'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎129] (262/458)

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MEMOIR ON THE “ TIGRIS. w ^29
m inutes we came on a long duct called the Ejdeh, # having several other
gimilar to it, all derived originally from the KlUul-al-Kesr£w'i, now
seperafced from tliem by the Tigris# T. hey are noted in the Appendix ^
an( l the lines they pursued over the country are also shewn. Rains ,
0 f brick-pottery and other remains are strewed on every hand, shewing
that the space contained between the old bed of the Tigris to the West
arK l the K&tul-al-KesiAwi now close on the other side of the Tigris
to the east was a densely populated region. The next day was devoted
also to the examination of this canal and to following up the" canal
Al-Ejdeh,f which was the main branch or line to the east of Gpis,
and in determining the connexion between them and the K&tul conduit.
To continue describing these, offering as they do so much sameness
ia detail, would be tedious in the extreme : with the exception, there
fore, of recording that I was enabled to fix the site of another large
town iji on the left bank of the old bed of the Tigris on my way to
Bagdad, I shall conclude with a general reference to the map and to
the appendix, which the observations made at the several positions will
be found, and on which the former was constructed. The dry bed of
the artificial acqueducts excavated in remote antiquity in the map, are
represented by well defined black lines drawn over the face of the
country where they are still traceable, and the deserted channel of the
Tigris and minor arms, which it must have occupied previous to its
settling in its present position, are shown by shaded curvatures such as
those pertaining to natural streams, while long decayed towns are
enclosed in a broken red-line. A knowledge of this in considering the
site of Opis will be necessary to prevent confusion ; the bearing in
mind, at the same time that the recent or new course the Tigris has
followed is marked blue, as also are the canals at present dispensing
water, will aid materially in the enquiry, for these must be regarded as
non-existing when the brave < 6 ten thousands’’ and their successors in
arms traversed this region, the history of which, whether derived from
sacred or profane writers, is in some measure elucidated by the research
of individuals, however limited in knowledge or in qualifications. This
indeed is my apology for having essayed the identification of the lost
Opis, a city which has engaged the attention of our best geographers,
and well deserving of a place on our maps, for we may regard it as the
Primitive “ Assembly House” of nations then far distant from each other,
• See appendix f Appendix A. U. B. C. D. F. X Appendix under E.