120 Letter from Rev. Dr. Smith on the Ruins of Nineveh. 
Upon the walls of these castles are men in a great variety of at- 
titudes, some with both hands uplifted, as if imploring for mercy, 
some engaged in defence, some transfixed with arrows and falling 
forwards, and some already surrounded by flames, while before 
them men are sometimes impaled, their countenances distorted 
as if in the agonies of death. The besiegers are not only tri- 
umphant, but are represented as larger than the besieged in stature 
and more noble in mien. They also appear in many different 
forms: while some are shooting arrows at those on the walls, and 
some with torches are setting on fire the gates, others still are 
protecting these from the weapons of the besieged, by holding 
before them round or rectangular shields. In fine, it seems to 
have been the artist’s design to represent in, upon, and around the 
castles, every attitude that warriors might be supposed to take in 
such circumstances. Upon the front of each of these structures 
a short inscription is found. These are different one from the 
other, and probably designed to communicate the name by which 
it was known. As the castles themselves are only three or four 
feet high, the figures here described are of course small. Of fig- 
ures about the same size with the castles there is also a great 
variety. Here a two-wheeled chariot of war is seen containing 
three persons, one in royal apparel drawing a bow, another by his 
side protecting him with a shield, and the third one guiding the 
horses, who are four abreast. There a king is seen riding ina 
similar chariot in time of peace, with an umbrella held over his 
head by one, and the horses conducted as before by a second at- 
tendant, all being in an erect posture. In one place a feast is 
represented, the guests sitting on opposite sides of tables, and on 
chairs, in true occidental style, while servants are bringing fluid 
in goblets, which other servants are employed in filling from im- 
mense vases; the vases, goblets, chairs and tables all being highly 
ornamented with carved work. In another place a navy is repre- 
sented as landing near a city. A number of boats well manned 
and loaded with timber, are approaching the shore, while others — 
are unlading timber from other boats, and others still are engaged 
in building a bridge, or perhaps a sort of carriage-way for the 
mounting of battering-rams. In the water are seen crabs, fish, 
turtles, mermaids, and a singular monster shaped like an ox, witha 
human head and eagles’ wings. One room, thirty feet square, has 
its walls completely covered with a hunting scene. Trees, hav- 
