The opportunity of residence in this country, it may be stated, came to one of the authors through his membership of the "Archbishop of Canterbury's Assyrian Mission." This Mission (which consists of five or six clergy of the Church of England) has been maintained in the district in question, by successive Archbishops, for a period of about twenty-five years. It exists at the request of the Patriarch and other authorities of the "Nestorian" or "Assyrian" Church, and it works with the object of educating the clergy and laity of that body, without disturbing them in their membership of their own ancient and interesting communion. CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. BEYOND THE PALE OF THE RAILWAY 1 (ALEPPO AND URFA) II. A LAND OF DUST AND ASHES 24 (DIARBEKR AND MARDIN) III. THE MARCHES OF ANCIENT ROME 47 (DARA AND NISIBIN) IV. THE BURDEN OF NEWER NINEVEH 69 (MOSUL) V. THE TEMPLE OF THE DEVIL 87 (SHEIKH ADI) VI. THE SKIRTS OF THE MOUNTAINS 111 (RABBAN HORMIZD, BAVIAN, AND AKRA) VII. AN ORIENTAL VICH IAN VOHR 134 (THE SHEIKH OF BARZAN) VIII. A MASTER OF MISRULE 158 (NERI AND JILU) IX. THE DEBATABLE LAND 176 (GAWAR, MERGAWAR, AND TERGAWAR) X. TWIGS OF A WITHERED EMPIRE 196 (URMI) XI. A LAND OF TROUBLE AND ANGUISH 221 (URMI TO VAN) XII. A SLOUGH OF DISCONTENT 235 (VAN) XIII. THE LAND OF PRESTER JOHN 262 (QUDSHANIS) XIV. THE GREAT CAÑONS 284 (TYARI AND TKHUMA) XV. INTRUDERS IN A PANDEMONIUM 311 (AMADIA AND BOHTAN) XVI. GRAVES OF DEAD EMPIRES 339 (MOSUL TO BAGHDAD) XVII. OUR SMALLEST ALLY 359 XVIII. DEAD SEA FRUIT 392 GLOSSARY 417 INDEX 421 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PRINTED SEPARATELY 1. THE RIVER OF EDEN _Frontispiece_ _Facing Page_ 2.MOSUL 33 3. SHEIKH ADI 48 4. THE "PICTURE ROCKS" OF BAVIAN 81 5. AKRA 96 6. ORAMAR 129 7. THE HERIKI VALLEY 144 8. THE MOUNTAINS OF TKHUMA AND JILU 176 9. THE CITADEL ROCK, VAN 209 10. THE QUDSHANIS MOUNTAINS 224 11. CHURCH OF MAR SHALITHA, QUDSHANIS 257 12. A MOUNTAIN BRIDGE 272 13. THE GORGE OF THE ZAB, TYARI 305 14. TRAVELLING IN LOWER TKHUMA 320 15. CHAL 353 16. ENTRANCE TO AMADIA 368 IN THE TEXT 17. THE MOUNTAINS OF DIZ AND TAL, FROM THE PASS ABOVE QUDSHANIS 366 18. A BIT OF THE ROAD BETWEEN TAL AND JULAMERK 372 PLANS IN THE TEXT GREAT GRANARY OF DARAS 51