'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎15] (58/905)

CHAP. II.] COURSE OF THE UPPER TIGRIS.
15
terraces, one above another. 1 The streets are paved, and its commercial
there are 16 mosques, most of them covered with lead. 2
Diyar Bekr in its prosperity contained 40,000 houses, with
numerous cotton-looms constantly at work; and it enjoyed
an active trade in gall-nuts, not only with Kurdistan, but
also with India, on one side, through Baghdad, and with
Europe, through Aleppo, on the other; but at present there
are scarcely 8000 houses, 3 and its commerce is almost anni
hilated.
The situation of Diyar Bekr is admirably calculated for
that of a great commercial city, 4 and nothing appears neces
sary to revive its ancient importance but the removal of the
chief cause of its decline ; namely, the insecurity of its com
mercial communications with Syria, Asia Minor, and Kur
distan, and with the estuary of the Shatt el Arab.
Although the course above described is not long,, the Tigris
has already collected a considerable body of water, which
spreads out to some extent on entering a small level tract
opposite the town of Diyar Bekr, where it is about 250 yards
wide in the season of floods ; 5 but it is hot here used for any
other purpose than, occasionally, to float down rafts of timber
from the mountains. 6
Below Divar Bekr the Tigris contains several islands. Its The Tigm
it , . . -i • -i below Diyar
banks are thinly peopled, and the country about tnem is only Bekr.
partially cultivated; but the pasture grounds are rich and
well suited for the visits of the nomadic tribes which
come occasionally to the river from the neighbouring
countries.
Soon after passing through the level tract alluded to, the
river becomes narrower and deeper, being inclosed between
steep banks; at one mile and three-quarters from the Mardm
1 Niebuhr, Vol. II., p. 326. 2 Ibi ^
3 1500 Armenians and 6300 Turks.—Brant's Journey through a part of
-Asia Minor: Vol. VI. Part II., of the Geographical Journal, p. 210.
4 Ibid. ' . . ^
5 Captain Estcourt found it fordable at two places opposite the town in
^Mr 8 Brant's Journey: Vol. VI. Part II., p. 210, Journal of the Geo-
graphical Society.