Several excavations were made in the hills near Nebbi Yunus, and apartments were soon reached whose walls were covered with marble slabs wrought in relief.  These represented kings with crowns and jewels, deities with large wings, warriors with arms and shields, the storming of fortifications, triumphal processions, and hunting parties, etc.  They were unfortunately deficient in correct drawing, proportions, or perspective; the mounds and fortifications were scarcely three times as high as the besiegers; the fields reached to the clouds; the trees and lotus flowers could scarcely be distinguished from each other; and the heads of men and animals were all alike, and only in profile.  On many of the walls were found those wedge-shaped characters, or letters, which constitute what are called cuneiform inscriptions, and are found only on Persian and Babylonian monuments.

Among all the rooms and apartments which were brought to light, there was only one in which the walls were covered with fine cement and painted; but, notwithstanding the greatest care, it was not possible to preserve this wall.  When it came in contact with the air, the cement cracked and fell off.  The marble also is partially converted into lime, or otherwise injured, in consequence of the terrible conflagration which laid the city in ruins.  The bricks fall to pieces when they are dug out.

From the number of handsome apartments, the abundance of marble, and the paintings and inscriptions upon it, the inference is drawn that this spot contains the ruins of a royal palace.

A considerable quantity of marble slabs, with reliefs and cuneiform inscriptions, were carefully detached from the walls and sent to England.  When I was at Bassora, a whole cargo of similar remains lay near the Tigris, and among others a sphynx.

On our return we visited the village Nebbi Yunus, which is situated on a slight eminence near the ruins.  It is remarkable only on account of a small mosque, which contains the ashes of the prophet Jonas, and to which thousands of devotees make annual pilgrimages.

During this excursion we passed a number of fields, in which the people were engaged in separating the corn from the straw in a very peculiar manner.  For this purpose, a machine was employed, consisting of two wooden tubs, between which was fastened a roller, with from eight to twelve long, broad, and blunt knives or hatchets.  This was drawn by two horses or oxen over the bundles of corn laid on the ground, until the whole of the corn was separated from the straw.  It was then thrown up into the air by means of shovels, so that the chaff might be separated from the grain by the wind.

We finally visited the sulphur springs, which lie close to the walls of Mosul.  They are not warm, but appear to contain a large quantity of sulphur, as the smell is apparent at a considerable distance.  These springs rise in natural basins, which are surrounded by walls eight feet in height.  Every one is allowed to bathe there without any charge, for people are not so niggardly and sparing of nature’s gifts as in Europe.  Certain hours are set apart for women, and others for the men.