﻿MODERN 
  LIFE 
  IN 
  THE 
  CRADLE 
  OF 
  CIVILIZATION 
  

  

  Photograph 
  bv 
  Eric 
  Keast 
  

  

  RIVER 
  CRAFT 
  OF 
  MESOPOTAMIA 
  

   On 
  the 
  waters 
  of 
  the 
  Tigris 
  and 
  the 
  Euphrates, 
  the 
  rivers 
  which 
  enclose 
  Mesopotamia 
  and 
  give 
  it 
  its 
  name, 
  

   ply 
  the 
  curious 
  kufas, 
  circular 
  boats 
  which 
  are 
  large 
  enough 
  to 
  carry 
  a 
  dozen 
  men 
  or 
  half 
  as 
  many 
  horses. 
  These 
  

   boats 
  are 
  of 
  basketwork 
  covered 
  with 
  bitumen, 
  or 
  mineral 
  pitch, 
  such 
  as 
  was 
  used 
  for 
  mortar 
  in 
  the 
  building 
  of 
  the 
  

   walls 
  of 
  Babylon. 
  Being 
  rudderless, 
  they 
  whirl 
  and 
  bump 
  here 
  and 
  there 
  as 
  they 
  transport 
  native 
  cargoes 
  on 
  these 
  

   historic 
  streams. 
  

  

  Ill 
  

  

  