'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in reference to Major Rennell's remarks: with narrative of a journey to Persepolis: now first printed, with hitherto unpublished cuneiform inscriptions copied at Persepolis: by the late Claudius James Rich, Esq., formerly the Resident of the Hon.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.' [‎148] (236/474)

148
SECOND MEMOIR ON THE
expense has been broken, the river flows over the
country as far as Bussora. But in no part of the
Euphrates have I ever been able to discover traces
of its having altered its course. On the other hand,
the Tigris, which is much more rapid than the
Euphrates, has none of these regulating valves to
draw off its superfluous water, which consequently
breaks down its own banks. This is the case
during its course through the upper and middle
parts of the Pashalik, where it is confined between
high banks, and cannot be expended in inundations,
or drawn off by canals; but in the southern dis
tricts, where it runs through the lowest part of the
Beni Lam country, the banks are level, there are
many drains, and it overflows readily. In those
places it is not subject to the variations of channel
which characterise it during the earlier part of its
course.
Having shown that the first part of Major
Rennell's theory is contradicted by a survey of the
ground, I have to state the reasons which induce me
equally to disagree with him in his second conjec
ture. This part of the subject requires to be treated
at some length.
As some of the ruins now seen would obstruct
the course of the Euphrates, supposed by Major
Rennell, he removes this difficulty by referring them
to another town. "The whole of the remains visible
in the form of mounds, &c. do not belong exclu
sively to the ancient city, but in part to a subsequent