I have again visited my ruins, but was interrupted in my labours by severe illness;* I am therefore unable at present to send you the latest bas-reliefs of the many that have been discovered ; nor have I yet measured the progress of the excavations; consequently I cannot augment the last plan

* When M. BOTTA first received tidings that the Minister of the Interior would grant him those supplies necessary to complete his excavations, he instantly repaired to Mosul, notwithstanding the heat. There, on the first day, he made those drawings which I now publish, but the next morning he was seized with a sort of cholera, and, on the following day, was carried on a litter, delirious and almost dying, back to Mosul. He afterwards finished the drawings of the bas-reliefs and the copies of the inscriptions, adding them to his fifth letter.-J. M.

transmitted to you; however, here is the result of my observations.

You remember that wall xx, whereon is represented the assault of a fortress, was found to extend 7m. 15c.; it continues for more than 9m in the same direction, the total length being above 16m; it then turns northward (XXXI) at right angles, forming, with a parallel wall opposite (XXXII), a fifth passage, paved, like the four first, by one single flag-stone bearing an inscription. This passage is larger, and, I think, a little longer than the others. At its egress, towards the north, the wall runs westward, and there the excavation stopped. I have ascertained that the opposite wall of passage XXXII comes from the east (XXXIV).

Wall xiv, of which only 3m. 45° were uncovered, has been followed to a total extent of more than 12m. without reaching the end. I have cut away the mass of earth that fills up the space between it and the parallel wall (xx), in order to see whether another wall was between them, but nothing could be found. It is thus very probable that the entire space was empty and constituted a large chamber longer than wide.

Wall XIV has been followed above 2m. further than before; there it turns towards the north (XXXII) and

forms a recess occupied by a colossal half-length statue that I shall describe presently. As you may perceive by the accompanying plan, these new excavations, which have cost much labour owing to the height of the soil, still in no way elucidate the general design of the monument, nor is there yet any indication as to its purpose. I pass on to the description of the bas-reliefs lately discovered.

In my last letter, I told you that after the fortress (wall xx), going from west to east, there was a chariot drawn by two horses galloping, and trampling under their feet a prostrate warrior. The wall being now completely disinterred, I can see that this chariot is followed by four similar ones. The series evidently represents a battle. Every chariot is turned towards the fortress, contains four personages, and is drawn by two horses. The principal figure has a pointed tiara on his head, and discharges arrows; by his side is the charioteer, and behind are two warriors armed with spears and carrying shields. A warrior is always beneath the horses' feet, and above them another, who seems to be wounded and flung into the air, with his head downwards. The singular attitude of the last named personage can scarcely be explained by an intention of delineating either the confusion of the

fight, or the chariot, in its rapidity, violently throwing to a distance all that it encounters.

In these bas-reliefs, the chariot horses are generally observed placing their foremost foot upon the neck of a prostrate steed bearing a wounded and falling horseman. These five bas-reliefs, each sculptured on one of the large gypsum slabs forming the walls, are essentially the same, but the details of action and arrangement vary. Every scene is remarkably spirited. The horses, in particular, are full of animation, and the heads, still preserved, of some of the conquerors, have an air of satisfied superiority admirably portrayed. I must not omit to note the striking difference perceptible between the clothing of the victors and that of their vanquished foes. The latter are generally attired in the sort of feathered cloak, of which I have already had occasion to speak. I cannot make out what it is, but an appendage, always attached to the side of this mantle, and seemingly a paw, leads me to suspect it may only be an animal's skin, the hair being represented by streaked lozenges. This is merely a conjecture,"

*The idea is undoubtedly correct; it is proved by the bas-reliefs from Persepolis, whereon the wool of sheep is represented in the same manner.-J. M.

H

for, judging by appearance, these lozenges exactly resemble feathers or scales. The harness of the horses is very rich and precisely like that belonging to the chariot I before copied. The colours also are perfectly distinct. I had commenced drawing one of these bas-reliefs, but my illness interrupted me.† I shall copy the whole on my next visit.

This train of chariots is surmounted by a long band of inscription, which, at first sight appears continuous; it is, however, certainly divided into separate parts limited within the edge of the slab whereon each chariot is sculptured. There is, in fact, a perpendicular line between every inscription. Besides, these differ in the number of lines. I have copied two of them, and shall take the earliest opportunity of transcribing the remainder.‡

Above this band of inscriptions is a succession of figures much decayed, and still a repetition of the scene sculptured over the fortress; two personages,

*The chariot to which M. BOTTA alludes, is delineated in plate XVII.-J. M.

I received the drawing of these chariots with M. BOTTA's fifth letter.-J. M.

Plate XXXIII contains the sculptured inscription over the first chariot on going from east to west. Plate XXXIV represents the inscription over the second chariot.