'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.' [‎70] (117/905)

70
THE TAURUS.
[CHAP. IV.
Course of Near the southern extremity of the main ridge of Kurdis-
Taums proper. ^ ran g e designated Taurus proper 1 diverges from the
Zagros in two almost parallel lines. The southern and lower
line, called the Kara Tagh, runs W.N.W. to the pass of Der-
bend, near Suleimanlyah, where, under the name of the Azmir
Tagh, or Jiozeh hills, it inclines a little more to the north, as
far as the Lesser Zah; and onward to the culminating point of
Pir-Man, near the banks of the Great Zab. The greater range,
first known as the Avroman, and afterwards as the Kurkur, 2
runs W. N.W., passing close to Sulei'mamyah, and onward to
the point of junction with the other near the south side of the
Koi-Sanjak plain. From hence the single chain runs N.W.
to the Greater Zab, where it resumes the previous direction of
W. S.W., and, under the names of the Zebari and Amadiyah
mountains, skirts the southern side of the singular country
occupied by the Kaldani Christians. Towards the western
extremity of their territory, where it is called Buhtan, or Judi
Tagh, it sweeps northward to the valley of the Tigris; beyond
which its course is nearly west of Mardin, entering Asia
Minor above Sumeisat, but previously sending out a branch
from the peak of Karadja Tagh, which curves round Severik
and Gergen Kal'eh, and is lost in the elevated mountains of
Cilicia.
The range followed thus far, and forming nearly one-
half of ancient Taurus, is divided into two equal portions ;
but that which is eastward of the river Tigris is on a much
grander scale than the other, especially near the elevated
peaks of Jebel Maklub, Om el Safra, Raban Ormuz, Jebel
its geological Abiat, and Jebel Judi. The formation is chiefly of limestone,
c ara with red sandstones, conglomerate, and occasionally jasper. 3
Conical, bare summits, with irregular sides, either bearing
timber, or partially covered with the valonia plant and other
shrubs, and intersected by deep valleys less or more peopled,
are the prevailing characteristics of this striking portion of
the range. In crossing Upper Mesopotamia, the Taurus is
' Strabo, XL, p. 521.
s Ainsworth's Assyria and Babylonia, p. 247.
8 Ainsworth's Researches in Assyria, &c., pp. 272 and 286; also MS. of do.