Then
came a wide portal, guarded by a pair of winged bulls twenty feet
long, and probably, when entire, more than twenty feet high, and two
gigantic winged figures in low relief. Flanking them were two smaller
figures, one above the other. Beyond this entrance the facade was
continued by a group similar to that on the opposite side by a smaller
entrance into the palace and by a wall of sculptured slabs; then all
traces of building and sculpture ceased near the edge of a water-worn
ravine.

"Thus, part of the facade of the southeast side of the palace, forming
apparently the grand entrance to the edifice, had been discovered. Ten
colossal bulls, with six human figures of gigantic proportions,
altogether 180 feet in length, were here grouped together. Although
the bas-reliefs to the right of the entrance had apparently been
purposely destroyed with a sharp instrument, enough remained to allow
me to trace their subject. They had represented the conquest of a
district, probably part of Babylonia, watered by a broad river and
wooded with palms, spearmen on foot in combat with Assyrian horsemen,
castles besieged, long lines of prisoners, and beasts of burden
carrying away the spoil. Amongst various animals brought as tribute to
the conquerors could be distinguished a lion led by a chain. There
were no remains whatever of the superstructure which once rose above
the colossi, guarding this magnificent entrance.

"Although the upper part of the winged bulls was destroyed,
fortunately the lower part, and, consequently, the inscriptions, had
been more or less preserved. To this fact we owe the recovery of some
of the most precious records of the ancient world.

"On the two great bulls forming the center entrance was one continuous
inscription, injured in parts, but still so far preserved as to be
legible almost throughout. It contained 152 lines. On the four bulls
of the facade were two inscriptions, one inscription being carried
over each pair, and the two being precisely of the same import. These
two different inscriptions complete the annals of six years of the
reign of Sennacherib, and contain numerous particulars connected with
the religion of the Assyrians, their gods, their temples, and the
erection of their palaces. We gather from them that, in the third year
of his reign, Sennacherib turned his arms against Merodach-Baladan,
king of Babylon, whom he entirely defeated, capturing his cities and a
large amount of spoil.