220 LOFTUS ON THE " EULAEUS." [Dec. 8, 1856. 



of the modem Kerkhah ; one brancli of which, passing on the east of 

 Susa, eventually joined the Kuran below Bender-ghil. Thus the 

 name Choaspes properly applied to the western, while that of Eulaeus 

 referred to the eastern branch; and the name " Eulaeus " was also 

 given to the united streams and the Pasitigris. 



Sir E. Murchison remarked that the subject was not new to them — at 

 least, the geographical portion of it — for the volumes of the Society contained 

 references to this river, on the part of Col. Chesney, Lieut. Selby, and 

 others. He — Sir Roderick — had no decided opinion to offer upon a subject 

 which involved so much classical learning ; but he would say that the paper — 

 and this was the highest commendation he could give it — had met with the entire 

 approbation of one of their most able comparative geographers, Col. Leake, and 

 if he and Sir H. Eawlinson had been present, they would no doubt have spoken 

 in the highest terms of its merits. 



CoL. Sykes, F.R.G.S., asked whether there was any appearance of such a 

 physical alteration of the face of the country a-s might lead to the belief that 

 the discrepancies, which existed between the present state of tlie country and 

 the descriptions given of it by the Ancients, could be accounted for by any 

 convulsions of nature, such, for instance, as earthquakes ? In that view of 

 the subject there seemed some value in the study of comparative geography ; 

 because, supposing these discrepancies to exist, we might infer that there 

 must have been some great effort of nature to alter the courses of rivers and 

 the forms of mountains. Thus there would appear to be a relation between 

 comparative geography and geology. 



Mr. Loftus replied that there was no proof of any volcanic action ever 

 having taken place in that region. He had been there four years, and never 

 experienced any shock ; but there had been a change in the course of these 

 rivers. The Tigris and Euphrates had changed their courses continually; 

 and it was the same with other rivers. The soil is alluvial, and as far up 

 as Bussorah he found tertiary fossils — a species now existing in the Persian 

 Gulf. 



In answer to Colonel Sykes — 



Mr. Loftus said that Susa was 300 feet above the level of the sea, and 

 that there are hills at the back ; also that there is a great fall in the river, 

 and that at the lower part it is called " Kuran." Mr. Loftus pointed to the 

 copies of inscriptions from Susa and also to the plans of the palace upon the 

 table. 



General Monteith, f.r.g.s., said it was so many years since he made a survey 

 of these rivers, that he must make an apology for offering any observations upon 

 the subject under discussion. Had the Society then existed, a vast deal of 

 information, which was now lost, would certainly have been preserved. He 

 passed from Mohammerah to Ahwaz, and thence to Shuster, taking a survey 

 of the river with the best means in his power, and he was not deficient in 

 instruments. In the neighbourhood of Ahwaz there was a bund, which was 

 drawn across the river, for the purposes of both navigation and irrigation. 

 There was a bed of an apimrently large river passing round Ahwaz, which he was 

 informed was the Kuran, turned off in that direction artificially, to enable the 

 natives to build the bund. There was a bridge over it. After the bund was 

 established, the river was again turned into its old channel. This apparent 

 bed of the river was about 100 or 150 yards in breadth, and he was led to 

 suppose that it was the bed of another river. At Shuster there was another bund, 

 which was perhaps the greatest work executed at the present time. He thought 

 there was a mistake in the late survey where a canal had been given for the 

 bed of the river. The canal was crossed by a bridge of thirty-two arches, and 



