'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.' [‎35] (80/905)

chap. ii.] ruins of ctesiphon and seleucia.
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ward of west; in this line it continues to Khani-kin, about
12 miles from the junction above mentioned; and at an equal
distance from thence, in the same general direction, it falls
into the greater branch, or Abi Shirwan, at Kizil Robat;
from whence the united waters, under the well known name
of Diyalah, pursue a southerly course, passing close to
Bakuba, and falling into the Tigris: immediately previous to
the junction it is crossed by a bridge of boats 60 yards long.
Below the confluence just mentioned, the Tigris becomes The Tigris
even more tortuous than it has been in its previous course DiySah!
from Baghdad; for it now makes, not merely simple bends,
but actually a succession of deep convolutions, in the level
country which it traverses, till its waters and its name are
lost in those of the Euphrates at Kurnah.
The windings of the main trunk incline rather westward, m Kesm.
or towards the Euphrates, till the striking Arch of Chosroes
Tak Kesra.
announces that the stream is washing the western side of the
remains of Ctesiphon, and a little lower on the right bank
those of Seleucia. Both of these ruins have been greatly
diminished by the gradual encroachments of the river, as well
as by the effects of time itself.
Below the crumbling vestiges of these once noble cities shatt ai Dijiah.
the convolutions incline towards the eastern side ; thus gra
dually increasing the width of Mesopotamia. They bear the
well known appellation of Shatt al Dijiah as far as Kut el
f 2