'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎128] (261/458)

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COMMANDER F. JONES*
128
canals, and as the canals could not hold the waters, the dams and
mounds gave way, and the water filled the lower country. The Persian
King Abrawiz (Kliusru Pamz) endeavoured to confine the waters
again, repair the dams, and to open the trenches, but he was unable to
control the river; it took its course towards the place wherein our
time are the marshes. The cultivations and fields were submerged
and whole districts were changed into marshes which are there at
present, his exertions to stop it being inefficient. The Persians were
soon afterwards occupied with Arabic wars, they broke through ifc s
limits, and no body could turn his mind to the reparation of the dams,
so the marshes became wider and more extensive. ,>
“ The whole extent of the marshes which the water occupies at pre
sent (332 A. H.) is about fifty farsakhs (125 miles about) long and
as many broad.* In the centre is a round place in which the ground
rises ; this is a city covered with water, and when the water is clear,
one may see at the bottom the ruins of buildings ; some stones are
still standing in their places, whilst others have fallen down One may
still trace the course of the buildings.^
From tins account of Masudi, the date of the irruption that des
troyed the Ivatul and changed the course of the Tigris to its present
position might be assigned to the era of Khusru Parvfz. There is
scarcely any doubt, however, but that it was in operation as a cmai in
the time of M&tassem, the 8th Khalif of the Allassin, or he would not
have selected its district for his new capital erected at Samara, con
tiguous to the line of its course, and protected by the extended arms of
the conduit, from whence also it is presumed the restored city derived
its water as did the more ancient Sumere, winch existed there in Julians
day. It is not, however, unlikely that the several portions, on tho
elevated soil around, continue to hold water by being dammed up
where we see the arms unite in the map, and where dams still exist in
the bed viewed as deep trenches above, they were then still able to
maintain a large population, and to irrigate as well the tract lyi^S
between them and the Tigris.
From Manjur we traversed the country in a N. E. direction to fixtlio
arms of the canals that have been served by the river from the K&tulj
and which I have noted in my journey of last year. In thirty
* Marfij-adh-Dhahabwa M adan-al-johir of Ma’sudf says during the khalifate of Mo’awiy*
the state derived a revenue of fifteen millions of Dihreins. <£3.000,000.) from the reeds alon«>
which grew spontaneously in the marshes, p. 255.
* to the exair
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