We remained two days in Buschir, where I was very well received by Lieutenant Hennelt, the resident.

I would gladly have left the ship here to visit the ruins of Persepolis, and travel by land from thence to Shiraz, Ispahan, Teheran, and so onwards; but serious disturbances had broken out in these districts, and numerous hordes of robbers carried on their depredations.  I was in consequence compelled to alter my plan, and to go straight on to Baghdad.

10th May.  In the afternoon we left Buschir.

11th May.  Today I had the gratification of seeing and sailing on one of the most celebrated rivers in the world, the Schatel-Arab (river of the Arabs), which is formed by the junction of the Euphrates, Tigris, and Kaurun, and whose mouth resembles an arm of the sea.  The Schatel-Arab retains its name as far as the delta of the Tigris and Euphrates.

12th May.  We left the sea and the mountains behind at the same time, and on both shores immense plains opened before us whose boundaries were lost in the distance.

Twenty miles below Bassora we turned off into the Kaurun to set down some passengers at the little town of Mahambrah, which lies near the entrance of that river.  We immediately turned back again, and the captain brought the vessel round in the narrow space in an exceedingly clever way.  This proceeding caused the uninitiated some anxiety; we expected every moment to see either the head or stern run a-ground, but it succeeded well beyond all measure.  The whole population of the town was assembled on the shore; they had never before seen a steamer, and took the most lively interest in the bold and hazardous enterprise.

About six years ago, the town Mahambrah experienced a terrible catastrophe; it was at that time under Turkish rule, and was surprised and plundered by the Persians; nearly all the inhabitants, amounting to 5,000, were put to death.  Since that period it has been retained by the Persians.

Towards noon we arrived at Bassora.  Nothing is visible from the river but some fortified works and large forests of date-trees, behind which the town is situated far inland.

The journey from Bombay to this place had occupied eighteen days, in consequence of the unfavourable monsoon, and was one of the most unpleasant voyages which I ever made.  Always upon deck in the midst of a dense crowd of people, with a heat which at noon time rose to 99 degrees 5’ Fah., even under the shade of a tent.  I was only once able to change my linen and dress at Buschir, which was the more annoying as one could not prevent the accumulation of vermin.  I longed for a refreshing and purifying bath.

Bassora, one of the largest towns of Mesopotamia, has among its inhabitants only a single European.  I had a letter to the English agent, an Armenian named Barseige, whose hospitality I was compelled to claim, as there was no hotel.  Captain Lichfield presented my letter to him and made known my request, but the polite man refused to grant it.  The good captain offered me accommodation on board his ship, so that I was provided for for the present.