Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/121
is no likelihood that this should be the Remains of the ancient Tower of Babel.
The Plane of the City of Bagdat, which is to be compass'd, as well by Land as by Water, in two Hours.
- A.The Ground-Plot.
- B.The Fortreß.
- C.The Gate call'd Maazan-capi.
- D.The New Bulwark.
- E.The Port where the Grand Signor erected his first Batt'ry, Anno 1638.
- F.The Old Bulwark.
- G.The Gate in the Wall.
- H.The Old Bulwark.
- I.The Place where Amurat raised his second Batt'ry, when he made the Breach, and took the City.
- K.The Gate in the Wall
- L.The Old Bulwark.
- M.The Old Bulwark.
- N.Cara-capi, or the Black Gate.
- O.The Old Bulwark.
- P.Sou-capi, or the Water-Gate.
CHAP. VIII.
A Continuation of the Road from Bagdat to Balsara; and of the Religion of the Christians of St. John.
The fifteenth of March we hir'd a Bark from Bagdat to Balsara. And we observ'd, that a little beyond Bagdat the River Tigris divides it self into two Arms; the one which runs through the ancient Chaldea, the other keeps its course toward the Point of Mesopotamia; these two Arms making a large Iland, cross'd by several small Channels.
When we came to the place where Tigris divides it self, we beheld as it were the compass of a City that might have formerly been a large League in circuit. There are some of the Walls yet standing, upon which six Coaches may go a-brest. They are made of burnt Brick, every Brick being ten Foot square, and three thick. The Chronicles of the Country say, that these were the Ruines of the ancient Babylon.
We follow'd that Arm of Tigris that runs along the Coast of Chaldea; for fear of falling into the hands of the Arabs, who were then at War with the Basha of Babylon, denying to pay the ordinary Tribute to the Grand Signor. We were ten days upon the Water in our passage from Bagdat to Balsara, and lay every night upon the Water, dressing our Victuals in the Bark. For when we came to any Villages, we sent our Servants a-shoar to buy Provisions, which we had very cheap. Now the Towns we met with upon the Shoar were these. Amurat, where there stood a Fort of Brick bak'd in the Sun; Mansoury, a great Town; Magar, Gazer, and Gorno. At this last place Euphrates and Tigris meet together: where are also three Castles to be seen; one upon the Point where the two Rivers meet, which is the strongest, and where the Son of the Prince of Balsara then commanded; the second upon Chaldea side; and the third upon Arabia side. Though the Customs be there exactly demanded, and paid, yet they never search any person. The Tides come up to that place: so that having but fifteen Leagues to Balsara, we got thither in sev'n hours, having both Wind and Tide.
All the Country between Bagdat and Balsara is inter-cut and parted by Dikes, like the Low Countries; the two Cities, lying a hundred and sixty Leagues one fromthe