'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.' [‎88] (117/450)

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face of the country.
[en. XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
Appearance of the Country— Cultivation \ezi(l \ ill<igcs
Boundary of the Pashalik of Mousul—Chaldean Town of A1
—Convent of Rabban Hormuzd—Its situation—Rocky
R oa( l _ Caves and Grottoes — The Church—Vespers—The
Monks—Their Appearance—Manner of Life—The Abbot—
The Monastery founded by the Son of a King of Persia
Library destroyed—Manuscripts fast perishing in the East-
Departure from the Convent—Description of the Scene —
Chaldean Village of Tel Iskof—Crowds assemble to stare at
the Party—Valuable Chaldean MSS.—Ancient Sepulchre—
Telkeif—Chaldeans—Ruined Churches—Description of the
Country—Return to the Garden-house at Mousul—Visit the
Pasha—Bones and Skulls found at Rabban Hormuzd—Yezid
from Sinjar—Yezid ^\oman gifted with a Spirit.
December 19.—W e mounted at nine this morning.
The weather looked threatening. We entered imme
diately on the line or ridge we had skirted on our.
right, during the latter part of our yesterday's
march, which proved to be very confused broken
ground, consisting of ravines, bare ridges, and
crumbling sandstone ; yet here and there patches of
cultivation were visible. Indeed, but little of the
Mousul territory seems lost, every part of it being
cultivated thut is at all capable ol it. Alter passing
some Yezid villages we at length emerged from this
very broken ground, and began a long and gentle
descent, which only terminated at about a mile fioin
A1 Kosh. On our right was a very fine, extensive,