'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎82] (215/458)

g 2 COMMANDER F„ JONES.
Baghdad and Samara. In the deep bight of the Tigris, South of Khan
Dholdyeh, a ferry is established for crossing the river, and the road dis
tance thus occupies twenty-three hours ; whereas by the Eastern route,
through the Khdlis district, it is generally a day longer. The position
of this ferry is a well-defined geological limit, for here we have the
last shingle islands in the bed of the Tigris, as it proceeds Eastwards,
and the bottom changes, from the hard superimposed strata of the
tertiary tracts to the muddy alluvium of the plains.
March 25th. Leaving the party encamped alongside the steamer, I
set off this morning, with a few people only, to examine the locality;
first proceeding at a smart canter to a conspicuous tomb known as
Syed Mahomed’s, * standing on the plain between the old and new
courses of the river. Near it is a deserted KMn or caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). , built
for the accommodation of pilgrims, but like most works of the kind, has
been abandoned since the route has become dangerous. The tomb
itself is a plain-domed building somewhat lofty, and has attached to it
a place of prayer. The facade stands out from the building itself, and
is not an inelegant piece of architecture, being three vaulted sections
standing on a brick platform : the centre one supporting the dome
is the highest, and a doorway opening at its back leads to the cemetry
within. The face of the building is purely Saracenic, executed in a
very neat style of brickwork, and on the entableture surmounting the
centre arch, the words “ Yd Allah !” O God ! 66 Yd Mahomed!” 0 Maho
med ! and “ Yd Ali !” O Ali! are neatly inscribed by blue enamelled
tiles that have been inlaid in the structure : the first pious ejacula-
* It marks the last resting-place of another member of the unfortunate race of Ali.
Syed (lord) Mahomed was the third son of Ali bin Mahomed al Juwad al Askeri, the tenth
Im&m, brother of Hassan al Askeri the eleventh, and uncle to Al Mehdi the twelfth and last
Imam. The two first accompanied their father, the tenth Imam, from Medineh on his journey
to Samara, then the recently-formed capital of Matassem the eighth khalif of the house of
Abbas, which place was appropriated as the residence of the Imam, while under a strict
surveillance by the enemies of his family.
Samara was destined afterwards to become the burial-place of the tenth and eleventh Imams,
who were supposed to have been poisoned, and the spot where the twelfth is said to have dis
appeared from the earth to re-appear at a future time as the Mahomedan Messiah. The tombs
are annually visited by hosts of devotees of the sect of Ali, and are named “ Al-Askeri” after
the title of the family. I am at present unable to learn the reason of the Syed Mahomed s
tomb being at a distance from the rest of his race, but suppose his death to have occurrea
while en route to the place of imprisonment. On a clear day, however, they are in sight oi
each .other, being abuut 20^ geographical miles apart. This mausoleum must now have ex
isted upwards of ten centuries, as the family reached Samara about 214 A. H. For notices m
this family see D’Herbelot, Biblioth. Orient. ,
A sketch of this tomb, presented by my friend Mr. John Taylor, will give a good idea of tne
edifice. It accompanies the paper—see Appendix O for the bearings taken from
Mahomed, which position is itself determined trigonometrically, with reference to the
situated North of it as far as Dur, by my survey of last year.
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