shu, and from thence
perhaps penetrated as far as Southern Syria and the Sinaitic
Peninsula--Magan and Milukhkha on the shores of the Red Sea: this was
not the easiest but it was the most direct route for those bound for
Africa, and products of Egypt were no doubt carried along it in order
to reach in the shortest time the markets of Uru. The Euphrates now
runs nearly five miles to the north of the town, but from the regions
bordering the Black Sea.

[Illustration: 114.jpg Plan of the Ruins of Abu-Shahreyn]

In ancient times it was not so distant, but passed almost by its
gates. The cedars, cypresses, and pines of Amamis and the Lebanon,the
limestones, marbles, and hard stones of Upper Syria, were brought down
to it by boat; and probably also metals--iron, copper and lead.

The Shatt-el-Hai, moreover, poured its waters into the Euphrates almost
opposite the city, and opened up to it commercial relations with the
Upper and Middle Tigris. And this was not all; whilst some of its
boatmen used its canals and rivers as highways, another section made
their way to the waters of the Persian Gulf and traded with the ports on
its coast. Eridu, the only city which could have barred their access
to the sea, was a town given up to religion, and existed only for its
temples and its gods. It was not long before it fell under the influence
of its powerful neighbour, becoming the first port of call for vessels
proceeding up the Euphrates.

[Illustration: 115.jpg AN ARAB CROSSING THE TIGRIS IN A "KUFA."]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a sketch by Chesney.

In the time of the Greeks and Romans the Chaldaeans were accustomed
to navigate the Tigris either in round flat-bottomed boats, of little
draught--"kufas," in fact--or on rafts placed upon inflated skins,
exactly similar in appearance and construction to the "keleks" of our
own day. These keleks were as much at home on the sea as upon the river,
and they may still be found in the Persian Gulf engaged in the coasting
trade. Doubtless many of these were included among the vessels of Uru
mentioned in the texts, but there were also among the latter those
long large rowing-boats with curved stem and stern, Egyptian in their
appearance, which are to be found roughly incised on some ancient
cylinders. These primitive fleets were not disposed to risk the
navigation of the open sea. They preferred to proceed slowly along the
shore, hugging it in all cases, except when it was necessary