"سرد لإقامة في كردستان وفي موقع نينوى القديمة؛ مع مذكرات رحلة إلى بغداد عبر نهر دجلة ووصف زيارة إلى شيراز وبرسبوليس." [‎٤‎٠‎٤] (٤٥٠/٤٣٩)

404
VIII.
Excursion from Bagdad to the Ruins of Tauk Kesra, at
Ctesiphon and Seleucia, December, 1812.
(Referred to at p. 159, Vol. ii.)
Having made a party to spend a few days at Tauk Kesra,
we went on board the yacht at 9 h 30 m a.m ., the troop going
by land ; but the wind being southerly, with frequent calms,
we did not reach the place of our destination till 8 h 30 m p.m.
We remained on board the yacht. Mu Hine and the rest
of the party took up their quarters at Selman Pak, and the
troop, with the horses, at a little building to the S. of the
Tauk, where is the tomb of a female saint; near this our
yacht was anchored, and on the banks we pitched two tents
for the kitchen, &c.
December 6.—We took a ride to the east of the Tauk ;
almost the only remains of Ctesiphon are the walls, which
are of unburnt brick.
December 7.—Went on shore to measure the Tauk, and
I ascertained the following dimensions by correct measure
ment with a line and rule :—
Feet.
Length of the front of the building . . . 284
Width of the arch at the bottom or on the ground . 82
Height of the arch ...... 101
Thickness of the wall at the ground . . .19
Depth or length of the hall .... 153
In the evening rode along the W. part of the city wall,
the remains of which are more extensive than I had any
idea of, reaching, 1 conjecture, about a mile to the N.,
where they are suddenly broken. Between the N. part and
the river is a plain, which appears to be a comparatively