The funds assigned to the Trustees of the British Museum for the excavations in Assyria had now been expended by Mr. Layard. He had every reason to congratulate himself upon the results of his labors. Scarcely a year before, with the exception of the ruins of Khorsobad, not one Assyrian monument was known. Almost sufficient materials had now been obtained to restore much of the lost history of the country, and to confirm the vague traditions of the learning and civilization of its people, hitherto considered fabulous. The monuments had been carefully preserved, and the inscriptions in the cuneiform character copied entire. Bidding his workmen an affectionate farewell, and receiving their best wishes for his future prosperity, Mr. Layard left the ancient Assyria for England. Our explorer was not allowed to remain inactive long. After a few months' residence in England, during the year 1848, to recruit his constitution, he received orders to proceed to his post of Her Majesty's Embassy in Turkey. Soon afterwards, his work, "Nineveh and its Remains," was published; and so intense was the interest excited, that the Trustees of the British Museum requested him to undertake the superintendence of a second expedition into Assyria. Mr. Layard cheerfully consented, and immediately formed a plan of operations. Mr. H. Cooper, a competent artist, was appointed to accompany the expedition, and several Arabs, who had been found able and faithful, were secured by Mr. Layard. Such was the size of the party formed, that it was deemed necessary to journey in a caravan to Mosul. On the way, Mr. Layard, ever observing and curious, traced the line of the celebrated retreat of Xenophon and his ten thousand Greeks. The very day after his arrival at Mosul, Mr. Layard visited the mound of Konyunjik. The earth had accumulated above the ruins to a considerable depth; and, to save the labor of clearing it all away, the workmen constructed tunnels. Twelve or fourteen parties of laborers were organized by Mr. Layard, and all worked under his superintendence. Operations were carried on at the same time at the great mound of Nimroud. Within two months, several magnificent chambers were excavated at Konyunjik. Assyrian conquests were represented upon the bas-reliefs, each chamber being devoted to one conquering expedition. Thus each was, so to speak, a new volume of history. An understanding of the copious inscriptions in cuneiform character was all that was necessary to the perusal; and, thanks to the exertions of Rawlinson, Hincks, and other scholars, this character was now readable to a considerable extent.