M. Botta's labours may have merited a fuller description and more ample notice; but as the works carried on at Khorsabad were in most respects identical in their character with those which I afterwards undertook, I have, to avoid repetition, merely given this short sketch of his labours. Their results are now being published in France, and his countrymen have not been backward in recognising the extent and importance of his discovery, and in rewarding the zeal, discrimination, and personal sacrifices which led to it.

The advantages which I had derived from a perusal of M. Botta's letters, and an inspection of his drawings, enabled me to call public attention, at an early period, to his discovery, and to be amongst the first to hazard an opinion on the age and origin of his remarkable monument. I endeavoured to show, in three letters to the "Malta Times," the general grounds upon which such an opinion could be formed. Not having had an opportunity of examining similar Assyrian remains, and my knowledge of M. Botta's discoveries being incomplete, I was led into one or two errors; but in most respects the view taken in those letters is the one which is now generally adopted.* It will be

Misled by a passage in one of M. Botta's letters, I had supposed that two varieties of the cuneiform character had been found at Khorsabad, and had founded an argument upon this presumed fact. M. Botta, himself, perceiving that inscriptions had been cut on the back of the slabs, was, at first, led to believe that they had been taken from some more ancient edifice. The absence of the symbol which I had inadvertently called the "Ferouher" ultimately proved no argument; for it was discovered at Nimroud, together with many other religious emblems, which show that the Zoroastrian system was mainly derived from Assyria. I

shown hereafter on what evidence we may still connect the edifice uncovered at Khorsabad with the second dynasty of Assyrian kings, or with one of those monarchs, Essaraddon or Sennacherib, who extended his conquests over the greater part of

Asia.

The success of M. Botta had increased my anxiety to explore the ruins of Assyria. It was evident that Khorsabad could not stand alone. It did not represent ancient Nineveh, nor did it afford us any additional evidence of the site of that city. If the edifice discovered had been one of its palaces, surely other buildings of a vaster and more magnificent character must exist nearer the seat of government, on the banks of the river Tigris. It was true that M. Botta had laboured unsuccessfully for above three months in the great mound opposite Mosul, which was usually identified with the Assyrian capital; but that mound much exceeded any other known in extent; and it was possible that in some parts of it the traces of the buildings which it once contained were as completely lost as they were in many parts of the mound of Khorsabad. My thoughts still went back to the ruin of Nimroud, and to the traditions which attached to it. I spoke to others, but received little encouragement. At last, in the autumn of 1845, Sir Stratford Canning mentioned to me his readiness to incur, for a limited period, the expenses of excavations in

make these observations, as a reviewer in the Quarterly (No. 158.) has been led into error by my observations. The letters in the Malta Times were reprinted in many of the English and Continental periodicals.

Assyria, in the hope that, should success attend the attempt, means would be found to carry it out on an adequate scale. I received with joy the offer of commencing and carrying on these excavations. The means were now at my disposal to prosecute a work which I had so long desired to undertake. The reader will not, I trust, be disinclined to join with me in feelings of gratitude towards one who, whilst he has maintained so successfully the honour and interests of England by his high character and eminent abilities, has acquired for his country so many great monuments of ancient civilisation and art. It is to Sir Stratford Canning we are mainly indebted for the collection of Assyrian antiquities with which the British Museum will be enriched; without his liberality and public spirit the treasures of Nimroud would have been reserved for the enterprise of those who have appreciated the value and importance of the discoveries at Khorsabad.

The enlightened and liberal spirit shown by M. Botta is unfortunately not generally shared. It was,

* I need scarcely remind the reader that it is to Sir S. Canning we owe the marbles of Halicarnassus now in the British Museum. The diffi culties which stood in the way of the acquisition of those invaluable relics, and the skill which was required to obtain them, are not generally known. I can testify to the efforts and labour which were necessary for nearly three years before the repugnance of the Ottoman government could be overcome, and permission obtained to extract the sculptures from the walls of a castle, which was more jealously guarded than any similar edifice in the empire. Their removal, notwithstanding the almost insurmountable difficulties raised by the authorities and inhabitants of Budroon, was most successfully effected by Mr. Alison. The Elgin marbles, and all other remains from Turkey or Greece now in Europe, were obtained with comparative ease.

consequently, deemed most prudent and most conducive to the success of the undertaking, that I should leave Constantinople without acquainting any one with the object of my journey. I was only furnished with the usual documents given to travellers when recommended by the Embassy, and with strong letters of introduction to the authorities at Mosul and in the neighbourhood. My preparations were soon completed, and I started from Constantinople by steamer to Samsoun in the middle of October.

I need scarcely trouble the reader with the details of my progress through a country so well known and so often written about, as that between Samsoun and Mosul. Anxious to reach the end of my journey, I crossed the mountains of Pontus and the great steppes of the Usun Yilak as fast as post-horses could carry me, descended the high lands into the valley of the Tigris, galloped over the vast plains of Assyria, and reached Mosul in twelve days.

NAMENTS.

RETURN TO MOSUL.

CONDUCT OF THE PASHA. EXCAVATIONS COMMENCED AMONGST VARIOUS RUINS.

INTERRUPTED BY THE

SELAMIYAH.

RETURN

DESCRIPTION OF BAS-RELIEFS.

PASHA.

FURTHER DISCOVERY OF DEPOSITION OF THE PASHA. DEPARTURE FOR

66

My first step on reaching Mosul was to present my letters to the governor of the province. Mohammed Pasha, being a native of Candia, was usually known as Keritli Oglu (the son of the Cretan), to distinguish him from his celebrated predecessor of the same name, who was called, during his lifetime, Injeh Bairakdar," or the Little Standard-bearer, from the rank he had once held in the irregular cavalry. The appearance of his Excellency was not prepossessing, but it matched his temper and conduct. Nature had placed hypocrisy beyond his reach. He had one eye and one ear; he was short and fat, deeply marked by the small-pox, uncouth in gestures and harsh in voice. His fame had reached the seat of his government before him. On the road he had revived many good old customs and impositions, which the reforming spirit of the age had suffered to fall into decay. He