marked contrast with the freshness of the river's channel. It is singular, that although these banks are proverbial for being the resort of lions and other wild animals, and travellers tell us of having seen them by day, and their repose at night having been disturbed by their roar, I have as yet been gratified neither by the pleasure of the first, nor agitated by the alarm of the second predicament.

TRADE OF BUSSORAH AND BAGDAD.

19

It is hardly necessary to add, that the same waters subserve to the wants of Persia and Mesopotamia, waft the modern Baghalah of the merchant of Bagdad, and the old air-supported rafts and asphaltic coracles of Mosul, the ancient Nineveh.*

The commercial intercourse between Bussorah and Bagdad consists of Indian manufactures, brought chiefly from Calcutta and the Malabar coast, by ships of five hundred tons burthen; of which, about eight trade up the Persian Gulf annually, under the English flag, and several under Arab and Persian colours. The following passage, extracted from Rauwolff's Travels, will prove the trade between these two places to have been very considerable in his day.

"In this town there is a great deposition of merchandizes, by reason of its commodious situation, which are brought hither by sea as well as by land from several parts,

*See Appendix, E.

chiefly from Natolia, Syria, Armenia, Constantinople, Aleppo, Damascus, &c. to carry them farther into the Indies, Persia, &c. So it happened, that during the time I was there, on the 2nd day of December, in 1574, there arrived twenty-five ships, with spice and other precious drugs, here, which came over sea from the Indies, by the way of Ormutz, to Balsora, a town belonging to the Grand Turk, situated on the frontiers, the farthest that he hath south-eastwards, within six days' journey from hence, where they load their goods into small vessels, and so bring them to Bagdat, which journey, as some say, taketh them up forty days. Seeing that the passage, both by water and land, belongeth both to the King of Arabia and the Sophi of Persia, which also have their towns and forts on their confines, which might easily be stopped up by them; yet, notwithstanding all this, they may keep good correspondence with one another; they keep pigeons, chiefly at Balsora, which, in case

BUSSORAH AND BAGDAD.

21

of necessity, might be soon sent back again with letters to Bagdat. When loaden ships arrive at Bagdat, the merchants, chiefly those that bring spice to carry through the deserts into Turkey, have their peculiar places in the open fields without the town of Ctesiphon, where each of them fixeth his tents, to put his spices underneath, in sacks, to keep them there safe, until they have a mind to break up in whole caravans; so that at a distance one would rather believe that soldiers were lodged in them, than merchants; and rather look for arms than merchandizes; and I thought myself, before I came so near, that I could smell them."*

Towards the afternoon a southerly wind sprang up, and rather than my boat should lose the advantage of it, (the current being very strong against us,) I embarked for three hours; when I again pursued my tour on foot.