602 
coarser quality,’ ‘Thé-ase of straw inthe 
midst of the layers of ‘lime, asseen in the 
upper remains, was there ‘also every 
where evident; “but here, it) was ‘quite 
mouldered (aWay,its* impression’ alone 
being visible.2 °° 9 | 
‘Phe space vof wall, now underode- 
scription, is of considerable extent, and 
appears) ‘tome to have actually formed 
part‘of the noith-west angle of the pile 
invits ancient state. But what marks it 
as an object of particular observation is, 
that the courses of its bricks donot run 
level, but havea gentle inclination on its 
northern face, {owards the east; and on 
its eastern face, they slope to the south. 
This singularity cannot be accounted for 
by aseribing it to the electric: shock that 
may. have split, and, possibly, -over- 
tarned part of the superstructure ; their 
situation in the building being too dis- 
tant from that point to be affected by 
the means of its destruction. At some 
yards still lower down we came to an 
excavation, or rather very large and 
deep' hole, made by the clearing away 
of the rubbish; and through it we 
plainly discerned, what I may call the 
pith of the building; that is, the compo- 
sition of the solid body, and base of the 
pile; which’ consisted of sun-dricd 
bricks, of the same dimensions with 
thosé from the furnace, described.in the 
last specimen of wall, and which, like 
the bark of a tree, seem to have encased 
the whole. '°These interior, and, I may 
term then) “imperishable materials, are 
cemented together by layers of slime and 
broken straw, lying fall an inch anda 
half in-thickness ; and through this vast, 
consolidated) mass, large square holes, 
(each two feetin height, by one in width) 
penetrate, apparently, to the very heart 
of the stractare 
I have now: noticed, not merely dhe 
general appearance of the Birs on:all 
its sides; but every) remaining) piece of 
wall stilloperceptible, through the. deep 
accumulations of moulderingand broken 
fragments, which invade ‘the distinct 
lines of this ever-wonderful monument ; 
but [have yetoto remark; that; swith re- 
gard to the use) of bitumeny IT saw) no 
vestige of id whatever onlany remnantof 
building “on” the ‘uppers ascents;oand 
therefore drier regionsyo: It was towards 
ihe foundations’ of the-burnt brick-vwalls, : 
lower down, and on therlarge fragments 
of briek-ruins atthe base'of the pile, that 
I first\diseovered \any/specimehss yand 
’ there’ E fund them in great.quantitics, 
These circumstances led me to suppose, 
that bitumenowas chiefly confinedby the 
sofsuperstructures now,no.more, 
Sir Ry Ker Porter's Travels in Georgia, Persiay Armenia, § ce. 
Chaldean «builders; to, foundations 
and lower;parts,of Pai Tae ie 
purpose of preventing .the) ill) eflects 
thesdamp +and,, water,;,to,. which this 
country mustialways) have been liable 
from: the snecessive inundations, of the 
rivetis The same! reason, accounts, for 
the perforation in| the body, of the build- 
ings; to give. vent,to the consequent 
evaporations sfrom, the tele ret i 
Amongst' the many specimens of; bitu- 
men) 1, picked, up, were. several Jarge 
cakes, more than tem,inches long, and 
three in thickness;, appearing 4o, haye 
heen the casing of some work, perhaps 
the lining of awater-course. ....° 4... 
On observing Birs Nimrood from the 
plain, if we admit, the projecting stage 
towards the east to, have been; any, part 
of the real. base of the, original pile, then 
we must see, that, the, tower-like , re- 
mains, now forming jits highest, pyrami- 
dal point, do not rise over, the true centre 
of the building, | Butif we subtract.that 
projection fromy the prt 
only as a-platform, or court of approach, 
then we haye) a, remaining ground.of 
elevation exactly adapted | to, make. the 
present highest point that ofits DERRY 
centres and this.result, the four.views. 
have given will snficiently, shew... _In- 
deed, the effects of the gradual moulder- 
ing of any tower, or,conical structure, 
will always, while a,vestige remains, de- 
fine themselves, and, therefor An the 
general outline, that othe ling 
which common fact, if allowed.in, this 
instance, presents the present ruin, as I 
would Jimit its base, ina form more.con- 
sonant to historical details of tbe;Tem- 
ple of Belus, than.if we, were to suppose 
its foundations had been spread oyer the 
whole oblong surface. yomlnaidcn 
All around its, present base extends 
to some distance an open. area, bounded 
by mounds, which J shall more. particu- 
larly. mention hereafter, baying Brot des 
scribed one that may, be.called of prodi- 
gious magnitude, though ubder the sha- 
dow of Babel itself, . It, is distant from 
iheeastern front of the great pile about 
270. feet ; extends north.and south to a 
breadth of 1242 feet; where, those, two 
sides take ratherja triangular.form, to a 
distance of 1935 feet, mecting,.in.a bend, 
to the eastward... The whole, of its sum- 
mitand:sides are furrowed, into, endless 
ibollows,)iand | traversing, channels, ihe 
effect (of, time,” accident, and,various 
ysorts)0foviolences ;and all. are | thickly 
embedded with fragments of bricks, tiles, 
witrifications,; bitumen, &c, theremnants 
The 
