Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/114

From thence we went to Aleppo, and stay'd there from the seventh of October to the thirtieth of December.

On the thirtieth we set forward for Nineveh, and with little variation of the Road which I have already describ'd in my third Voyage from Paris. We arriv'd the second day of February at Moussul or Nineveh, where we stay'd 'till the fifteenth, 'till the Kilets or Boats of the Country could be got ready. Our Kilet carry'd thirty Passengers, and sixty hundred of Aleppo Weight, or thirty three thousand pound of Paris Weight, upon which the Tigris bore us from Moussul to Babylon.

The fifteenth of February we put off from Moussul, and after we had swam six hours, we came to lye near a hot Bath, about a Musket-shot from the Tigris. It was throng'd with Sick people that came thither for their Recovery. We kept our selves upon the Watch all night; but for all we could do, the Arabs stole two Coverlets from a Merchant, and a Turk's Cloaths that was gone into the Bath.

The sixteenth, after we had row'd about five hours, we came to a huge Dam; it is 200 Foot wide, and makes a fall in the River of about 20 Fathoms steep. The Arabians said that Alexander the Great made it to turn the course of the River; others will have it, that Darius caus'd it to be made to hinder the passage of the Macedonians by Water. However, we were forc'd to land our selves and our Goods, and to lade them upon Horses which the Arabs brought us.

The passing this Dam is worthy observation. For it is a thing of wonder to see the Kilet all of a sudden fall above sixscore Foot, and yet to be kept by the Leather-Bottles still above Water. The Water-men that guide the Boat, tye themselves and their Oars fast to a Pearch bent like a Semicircle, to defend themselves from the force of the Water. And indeed this is the Dam that renders Tigris unnavigable.

The Kilet being come to the place where we expected it, we put our Goods aboard, and lay in the same place upon the Bank of the River. For the Arabs, if they perceive the Merchants asleep, cut the Cords of the Kilet, and letting it a-drift, swim after it, and rifle away what they please.

The seventeenth, after three hours rowing we met with the River Zab, that empties into the Tigris, upon Chaldea-side. Half a League above the River stands a fair Castle of Brick upon a little Hill; but no body dwelling in it, it runs to ruine. We were twelve hours that day upon the Water, and came to lye at a place which was full of Wood, where we made great Fires, and shot off our Muskets often in the night to scare the Lions.

The eighteenth we were upon the Water eighteen hours, and lay upon the Bank of the River, upon Assyria-side. That Evening the Arabs brought us Milk-Meats, and fresh Butter. They swim from the other side of the River with a Boracho under their Stomachs, and another upon their Heads, wherein they bring their Commodities; for which they will have no Money, but only Tobacco, or Bisket, or Pepper.

The nineteenth, in four hours time we met with a River call'd Altum-sou, or The River of Gold. It flows from the Mountains of the Medes, and I travel'd by the side of it for three days together, returning from Tauris to Aleppo, and passing the Tigris to Mesia. The Water of the River is of an excellent tast, and it falls into Tigris upon Assyria-side. All along the Tigris, on the same side, are great store of Bituminous Springs, and other Streams of hot Water that smell of Sulphur. All thatday