'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.' [‎26] (69/905)

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THE HAMRiN HILLS.
[CHAP. II.
Rafts employed are prepared, to carry the ffoods on to Baghdad. 1 Here the
for transport. T rr i ai // o / • i i
Cesser Zab, or Altun feu, is augmented by a considerable
stream coming from Koi-Sanjak, a town of 1000 houses, 2
and distant about 40 miles north, 85 miles east: 3 from thence
it becomes navigable by rafts. 4 At their junction the Tigris
is about 500 yards broad; 5 and a little below there is a kind
of cataract, called Kelab, where the descent is so rapid
that the river appears as it were to run down hill. 6 This
place is much dreaded by the people when descending in
boats; but it does not seem in reality to offer any serious
impediment to the rafts so frequently passing between Mosul
and Baghdad. The Euphrates steamer not only passed over
this difficulty, under Lieutenant Lynch, but also proceeded
as high up as the bund opposite the ruins of Nimrud.
The river now bends eastward of south, between Tel
Truliyah on the east and Kal'at Jebbar on the west, preserv
ing its width, and forming several islands; and, at about 24
and EiJBurech m ^ es f rom the Lesser Zab, the canal of Is-haki leaves on
Canals. the west side, and that of El Burech on the east, 7 just after
the Tigris has succeeded in forcing its way through the
Hamrin hills at a spot called El Fatt'hha. 8 Here, on the
left bank, there is an abundant supply of sulphur; and,
directly opposite, naphtha rises in great quantities from
the bed of the river; it appears in black spots on the
surface, but gradually vanishes in the water. The raft-
men say, that Alia has caused the two hills of Hamrin to
be at continual war; and that their strife forces the naphtha
to bubble up from the bottom of the river. Here the people
cut wood for the Baghdad market. 9 The river continues in
the same general direction, or a little east of south, without
receiving any other tributaries worth mentioning, as far as
Tekrit, which is below the Lesser Zab, at about .43 miles
from the Burech canal.
1 Rich's Kurdistdn, Vol. II., p. 12.
2 See Mr. Ainsworth's Journey in the 4 Expedition.'
Rich, Vol. II., p. 11; hut the name of the river is not given.
; P' 12 - ! Rich's MS. Map. • Ormsby's MSS.
8 ^ bld -' and Probably, according to Lieut. Lynch, a feeder of the Nahrawdn
Rich's Kurdistdn, Vol. II., p. 142. . 9 Lieutenant Ormsby's MSS.