:>18 Journal of a Steam Trip to the north of Baghdad. [April, 



chain of 150 fathoms attached to it, brought off across the heavy stream 

 to the vessel. We now thought the heaving off certain, and were con- 

 gratulating ourselves on our success, when the chain snapped in two and 

 the vessel swung round with a heavy crash, as if her bottom was stove 

 in, her head down and the starboard broadside now receiving the whole 

 weight of the stream. Tried in vain to connect our chain again during 

 a heavy squall of thunder, lightning and rain, and desisted for the night. 

 During the night the stream forced the lee-side of the vessel higher up 

 on the bank, while the weather-side heeled over to starboard, into deep 

 water, occasioned by the heavy current acting against the vessel, cutting 

 or abrading away the bank below us. At daylight the port side of the 

 vessel was nearly dry, while the water was within 1 8 inches of the star- 

 board scuttles, and had we remained much longer in this position she 

 might have turned over or perhaps filled when the water reached them ; 

 at day dawn, however, we were again at work and happily succeeded in 

 connecting the chains. From this time till lh. 20m. p. m. on the 7th 

 we had at intervals a heavy strain, by which the vessel righted and 

 eventually came off the ground by allowing the stream to catch her on 

 the opposite quarter. Employed the remainder of the afternoon, after 

 securing in a good berth, in picking up our anchors and cables. Had 

 we grounded on the lower Tigris a few minutes would have sufficed to 

 have again set us in motion, but on the upper Tigris and Euphrates, it 

 is the labour of hours, if not of days. 



Part of the Shammar Arabs under Nijiris are roaming about this 

 part of the country, as are the Al' Bu Hamed, Large herds of their 

 camels are grazing around and enjoying the rich grass which abounds 

 every where at this season. Some of the tribe approached the vessel 

 when aground, and a Bedoin I have with me was sent to them, to 

 offer no molestation to our crew, while burying the anchors on shore. 

 Two of the party were present at the affray in which Suliman Mirza 

 lost his life, and in which our friend Timour was severely wounded by a 

 spear through his lungs. They inform us that the person who slew 

 Suliman Mirza by severing his head from his body at one blow, met his 

 death a few days afterwards from an Ajail Arab, when they attacked a 

 caravan. They also profess to regret the circumstances attending the 

 attack on the princes, and say they have not known " good" since. 

 " Their chiefs have been killed and their children have died : their 



