"سرد لإقامة في كردستان وفي موقع نينوى القديمة؛ مع مذكرات رحلة إلى بغداد عبر نهر دجلة ووصف زيارة إلى شيراز وبرسبوليس." [‎٤‎٠‎٦] (٤٥٠/٤٤١)

406 STATUE IN THE DESERT. [APP. VIII.
the oblong Babylonian stamp, and though no letters were
visible, 1 have no doubt but that it was Babylonian. We
saw several herds of antelopes, some wolves, and jackals.
December 10.—Having heard of a statue to be seen in the
desert, we took an Arab peasant for our guide, and again
crossed the river, directed our course about W. 10 S., and
in that direction, upwards of four miles from the bank of the
river, at the foot of one of the heaps of rubbish, found the
curiosity we were in search of. It is a small statue of black
stone about three feet high, representing a female in a sitting
posture, but all above the waist is broken off and lost. The
workmanship is evidently Babylonian, and bears a perfect
resemblance to some of the sculptures on the cylinders in
my possession. The strong similarity of taste and design
between this and other Babylonian antiques, and the
Egyptian statues, cannot fail of striking any one who has
ever seen an Isis.
The ruins of Seleucia extend very far to the W., but
there are none to the N. or beyond the northern part of the
enclosure mentioned in my Journal of yesterday.
December 11.—In the afternoon went on shore on the
eastern side, took two views of the Tauk; looked for the
ring in the keystone of the arch, but could not find it ; the
plaster too about it was broken away. On inquiring found
that the Arabs had taken it away, by slinging a basket with
a man in it by ropes on each side under the arch. It is said
the Arabs found it to be of gold.
December 12.—Left Tauk Kesraon horseback at 10 h a.m.
and arrived at the passage of the Diala, where there is
usually a bridge, which has been lately broken and carried
away by the violence of the swell and current. At l h we
halted here to refresh ourselves, and then getting into the
barouche, we arrived at the Residency at a little after three.