Explorations in Bible lands during the 19th century - H. V. Hilprecht

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66 EXPLORATIONS IN BIBLE LANDS
Trustees of the British Museum, despatched Commander
Jones in the spring of 1852 to proceed with the construction
of the necessary map. Assisted by Dr. Hyslop 1 of
the British Residency in Baghdad, chiefly interested in the
flora of the Nineveh region, the work was accomplished
within a month and a half, at that great time when Victor
Place was still excavating at Khorsabad, and Rawlinson inspecting
the work of the Assyrian explorers, while Fresnel
and Oppert had just arrived in that neighborhood from
Paris, previous to their excavations in
Babylon.
In three large sheets, which up to this day are the standard
work for the geography of ancient Assyria, the results
of the survey were published. Before closing his interesting
report on the topography of Nineveh, Jones paid a
warm tribute to the work of Rich, " the first real laborer in
Assyrian fields," by writing the following memorable
words: "His survey (of Nineveh and Nimrud) will be
found as correct as the most diligent enthusiast can desire
indeed, were it not for the renewed inquiry into Assyrian
subjects, the present survev we have the
honor of submitting
to the public might have been dispensed with, for its
value chiefly consists in corroborating the fidelity of his positions,
and otherwise, though quite unnecessary, stamping
his
narrative with the broad seal of truth."
In
LYNCH, SELBY, COLLINGWOOI), BEWSHER
the mean while the way was being gradually prepared
for a similar kind of work in Babylonia. Fraser, 2 Loftus, 3
and Layard 4 had boldly entered the swamps of 'Iraq and
examined the interior of the country, the former two traversing
this great alluvial plain almost its entire length, and
1
Who had succeeded Dr. Ross as physician, after the former's untimely
death.
2
Comp. above, pp. 54, seqq.
3
Comp. below, pp. 139, seqq.
4
Comp. below, pp. 157, seqq.