'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎22] (53/582)

22
FROM BAGDAD, ACROSS THE DIALA,
By the people of the country, it is called Giaour-Tuppe-se,
or the " Hill of the Infidels and it was asserted by our guide,
and confirmed by many others of the place, whom we questioned
afterwards, that there had been often dug up from, and found on
the surface of the ruins, small idols of copper, some of them re
presenting men in a sitting posture, without seats to support them ;
which, from their size and material, as well as from their atti
tudes, imitated by those who described them to us, must have
been of the same kind as one of the Babylonian idols in Mr. Rich's
collection.
In examining the surface of this mound, we saw in many parts
that had been excavated, portions of excellent masonry, in large,
square, red, burnt bricks, some layers of thick lime cement, with
others of what seemed to be either a very fine stucco, or else a
peculiar kind of white marble. There were no appearances of
any outer wall that encircled the whole, though possibly such
might have existed beneath the rubbish. The interior part seemed
to have been composed of many small buildings, like the Palace
at Babylon ; and indeed similar edifices are still seen through
out the East, where all the domestic offices are included within
the same area with the principal abode. Having my compass
with me, and pretending to use it to ascertain the precise point
ot the Caaba for evening prayers, I obtained from the spot the
bearings of such surrounding objects as were in view*
-.f 6 n0rth ' f y om ei g ht t0 ten miles off, were two ridges of
low hills, gcnng along nearly east and west, and the eastern
horizon was intercepted by the chain of mountains leading from
Koord,stan to Lannstan, and dividing Irak-Arabi on the west
from Irak-Ajami on the east.
The stream which we had crossed about an hour before enter-
* Town of Kesrabad, south-west by south one mJlp tv * m ,
west-south-west, five miles Town nf R q ^ • u i •' wn of Tewak, with date trees,
called Nimrood-Tuppc-se, south-west, half a^ile" t ™ T"" 1
east half east, quarter of a mile. s hah-Tuppe-se, south-by-