'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.' [‎18] (61/905)

18
THE BITLIS AND KHARZAN TRIBUTARIES, [CHAP. II.
The Bakiyah-
chai.
ancient Chaldean religious establishments there existing, such
as De'ir, Zaferan (Yellow Monastery), Deir Safa, &c., has
long borne the name of Sacred.
The Bitiis-chai. Q n the opposite side, and about 29 miles lower than the
last mentioned tributary, the main stream is entered by the
Bitlis-chai", probably the second Nicephorius of Xenophon, 1
who appears to have regarded it as the principal branch. It
rises at Bash Khan, on the southern side of Jebel Nimrud, at
a short distance westward of lake Van, and its course from
thence is nearly south, to the town of Bitlis. Sixteen miles
southward of this place it is joined by a more considerable
stream, called the Bakiyah-chai, which comes into it from the
west. These waters unite at the foot of the Sir Sera, a high
mountain, forming part of the Ali Tagh range; from whence
the deep and rapid river thus formed, takes a south-westerly
direction to a spot eight miles N.W. of Se'rt, where it receives
the Kharzan-chai. 2 This river comes from the west, through
the mountainous country of the Kharzan Kurds, 3 the ancient
Arzanene; 4 in which it receives a more western tributary,
the I'lijeh su, coming from the north of Khazero. After
this increase, the Bitlis-chai is about 50 yards broad and knee
deep, as it sweeps westward, at the distance of six or seven
miles from Se'rt; it then takes a southerly course, and falls
into the Diyar Bekr branch, some distance above Til. 5
At this small but remarkable village, 6 the Tigris is joined
by another considerable stream, the Buhtan-chai, which, by
its course from the slopes of the Algerosh Tagh, would appear
to represent the Centrites of the ten thousand. 7 As this
river passes within four miles of the eastern side of Se'rt, it
is like the Bakiyah-chai' (on the other side), known as the
Se rt su, although neither stream touches that town; and
1 The other Nicephorius being a tributary of the Euphrates.
2 Mr. Ainsworth's MS.
3 Visited by Mr. Brant.—See Vol. X. Part III., p. all, of the Royal Geo
graphical Journal. . 4 Mr. Ainsworth's MS. 5 Ibid.
6 Aristashes, the Pontiff who succeeded St. Gregory,, being murdered by an
Armenian, his body was brought to Til, and there interred: and Tigranes
caused a statue of Minerva to be brought from Greece and placed in this
village.—Mr. Ainsworth's MS. notes. 7 Ibid.
The Buhtan
chai.