The Persian Travels Book II. 



From thence we went to Aleppo , and ftay'd there from the feventh of October 

 to the thirtieth of December. 



On the thirtieth we fet forward for Nineveh, and with little variation of the Road 

 which I have already defcrib'd in my third Voyage from Paris. We arriv'd the fécond 

 day of Febrmry at Moufful or Nineveh , where we ftay'd 'till the fifteenth , 'till the 

 Kilets or Boats of the Country could be got ready. Our Kilet carry'd thirty Paf- 

 fengers , and fixty hundred of Aleppo Weight , or thirty three thoufand pound of 

 Paris Weight , upon which the Tigris bore Us from Moujful to Babylon. 



CHAP. VII. 



A Continuation of the <3{oad Dohich the Author kept in the fourth 

 Voyage into Afia , and particularly of his paffage upon the Tigris 

 from Nineveh to Babylon. 



TH E fifteenth of Febrmry we put off from MoHffnl , and after we had 

 fwam fix hours , we came to lye near a het Bath , about a Musket-lhot 

 from the Tigris. It was throng'd with Sick people that came thither 

 for their Recovery. We kept our felves upon the Watch all night -, but 

 for all we could do, the Arabs ftoletwo Coverlets from a Merchant, andaTwj^s 

 Cloaths that was gone into the Bath. 



The fixteenth , after we had row'd about five hours , we came to a huge Dam \ 

 it is 200 Foot wide, and makes a fall in the River of about 20 Fathoms fteep. The 

 Arabians faid that Alexander the Great made it to turn the courle of the River j 

 others will have it , that Darius caus'd it to be made to hinder the paflàge of the 

 Macedonians by Water. However, we were forc'd to land our felves and our 

 Goods, and to lade them upon Horfes which the Arabs brought us. 



The paffing this Dam is worthy obfervation. For it is a thing of wonder to 

 fee the Kilet all of a fudden fall above fixfcore Foot , and yet to be kept by the 

 Leather-Bottles ftill above Water. The Water-men that guide the Boat, tye them- 

 felves and their Oars fall to a Pearch bent like a Semicircle , to defend themfelves 

 from the force of the Water. And indeed this is the Dam that renders Tigris un- 

 navigable. 



The Kilet being come to the place where we expe&ed it , we put our Goods 

 aboard , and lay in the fame place upon the Bank of the River. For the Arabs, if they 

 perceive the Merchants afieep , cut the Cords of the Kilet, and.fetting it a-drift, 

 fwim after it , and rifle away what they pleafe. 



The feventeenth , after three hours rowing we met with the River Zab , that 

 empties into the Tigris, upon Chaldea-fiâe. Half a League above the River ftands 

 a fair Caftle of Brick upon a little Hill } but no body dwelling in it , it runs to ruine. 

 We were twelve hours that day upon the Water, and came to lye at a place which 

 was full of Wood , where we made great Fires, and (hot off our Muskets often in 

 the night to fcare the Lions. 



The eighteenth we were upon the Water eighteen hours , and lay upon the Bank 

 of the River, upon L^n^-fide. That Evening the Arabs brought us Milk-Meats, 

 and frefh Butter. They fwim from the other fide of the River with a Boracho under 

 their Stomachs , and another upon their Heads , wherein they bring their Commo- 

 dities-, for which they will have no Money, but only Tobacco, or Bisket, or 

 Pepper. 



The nineteenth , in four hours time we met with a River call'd Altum-fon , or The 

 River of Gold. It flows from the Mountains of the Me de s , and I travel'd by the 

 fide of it for three days together, returning from Tamis to Aleppo , and paffing the 

 Tigris to Mefia. The Water of the River is of an excellent tail , and it falls into 

 Tigris upon Affyria-Me. All along the Tigris , on the lame fide , are great ftore of 

 Bituminous Springs , and other Streams of hot Water that fmell of Sulphur. All that 



day 



