The confused beginnings which I witnessed were the translation of a generous ideal into the terms of human imperfection. Nowhere was the character of the Young Turkish movement recognized more fully than in England, and nowhere did it receive a more disinterested sympathy. Our approval was not confined to words. We have never been slow to welcome and to encourage the advancement of Turkey, and I am glad to remember that we were the first to hold out a helping hand when we saw her struggling to throw off long-established evils. If she can win a place, with a strong and orderly government, among civilized states, turning her face from martial adventure and striving after the reward that waits upon good administration and sober industry, the peace of the world will be set upon a surer basis, and therein lies our greatest advantage as well as her own. That day may yet be far off, but when it comes, as I hope it will, perhaps some one will take down this book from the shelf and look back, not without satisfaction, upon the months of revolution which it chronicles. And remembering that the return of prosperity to the peoples of the Near East began with your administration in Egypt, he will understand why I should have ventured to offer it, with respectful admiration, to you. GERTRUDE LOWTHIAN BELL. _Rounton, Oct. 1910._ NOTE The greater part of Chapter IV appeared in the _Quarterly Review_, and half of Chapter VIII in _Blackwood’s Magazine_; I have to thank the editors of these journals for giving me permission to reprint my contributions to them. I am indebted also to the editor of the _Times_ for allowing me to use, in describing the excavations at Babylon and at Asshur, two articles written by me which were published in the _Times_. The Geographical Society has printed in its journal a paper in which I have resumed the topographical results of my journey down the Euphrates. The map which accompanies this book is based upon the map of Asiatic Turkey, recently published by that society, and upon a map of the Euphrates from Tell Aḥmar to Hît which was drafted to illustrate my paper. Mr. David Hogarth, Mr. L. W. King, Mr. O. M. Dalton and Professor Max van Berchem have furnished me with valuable notes. To Sir Charles Lyall, who has been at the pains to help me with the correcting of the proofs, I tender here my grateful thanks for this and many another kindness. CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I ALEPPO TO TELL AḤMAR 1 II TELL AḤMAR TO BUSEIRAH 35 III BUSEIRAH TO HÎT 77 THE PARTHIAN STATIONS OF ISIDORUS OF CHARAX 108 IV HÎT TO KERBELÂ 115 THE PALACE OF UKHEIḌIR 147