The New York herald., 1870-04-24

opens In front, and ceases altogether to fulfil any
as -
aud there, and sometimes for miles ut stretch,
with date plantations. This shore is also dotted
approach 10 than the other. Up near Bagdad, ior
the last hundred miles OF the voyage both SIDES OF
scanty patches OF high grass, parched by the hot
sun to haylike hue. Nos unfrequenty mock Oh
shaggy cattle or sheen may ne ee9 guarded sar. Dy
and huge nint lock pistols. Everywhere there s y
abundance of game; the river is crowded with WHO
duck and waterfowl and its banks are the home OF
grim wlla boars .sangliers," as French passenger
Termed them) OF ever hungry 1ackals and OF nyenas
and and WOOD, wooacocH. ' S Sometimes let " the people OF the
steamer have seen even y lion, that has come down
to the river TO drink, ana his majesty has stared ,
INTO the cover to die. When the river, Is
nave 10 be traversed between banks too high to
admit Of q view OF the country through which one
Is being carried; and II is only here and there that
HOW you GO UP.
The navigation Of the Iigrs ana tne Enpnrafes OF
favorable circumstances the river wond not be an
easy one to steam over. But year arer year, owing
TO the carelessness OF the authorities the water,
which should be confined within the banks, 10
allowed TO break through more and more over the
low levels into which the banks subside where 1t
forms huge marshes. In ancient times the river was
carefully preserved within Its natural boundaries,
partly BY means OF evees and partly by means OF ca
nails, which were useful also. rs means OF lfriga-
ti0n. That was in the days when Me50potamla ana
Babylo4a were IN the zenith OF their glory aud ul-
til the decline 0t the power or the caiphs the same
system was more or less perfectly maintained. But
late years in the evIl centuries OF weakness
and misrule and poverty, everything has been
rapidly gong to rack and ruin. In the winter the
heavy rains swell the rivers until they rise sometimes
ecoSomizea, econ would be- amply suiIcient to last over
the dry season. Bat at present the water foods
through the breaches which time and wear has
made In the banks des0ates the soil 1t fnundates
and makes the navigation Of the river almost I'm
possible the low season even for vessels Of very
shallow draught And apart from the snall0wness or
the channel. there is another source OF trouhe The
banks are very insecure, being simply mounds OF
kind worth speaking OF. The rapid current never
running less than four and sometimes eight miles an
hour is constantly tearing away these shores, form.
ing new mud banks and carving OUT for itself
fresh channel In q few days deep water is fire.
quenty converted into shallow bar, while new
side OF the stream TO find this latter in some wide
reach OF the river is perhaps very difficult and as
shipped over the bar n small boats until the steam
snip manages to get across II: Then the cargo s
again received on board. This sometimes takes
place three or four times the OF the tr,D,
and the voyage ~ prop0rtionately heightened. The
width OF the river by the way varies very greatly.
Sometimes It Is barely quarter OF mile across, or
even less. and again five miles further up 1t Widens
out into three-auarters OF q mile:
HIsToRY-ITs RUINS AND MONUMENTS.
Between Bussorah and Bagdad there are three
special OBJECTS OF interest-lhe, Garden OF Eden
EZra's TOMB and the Arch OF Ctesphon. The site of
1t must have been at some point where the 11gris
and the Euphrates and some other two rivers meet.
spot and tins, in all essential points. agrees
with the. scrptural narrative. The two main
ri nSw nsce caea ana on or a@ee ali
TO form the ShaJ Ell Arab wnlle about half mile
below good sized stream runs down from the Per-
sian mountains into the man river. BY tradition
the land enclosed by the angle formed by tho Tgris
and the Euphrates Is regarded as the verltabe Gar
den OF Eden, where the hrst man awoke 10 mental
consciousness, where Eve was created out OF spare
rib. and where the serpent succeeded IN comprising
the ruin OF the human race. At present-indeed for
many years-thls spot has been the site Of an Arab
town, which now is declining in prosperity 10 look at
1t Is certainly much more inviting location than
many other towns on The river scattered along the
bank are some couple Of hundred houses, made OF
reeds and thatch Wnle nearly on the extreme point,
where the rivers meet shanty has been built Tor
telegraph citation. 1t s curious indeed tothink Of
the site OF the rustic arb0r In which our first parents
billed and coOed being appropriated as resting
place for commercial bulletins and newspaper des-
patches. just AZ present the Arabs have cut the
wires, aud all the European despatcnes have TO be
brought down from point a little below Hah by
steamer to Korneh TO oe thence ransmitteq ~ 10 Dom
therefore, tor the time being, principal point OF
the line. The town people live chiefly by the cul-
OF dates OF which there are severa, plantations
enclosed by mud walls, and D couple OF native
Bungalows are now lying IN the river load
ing cargoes for Bussorah. There Is only one
other tree besides date trees at Korneh. and that,
although not fig, Is plundered by every traveller Tor
souvenirs In the shape OF few leaves. Two
three years ago there were some real hg trees; but
these have now been transplanted to the British
Resldency at Margll They are, OF course, saa i Dy
from whose branches Adam and Eve made them
selves aprons.
for steamers. Some DOUBT seems 10 exist as TO
whether covers the remains OF the prophet but all
pace is supported Dy contributions from Hebrews
In all parts Of the world even the Rotschds being
said TO number among tue suoscriperS Three or
four thousand Jewish pilgrims visit 1t annually,
some Of whom are SAID to come from Europe. AS
work Of architectural art the tomb Is by no means
rounded by number Of buildings and used by the
pilgrims as caravansery Three or four slckiy
the illustrations in the Bible commentaries exhibit
The material employed In the construction OF the
tomb s brick, faced with rough chunam plaster.
Several rabbis live permanently at the tomD sub
sstlng by the pious offerings OF visitors.
The last "sight' on the Tigris, the Arch OF the
CteSiphOn, Is only thirty miles below Bagdad, and
owing to the river making very sudden turn at
TINS point IL Is possible to be landed from the
again on the other side Of the bend. When came
up, the boat unfortunately passed at night; 80
must confess that have had to ride out to the place
to see it-a journey or couple or days, including
nights lodging at horribly dirty khan But
think 1t best to mention Cresiphon as one Of the
sights Of the voyage as no doubt all American
travellers who may pass this way In future Will have
the good luck 10 see 1t on their passage up the rver
So Whatever trouble, however, Is gone through to
see 1t, the arch will amply repay in interest, for
1t 49, fact as the books say, the largest arch IN the
world. IL Is an immense semi circle OF bricks, held
together by cement perfect IN shape, more tnan 100
height about 100 feet wide and 180 Ieet Deep
At end the arch is walled up, win the exception
OF square, ruined doorway, and either side OF 1t
are vast remains, the vestiges OF what Once the
palace Of Parthian King Huge as the
arch is 1t has no Keystone aud the story
goes that during the progress oil irs construction
IL was supported only 10y sacks OF straw. Owing TO
the drynes5 OF the climate the cement has hardened
Into the firInness OF stone, ana the WORK Is there
fore IN a wonderful state Of preservation, although
1t Is nearly 1000 years old. Recently the Arabs tried
H9UEaQ.
but they found the trouble OF digging them out from
the cement greater than they were worth. The
bricks are admirably well made. They are as hard
stone, and a knife makes scarcely any impression
upon them. In size they are about a foot long by
nine inches WIDE, with depth OF four or i've inches.
The outside OF the arch has, OF course suffered
somewhat from the weather, but only few breaches
have as yet been made III the roof. Left to ITSELF
turles to come.
Close by the arch is the tomb Of that celebrated
barber to one OF the Calphs, wno being entrusted