290 
ROUTE TO BABYLON. 
which it was called by way of eminence, terminated on the east, 
near the site of the city of Seleucia, where it poured itself into 
the Tigris, after having borne ships of considerable burthen on 
its broad and magnificent current. Of course it suffered with 
other great public works of the early monarchs, during the 
various contests for sovereignty which took place after the death 
of Alexander ; but it was repaired by Trajan at the time of his 
conflicts with the Parthian kings ; and afterwards bore the barks 
of a Roman emperor on its bosom, in like manner as we are led 
to believe it carried those of the Macedonian admiral. 
A ride of three more hours brought us to the khaun of half- 
way, called by the natives Beer-Junus, from a deep well, and the 
tomb of a saint, close to its wall. Having passed it, and pro¬ 
ceeded another hour, we arrived at the point where a road 
branches off in a south-westerly direction to Mosseib on the 
Euphrates, whence the pilgrims going to Kerbela cross the river 
by a bridge. Our path lay as usual south 10° west; and two 
more hours brought us to the khaun of Iskanderia ; a large 
and commodious halting-place, built by order of Mahmoud Hus¬ 
sein Khan, the present Ameen-i-Doulah of the king of Persia. 
The materials of which the edifice is constructed have been 
gathered on the spot; the whole ground about being covered 
with the usual Chaldean vestiges of former ancient buildings; 
namely, bricks of the old Babylonian fabrick. We arrived at 
six o’clock in the evening, and were to rest there the night, 
having made a journey of not less than twenty-eight miles. 
Opposite to the new establishment, stand the neglected walls 
of its predecessor; a much inferior structure, though never to 
have been despised, for when shelter is wanted, the humblest 
shed is a blessing in these countries of intolerable suns and scanty 
shade. Close to the deserted khaun, the miserable low huts of the 
