'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.' [‎19] (62/905)

CHAP. II.]
JEZIREH-IBN-'OMAR.
19
much geographical difficulty has arisen in consequence. The
main branch of the Khabur, which will be noticed presently,
appears to have been confounded by Rennell, Kinneir, and
others, with the so called Se'rt su ; and nearly a similar mis
take occurred in the case of Mr. Rich, who was informed that
the Eastern Tigris rises 11 hours beyond Julamerik, and
passes Se'rt, where it is difficult to ford, even at its lowest; Comparison
and is, in the early part of its course, a much more consider- branches! 66
able river than the Diyar Bekr branch. 1 Now, however, it
is ascertained, that the Buhtan and Bitlis are not only smaller
rivers, but the course of each is much shorter than that of the
great western branch. The windings of the Bitlis-chai, for
instance, appear to give only a distance of about 100 miles to
the point of junction; whilst the Diyar Bekr river makes a
sweep of 275 miles in coming thither, and carries a breadth
of 150 yards nearly waist deep. 2
Soon after the junction of the Buhtan-chai, the Tigris Course of the
passes E.S.E., through a mountainous ravine, into the valley
of Chelek, in which there is a ferry and a large village of the
same name, defended by a strong, handsome castle, built on a
rock. 3 A little lower it traverses another bold ravine, and
then makes a great bend westward round the peninsula of
Findik; forcing its way between limestone precipices, similar
to those of the Frat near Rum Kal'ah. The river then
sweeps E.S.E., and again takes a more southerly course to the
castles and gardens of Fenik; below which it makes its way
through Jebel Judi at the celebrated pass of Xenophon. 4
Having cleared the latter, the Tigris winds to the E.S.E.,
and again west of south, till, at about 60 miles below the
junction of the eastern and western branches, it washes Jezi-
reh-ibn-'Omar. 5 The island is covered with modern buildings,
which, generally speaking, are in a ruinous state; but portions
of the bridge constructed by the minister Noureddin over the
two branches still remain. This place is called in Syriac (ac-
1 Rich's Kurdistdn, Vol. I., p. 378.
2 In July, 1836, above the Bitlis river.—Colonel Shiel's Journey: Vol.
VI II. Part I., p. 80, of the Royal Geographical Journal.
3 Ibid 4 Mr. Ainsworth's MSS. 5 Probably the Tigre of Ptolemy.
D 2