OF KESRA-SHIRENE. 
213 
open, ever kept a sharp look-out for my personal safety,) and a 
Georgian well-armed, accompanied the Arab to explore the 
interesting remains which at every step rose before us. 
We passed under a gateway of simple construction, formed 
of hewn stones ; which, together with its flanking walls stretching 
right and left, stood about twelve feet, and might be about six 
in thickness. The wall, on one side, ran to a considerable 
distance northward, and then forming an angle, stretched west; 
whence it curved again, running a little way; then disappeared in 
utter ruin, then started up again in massy fragments, at different 
distances, but all, latterly, in a southern direction ; the whole 
seeming to have formerly inclosed an area of some miles, and likely 
to have been occupied by the streets, courts, and public buildings 
of a very noble city. Indeed, the relics that were still standing, 
shewed that it had been so. The first ruined edifice we ap¬ 
proached, was built of stone, and consists of long ranges of vaulted 
rooms, nearly choked up with the fallen masses of what may have 
been its magnificent superstructure. A little onward, we came to 
the remains of some place of great magnitude; it is a square build¬ 
ing of nearly a hundred feet along each side; four entrances have 
led into the interior, and the arches of these portals, which are 
falling fast to the last stage of decay, cannot be less than from 
thirty to forty feet in height. The walls are of equal elevation, 
and of a more than ordinary thickness for any structure not in-* 
tended to stand the brunt of war, being twelve feet in solidity. 
The interior of the place, which seems to have been one enor¬ 
mous chamber, or hall, is covered with lime, stones, and other 
broken fragments of masonry ; but I searched in vain for any 
remnant of sculptured ornament, or inscription. At the south¬ 
western angle of the great area within the city walls, on a com- 
