'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎8] (19/905)

viii PREFACE.
state of the river Euphrates generally; and, on the Author's
subsequent arrival in Alexandria, he received from Mr. Barker,
our Consul-General in Egypt, a list of queries which had been
sent to him by the Earl of Aberdeen, regarding the compara
tive advantages of the proposed lines to India, by the Euphrates,
and by the Eed Sea. Circumstances being then favourable, the
Author determined to extend his travels so far as to enable
him to answer these "queries, as well as to gain the ends before
proposed; accordingly he commenced with the Isthmus of
Suez, and passed down the Eed Sea to Kosseir. Thence he
crossed the desert to the Nile, which he afterwards descended
to its mouths. 1
The Author now embarked for Jaffa, and proceeded through
Palestine, Syria, &c., to the Euphrates, which river he de
scended, principally on a raft made of hurdles, from El Kay em
to its estuary; and prepared a map on a scale of two inches to
a mile, showing the depth, current, &;c., throughout a distance
of 701 miles thus surveyed".
An examination of the rivers of Susiana followed; but as one
very important object, the state of the higher Euphrates, still
remained to be ascertained, the Author continued his retrograde
journey through Persia and Asia Minor, and carefully examined
the upper part of the river, as well as the country lying between
its banks and the ports of the Mediterranean. A statement of
the relative advantages of the routes to India by the Eed Sea
and the Euphrates was afterwards laid before the British
Government through the late and present Ambassadors at the
Porte, Sir Eobert Gordon and Sir Stratford Canning. 2
A matter of such great national importance, when recom-
1 See Letter, p. 88-91, in Appendix to the Report from the Select Com
mittee on Steam Navigation to India, 14th July, 1834.
2 Ibid., p. 50-98.