'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.' [‎277] (312/450)

PACE OF THE COUNTRY.
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ficant, consisting only of some vestiges of coarse red
brick, and brick foundations, on the summit of a
circular tepeh or mount. We were told of some
ruins at a little distance, where much marble was to
be found, but we did not go to see them. The tra
dition of the people may generally be trusted with
respect to the age of ruins in these countries;
so far at least as two great divisions of history are
concerned—the time before Mahomet, and the time
since. They have only these two ages—Ghiaour and
Mussulman—and they rarely, if ever, ascribe the
works of the former to the latter.
Keeping the hills close on our right, we pro
ceeded to the Kifri Soo*, or rather one of the many
torrents that flow from these hills into the plain
ol Kifri, and are there lost, being used to water the
cultivation. We arrived at eleven at the river,
which consisted of an immense bed of pebbles, with
two or three limpid rills running through it.
The above-mentioned hills hereabouts crossed our
road ; and we observed many very large beds of tor
rents coming down from them, now chiefly dry,
some of them being several hundred yards broad.
We continued our way through the hills, noticing
on our right Olm iki Imaum, where there are naphtha
springs, about one hour and half from this place,
(Kifri,) where Ave arrived soon after noon, much ex
hausted by the heat; and I had scarcely refreshed my-
* N. 30 W.