Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-08-17
THE TIGRIS AND EUPHRATEs.

This river is the only long river in
the world which is called by two
names. You will wonder why. II is
because the Tigris and Euphrates once
entered the Persian Gulf by separate
mouths. That is to say, they were
entirely different rivers. In those
days, the empires of Babylonia and
Assyria were rich and powerful. The
Tigris and Euphrates is, also, one OF
the two long rivers in the world with
a great history. The other is the Nile.
Like this river, too, il Is full OF life
Tor the first part OF Its course, and
slow in its middle and lower course.
Tigris means swift as an arrow"
and, just because it runs so rapidly
from its home in the mountains Of
Kurdistan, il brings down quantities
Of mud, which settles at its mouth; so
that, in the course OF ages, the low
ground between the two rivers, where
they empty themselves into the Persian
Gulf, silted up as far as place call
ed Kurnah. Here the two rivers join,
and flow a further 90 miles south I'M
der another name, Shatt-el-Arab. The
Euphrates rises in the heart Of Ar
menia, and runs for 40 miles in a sue
cession of rapids and cataracts. After
this, it makes big bend toward the
source of the Tigris, as If it knew
that, in the end, they would unite as
one river.
Now from the plains between them,
or in the mountainous regions in which
they rise, many famous races in an
cient and modern times have come
For instance, the Egyptians. Also the
Jews. We are told, daresay you re-
member, that Abraham, their ancestor,
Travelled from Chaldea to the Land OF
C2naan. Now, one of the early names
OF Babylonia was Chaldea, or the land
OF the Chaidees. In the country
near the source Of the Euphrates was
the home of the small tribe whose de-
scendants are now known as the
Turks, while from the edge of the
great desert, which lies beyond the
Euphrates on the west, came the Arabs.
But, with the rise Of Rome, the sue
cession of races and empires, which
had built up the glory Of the plains
watered by the Tigrls and the Euphra-
ties, departed. Most Of the em5ank-
ments and canals, which mad. them
fruitful by regulating their inundations
as the Nile is made fruitful, were al
lowed to fall into ruin. The most re-
markable Of the Babylonian canals was
called the Mir Malka, which was built
1900 B. c., and was in use as late
as the seventh century. 1t was SO
long, deep, and wide that it was more
like tributary Of the river than a
canal. Nebuchadnezzar had it length
ened, so as to link it up with Babylon.
This great city was situated on the
banks of the Euphrates, when il was
separate river from the Tigris.
Much of Mesopotama, and the lower
plains of this region, are almost desert
But, in ancient times, they were fertile,
and once formed Rome's chief gran
airy. Fruits, oil, cotton, wheat, and
many other tropical products grew
plentifully. Now that the British are
helping the Arabs under their new
King, the valleys of the Tigris and the
Euphrates may again become so fertile
as to help to feed the world. In the
war, Mesopotamia gr-w all the wheat,
vegetables, and fruit that the British
Army in the country required. AS for
oil, it has been spouting out Of the
ground for centuries. 1t is curious
that, although the Tigris is much
smaller than the Euphratcs, most Of
the new as we'll as dead cities are built
on its banks. AS, no doubt, you
know, the people Of Babylon and Nine
yah arrived at a fairly high level Of
civilization, and you have probably
seen their manheaded bulls in a mu-
scum, as well as their pottery and
metal work. The great temple of
Bel, or Baal, in Babylon, reached
great height in stories, and was COW
cred with gold and blue mosaic and
a Daintinp