KASR, OR PALACE. 
3 55 
of such an hypothesis, may maintain it very fairly by a thousand 
reasons drawn from as many supposed probabilities incidental 
to the place ; but on the spot, one view of the simple fact, dis¬ 
proves the whole argument, to the eye of the plainest judging 
traveller. Yet, that no pains might be spared in the investi¬ 
gation of a question brought forward by so respected a head, 
Mr. Rich, and several others, carefully examined the entire 
ground between Hillah and the Mujelibe, and the result was 
invariably the same that I myself found it, namely, not a trace 
appears of any such change having ever taken place in the course 
of the river. Besides, there is no channel wide enough between 
the ranges of ruin to admit so majestic a stream ; and for the 
mounds, to which the hypothesis would assign the dignity of 
the lesser palace, they do not possess any particularly elevated 
marks, to offer pretensions of comparison with the Kasr and 
Amran Hill; indeed, the situation of these mounds, as well as 
their subordinate appearance, lead me to suppose them the 
remains of buildings appropriated to the numerous ministers, 
and other retinue, attendant on the pomps and ceremonies of 
the royal palace. 
I shall now proceed to the description of the remains of this 
palace, according to the belief of all who have visited the spot, 
that it is found in the vast mound or hill, called by the natives 
that of the Kasr, (K.) This mass, after the Mujelibe, is certainly 
the most august on this side of the river, standing above the ge¬ 
neral level full 70 feet. Its length is nearly 800 yards, its breadth 
600; but its form is now very irregular. Much of the local, 
which this interesting spot presented to the Abbe Beauchamp 
in 1782, and to Mr. Rich in 1811, has now totally disappeared; 
the aspect of the summit and sides suffering constant changes 
z z 2 
