1836.] Report of the Euphrates Expedition. 681 



Arga I)agh consists of tertiary sandstone and limestone tilled up by and re- 

 posing on serpentine and diallege rocks, which would indicate different geo- 

 graphical connections. The direction of the Arga Dagh is nearly from SW. 

 to NE. ; that of the shistose chain of Durdoon Dagh, a little south of east ; that 

 of the Giaur Dagh (Amanus) is the same as Arga Dagh. Colonel Chesney 

 returned to Port William from Marash, leaving directions for the remainder of 

 the party to proceed in the direction of Samsat, Or/a, &c. ; but beiug thrown 

 back on RomJcala by the swollen rivers, they returned to Port William, survey- 

 ing the river between those places. During the whole period of their progress 

 the positions of the principal places, ancient and modern, were determined as- 

 tronomically by Lieutenant Murphy, and careful itineraries kept, in addition 

 to bearings taken, when practicable, with the theodolite or Kater's compass, ac- 

 cording to circumstances. The results of these labours has been, in the first 

 place, to connect the survey of the coast of Lattaquia and that of the Issus 

 with that of Captain Beaufort ; and, in the second, to join those surveys to the 

 Euphrates. There are ample mateiials for laying down a map with such a de- 

 gree of accuracy as will, it is hoped, enable the learned to determine many 

 points of ancient history and geography, especially those depending upon the 

 length of the stadium, the parasang, and other scales of measurement used by 

 Strabo, Pliny, and Herodotus. 



On the day following the return of the first party, another was sent out by 

 the commanding officer to finish that part of the plan which had been inter- 

 rupted. This one consisted of Lieutenant Lynch, Mr. Eden, R. N. and Mr. 

 Ainsworth. Agreeably to the instructions received, the party took up the for- 

 mer work at Romkala, proceeding from thence along the left bank, carefully sur- 

 veying the river as far as Samsat, the birth-place of Lucian. The ruins of 

 this celebrated place are just recognizable. The modern town small and poor, 

 but the valley itself fertile, as it is described to have been in former times ; and 

 ferry-boats are still kept up to pass the river to and from Or/a, The course 

 of the Euphrates from this ancient Zengma, to that above Bir, differs from 

 what has been represented on most maps : it flows, in fact, in the general direc- 

 tion of south-west, and is not turned, as an incorrect reading of Strabo would 

 infer, (RENNELLand D'Anville) to the south-east. 



Samosat having been fixed, it was then connected astronomically as well ashy 

 an itinerary, with Or/a, (Calli-rhoe, Roha Or/ah, in its progress of corruption, 

 Edessa, and Antiochea under successive masters.) To the north of the city are 

 evidences in c,onic lines, and circles of elevations of pseudo volcanic action. The 

 fish venerated so much in ancient times, are still preserved in the marble 

 basins of the mosque of Abrania, and were recognized to be a kind of Barbel. 

 From Or/a, the great Mesopotamian plain was crossed in the direction of Har- 

 ran, " Carrhas clade crassi nobiles," and still more interesting as the resi- 

 dence of Abraham. Harran was also connected with its rival in antiquity, Se- 

 rug, of which scarcely a vestige remains. In the plain around the ruined site 

 of the latter place, the party met two colossal lions, sculptured in basalt with 

 refined taste (Basanite basalt, with disseminated augite) ; these may possibly be the 

 remains of that vanity which prompted Antonius Caracalla to assert that 

 a lion had fought by his side in his Parthian wars. 



Doctor Helfer having been separated from the rest of the party when pro- 

 ceeding towards the Taurus, a journey made by him to the Salt Lakt south- 

 east of Aleppo, led to the discovery of an ancient city near a basaltic range, 

 four hours S. E. of the Lake. There are some remains of a temple and several 

 Greek inscriptions which have been furnished, with a detailed description of 

 this hitherto unknown place, by Mr. Hiclfkr. 



Early in February an opportune reinforcement arrived, consisting of four sappers 

 from Eugland, and six seamen from the Columbine, which restored the Expedi- 

 tion to its original strength ; and the peudulum, dipping needle, and other 

 experiments being completed, the Expedition was put in motion on the 16"th 

 March. The Euphrates taking the lead to survey, and give the benefit of the 

 rough charts, and a pilot to the Tigris, in order that she might follow at one 

 or at most two moves, and thus spare fuel as much as possible. 

 4 T 



