'Narrative of a journey to the site of Babylon in 1811, now first published: memoir on the ruins; with engravings from the original sketches by the author: remarks on the topography of ancient Babylon, by Major Rennell; in reference to the memoir: second memoir on the ruins; in reference to Major Rennell's remarks: with narrative of a journey to Persepolis: now first printed, with hitherto unpublished cuneiform inscriptions copied at Persepolis: by the late Claudius James Rich, Esq., formerly the Resident of the Hon. East India Company at Bagdad. Edited by his widow.' [‎10] (37/474)

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INTRODUCTION.
the country received from these inundations, there
were cut, at a very considerable distance above the
town, two artificial canals, which turned the course
of these waters into the Tigris before they reached
Babylon. And to secure the country yet more from
the danger of inundations, and to keep the river
within its channel, prodigious banks were raised on
both sides of the river, built with bricks cemented
with bitumen,* which began at the artificial canals,
and extended below the city.
To facilitate the making of these works, it was
necessary to turn the course of the river another
way, for which purpose, to the west of Babylon, was
dug a prodigious artificial lake, 40 miles square,
160 in compass, and 35 deep. Into this lake was
the whole river turned by an artificial canal, cut
from the west side of it, till the whole work was
finished, when it was made to flow in its former
channel. But that the Euphrates in the time of its
increase might not overflow the city, through the
gates on its banks, this lake with the canal was still
preserved. The water received into the lake at the
time of these overflowings was kept there all the
year, as in a common reservoir, for the benefit of the
country, to be let out by sluices, at all convenient
times, for the watering the lands below it. The
* Herodotus says, " Eight days' journey from Babylon is a city
named Is, near which runs a small river of the same name, dis
charging itself into the Euphrates. This river brings down with its
waters clots of bitumen in large quantities. From this source was
derived the bitumen used in cementing the walls of Babylon."
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T