'A voyage from England to India, in the year 1754, and an historical narrative of the operations of the squadron and army in India, under the command of Vice-Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, in the years 1755, 1756, 1757 ... Also a journey from Persia to England by an unusual route. With an appendix, containing an account of the diseases prevalent in Admiral Watson's squadron, etc.' [‎362] (413/562)

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At one the next morning, we fet off again, and travelled five hours
over rocky hills. The firft two hours our courfe was W. S. W. the two
fucceeding ones S. W. and S. S. W. and the laft hour S. which brought
us to the city of BiVy or Birjoup (as it is called by the inhabitants) which is
fituated on the eaftern bank of the river Euphrates^ againft the fide of a very
high, chalky hill. It is about fix hundred yards in length, and has five or
fix Mofques with ftone Minarets. The buildings in general are in a ruinous
condition, which with the craggy hills around, afford a pidturefque and ro«
mantic profpe<5t. The tops of thefe hills are covered with vineyards, as
indeed are moft of the environs of the city, but we could not difcover
any corn-lands.
The city is defended by two caftles one (lands by the river's fide, the-
other on the top of the hill. From this laft, two fmall guns were fired in
honour of the arrival of Abdullah Bajha^ who entered and rode through the
city on horfeback, attended by his own train, and by the Bajha of Urfa, who
went out-of the place to meet him. There being no bridge here, and only
three ferry-boats, which were all employed in tranfporting the Bajhah Ear am
and retinue, foldiers and baggage, we had little hopes of getting acrofs the
river for fome time, and therefore feated ourfelves on fome ruins that lay in
the ditch before the town ; but the Bajha riding by, and feeing us and
our baggage in the open ftreet, immediately called our Aga to him, and
fternly demanded, " Why the Englijh gentlemen were thus fhame-
fully treated ?" Upon his being told the realon, he gave him the ftrifteft
orders, and commanded his own officers to take particular care, that the
boats fhould be no more employed in his fervice till we and all our baggage
were wafted over to the other fide. This was the firft time we had ever
feen the Bajha, and it muft be owned that his whole behaviour upon this
occafion was truly humane and polite. Our Aga kiflfed the hem of his gar
ment, and we bowed after our manner, which he returned with a fmall
bending of the cheft, and a vifible complacency of countenance. He was
about fixty years of age, feemed adtive, and had a very long flaxen beard-
The Kahier, who immediately followed the Bajha^ faluted us alfo with great
freedom and good-nature.
It was about nine in the morning when we pafted over the Euphrates'
for the fecond time ; and thus quitted Mefopotamia and entered Syria. The
river is here not more than 150 yards over, now, but in- the winter-months,,
©r after great rains, and the melting of the fnow in the mountains, it muft
be at leaft twice as broad, which is very vifible from its prefent dry bed.
It fupplies the inhabitants of Bir with a great variety of exceeding fine fifh,.
We got here ftieep, eggs, bread, and a few grapes,, but no wine or fpi-
rituous liquors.
It is fomewhat remarkable, that the burial-ground belonging to the city
of Bir , is on the Syrian fide ot the river; poftibly it may be owing to the-
ground'
Pffffr- ■
Jip ' ' v