82 The Persian Travels Book II. 



From thence we went to Aleppo , and ftay'd there from the feventh of Otlober j 

 to the thirtieth of 'December. 



On the thirtieth we let forward for Nineveh , and with little variation of the Road 

 which I have already defcrib'd in my third Voyage from Park. We arriv'd the fecond 

 day of February at Moujfid or Nineveh , where we ftay'd 'till the fifteenth , 'till the 

 tCUets or Boats of the Country could be got ready. Our Kilet carry'd thirty Paf- 

 fengers , and fixty hundred of Aleppo Weight , or thirty three thoufand pound of 

 Paris Weight , upon which the Tigris bore us from Moufful to Babylon. 



CHAP. VII. 



A Continuation of the Q{pad "tohich the Author kept in the fourth 

 Voyage into Alia, and particularly of his paffage upon the Tigris 

 from Nineveh to Babylon. 



TH E fifteenth of February we put off from Monjfnl , and after we had 

 iwam fix hours , we came to lye near a hot Bath , about a Musket-fhot 

 from the Tigris. It was throng'd with Sick people that came thither 

 for their Recovery. We kept our felves upon the Watch all night •, but 

 for all we could do, the Arabs ftoletwo Coverlets from a Merchant, andaTw-^s 

 Cloaths that was gone into the Bath. 



The fixteenth , after we had row'd about five hours , we came to a huge Dam •, 

 it is 200 Foot wide, and makes a fall in the River of about 20 Fathoms fteep. The 

 Arabians faid that Alexander the Great made it to turn the courie of the River ^ 

 others will have it , that Darius caus'd it to be made to hinder the paffage of the 

 Macedonians by Water. However , we were fore'd to land our felves and our 

 Goods, and to lade them upon Horfes which the Arabs brought us. 



The paffing this Dam is worthy obfervation. For it is a thing of wonder to 

 fee the Kilet all of a fudden fall above fixfeore Foot , and yet to be kept by the 

 Leather-Bottles ft ill above Water. The Water-men that guide the Boat, tye them- 

 felves. and their Oars faft to a Pearch bent like a Semicircle , to defend themfclves 

 from the force of the Water. And indeed this is the Dam that renders Tigris un- 

 navigable. 



The Kilet being come to the place where we expected it, we put our Goods 

 aboard , and lay in the fame place upon the Bank of the River. For the Arabs , if they 

 perceive the Merchants aflecp , cut the Cords of the Kilet , and fetting it a-drift, 

 iwim after it , and rifle away what they pleafe. 



The feventeenth, after three hours. rowing we met with the River Zab, that 

 empties into the Tigris, upon Chaldea-ftde. Half a League above the River ftands 

 a fair Caftle of Brick upon a little Hill j but no body dwelling in it, it runs to ruine. 

 We were twelve hours that day upon the Water , and came to lye at a place which 

 was full of Wood, where we made great Fires, and fhot off our Muskets often in 

 the night to fcare the Lions. 



The eighteenth we were upon the Water eighteen hours , and lay upon the Bank 

 of the River , upon AJfyriaSidc. That Evening the Arabs brought us Milk-Meats, 

 and frefh Butter. They fwim from the other fide of the River with a Boracho under 

 their Stomachs , and another upon their Heads , wherein they bring their Commo- 

 dities } for which they will have no Money , but only Tobacco , or Bisket , or 

 Pepper. 



The nineteenth , in four hours time we met with a River call'd Altum-fon , or The 

 River of Gold. It flows from the Mountains of the Mcdes , and I travel'd by the 

 fide of it for three days together, returning from Tauris to Aleppo , and paffmg the 

 Tigris to Mefia. The Water of the River is of an excellent taft , and it falls into 

 Tigris upon AJfyria-iide. All along the Tigris , on the fame fide , are great ftore -of 

 Bituminous Springs , and other Streams of hot Water that fmcll of Sulphur. All that 



day 



