'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.' [‎49] (96/905)

chap. iii.] dei'r, the khabur and its affluents.
49
a height of from 300 to 500 feet above the water's edge, and
thus present for a moment, but in appearance only, an insu
perable barrier to navigation. At two and a half miles below
this range, the river passes between the two ancient and
deserted marble-built towns of Zelebi, or Chelebi, which
indicate one of the great commercial passages to Palmyra, at
the period of the prosperity of the latter city. From Zelebi
to Deir, the distance by the stream is 57J miles, or 26 miles
S. 38° E., direct. This ancient town contains about 1000 Town of Deir.
houses, covering an elevated, conical hill, which rises from
the right bank, opposite to the eastern extremity of an island,
situated between the river and an artificial canal. The latter
has been excavated, for the purpose of cutting off the sweep
made here by the Euphrates to the eastward; and it is so well
adapted for navigation, that both our steamers passed through
it without any difficulty.
At 27^ miles by water, and 18, S. 42° E., direct distance, Somc^of the
below Deir, the Khabur enters the Euphrates, after a
lengthened course. The principal source of the branch
which gives its name to the river (the Araxes of Xenophon 1 )
rises in the Abd-el-Aziz range, near Ras al 'ain, and at a spot
called Al Zahriyah (flowery 2 ) ; situated one day's journey
westward from Mardin, and not very far from Urfah. It
takes a general direction south-eastward, and is augmented
by numerous streams; " such," says Ibn Haukal, " as are not
to be found in all the land of the Moslems; for there are
more than 300 pure running fountains. 3 The principal
stream, the Jakhjakhah, has its sources at the southern foot
of the Karajah f agh, 30 miles north of those given by Abu-1-
feda; from whence it makes a winding course, till it falls
into the Khabur in the latitude of Sinjar. 4 The more western
tributary, which appears to be the ancient Mygdonius, rises in
the hills 5 beyond Nisibin, and flows past the eastern side of that
1 Anab. T. 4. 19.
2 MS. translation of Abu-l-fedd, by Mr. Rassam.
3 Ibn Haukal, Mr. Rassam's MS. translation.
* Mr. Forbes's Journey, Vol. IX. Part III., p. 409, Journal of the Royal
Geographical Society. 5 Jebel Tur-
vol. i. h