'Narrative of a Residence in Koordistan, and on the Site of Ancient Nineveh; with Journal of a Voyage down the Tigris to Bagdad and an Account of a Visit to Shirauz and Persepolis.' [‎30] (55/450)

30
RUINS OF NINEVEH.
[CH. XIII.
The day being fine, we sallied forth to take a
general inspection of the remains of Nineveh; and
we crossed the river in the boat at our garden.
current of the river, which is now at its lowest, is at
present not more than a knot; nor had the late days
rain made any difference in it. The breadth where
we crossed was about four hundred tcet ; the depth
not above two fathoms. At the bridge* it is deeper
and narrower; below the ferry it is wide and shallow,
and leaves an island in the centre, which is covered
over at the first rising of the river.
We first went to the village, or rather little town
of Nebbi Yunus, which contains about three hun
dred houses, and is built on an ancient artificial
mount, the whole of which it does not cover. Its
antiquity is well ascertained by the remains lound
on digging into it very deep ; when fragments ol
bricks, whole bricks, and pieces of gypsum, covered
with inscriptions in the cuneiform character, are
found. I have many of these, one in particular
which both gold and copper mines exist. The dehlij is tised by the
people of Mousul as a remedy for the eyes, when reduced to an im
palpable powder, and mixed with twice as much loaf sugar. It is
in very small nubs, some a light blue, or turquoise colour, some of
a green colour, and more or less mixed with earthy matter. On
being split, the nubs have a shiny appearance in the inside
spar. It appears to correspond exactly with what Haiiy calls
granuliform carbonate of copper—blue and green. It effervesces
in nitric acid.
* Near this bridge a battle was fought in the year 527, between
the Emperor Heraclius and the troops of Chosroes the king o'
Persia. —See GibboUy vol. viii. p. 248.