'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From December 1854 to March 1856. (New Issue.) Edited by the Secretary. Volume XII.' [‎57] (168/258)

OBSERVATIONS ON BAGHDAD.
57
gardens for miles around derived their water, though 'washed by the Tigris
from the Great Nahrwan canal, a work originating in remote antiquity, but
restored under the vigorous administration of the early Khalifs. I have given
a full description of this great aqueduct in a former paper, which will be found
in the Transactions of the Geographical Society of Bombay.
The enclosed area, within the present walls of Baghdad, contains seven hun
dred and thirty-seven acres, the eastern portion of the city extending over five
hundred and ninety-one, and the western over one hundred and forty-six
acres. The singular alignments of the walls will be best seen from the plan.
They are very irregular and seem to have been constructed on no systematic
plan, but to have been drawn around the various groups of buildings as they
then stood. I have not been able to learn in whose reign they were first de
signed ; but powerful as the earlier Khalifs were, we may presume that no in
vasion was feared in a city whose monarchs governed from the Oxus to
Gibraltar. The glory of Greece had set, and that of Rome was so declined as
to offer but feeble and distant menace to those who had overran kingdoms, and
whose hordes were yet united either for the dissemination of the faith, or for
the punishment of infidels. The vast armies that acknoweldged and proclaim
ed the supremacy of the Khalif of Baghdad in every direction, were, indeed,
sufficient guarantees for the safety of the “ City of Peaceand we may pre
sume, therefore, that Baghdad, whatever inward defences it may have had
against a turbulent towns people,* remained for a period ungirt by a wall
The excitement of conquest over discord prevailed among leaders who set
themselves up in opposition to sovereign authority, particularly when the
Khalifs no longer led in person, but revelling in sloth and effeminate pleasures
wanted the energy to repel disorders both at home and abroad. From a fine
Arabic inscription in relief on a scroll border around the tower of the Tahesh-
manic gate, we gather that that portion of it at least was built in A. H. 618, at
the beginning of the thirteenth century of Christ, by the Khalif Abut Abbas-
an-Nasr-ed-din. This is a fine specimen of Saracenic brick work, and, il we
except the holes made in it by;Artillery during some sieges, it looks as fresh as
if it were but a recent work. In all probability it is of later construction
than many parts of the foundations of the wall, for they bear the impress of age,
and exhibit moreover the open brick and mortar work peculiar to the older
“ Mosamehs ”t The foundation of the Baghdad walls may, therefore, date
from the third century of theHejreh, when alarms were first experienced from
* Matasim Billah, the eighth Khalif, quitted Baghdad and made Samaramtoa
he and a few of his successors resided for a tune on account of t e y
capital, where
disposition ot
the tA b name'applied to substantial embankments of masonry, built principally as water
defences, on which the fortifications arc raised.