'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.' [‎396] (431/450)

396
SAND-ISLAND.
[APP. VII.
Just under the key-stone of the arch is a large patch of mud
plaster, and inserted in a beam of -wood, in the very centre
of it, is an iron ring. The large beams of wood, every-
Avhere visible in the faqade of the building, are very curious.
The roof is perforated, and tubes of earthenware are intro
duced into the holes, which are very numerous ; but for
what purpose they were intended it is impossible to say.
The bricks are neither so large, well shaped, nor well burnt
as those from Babylon. The lower part of the building is
much more decayed than the upper, to about seven feet
high all round, which, I am informed, is the case with all
ruins. In the hall a part of the facing, which is of fine
brick, is separating in mass from the building. The wall of
the front is thicker at the bottom than the top, decreasing
from about twenty to eight bricks in thickness. The arch
from the back of the building, on the river side, assumes
more the appearance of a curve; in the front it is more
semicircular. All around the top of the arch are semi
circular niches, or scallop work, very well built.
On the 26th, at about 4 |1 , we came to Jumbul, a dan
gerous sand island. The river being much lower than when
we last passed it, we saw part of the ruin. Across the river,
in a diagonal direction, were whirlpools, under which, our
pilot assured us, were buildings. At the end of this chain
of eddies was a piece of brickwork raised about two feet and
a half above the surface of the water. The current here
set very violently off it, running about seven knots, and
making a most dangerous passage. We were near being
driven upon it, and were obliged to let go our anchor, and
get a track-rope on shore to steady us past it. In the mean
time I went out in the jolly-boat to sound. I found the
building to consist of fine burnt brick closely cemented. It
looked much like the pier of a bridge, and close to it the lead