Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/126

86 the use of the prophet Jonah, who the Mohammedans firmly believe rises from his tomb at the set times of prayer, and performs his ablutions according to the strict injunctions of their law. The Mussulmans in general deem the tomb far too sacred an object to be approached, and for the most part content themselves with looking at it from a grated window in the body of the mosque."

I shall next conduct my readers to Nimrood, not with the design however of entering into any details respecting the interesting remains which have lately been dug up therefrom, and which have been so fully described by Mr. Layard; but in order to lay before them an account of our visit, which there is reason to believe had some influence in setting on foot the work of successful excavation. I was accompanied in my trip to Nimrood in March 1844 by Mr. Ditell, a Russian traveller, and being at Constantinople a few months after, when I related to Sir Stratford Canning the discoveries which we had made, was requested by him to draw up in writing the result of our researches. The following is a copy of what I then transmitted to his Excellency, which I shall adduce here in its original form because it gives an exact account of the mound before any attempt had been made to bring to light the hidden treasures which it contained.