306 Journal of a Steam Trip to the north of Baghdad. [April, 



the Tigris or El Sh'taitha bears S. S. E. one and half miles distant, which 

 would make the bottom of the reach south of Khan Tholiyeh, in latitude 

 33° 59' nearly, consequently if my latitude be correct (which I have no 

 reason to doubt) the delineation of this part of the river in Lynch' s 

 Map is scarcely carried far enough south. It is difficult however to 

 speak with certainty, as the map in my possession is on a very small 

 scale, deduced by Arrowsmith from Lynch' s original of 12 inches to a 

 degree. Capt. Lynch' s fixed stations are however very accurately 

 determined. During the night the river rose 8 inches, occasioning 

 the banks to fall in with loud reports. Thermometer 42° at day- 

 break. 



Left our anchorage at 6-9 a. m. and crossed over to the Hawi on 

 the left bank and received some fuel; completed at 9-15 and pursued 

 a northerly course towards Khan Tholiyeh.* I may here mention a 

 trait of Arab rapacity and general character. Some of the Jebour had 

 been assisting us in carrying our fuel, and I presented them with some 

 ball cartridge in return ; scarcely however had they reached the party to 

 whom they were to have been presented, when one and all made a gene- 

 ral scramble. — The person to whom I entrusted them finding it now 

 impossible to distinguish those who had earned the cartridges, threw 

 them down, and such a scene ensued as could only be told by any 

 unfortunate traveller who might fall into such hands, as assuredly his 

 garments or any other property he might possess would be thus con- 

 tended for ; swords were drawn, and sticks of no ordinary dimensions 

 whistled through the air, and when we left, the excitement appeared as if 

 it would last the entire day. 



The stream is now becoming more rapid from the increased declivity of 

 its shingly bed ; as we approached the neighbourhood of Khan Tholiyeh, 

 our progress therefore was proportionally slow. At 9-50 the Khan bore 

 N. E. one and half miles. From this the river pursues a westerly direction 

 to Khan Mazrakji, and from thence to El Ghaim,f a little more northerly. 

 At noon, Beled on the Dejil bore 182°, Tholiyeh Khan 89°. At lh. a 

 tomb in the body of Nahrwan, called Imam Syed Hussain, bore north 

 one and half miles distant. A small branch of the Nahrwan is also called 



* A caravanserai on the road to Samarrah from Baghdad. 

 t Properly El Kaim, but is pronounced as I have written it. 



