The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society Volume 6 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1844 Excerpt: ...off Pliunsah supported a castle in the river connectej by a floating bridge to the banks, which commanded the passage into Mesopotamia when the waters were high. At low water there is a ford just above the piers, and the liver is fordable in numerous places both above and below. The appearance of a mass of masonry lying on the piers gives an air of probability to the tale that some superstructure was erected over the bridge; but there is a great difference between the beautifully carved stones that form the piers and the mass of masonry that is lying on them, and which is apparently either of a more modem date, or was a much higher part of the building, where the great care shown in laying the foundations in the bed of the river was not thought necessary. Although I must not allow this pappr to be lengthened by any discussion on comparative geography, I have thought it right to place Thapsacus at Phunsah, because it agrees with the point at which the younger Cyrus crossed the river when marching against the king--with the circumtauces of Alexander finding a broken bridge at that placp, which does not apply to any other point of the Euphrates below Bales, and because standing among the mounds of ruins, tombs, and broken pottery strewn over the commanding promontory of Phunsah; Below Phunsah is the fine plain called Kesra, from the broken abrupt cliffs that bound it on the land side: the natives say it is called Ktsra from their being, in the passage of the cliffs, enabled to break and difeat all the enemies that attack them. This is, however, merely a boast, and only worthy of note as showing the difficulty of the passes on to the plain. The ruins of Ropga are of the Saracene age, and occupy the site of Galltnioum and Nicrphorum. It is the nearest point of t...