I made two long excursions from Baghdad; one to the ruins of
Ctesiphon, the other to those of Babylon. The former are eighteen,
the latter sixty miles distant from Baghdad. On both occasions,
Major Rawlinson provided me with good Arabian horses, and a trusty
servant.
I was obliged to make the journey to Ctesiphon and back again in one
day, to avoid passing the night in the desert; and, indeed, had to
accomplish it between sunrise and sunset, as it is the custom in
Baghdad, as in all Turkish towns, to close the gates towards sunset,
and to give up the keys to the governor. The gates are again opened
at sunrise.
My considerate hostess would have persuaded me to take a quantity of
provisions with me; but my rule in travelling is to exclude every
kind of superfluity. Wherever I am certain to find people living, I
take no eatables with me, for I can content myself with whatever
they live upon; if I do not relish their food, it is a sign that I
have not any real hunger, and I then fast until it becomes so great
that any kind of dish is acceptable.
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