312 Journal of a Steam Trip to the north of Baghdad. [Aprii^ 



bank of the Tigris, is now encircled by a strong wall built at the expense 

 of the influential Shiah population of India. When I visited it in 1843 

 this wall was just begun. The town was before open and suffered much 

 from the demands of the Bedoins. They used to encamp outside and 

 threaten to pillage the place if their demands were not complied with. 

 It however is now secure and free from such visits. But a great over- 

 sight has been committed in not extending the walls to the margin of 

 the cliffs overlooking the river, for the Bedoins could at anytime destroy 

 the aqueduct which conveys the water to the town, and thus by cutting 

 off the supply of this necessary article, compel the inhabitants to come 

 to terms. It is however on the whole a miserable town and owes its 

 importance chiefly to two handsome tombs;* surmounted by cupolas, 

 the larger being that erected over the remains of Imam Hussain Askari. 

 It has recently been repaired, and, I believe, was formerly covered with 

 gold similar to the cupolas of Kathemein, Kerbella and Nejaf, but is 

 now perfectly white, the present funds not being sufficient to give it its 

 former splendour. The smaller cupola, or that of Imam Mehdi, is a 

 very neat cupola, beautifully enamelled with yellow and white flowers 

 on a bluish green ground. Imam Mehdi was the last of the Imams 

 revered by the Shiahs, and is said to have disappeared from the earth 

 at this spot. A large hole over which this edifice is erected points out 

 the locality, and from which it is believed he will at some future period 

 present himself. It is therefore much venerated by Mahomedans, 

 epecially by the Shiahs. Pilgrimsf from all parts of Persia resort to 

 this place annually. I am informed that 10,000 is the yearly average 

 of the number of devotees to this sacred spot, but am inclined to 

 believe this amount is even now under-estimated. No tax is here levied 

 on the Pilgrims, but the proprietors of the Khans and houses in which 

 they reside, pay to Government 2 Riego Piastres for each individual. 

 The modern town comprises about 250 houses, with a Sunni population 

 slightly under 1 000, who possess among them barely 1 00 stand of arms. 



* See sketch accompanying" these notes. 



t Since the occupation of the holy cities of Kerbella and Nejaf, by the Turks in 1843, 

 the influx of pilgrims into the Baghdad Pachalic has much decreased. The security 

 afforded at present by the mild government and toleration of Nejib Pasha, will however 

 soon restore the confidence of the Persian devotees, and moreover materially add to the 

 annual revenue of the province, which diminished considerably after the supposed ill- 

 timed policy of the Pasha. 



