An order was
afterwards given to cover in the places which had been dug open, as
the wandering Arabs had begun to do a great deal of injury. When I
visited the spot, some places were already covered in, but the
greater part remained open.
The excavations near Nebbi Yunus are still being carried on. An
annual grant is made by the British government for this purpose.
The English resident at Baghdad, Major Rawlinson, had made himself
perfectly master of the cuneiform character. He reads the
inscriptions with ease, and many of the translations are the results
of his labours.
We returned to Mosul on horseback in five hours and a half. The
power of endurance of the Arabian horses is almost incredible. They
were allowed only a quarter of an hour's rest in Mosul, where they
had nothing but water, and then travelled the eighteen miles back
again during the hottest part of the day. Mr. Ross told me that
even this was not equal to the work done by the post horses: the
stations for these are from forty-eight to seventy-two miles distant
from each other. It is possible to travel from Mosul by Tokat to
Constantinople in this way. The best Arabian horses are found round
Baghdad and Mosul.
An agent of the Queen of Spain had just purchased a stud of twelve
magnificent horses (eight mares and four stallions), the dearest of
which had cost on the spot 150 pounds sterling. They stood in Mr.
Rassam's stable. Their handsome, long, slender heads, their
sparkling eyes, slight bodies, and their small delicately formed
feet, would have filled any admirer of horses with delight.
I could now venture, not, indeed, without considerable risk,
although with the possibility of some insult, upon the desired
journey into Persia. I sought a caravan to Tebris. Unfortunately,
I could not find one which went direct there, and I was, therefore,
compelled to make this journey in separate stages, a circumstance
which was so much the worse for me, as I was told that I should not
find any Europeans on the way.
Nevertheless I took the chance. Mr. Rassam arranged for me the
journey as far as Ravandus, and furnished me with a letter of
recommendation to one of the natives there. I wrote out a small
lexicon of Arabian and Persian words, and took leave of this
hospitable family at sunset, on the 8th of July. I started on this
journey with some feelings of anxiety, and scarcely dared to hope
for a fortunate termination. On that account I sent my papers and
manuscripts from here to Europe, so that in case I was robbed or
murdered my diary would at least come into the hands of my sons.
{270}
