184/.] Journal of a Steam Trip to the north of Baghdad. 319 



favorite mares are barren and suffering from disease, and happiness has 

 left their homes." Some English iron, I believe belonging to Messrs. 

 Lynch and Co. of Baghdad, was offered to us for sale, for a mere nothing. 

 This had been plundered from a caravan a few months previously, and 

 a common bottle taken from some of SulimanMirza's party was tender- 

 ed for the exorbitant price of two Ghazees.* The former offer, I replied, 

 I could not accept, as I too, had iron for sale, and pointed to the 9lb. 

 shot, which Syed told me caused some amusement. The latter, I did 

 not want and offered them as many as they wished for, which soon 

 lowered the price of their commodity. These people appear to be the 

 terror of the Jezira from their lawless habits. The Shammar, though 

 feared, are much less dreaded. 



April 8th. — River rose three inches last night ; weighed at 6h. with 

 cloudy weather and a south wind which, should it freshen, may assist us. 

 At 7-17 Ashik bore west three quarters of a mile distant, Cha'afel Kelbf 

 some high mounds south of Ashik 20 1 1. Sammariah 1 37t. Mahirgeh 1 29t. 

 with the mounds of Mashuk nearly in a line with it, Khalifa 1 12t. The 

 river from this bends more to the N. E. for a short distance along the 

 cliffs, forming the east boundary of the valley of the Tigris, thence north 

 to Shinas, some modern ruins which extend a considerable distance to near 

 Abri Delif, a miniature resemblance of the Maluryeh, which we passed at 

 llh. a moderate south wind materially assisting our progress. At lh. 

 10m. arrived opposite the mounds of Mehjir and theKantarat elResasa, 

 or main branch of the Nahrwan already alluded to. TJhe former is the 

 scene of a great action fought by Omar, Pasha of Baghdad, against the 

 large tribe of Majainmah (Dr. Ross's Journal Roy. Geo. Society, Vol. 

 IX.) on the east side of the Tigris, about two miles inland from this, to 

 the eastward is the upper " Sidd" or " band" across the Mahrwan, 

 constructed of large masses of stone, held together by leaden clamps 

 From this it derives its name Kantarat el Resasa, literally signifying 

 " the bridge of lead," and although not actually a bridge in our accep- 

 tation of the term, but a dam to confine the water in the low season, 

 it might have answered both purposes, or with more probability, the 

 name may be modern and come into use only since the decay of the 

 canal. 



* About 8 shillings. 



t Mounds of the Seven Sleepers and their Dogr. 



2 v 2 



