1836.] Report of the Euphrates Expedition. 679 



climate of Syria, be approached with fear, for its malaria is not a pestilence, and 

 the circumstances under which the Expedition was placed, toiling on lakes and 

 rivers, dwelling in the marsh, with almost reckless exposure to the sun of the 

 day, followed by the dew of the night, require a separate consideration ; and 

 perhaps the surprize will then be, that a greater fatality did not occur amongst 

 a body of men (about 85), in general unseasoned, during the laborious and almost 

 unexampled transport of two large iron vessels, which, thanks to the care of all, 

 have since been set up*, and are now steaming with their boilers, engines, &c. 

 quite as safe and even more perfect in their working details than when sent out 

 of the maker's hands at Liverpool, notwithstanding along journey, with all the 

 difficulties which could be thrown in the way by the Local Government un- 

 derhand. 



Previous to taking medical charge at the station at Moorad Pacha, Mr. 

 Ainsworth had made an examination of the less frequented countries imme- 

 diately south of Antioch. He crossed the mountains at Beit El Moie (the 

 Daphne of Pococke,) and entered forests which covered a great basin of tertiary 

 rocks chiefly cerithia limestone, silicious limestone and lacustrine marles, with 

 gypsum every where broken up and dislocated by serpentines and diallage rocks. 

 It is only in the valley of Antioch, that the Pliocene formations shewed them- 

 selves, and enabled Mr. A. to determine the period of the elevation of the plutouic 

 rocks of the silico-magnesian series. From Lattaquia, he followed Maun- 

 drell's route by the country of the Maroniles and Gebel Kraad, the northern 

 prolongation of the Ansarian mountains, and by the valley of Bedame, rich in 

 scammony (convolvulus scammonia) to that of the Orontes, which he joined at 

 Djezer Shogher, the Larissa of Gosselin, and Seleucus Belus of D'Anvillk. A 

 Roman road led to Koalat el Medyk, where are ruins of a highly ornamental 

 character. Part of the town is enclosed in an ancient castle situate on a hill ; 

 the other ruins lie in a plain part of a strong wall, and an archway still exist, and 

 also the remains of a temple. In the adjoining lake are the celebrated black 

 fish, the sources of a distant commerce, which were recognized to be the 31a- 

 cropteronotus magur of naturalists. From Medylc he visited the little centre of 

 primitive Christianity in the mountains of Reiha and Edlip, abounding in monu- 

 ments of a then new hierarchy, returning subsequently by the borders of the 

 great plaiu to Antioch. 



At this period, August 1835, Lieutenant Murphy commenced the grand line 

 of levels which was to be carried from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates, with 

 reference to canals, and many other objects of deep interest connected with 

 science and calculated to encourage this extensive work. 



Many obstacles occurred at first ; prolonged malaria had unfitted all for expo- 

 sure to the sun. Lieutenant Cockburne and Mr. Thomson after a short exer- 

 tion were both laid up. Lieutenant Murphy was also seriously ill. Ultimately 

 after another beginning, the last mentioned industrious officer left for Port 

 William, where he was required in the observatory, and levelling was continued 

 by Mr. Thomson, who has just completed this important part of the original 

 plan. 



Nearly at the same time a party composed of Lieutenant Lynch, his brother, 

 Mr. Staunton, and Mr. Elliot, set out on a mission of a friendly and 

 conciliatory nature to the Arabs. They visited the tribes of Welda, Aniza, Geeza, 

 the Bore-sipahi and some of the Turcomans, from all of whom they met a 

 favorable reception. The Aniza alone shewed a doubtful disposition, and the Bore- 

 sipahi, one of their tributaries, wounded one of the servants severely. This 

 hostility did not, however, appear to be directed against the Expedition so 

 much as with the view of plundering those gentlemen who had ventured amongst 

 them, and the Sheikh immediately offered to compromise the matter by presents, 

 which were declined as a matter of policy, in the hope that an unsettled affair of 

 blood may tend to keep the Aniza in better order as regards their future inter- 

 course with the Expedition. 



In the early part of January last, Colonel Chesney left his bed, and was ac- 

 tually put on his horse to prosecute a scientific journey to the Taurus, and part of 



* The labor fell chiefly upon Captain Estcourt of the 43d Light Infautry, Lieut, 

 Cleaveland, Messrs. Eden, Charleavood and FitzJames, K, N, 



