In the passage of the Tigris by the ten thousand Greeks, a Rhodian offered to convey the troops across that river, in the following manner: "I shall want," said he, "two thousand leather bags. I see here great numbers of sheep, goats, oxen, and asses; if these are flayed, and their skins blown, we may easily pass the river with them. I shall also want the girths belonging to the sumpter-horses; with these I will fasten the bags to one another, and, hanging stones to them, let them down into the water instead of anchors, then tie up the bags at both ends, and, when they are upon the water, lay fascines upon them, and cover them with earth. I will make you presently sensible that you cannot sink; for every bag will bear up two men, and the fascines and the earth will prevent them from slipping."

At eight o'clock, we stopped at a caravanserai and received some water, for which the Arabs demanded money. About ten, we passed the remains of the lines thrown up by Nadir Shah, in the year A. D. 1735,

when the Persians besieged Baghdad*. The view that presented itself to us on passing these mounds was very fine. The great capital, where once was seated the throne of the Arabian kaliphs, lay apparently in the centre of a vast plain, from which arose many a lofty minaret and stately mosque. To the right of the city, there suddenly appeared a luxuriant grove of date trees, from the centre of which the golden cupola of Kauzumeen, majestically glittering in the sun, was seen far above its feathering head. To the north, the plain was unbounded; and towards the east, a visionary lake, with with its thin vapours

floating over the

city like sheets of transparent silver, reflected every surrounding object as in a mirror. At one o'clock, the celebrated city of Baghdad rose in sight with its towering citadel. The lovely groves of palms, beneath whose shade the

* When Tamerlane reduced Baghdad, he erected on its ruins a pyramid of ninety thousand heads. (Gibbon, chap. 65, vol. 6, p. 322).

Tigris was flowing, had for the last hour completely obscured that river; but now it was only partially hidden, until we crossed a dry ditch surrounding the city, and entered its lofty arched gateway, which was carved and enamelled in the arabesque manner.

Baghdad-Daoud Pasha-Jew Brokers-Origin of Baghdad-Climate and Soil-Ladies of Baghdad-Persian Beauty-Eastern Head-dress-Jewellery-Chaders-Polygamy-Flight from the Plague-Arabian Cemetery-Irrigation-Rafts-Royal Canal-Ctesiphon-Palace of Kesra-Destruction of Ctesiphon.

ALTHOUGH the splendid palaces of Haroun al Raschid * and his beautiful Zobeïde belong to poetry, and exist only in the stories of the Thousand and One Nights, the surrounding country is indelibly marked with an imperishable interest, and forms a powerful contrast to the desolation in which the destroying influence of time has overwhelmed this seat of the ancient kaliphs. When viewed with reference to the events of the earliest history of the world, it is indeed a region of undying attraction both to the soldier and

* The ally of Charlemagne, the dread of the Romans, and the hero of the Arabian Nights' Entertainments.

eastern romance.

to the antiquary. Like all other once brilliant cities in this devoted country, Baghdad has fallen from its ancient splendour, and suffered from the most dreadful visitations. At this day vast masses of ruin entirely impede the passage of most of the streets, and an aspect of misery hangs over this favourite scene of It is difficult to judge of its present population, as, from the disturbed state of the country, and the constant demand for troops by the pasha, it must greatly fluctuate: added to which, the majority of the inhabitants are either soldiers, or employed by the government, and always stimulated by the hope of plunder to engage in any quarrel. The present population may, however, be stated at eighty thousand as a maximum.

If we except Egypt, the pashalic of Baghdad is the most powerful and extensive throughout the wide range of the Ottoman empire, and Daoud Pasha resembles an independent sovereign rather than a sultan's representative. Like the