6 Travels through Turlfj^ 



fion of artincial mutilations, became unexpectedly an im- 

 portant argument in its favour. I will, however, readily 

 acknowledge, that all the cafes above mentioned may not be 

 of equal authenticity, and equally jncontrovertible ; but even 

 though the leaft improbable fliould be rejefted, there will 

 liiil remain, to fupport the probability of the thing, as many 

 as could be defired for a propofition which cannot well be 

 proved by direcl experiments made for the purpofe. 



jr. Report on the Travels of C. Olivier and C. BRtr- 

 GUIEEE, undertaken hy order oj the French Goz'ernmcnty 

 through the Ottoman Empire, Egjpt and Perjla, during 

 ihe Years 1792, 93, 94, 95, 96 and 97*. 



[Concluded from tiie ialt Volume, p. 347.] 



X HIS journcv was extremely intcrefting ; for, bcfides 

 the great number of objc^ls which we coUcoted, and the ob- 

 fervations we had occafion to make, we were furprifed to fee 

 a country exceedingly fertile, yet almolt a defcrt, and often 

 volcanic, exhibiting, at every ftcp, vefligcs of ancient cities. 

 "We crolfcd the Euphrates and the Tigris on wretched 

 wooden boats; and two rivers, which flow from the moun- 

 tains of Curdiftan, on boats formed of a number of inflatec^ 

 Ikins joined together. I lliall defcribc, with fome minute- 

 riefs, this finiple method of crofiing rivers, becaufe it might 

 be emplo\ed with advantage in Europe, on account of the 

 facility and trfling expence of tranfporting a great number 

 of fkins; of inflating tl:cm in a moment, and uniting theiii 

 lirmlv together by means of the branches of trees ; and of 

 conveying, in this manner, over the largcft rivers, a w-hole 

 army without any danger. 



When we arrived at Bagdad, the pacha was fo ill that two 

 Pcrllan phyficians, who attended iiim, had given over all 



"' Read i.n the Sirting of tlie National Inftitute, February 14th. Ey C. 

 0:;vi r. 



hope^ 



