'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎258] (367/496)

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goodly hounds,—either to enjoy the pastimes of the field, to make a
foray, # or to repel attack, as chance or inclination may direct him.
Mounting at 6*20, our course lay in a direction of 80°. At 6*40, the
small canal Merjaniyeh was crossed. ■ It leaves the Diyaleh about two
miles below the junction of the A ? bi Holwan and A’bi Shirwan. These
two streams are the main branches of the Diyaleh river, which name
appears to apply only to the trunk stream, as it is unknown beyond the
frontier town of Khanakin. The A’bi Shirwan, coming from the moun
tains near Sinna, meets the A’bi Holwan about four miles IST. Eastward
of Kiz’l-robat : at a short distance below their junction, the remains
of a large ancient canal may be traced ; and two conspicuous mounds of
ruins (probably on the site of the ancient Jellaleh|) stand elevated
considerably above the plain. Continuing the same direction as before,
at 7 h. we ascended over another elevated ridge of sandstone and
pebbles, similar to, and running parallel with, the Hamrin range. These
ridges appear as stepping stones to the approach to the mountains, the
alternate ridges being from eight to five miles apart, and the interven
ing space occupied by a fine plain susceptible of cultivation. After
halting twenty-five minutes to collect the party, we proceeded in a direc
tion from 56° to 22°, the road varying between these points (as we
crossed the ridges alluded to) until 11*5, when we entered the alluvial
valley of the Holwan. From this to Khanakin the course was 55°. At
midnight we entered the town and crossed the Holwan by a splendid
bridge of nine arches. This bridge has recently been repaired, and is
the only modern structure that can claim the attention of the traveller
in this country. The town, or rather village, of Haji-Kara| stands
* In Herodotus and Xenophon, and indeed in most ancient as well as in compa
ratively modern writers, we are informed that the amusements of the chase \\ere
not incompatible with the toils of war. We learn from Heeren that monarc is aS
well as whole armies were devoted to the pursuit; and our inimitable Scott, in 113
tales ot the Scotish border, has drawn a true picture of frontier life, as appli ca
to the barbarous Kurds of the present day as to the semi-civilized fraternity t m
infested the marshes between England and Scotland during the unsettled time
prior to the reign of the first James.
f Jellaleh was a strong position in the time of the Sassanian Kings of Persia^ ^
was here that a part of the army which came to the relief of the unfortunate
dijerd, the last monarch of the house of Sassan, was captured after ^ 10 . eClS p 0-
battle of Kadesiyeh, A. D. 636, by Hashem, nephew of Saad the Ara
neral.—See history of Yezdijerd in the Ant 0 Hist., page 120.
O qA/ A. 7 r/
X The garden-house in the village of Haji-Kara stands in latitude 34 20
by double altitudes of the © ; by its Mer. Alt. in 34° 20' 37" w as
difference East of Baghdad, 53 / I0"; and the variation of the needle in
found to be 2° 10' West.