"سرد لرحلة إلى موقع مدينة بابل في ١٨١١، طُبعت الآن لأول مرة: مذكرات على الأطلال؛ مع نقوش من الخرائط المدبئية للمؤلف: ملاحظات على طبوغرافية بابل القديمة،بقلم الرائد رينيل؛ في إشارة إلى المذكرات: مذكرات ثانية على الأطلال؛ في إشارة إلى ملاحظات الرائد رينيل: مع سرد لرحلة إلى برسبوليس: طُبعت الآن لأول مرة، مع كتابات مسمارية نسخت في برسبوليس ولم تُنشر من قبل: كتبها الراحل كلوديوس جيمس ريتش، المحترم، المقيم البريطاني السابق لشركة الهند الشرقية في بغداد. حررته أرملته." [‎٢‎٠‎٧] (٤٧٤/٣٠٥)

JOURNEY TO PERSEPOLIS.
207
I do not think I ever saw such a collection of them,
except perhaps the first general view of them among
the gardens of Bagdad. Among these trees we saw
the naphtha water meandering to find its way to the
Shapour river. After travelling about a mile along
the foot of the hills, we entered them, and at this
place we had a fine view of Daulekee. We crossed
the first line by a pretty good road, which was by no
means precipitous in any part of it—and we then
reached the Shapour river, after winding through
a narrow defile. We continued along the banks of
the river, which roared among the rocks, for some
time along a road which, being on the side of the
hills, was occasionally precipitous on one hand, but
by no means bad. At half-past nine we reached the
bridge over the Shapour river, which is of thirteen
arches, and in very fine order. After having passed
it, we halted to take our cup of coffee, and to allow
the baggage to get well on before us, so as not
to embarrass us in the pass we were coming to.
The Shapour river must sometimes be a very formid
able river, though at present there is not above two
feet water in it. Its bridge and murmuring put me
much in mind of the Elwand at Khanakeen. The
hills are all very bare ; scarcely a bush is to be seen.
The water of the river was saltish, nitrous, and soft,
and in the close defiles it was very hot. After a
halt of three quarters of an hour we mounted again,
and wound through the narrow passes, having the
river on our right hand. At one place there was a