'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.' [‎104] (153/905)

104
ANCIENT LIMITS OF MESOPOTAMIA. [CHAP. VI.
Figure of triangle, has, with mucli propriety, been compared to a boat, 1
Mesopotamia. c 2 ose jy regem bles those of the country, the heavy stern
being supposed to represent the northern extremity of this
territory, whilst the two great rivers form the sides, which
terminate in a long tapering bow beyond Kurnah.
Moreover, Strabo says the Tigris washes the eastern side
its ancient of Mesopotamia, and the river Euphrates its southern and
boutularies. 1 f .
western ; whilst the Taurus separates it from Armenia on
the north. 2 Pliny, who is still more distinct, says that Meso
potamia has the Tigris to the east, the Euphrates west, the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. south, and the Taurus north, with a length of
800 miles and a breadth of 360 miles, the city of Charax
being at the extremity of the gulf. 3
its extent, Mesopotamia extends above 10° in longitude from Balis, in
38° 7' 10" east longitude, to the estuary of the old Karun, in
48° 45' 16"; and 7° 31' 5" in latitude from the shores of the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , in 30°, to Sumeisat, in 37° 31' 5" north lati
tude ; its greatest width being about 170 miles from Jaber
Castle to Hisn Ke'ifa, on the Tigris; and its extreme length
nearly 735 miles. The irregular triangle thus formed has a
superficies of nearly 76,117 square miles, including the shores
of the Gulf from the Pallacopas to the old Karun.
and mountains. As we have seen, the Taurus occupies the northern extre
mity, and forms the limits of Mesopotamia on the side of
Armenia. From the banks of the Euphrates, a little north
ward of Munshar, 4 it sweeps round the plain of Siverik, dis
playing rocky conical summits; and, under the name of the
Karajah Tagh, it then takes an easterly direction, passing
some little distance northward of Nisibis, and onward to the
Tigris, which separates this chain from the bold and lofty
precipices of Jebel Judi; 5 the principal groups being the
Jebel Tur and the Baarem or Mardin mountains, with the
1 Strabo, lib. II., p. 79; and lib. XVI., p. 746.
2 Lib. XVI., p. 746.
3 Lib. VI., c. xxvii.
D'Anville's Pass of Nushar; Ainsworth's Journey from Kaisarlyah to
Bir, Vol. X. Part III., p. 331 of the Royal Geographical Journal.
? Ibid., p. 522.