TURKEY IN ASIA, f 



bagnio contains three rooms ; the first for dressing and undressing 5 

 the second contains the water, and the third the bath ; all of them, 

 paved with black and white marble. The operation of the bath is 

 very curious but wholesome ; though to those not accustomed to it 

 it is painful. The waiter rubs the patient with great vigour, then 

 handles and stretches his limbs as if he were dislocating every bone 

 in the body; all which exercises are, in those inert warm countries, 

 very conducive to health. In public bagnios, the men bathe from 

 morning to four in the afternoon ; when all male attendants being re- 

 moved, the ladies succeed, and when coming out of the bath display 

 their finest clothes. 



Bagdad, built upon the Tigris, not far, it is supposed, from the site 

 of ancient Babylon, is the capital of the ancient Chaldea, and was the 

 metropolis of the caliphate, under the Saracens, in the twelfth cen- 

 tury. This city retains but few marks of its ancient grandeur. It is 

 in the form of an irregular square, and rudely fortified ; but the con- 

 veniency of its situation renders it one of the seats of the Turkish 

 government, and it has still a considerable trade, being annually vi- 

 sited by the Smyrna, Aleppo, and western caravans. The houses of 

 Bagdad are generally large, built of brick and cement, and arched 

 over to admit the free circulation of the air ; many of the windows 

 are made of elegant Venetian glass, and the ceilings ornamented with 

 checquered work. Most of the houses have also a court-yard before 

 them, in the middle of which is a small plantation of orange-trees. 

 The number of houses is computed at 80,000, each of which pays an 

 annual tribute to the pasha, which is calculated to produce 300,000/. 

 sterling. The bazars, in which the tradesmen have their shops, are 

 tolerably handsome, large, and extensive, filled with shops of all kinds 

 of merchandise, to the number of 12,000. These were erected by the 

 Persians, when they were in possession of the place, as were also their 

 bagnios, and almost every thing here worthy the notice of a traveller. 

 The population of Bagdad has, however, greatly declined within these 

 few years. The plague of 1773, carried off two-thirds of the inhabi- 

 tants, who now scarcely amount to 20,000 ; for here, as at Aleppo, 

 whole streets and bazars are desolate. In this city are five mosques, 

 two of which are well built, and have handsome domes, covered with 

 varnished tiles of several colours. Two chapels are permitted for those 

 of the Romish and Greek persuasions. On the north-west corner of 

 the city stands the castle, which is of white stone, and commands the 

 river, consisting of curtains and bastions, on which some large cannon-- 

 are mounted, with two mortars in each bastion ; but in the year 1779 

 they were so honey-combed and bad, as to be supposed not to be able 

 to support one firing. Below the castle, by the water-side, is the 

 palace of the Turkish governor ; and there are several summer-houses 

 in the river, which make a fine appearance. The Arabians who in- 

 habited this city under the caliphs were remarkable for the purity and 

 elegance of their dialect. 



Bassorah, or Basrah, situate on the Euphrates, about 40 miles from 

 the Persian Gulf, is a place of considerable trade, containing about 

 50/00 inhabitants ; but it is scarcely to be included in the Turkish 

 dominions, since it belongs to an independent Arab prince, who pays 

 very little respect to the Ottoman court. 



Ancient Assyria is now called the Turkish Curdistan, though part 

 ©f it is subject to the Persians. The capital is Curdistan, the ancient 

 .Nineveh being now a heap of ruins, Curdistan is said to be for the 



