The sphynxes were small, and had unfortunately suffered more damage
than the bulls.
Shortly before my arrival, an obelisk of inconsiderable height, a
small and uninjured sphynx, together with other remains, had been
sent to England.
The excavations near Tel-Nimroud have been discontinued about a
year, and Mr. Layard has been recalled to London. An order was
afterwards given to cover in the places which had been dug open, as
the wandering Arabs had begun to do a great deal of injury. When I
visited the spot, some places were already covered in, but the
greater part remained open.
The excavations near Nebbi Yunus are still being carried on. An
annual grant is made by the British government for this purpose.
The English resident at Baghdad, Major Rawlinson, had made himself
perfectly master of the cuneiform character. He reads the
inscriptions with ease, and many of the translations are the results
of his labours.
We returned to Mosul on horseback in five hours and a half. The
power of endurance of the Arabian horses is almost incredible.
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