by a reference to his reverence, the Cadi, directed the idols to be carefully packed, and sent them at once to Constantinople by a special Tatar.

Whilst attempts were being made to discover the retreat of the fugitives, the Turkish camp remained near the village of Mirkan. I took this opportunity of visiting other parts of the Sinjar. The residence of the governor of the district is in the village built amongst the ruins of the old city-the Singara of the ancient geographers, and the "Belled Sinjar" of the Arabs. A small mud fort, raised a few years ago, stands on a hill in the midst of the remains of ancient walls and foundations; but the principal part of the ancient city appears to have occupied the plain below. Around this fort, at the time of my visit, were congregated about two hundred families. The Yezidi inhabitants of the village, unlike those of the other districts, are mixed with Mussulmans. The latter, however, are so lax in their religious observances, and in dress so like the Yezidis, that it is difficult to distinguish them from the unbelievers. I was continually falling into mistakes, and eliciting a very indignant exclamation of "God forbid!"

It would be difficult to point out, with any degree of certainty, ruins at Belled Sinjar more ancient than the Mohammedan conquest. It became a place of some importance in the early ages of Islam, and had its own semi-independent rulers. There are the remains of several fine buildings; and the lower part of a minaret, constructed, like that of the great mosque

of Mosul, of coloured tiles and bricks, is a conspicuous object from all parts of the plain. There are very abundant springs within the circuit of the old walls; the air is declared to be salubrious, and the soil rich and productive.

All the villages of the Sinjar are built upon one plan. The houses rise on the hill-sides, and are surrounded by terraces, formed of rough stones piled one above the other as walls, to confine the scanty earth. These terraces are planted with olive and fig trees ; a few vineyards are found near some villages. The houses, which are flat-roofed, are exceedingly clean and neat. They frequently contain several apartments. The walls of the interior are full of small recesses, like pigeon-holes, which are partly ornamental, and partly used to keep the domestic utensils and property of the owner. They give a very singular and original appearance to the room; and the oddity of the effect is considerably increased by masses of red and black paint daubed on the white wall, in patches, by way of ornament.

The principal, and indeed now the only, trade carried on by the inhabitants of the Sinjar, is in dried figs, which are celebrated in this part of Turkey, and supply all the markets in the neighbouring provinces. The soil is fertile, and, as the means of irrigation are abundant, corn and various useful articles of produce might be raised in great plenty from the extensive tracts of arable land surrounding the villages. But the people have been almost ruined by misgovern

ment; they can now scarcely cultivate corn enough for their own immediate wants.

The Pasha still lingered at Mirkan; and as I was anxious to return to Mosul, to renew the excavations, I took my leave of him, and rode through the desert to Tel Afer. I was accompanied by a small body of irregular cavalry, — a necessary escort, as the Aneyza Arabs were hanging about the camp, and plundering stragglers and caravans of supplies. As evening approached, we saw, congregated near a small stream, what appeared to be a large company of dismounted Arabs, their horses standing by them. As we were already near them, and could not have escaped the watchful eye of the Bedouin, we prepared for an encounter. I placed the baggage in the centre of my small party, and spread out the horsemen as widely as possible to exaggerate our numbers. We approached cautiously, and were surprised to see that the horses still remained without their riders; we drew still nearer, when they all galloped off towards the desert. They were wild asses. We attempted to follow them. After running a little distance they stopped to gaze at us, and I got sufficiently near to see them well; but as soon as they found that we were in pursuit they hastened their speed, and were soon lost in the distance.†

* Some account of the Sinjar, by the late Dr. Forbes - the only European, besides myself, who has, I believe, visited this singular district— will be found in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society.

The reader will remember that Xenophon mentions these beautiful animals, which he must have seen during his march in these very plains. He faithfully describes the country, and the animals and birds which in

I reached Mosul in two days, taking the road by Kessi Kupri, and avoiding the desert beyond AbouMaria, which we had crossed on our march to the Sinjar.

66

habit it, as they are to this day, except that the ostrich is not now to be found so far north. "The country," says he, was a plain throughout, as even as the sea, and full of wormwood; if any other kinds of shrubs or reeds grew there, they had all an aromatic smell; but no trees appeared. Of wild creatures, the most numerous were wild asses, and not a few ostriches, besides bustards and roe deer (gazelles), which our horsemen sometimes chased. The asses, when they were pursued, having gained ground of the horses, stood still (for they exceeded them much in speed); and when these came up with them, they did the same thing again; so that our horsemen could take them by no other means but by dividing themselves into relays, and succeeding one another in the chase. The flesh of those that were taken was like that of red deer, but more tender." (Expedition of Cyrus.) In fleetness they equal the gazelle; and to match them is a feat which only one or two of the most celebrated mares have been known to accomplish. The Arabs sometimes catch the foals during the spring, and bring them up with milk in their tents. I endeavoured in vain to obtain a pair. They are of a light fawn colour-almost pink. The Arabs still eat their flesh.

CHAP. X.

EXCAVATIONS ON A LARGE SCALE UNDERTAKEN BY THE BRITISH CHOICE OF WORKMEN.-DWELLING

MUSEUM.-PREPARATIONS.

DESCRIPTION OF THEM. -DISCOVERY OF ARMOUR AND HELMETS.

OF VASES. OF NEW CHAMBERS. OF THE OBELISK. SCRIPTION OF THE OBELISK. DISCOVERIES IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE MOUND. SPHINXES.- DISCOVERY OF TOMBS IN THE SOUTH-EAST CORNER

DE

-

WINGED LIONS. - CROUCHING

MODE OF IRRIGATION.

OF THE MOUND. -ARAB WORKMEN.
CUSTOMS OF THE ARABS. - FACILITY OF

THE TIYARI OR

REVENGE.-ARAB WOMEN. THE WORKMEN.
CHALDEANS. -THEIR WOMEN.—A RAFT PLUNDERED.— -SEIZURE
OF AN ARAB SHEIKH. ARAB EXCITEMENT.
SCULPTURES FOR BUSRAH.

DEPARTURE OF

On my return to Mosul, I received letters from England, informing me that Sir Stratford Canning had presented the sculptures discovered in Assyria, and had made over all advantages that might be derived from the order given to him by the Sultan, to the British nation; and that the British Museum had received a grant of funds for the continuation of the researches commenced at Nimroud, and elsewhere. The grant was small, and scarcely adequate to the objects in view. There were many difficulties to contend with, and I was doubtful whether, with the means placed at my disposal, I should be able to fulfil the expectations which appeared to have been formed, as to the results of the undertaking. The sum given to M. Botta for the excavations at Khors