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cultivation, prove that at some period, not very remote, others than the roving Bedouins dwelt on these lands; whilst the artificial mounds, scattered over the face of the country, show that long ere the Mussulman invasion, this was one of the flourishing districts of ancient Assyria.

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A most abundant spring issues from the foot of the mound of Abou Maria. The water is collected in large, well-built reservoirs. Near them is a mill, now in ruins, but formerly turned by the stream, within a few yards of its source. an ample supply of water, although brackish to the taste, must always have attracted a population in a country where it is scarce. The village, which was deserted on account of the oppression of Mohammed Pasha, belonged to the Jehesh. Three miles below, on the stream derived from the springs of Abou Maria, is the mud fort and small hamlet of Kessi Kupri, so named from the ruins of a bridge. A party of irregular cavalry, under my old friend Daoud Agha (who, by the way, brought me a load of water-melons and Sinjar figs to celebrate my visit), were then stationed there.

Three hours' ride, still over the desert, brought us to Tel Afer, which we reached suddenly on emerging from a range of low hills. The place had a much more important and flourishing appearance than I could have expected. A very considerable eminence, partly artificial, is crowned by a castle, whose walls are flanked by numerous towers of various shapes. The town, containing some well-built houses, lies at the foot of the mound, and is partly surrounded by gardens well wooded with the olive, fig, and other fruit trees; beyond this cultivated plot is the broad expanse of the desert. A spring, as abundant as that of Abou Maria, gushes out of a rock beneath the castle, supplies the inhabitants with water, irrigates their gardens, and turns their mills.

Tel Afer was once a town of some importance; it is mentioned by the early Arab geographers, and may perhaps be identified with the Telassar of Isaiah, referred to, as it is, in

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connection with Gozan and Haran.* It has been three times besieged, within a few years, by Ali Pasha of Baghdad, Hafiz Pasha, and Injeh Bairakdar Mohammed Pasha. On each occasion the inhabitants offered a vigorous resistance. Mohammed Pasha took the place by assault. More than twothirds of the inhabitants were put to the sword, and the property of the remainder was confiscated. The houses within. the fort were destroyed, and the town was rebuilt at the foot of the mound. A small Turkish garrison now occupies the castle. Previous to its last capture, Tel Afer was almost independent of the Turkish governors of Mesopotamia. It paid a small tribute, but had its own hereditary chief; who, in league with the Bedouins of the desert, and the Yezidis of the Sinjar, enriched his followers by the plunder of caravans, and by foraging expeditions into the cultivated districts of Mosul. Great wealth is said to have been discovered in the place, on its pillage by Mohammed Pasha, who took all the gold and silver, and distributed the remainder of the spoil amongst his soldiers.

The inhabitants of Tel Afer are of Turcoman origin, and speak the Turkish language. They occasionally intermarry, however, with the Arabs, and generally understand Arabic.

Towards evening I ascended the mound, and visited the castle, in which was quartered a small body of irregular troops. The houses, formerly inhabited by families whose habitations are now built at the foot of the artificial hill, are in ruins, except that occupied by the commander of the garrison. From the walls I had an uninterrupted view over a vast plain, stretching westward towards the Euphrates, and losing itself in the hazy distance. The ruins of ancient towns and villages rose on all sides; and, as the sun went down, I counted above one hundred mounds, throwing their dark and lengthening shadows

* Isaiah xxxvii. 12. The name does not occur elsewhere in the Bible; and we have consequently no means of determining its locality.

across the plain. These were the remains of Assyrian civilization and prosperity. Centuries have elapsed since a settled population dwelt in this district of Mesopotamia. Now, not even the tent of the Bedouin could be seen. The whole was a barren, deserted waste.

We remained two days at Tel Afer. The commissariat was replenished as far as possible from the scanty stores of the inhabitants. The Pasha recommended forbearance and justice; but his advice was not followed; nor were his orders obeyed. The houses were broken into, and a general pillage ensued. At length, on the 10th, we resumed our march.

The mountain of Sinjar is about thirty miles distant from Tel Afer. A very low range of hills diverges from its southern spur, and unites with those behind the town. The Pasha, with his troops, took the road across the plain.

We passed the first night on the banks of a small salt stream, near the ruins of a village, called, by the people of the Sinjar and Tel Afer, Zabardok; and by the Arabs simply Kharba, or the ruins. We had seen during the day several other ruins and water-courses.* The second day we encamped in the plain, near the southern end of the Sinjar mountain, and under the village of Mirkan, the white houses of which, rising one above the other on the declivity, were visible from below. Here the Pasha was met by all the chiefs of the mountain, except those of the small district in which we had halted.

Mirkan is one of the principal Yezidi settlements in the Sinjar. Its inhabitants had been exposed to great extortions, and many were put to death when Mohammed Pasha visited the mountain. They expected similar treatment at our hands. No promises could remove their fears, and they declared their intention of resolutely defending their village. The Pasha sent up an officer of his household, with a few irregular troops

• All these streams at this time of the year are nearly dry, and lose themselves in the desert; but when replenished by the winter rains they find their way to the Thathar, the small river which flows near the ruins of Al Hather, and ends in a lake to the south of them.

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