'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.' [‎21] (64/905)

CHAP. II.]
MOSUL AND NINEVEH.
21
course; and afterwards curves round Tel Ajus, so as to Description
approach Mosul itself in a S.S. easterly direction; having, in
the latter part of its course of about 80 miles from the
Khabtir, received many 1 feeders, which come from the ele
vated grounds in its neighbourhood, but more particularly on
the eastern side.
Mosul is a walled city, with eight gates, standing on the
right bank of the Tigris. It contains about 20,000 families,
Turks, Christians, and Jews, who still carry on some com
merce with Kurdistan, Diyar Bekr, Baghdad, and other
provinces, chiefly by caravans. On the left bank, both above
and below Mosul, are the ruins of Nineveh, the walls of
which city extend about 3100 yards along the river, 2 and
nearly the same distance towards the interior.
At about 28 miles by the river, and 20 miles in direct
distance south, 12° east below Nineveh, is the celebrated bund,
or dyke of solid masonry, called Zikru-1 awaz, or Nimrud,
which crosses the bed of the river ; 3 and at seven miles lower Bunds of
there is a dyke, called 2ikr Ismail, 4 similar to the former,
but in a more dilapidated state. At the distance of about
two miles and three-quarters S.E. from the first dyke, and
about four miles and a half N.N.E. from the other, are the
ruins of Nimrud, or Ashur. 5 These, which are still known
to the people by the name of Al-Athur, 6 are, at the present
time, less considerable than those of Nineveh, being only
about four miles in circumference; they are terminated at the
N.W. angle by a great pyramidal mound, 144J feet high,
and 777 in circumference, 7 which was once coated with
bricks. Some of these were found by Mr. Rich, who states,
that they are about the same size as those of Babylon, and are
inscribed with arrow-headed characters. 8 Here Mr. Ains-
worth also discovered the foundations of some massive walls,
1 MS. of Mr. Ainsworth.
2 For a further description of Nineveh and McSsul, the Mes-Pylae of Xeno-
phon, see the ' Expedition.'
3 Ormshy's MSS., and Rich's Kurdistdn, Vol. II., p. 129.
4 Ormshy, and Rich, p. 352.
5 Probably the Larissa of Xenophon.—Rich, Vol; HVP- 1 29-
6 Ibid., p. 131. 7 Ibid, p. 132. 8 Ibid, p. 130.