At 10,, 15 passed Ctesiphon, Gave tickets to the passengers we have altogether 364 (6 in 1st Class, the Russian Consul of Baghdad Mr. Krouglow going to Basreh, Dr. Lazar of the municipality discharged & going to Basreh to see about his date property, & 4 Persian pilgrims [pg: 226] & 1 in 2d Class Dr. Ruck also discharged the Turkish service from Bakuba & is going to look for a job as doctor with the Pilgrims to Jedda)~
At 4. 25 P.M. passed Baghdadieh; ~ weather became very fine & modte N.W. wind;
At 6,, 20 we rounded & came to at Raddat for the night;
Light westly breeze and fine~
At 6 AM. Proceeded, At 6,, 30 passed Azizieh, wind got up strong S. Erly, & clouds gathering;
At 6,, 30 P.M. passed Memlah;
At 1 landed a passenger at Bughela & went on;
At 6,, 10 P.M. arrived at Coot, landed 33 ½ Passenger [pg: 227] and 17 Packages~ Weather Cloudy; Fresh S. Erly wind;
At 3 AM. the S.S. Khalifah arrived from Basreh~ S. Erly wind & Clouds spreading about~
At 5,, 50 AM. we left Coot; I got a letter from Henry, the Khalifah & Barge have 301,000 Okes Mr. Parfyt the English missionary returning from England & India, Professor Hilprecht going to join Mr. Heyns the American excavators at Nuffar; & a french priest from Amara the Abbè A. Plénau going to visit all the ruins & then to Deir & Damascus, these are only in 1st Class;
We took 5 Passengers from Coot~ [pg: 228]
At 11,, 20 passed Sheikh Saad; Strong S. Erly wind & cloudy;
At 3,, 30 P.M. rounded at Ali Gherbi & landed 8 Passengers, took 2 and went on at 3,, 45 went on Cloudy all over but wind falling;
At 5,, 55 rounded & came to below Flefleh village, It being very cloudy dark and raining drizzly;
Light S. Erly & cloudy all over~
At 6 AM. proceeded At 8,, 30 passed Ali Sherghi It is clearing off, but the S. Erly wind is freshening;
At 2 P.M. arrived at Amara landed 103 Packges and 21 Passengers; wind shifted to a fresh N.W. & became fine~ Crowds of people came [pg: 229] on board,
At 2,, 30 the S.S. Ressafah & Barge came up from Basreh~ The new Motserrif of Amara [strikethrough] Rafat Pasha is going down with us but we have no Cabin, he came on board with many people & is to stay on the After deck; I received my papers & letter, then left by the Khalifah;
At 3,, 20 left Amara took 34 ½ Passengers including the Motserrif Rafat Pasha, I charged him 75 G. S. P. as 1st Class passenger fare, he being in the saloon & will probably sleep in it~ [pg: 230]
At 6,, 15 we rounded & came to for the night, The weather is hazy and dark; we landed 3 Passengers here they are for K. Saleh came with the Motserrif;
Light N.W. & fine weather
At 5,, 50 AM. proceeded
At 7,, 5 picked 8 Arabs passengers, the Motserrif is taking from K. Saleh with him; Hathem the son of Seyhood & followers, I dare say he wants to squeeze him for money, being newly arrived; ~
At 11 AM. passed Azair, At 2,, 35 P.M. landed 5 passengers at Gorna & went on at 2,, 40~
The S.S. Baghdad and Barge passed up last night at 11,, 15 P.M. when we were at anchor at [pg: 231] Above Kalat Saleh;
Weather fine & a light N.W. breeze;~
At 8,, 00 arrived at Basreh The S.S. Tripoli is here for Gray Mackenzie,& the S.S. Comet which came down from Baghdad about 4 days ago to clean her bottom so it is said; ~Rufail sent me his Bellem but I did not go;
Light N.W. & fine, mild weather, we landed the passengers; The Persian Str. King Arthur in quarantine she has had a case of Plague on board & was detained 10 days in Bushire & then she came up here, some 6 or 7 days ago & she has had an other case of Plague, she is detained [pg: 232] here for 15 days; but she is going back as soon as she finishes discharging & shipping cargo, her passengers are not allowed to land; There are also in Quarantine the Mail st.Pachumba, the Persian steamers the Mushtery, & Mozaffar taking pilgrims~ Rezooki Sayegh came to me, he brought me a packet with two slips of news paper cutting sent to me by Alexander my son from London, where there are articles about the German Anatolian Railway to Baghdad etc etc, of the 12 & 16 Jany;~
The Russian man of war which had arrived to Bushire a few days ago, and the Russian Chancellier [pg: 233] Mr. Osinkow who had come down in the Khalifah last trip & Mr. Krouglow the Russian Consul who came down with us this trip, have come to meet her, I hear that she has come up the river & is at Moham= erah & is coming up here, The English Governt, are in a great anxiety about her & three gun boats are after her; the S.S. Sphinx has arrived here at 9 AM. in quarantine, The Pigeon has left this about 10 days ago down the Gulf~
Rufail came to me & we went in to Basreh at noon, called on Tookyeh also on Nessoory Andrea, I called on Père Emmanuel [pg: 234] in the Church & then went to Angoorly’s Shop, bought some things, & came back to Tookey’s house where we had tea & came out at 3 ½ P.M. to the Mejidieh Capt Cowley came with us to Rufail’s house he spent about 2 hours & went back
Light Erly breeze & warm, I dined & slept at Rufail’s,
My stomach is again paining me much & got the heartburn;
S. Erly increasing breeze & getting cloudy all over at 7 ¾ A.M. I came on board;~
News came down to Lynch Brothers of a high rise of the river coming down; and Capt Cowley proposed not to tow up a Barge this time, fearing the Strong [pg: 235] current, so we are shipping Cargo from the Barge into the Ship; ~ The wind is blowing very strong, Cloudy the river is rough;~
We finished Cargo at 4 P.M.; ~
Rufail Rezooki, Yousif Korkis Kassem Khdery, Angoorly, & many others came off; Wind very fresh; we got the mails~
At 5 P.M. we hove up the lower anchor, Flood being very strong running up & the wind to; we casted the stern anchor to be picked up by our Launch & steam up above the steamers & crafts & awaited to get our Boat with the anchor; [pg: 236]
| Passg | Okes | GSP. Local | Draft |
| 214 | 209949 | 13392 1/4 | 4,,8 |
The Launch came up from our mooring bringing the anchor & chain~
At 6,, 10 P.M. we got under way, weather became fine, the wind is falling a little, but the food tide keeps running up; Ship is loaded deep;
The pain that I am suffering from my stomach is awful, I have not had it so for a long time; I am so constipated too, my head ache is fearful, & mouth is bitter & dry I think the Cod Liver Oil emulsion did me no good, it produced bile [pg: 237]
I have knocked off taking it since yesterday, I have been taking it 2 times a day since the 14th, I took my old and usual medicine, the Sulphur & Cream of Tartar since 3 days but has done me no good;~
At 11,, 5 P.M. landed one passenger at Gorna,~ [x symbol]
I cannot sleep at all from the pain in stomach & feel so sick, and restless;
At 1,, AM. we dropped anchor near Zechyeh, it became cloudy & dark, a slight shower came down at 2 AM for about 10 minutes, I had not slept yet; I dosed off toward 2 AM, but not feeling well, [pg: 238]
At 5,, 45 AM we got underway; I took some fruit salt as my bowels have not worked since yesterday morning;
Gave tickets to the rest of the passengers; we have in all 108 (5 in 1st Class, the Motserrif of Amara Rafat Pasha returning with us to Ali Gherbi & a Belem with him to Amara charged one Lira, Mr. & Mrs. Barney the American missionary of Basreh each paying ½ 1st Class passage, & an English nurse Also Eassa Khdery, & 2 Jews in 2d Class)
At 9,,5 passed Azair, The rise has come down here & the river is high within one foot below the bank
At 2,, 45 P.M. landed [pg: 239] 14 Passengers at Kata Saleh & went on at 2,, 55; ~
Light N.W. breeze & fine; My stomach still is bad, I cannot eat anything, I feel so sick & the pain comes on very severe~
We stopped at Drewish mounds awaiting for a large number of Boats sailing down from 5,, 30 PM till 7,, 15, weather is getting dark;
At 9,, 15 we anchored it being dark with some rain~
S. Erly wind & little Cloudy, At 2,, 15 AM proceeded, At 4,, 15 arrived at Amara, landed 24 passengers & 7 Bales of through Cargo
Took 10 Tons of Coal [pg: 240]
The Motserrif Rafat Pasha took some more people from here to Ali Gherbi; a Bim= Bashi & AbdulKadur Khdery also;~
The river is very high here it is in a level with the bank~
At 6,, 35 left Amara, the river has flooded the banks & in the desert too;~ we took 64 Passeng. (6 Persian Bakhtyaris are on the A. Deck near the sky light, being Haji Bahadoor ool. Dowleh, the son of Hussein Kooli Khan Bakhtyary Governor of Khozistan & his followers in all 21 persons)
At 3,, 15 P.M. passed Ali Sherghi; the river is in a level with the top bank, This is the first high rise we have had & an early one too~ [pg: 241]
This season is looked upon as very good & promising as far as rain & rise of the river is concerned, for we have had aboundantly of both;
Light S. Erly & Clouds are gathering up;
At 7,, 5 P.M. we anchored below Rweshdyeh, it became dark & the river is so high & current very strong; Clouds came on & became very dark; It rained during the night;
I am suffering very much from my Stomach; The pain is bad~
Light S. Erly & Cloudy all over gloomy; It rained last night drizzly~
At 6 AM proceeded from below Rweshdyeh;
The river keeps very high [pg: 242] it has flooded some parts of the desert;
At 9,,35 AM went alongside the bank below the Village of Ali Gherbi about 1/2 a mile, landed Rafat Pasha the Motserrif of Amara, Abdul Kadur Khdery, & a Bimbashy etc in all 16 1/2 passengers & their Kit;
At 10 we went on, took
Passengers; There are 100 soldiers encamped here at Ali Gherbi for the Affaîr of Ghadban Sheikh of Beni Laam;~ the river here is in a level with the bank, many Sudds have been broken on the opposite bank,
At 10 left took 4 Passengers~
The whole day my stomach pained me severly, nothing would alleviate it, no appetite & mouth very [pg: 243] bitter & the wind is cutting in stomach & the intestines;
Weather very gloomy & thretening;
At 5,,5 P.M. we dropped anchor two reaches above Sheikh Saad; it became very squally, the wind S. Erly blowing strong & black Clouds & rain is ahead of us & on the West & North
Wind shifted to N.W. at 5 1/4 & the black clouds came over us with thunders and lightning & some large drops of rain; It rained hard for 1/2 hour, & became very dark;
The pain is killing me, I have never had such an attack it is incessant & I am so weak from it, my [pg: 244] mouth is very dry & bitter, I took from Capt Cowley 2 Pills of Podofillin to be taken at bed time to try perhaps it will relieve the pain~
I could not go to dinner from the excessive pain I have, I took some soup only & piece of fowel in my Cabin,
I took the 2 Pills at 8 P.M. & turned in but the pain kept on the whole night & troubled me very much I could got no rest or Sleep,
S. Erly breeze & cloudy At 5,,30 AM we proceeded
The river is following about 1/2 foot~
I took a dose of Fruit Salt & my bowels worked, the pain as wind in my stomach had abated at about 5 AM~
Weather again became very cloudy & in rained at 9 AM. it keeps dark [pg: 245] & thretening, the desert is so moist & saturated with the Constant rain, The river is about 2 1/2 feet below the bank,
At 0,,35 P.M. arrived to Coot landed 19 Passengers & 5 Bales of through Cargo, The river has fallen about 3 feet; They have had lots of rain everywhere and everything looks promising,
The say here that the Khalifah left Baghdad this morning, We took 10 Tons of Coal,
Mons De Sarzec his wife & son. are here they came down in the Phrat and are starting in an hour for Hai & to Tellow to go digging again;
At 2,,10 P.M we left Coot~ [pg: 246] Took 38 Passengers~ Weather still cloudy;
I paid the Ship's Crew their wages for this month, today being the 28 & end of Feby which is contrary to the rule is not a leap year, because it is a Centenary
My bowels waked me about 4 times, but the pain has not gone yet, though not so severe as before; I am taking soup & boiled Chicken~
At 4 P.M. a strong shower of rain came, became cloudy all over; Thunder and Lightning & it came down very heavy, the desert got so swampy, it ceased at 5 1/2~
The pain came on to my stomach this evening just as bad; I went to dinner but could not eat, a very little [pg: 247]
I turned in with the pain on, a Shiver came on, this is happening for the last 3 nights & then a slight fever, I became dry & hot~
At 9 P.M. we anchored for the night, a little cloudy;
Light N.W. & very fine Weather~ at 5,,30 AM we proceeded~
I feel very weak from the fever I had last night, but have no pain in stomach, my mouth very dry & bitter
At 7,,30 passed Memlah, River is falling, about 5 feet below the top of the bank;
At 8,,45 AM. passed the SS. Khalifah & Barge going down at Sûmmer;
At 1 P.M. the pain came on to me most horribly & worse than ever it me [pg: 248] in fact cry with agony~
I could not take my Coffee & Milk & Cold Meat; and kept so, making me Shiver & felt it very Cold; I took, fruit salt, Cognac, quinine, Lavender with water etc all to no purpose, the pain exists & wind confined~ At about 6 the pain calmed down a little~
At 6,,20 P.M. passed Azizieh, the Village is falling down into the river, by this high rise & fall, some more of the houses & the few date trees on the bank are falling in;
The pain came back at 7 as strong as ever so that I could not go to dinner & had to take some soup & a piece of fowel in my Cabin, I took Carbonate of Soda it did not allay the pain [pg: 249]
I took at 9 P.M. Fruit Salt, & then took a little Lavender water, still it kept on until midnight when I felt relieved a little;
At 11,,35 P.M. passed Baghdadieh Fort;
The river is again rising,
At 1,,3/4 AM we passed the SS. Baghdad & Barge going up, At 3 ½ passed the SS. Ressafah & Barge going up~
Light S. Erly wind and Cloudy;~ River is rising rapidly & has nearly got up to its former rise
At 1 P.M. passed Ctesiphon The last rise which had come down has only reached about 3 1/2 feet below the top of the bank & consequently the Canals [pg: 250] could not get the water to irrigate~
My Stomach began to pain me at 8 AM. and after breakfast a little, I am still very constipated this is one of the main cause;
At 3,,50 P.M. passed Diala river;
The Bridge of Gherrara is cut open on account of high rise; I am going to walk in from Gherrara as I have the attack of pain most awful just now perhaps I shall feel better and Capt Cowley has no intention of going into town tonight;
At 5 1/4 P.M. I landed at Gherrara, with Eassa Khdery & other passengers & we walked in to town [pg: 251] arrived home & saw Eliza, I was tyred but the pain was not so severe;~ I found a letter here from Alexander dated the 1st Feby from Paris, he says that he left London on the 25 Jany, without Blanche my sister in law; He hopes soon to send me the necessary papers about the gîrl he wants to marry;~
I took very little dinner some soup & fish~ But I got the pain at night & so again lost my sleep,
S. Erly breeze with some clouds~ At 7 AM the Mejîdieh arrived, she had anchored above Cherd el Pasha last [pg: 252] night~
At 8 1/2 I came on board, feeling very weak, but my bowels worked this morning, the pain is less,
The Mejidieh is discharging there are no steamers here; The river is falling,
I went to the Office & saw Mr. Bottomley took 58 £ Sterlig & asked him to give my wife a passage this time to go to Basreh, he was very willing; there are many passengers wanting Cabins; I came home with a fearful pain that I could not go out or move all the time, Antone his wife Terrooza & Johny called in the evening but I was dying from the pain; the gas was digging like many sharp daggers; I took [pg: 253] the Sulphur & Cream of Tartar after taking some Soup only took Fruit Salt at night;~
I took a dose of Castor Oil early this morning & it worked me very well & the pain passed; my bowels worked very well, with such & awful offensive smell, I was relieved;~ many people called on us to see me, also my Sisters Eliza & Emilia (the latter hat not been to us since last year or a year & half; also Menusha, Johny, Artin, Antone Marine, Habib Chiha, Abduljebbar Effendi, Georgis Segmon & family, Johny Pahlawan & his mother; the Nuns etc etc; am so glad that the pain is gone, but feel very weak;~ [pg: 254]
S. Erly wind & getting Cloudy~
The SS. Ressafah & Barge arrived at 2 AM. but the Baghdad is at Gherrara & aground S. Erly wind & getting cloudy, I am making a low diet~
S. Erly wind & cloudy,
I have not had the pain last night but feel very weak~ at 7 1/2 am called to see Sister Medula & then came on board the Mejidieh; she has been discharged, & they are discharging the Barge of the Khalifah, so as we can tow her down; But I heard since that we are not to take her away from here;
Lots of people wanting Cabins; I had to shift & alter other people to 2d Class; & that by order [pg: 255] of Mr. Bottomley, he was very kind in not letting my wife remain behind as I have had often the case when Clarke was Agent; There are Mr. Danon the Jewish School Master, two Jews Ibrahim Hyim, Mr. Vienne and Mr. Wroblewsky, Mr. Mackey, my wife & Alfred son of Capt Cowley who has just been employed in Lynch Brother's Office in Basreh~
At 11 1/2 I went to breakfast & returned at 12 P.M. we are shipping Cargo;
The river is rising since last night, it rose 2 feet,
At 4 1/2 P.M the S.S. "Baghdad" & Barge arrived,
At 5 P.M. I went on shore, again my stomach [pg: 256] pains me, I called on Menusha for 1/2 hour & came home; my stomach pains me all the time. I took after dinner the Sulphur & C of Tartar, but it did no good & so could not sleep till midnight;
Weather cloudy with a fresh S. Erly Wind It rained heavily with hail, Thunder & Lightning for 1/2 hour;
Light S. Erly & cloudy; At 7 AM a slight fall of hail came down but of a great size as big as a Chesnut~ at 8 am I went to see sister Eliza, I went to see Dr. Sturrock but he was not in his house; Came on board at 9; We are shipping cargo;
At 11 1/2 went to breakfast & returned at 1 P.M.; [pg: 257]
River is rising, falling,
We shipped 116,000 OKes Cargo at 5 1/2 P.M. I went home, found Antone Marine & his wife & Shekoory Sayegh,~ Weather cloudy a little, we got a Watchman an Indian called Moolla Abdulrahim to watch our house, & discharged our servant, Antone, & kept the girl Henny his sister in law to come to my house when I return;~ We locked everything in the house,
Light air & fine weather,
At 5 1/2 AM we left the house, taking Eliza down to Basreh for a change; a female [pg: 258] servant also taking her down for Tookyeh,
The river is falling, took a long time to get up our anchors;
| Passg | Okes | G.S. Piast | Draft |
| 179 1/2 | 118,234 | 20981 3/4 | 3,,9 |
At 6,,30 AM. we got underway & proceeded, River high a little & Current strong; Erly breeze with some clouds; Passed, the Bridge of Gherrara, at 6,,40, it was put across;
At 8,,15 passed Diala At 9,,25 passed Ctesiphon,
At 1,,45 P.M. passed Baghdadieh Fort; and at 1,,50 passed the S.S. Phrat & Barge going up she entered the Channel between the Island & the Main East Bank [pg: 259]
I finished with the Passeng. Tickets, we have altogether 159 1/2 (7 in 1st Class including my wife Eliza; we have Mr. Wroblesky Inspector of Règie & Mr. Viènne Sub Inspector both in one Cabin Mr. Danon the Jewish french Schoolmaster & an Other with him Mr. Dubas a young Jew schoolmaster. both in one single cabin, Mr. Mackie (formerly of Darby Andrewes & co) employed at Frank Strick & co he has a Return Ticket, Free, My wife in one Cabin, and Alfred son of Capt Cowley going to Basreh to be employed in Lynch Brother's office; and two Jews Ibrahim Hyim & an Other in the [pg: 260] 2d Class; there is also Ezra the son of Menahem Daniel who paid a 1st Class fare provided that he can step on the quarter deck & sleep with the 2d Class people)
At 3,,20 P.M. rounded and landed 2 passengers at Azizieh, and went on at 3,,40~
Light S. Erly & little Cloudy
At 7,,50 P.M. passed Memlah; Light S.Erly breeze & little cloudy, Moon 6 days Old;
At 11,,45 P.M. arrived at Coot landed 55 1/2 Passeng. and 54 Packages~
I got the pain my stomach and kept it on until midnight & became better~
S. Erly breeze & some
Clouds~ [pg: 261]
At 3 am the SS. Khalifah came up without a Barge
At 5 the Khalifah left from the Coal Depôt, & steamed up; she gave us her through specie, not having met the mail~
At 5,,30 AM we left Coot; I received Henry's letter The Khalifah left Basreh on Monday evening, having 249,000 OKes & about 300 passengers; Drs,, Lazar & Ruck were returning to Baghdad; A Russian man of war has arrived at Basreh;~
We took 7 passengers from Coot~
Very strong S. Erly Wind & heavy sea on;~
At 0,,10 P.M. passed Ali Gherbi~
The pain to my [pg: 262] stomach came on at 2 P.M. very bad & remained till dinner time; nothing would calm it, I am living very simply with low diet, but it is still troubling me;
At 7,,35 P.M. arrived at Amara, landed 21 Passng & 43 Packges~
Light S. Erly wind and fine weather; we took 3 Tons of Coal & remained at Amara for the night,
My stomach killed me from the pain since 2 P.M. until now 11 P.M. no sleep or rest, I took the Sulphur & C of Tartar but did nothing, at 11 I took fruit Salt still it did nothing; I am very tormented~ [pg: 263]
Light S. Erly & fine Weather, I got calmed down from the pain at 1 AM. when I was able to sleep~
At 5,,10 AM. we left Amara, Took 13 Passengers,
I took a dose of Quinine as a tryal for my stomach,
The River is in a level with the bank & has not innundated any parts;
At 2,,20 P.M. passed Gorna; weather getting cloudy;~ Breeze shifted to West but it is cloudy & very warm~
At 6,,35 arrived at Basreh~ Rufail & Rezooki came to greet their mother We then all went up to their house, Rufail is building the rest of [pg: 264] the rooms up above, he has masons & carpenters,
We dined together, their Sister Tookyeh has not come out yet, they did not know of their mother’s arrival until today they received my telegram which I had sent on Tuesday;
The Russian man of war cruiser is here she arrived about 6 days ago, also the English man of war Sphinx, & the SS. Shahristan for Asfar, The mail steamer is in quarantine & leaves tomorrow ~
The pain of my stomach is not so strong & I slept better it came on at midnight & passed after 2 hours, [pg: 265]
Light Erly breeze & Cloudy I took tea & at 7 AM I came on board; ~
The Russian cruiser Gêljah fired a Salute of 21 Guns at 10 AM to the Turkish flag; & was answered by the Turkish field Artillery placed at the mouth of the creek; many people of Basreh are going on board to see her ,~
At 1 P.M. I took a Belem & went up to Rufail’s place my stomach is aching me most awfully; I took tea & some cold wild duck, but it did no good; at 4 P.M. Rezooki & I went to visit Jeboory Asfar & his family for an hour, I took there some Apollinaris mineral water, but of [pg: 266] no benefit, we returned at 5, Tookyeh came out of Basreh with her 2 children, also her husband Rezooki & his brother Toni, they remained & dined & slept here; I feel very bad the pain does not go but kept increasing; I am very constipated & so could not sleep till after midnight, when Eliza gave me some fruits salt & this calmed the wind down;
Fresh S. Erly wind & some clouds; I feel very weak; At 7 AM I left & came on board; Lots of Arab pilgrims have filled the deck going to visit the Shrines,
The Malamir left the quarantine at 12 AM for Ahwaz, Mr. Taylor [pg: 267] & his wife went in her,
Lots of people are visiting the Russian man of war, she is lying Abrest of us, called “Giljak” ~
Our deck got full of Arab passengers ~ Even down below are some, weather very warm, a S. Erly breeze & cloudy misty weather ; ~ We finished loading by 3 P.M. & hove the Barge alongside the steamer;
We received the mails at 4 P.M. ~ [pg: 268]
| Passeg | Okes / Barge Okes | G.S.P. Local | Draft / Barge Draft |
| 579 | 144191 / 181890,, | 33,810 1/2 | 4,,2 1/2 / 2,,8 |
At 4,,30 P.M. we got underway & proceeded, S. Erly wind & dusty hazy weather; ~ we are towing a Barge deeply laden;
I have not the pain so bad as yesterday & feel much better, I took the sulphur & C. of Tartar today after breakfast; It is a curious thing how it comes some time without giving any cause; ~
At 1,,5 AM. passed Gorna At 4,,30 anchored it became dark & the moon went down
At 5,,30 proceeded ~ S. Erly & cloudy ~
At 8,,5 we stopped for [pg: 269] the S.S. Ressafah & Barge coming down, she passed at 8,,15 & we went on,
At 8,,55 stopped at Azair for a Jew passenger who was detained on the quarter deck for a suspicious robbery from a Sabian woman of her jewellery, & he jumped overboard & swam to Azair to his father, we sent the Boat & got him back, the Zaptyes there did not want at first to give him up but being told that they will be held responsible, they brought him & his father also came to go as far Amara
We went on at 9,,15,
I only finished giving tickets to the passengers [pg: 270] at 3 P.M. ~
Weather became Again hazy or dusty; ~
At 3,,20 P.M. landed 4 Passengers at Kalat Saleh & went on at 3,,25
We have altogether 497 ½ Passengers, mostly all are Arabs Hassanys & from the river down at Shat el Arab; (3 in 1st Class, a Jew Huzkeil Hyim Azoory, Mr. Bill head Clerk of G. Mackenzie, paying deck & occupying 1st C. Cabin, & Mr. Dubas the young Aleppine Jew schoolmaster of Baghdad who came down with Mr. Danon, going to Amara, & the sister of Yacoob Abdulla [pg: 271] Malcon in 2 Class free by Lynch Brothers)
At 11 P.M. arrived at Amara landed 27 Passeng (one in 1st C. Mons. Dubas) and 24 Bales of through Cargo; Took 12 Tons of Coal; we remained here for the night; Cloudy weather & river is rising;
S. Erly breeze & very cloudy all over & warm;
At 5.20 AM left Amara, I had the pain for about 2 hours last night & then it passed away;
Took 31 Passengers from Amara; ~ The river is very high & has flooded some part of the desert ~ Weather very cloudy & overcast; ~ [pg: 272]
At 3,,30 P.M. passed Ali Sherghi; It begun to rain from 4 P.M. & came down hard with thunder & lightning, our Passengers on deck got well staturated & they pack so close;
My stomach begun to pain me from 1 P.M. till sunset very badly; I was working hard in copying in the cargo which is unusually long ~ wind shifted to N.W. & it is opening out from the North;
At 5 ½ very hard rain came down & thick, like a deluge ~
At 5,,55 P.M. we came to an anchor still raining & cloudy all over [pg: 273]
At 6,,15 the SS. Baghdad & Barge passed down, Rain ceased & got calm,
Light N.W. & getting fine
At 5,,30 AM we proceeded; Fine weather,
River is rising more, & many parts are flooded; some suds broken on the East bank above Fleffeh,
At 1 P.M. passed Ali Gherbi; The river has reached up to the top of the banks
Very fine clear & cold N.W. breeze, ~
At 6,,40 we anchored weather very fine & moon light plain 13 days old, no necessity to anchor the current is not so strong; I am sorry as I have all the sea manifests [pg: 274] with me, which I could not live at Amara for the Khalifah as I had not been able to copy in all the cargo, & the Khalifah will be at Coot tonight & leaves tomorrow, & Capt Cowley does not want to stop so as to send off the manifests;
Light N.W. & fine Cold weather, wind blowing sharp ~
At 5,,25 AM. we left Seyd Abbass; River Keeps high & apparently rising, it is in a level with the bank;
At 8,,45 passed Sheikh Saad, we are going very slow, Barge & Steamer are deep;
At 11 P.M. arrived [pg: 275] at Coot landed 8 passengers Took 15 Tons of Coal, the Khalifah has not yet come down, she could not have left this morning, I am glad I have to live the manifests here for her ~ we finished and hauled out & remained for the night;
Modte N.W. & fine weather River is very high & keeps rising;
At 5,,20 AM. we left Coot; All the Coot passengers were put on the Quarter Deck, the ship is full every where,
Took 51 passengers from Coot ~
The river is still rising, it is up to the bank, the Arabs are making Sudds to prevent their cultivation from being [pg: 276] inundated~
My stomach is much better I have had no pain last night, my bowels are working regular & the wind is passing down; ~
Full moon today, weather very fine & a sharp N.W. wind blowing; River very full & current strong ~
At 6,,55 P.M. passed the SS. Khalifah going down at Shadi ~
At 9,,40 passed Memlah Fine clear weather ~
Light N.W. & some clouds on S. East parts; we went on all the night ~
My stomach did not pain me last night & I feel better,
In the afternoon I got a slight pain my mouth is still better ~
At 4 P.M. weather became [pg: 277] Very cloudy & few drops of rain falling; There is no Sign of the river falling, we are going very slow;
At 5.10 P.M. passed Azizieh, it took us a long time to pass it the river running very Strong & the wind blowing fresh N.W., the village is nearly swamped the mud houses & some date trees are falling in the river They told us that the sudds broke above Baghdad & the water has surrounded the town,
At 6,,40 we anchored on the top of Raddat reach Cloudy all over ~
Raining drizzly ~ [pg: 278]
Light N.W. air and very fine weather ~
At 5,,30 AM we left Raddat ~ The river is still very high & no sign of its falling; ~
My pain came on at midnight for about an hour & passed,
At 11 AM passed Baghdadieh Fort, we steamed through the Island & the East bank, We are going very slow, the wind blowing a strong N.W. & the current strong by 6 P.M. we had only got to Jubeil in Dawer reach; ~
The pain in my stomach, kept from breakfast time until sunset, I cannot make out the cause, although, I am taking the sulphur & C. of Tartar every day once after each dinner ~ [pg: 279]
I take care in not eating any thing heavy or indigestible still this distressing pain would not pass away,
At 8,,10 P.M. we anchored at Oweyn, moon just rising & weather fine; River is standstill; We cannot get up to Baghdad, even tomorrow evening;
Holy day of St. Joseph,
Light N.W. breeze and very fine weather;
At 5.20 AM we proceeded River looks to be falling about 2 Inches; Although it is in a level with the banks, The Center of Ledje reach is swampy; The Semra reach is partly innundated & the Piles of Liquorice roots are surrounded with water Arabs have dug ditches around them ~ [pg: 280]
At 3,,5 P.M. passed the Arch of Ctesiphon and also at the same time the S.S. Phrat & Barge going down, we are crawling along the west bank this part of Seyafyeh & Baroda is swamped far & wide in the desert;
At 5 ¼ we steamed up through the Island of Zumbaranyeh;
At 7,,15 P.M. passed Diala river ~
At 8 we anchored at Rustemyeh, S. Erly breeze but fine weather ~
Very light air & fine weather,
At 4,,30 AM we proceeded passed the Bridge of Gherrara which is cut open from the high rise at 6 ~ The desert between Diala & Baghdad is innundated [pg: 281] We did not land a man, The river has fallen about one foot; It does not look as if this rise has done much damage to cultivation,
We steamed through the Island of Kher where there is lots of water;
At 9,,15 AM landed the mails at the Residency & steamed up to the Custum House, no steamers are here; The river fell only 1 foot, The damage done is extensive especially at Kadumein they say over 500 house on river fell by the carrying away of the Sudds etc
I went home, found the watchman Abdulrahman there all right; but our servant girl Hanny wont serve me, so I [pg: 282] got an other one; as it was too late for breakfasting at home I accepted Menusha’s invitation & went over to her ~
At home I found many letters for me, 2 from Blockey of the 15 & 22 Feby all about Blanche & her impertinacy for money, also one from Alexander from Paris of the 15th he was unwell, having got cold & fever, I then received afterward a large registered letter from Alexander of the 23, in which he sends me 3 documents made by the Government at Blessy (in Pas de Calais) about the girl Mary’s father & mother, & herself, certifying that [pg: 283] she is the legitimate daughter of these parents etc & a long letter from Alexander complaining of Blanche’s conduct & the insulting letter she sends him which he sent to me etc etc;
I called on Sister Eliza for ½ hour, & then went to Sister Medula and gave her Alexander’s letter condoling her,
Antone Marine called in the evening & red Alexander’s letters etc, I dined at home, only had a little soup & a boiled leg of fowel,
Light S. Erly & fine weather; [pg: 284]
Light air & fine, at 8 AM I called on Sister Eliza & thence went to see Dr. Sturrock & explained to him my complaint of the stomach, he recommended me not to eat any thing heavy & indigestible also not to take tea in the morning but a warm glass of water & piece of toast, and also in the afternoon, not to take tea or Coffee, & prescribed me the necessary medicines also 3 opening Pills to be taken tonight;
I paid him his fees of 2 Mejidies & left ~
I then called on [pg: 285] & Monseigneur Altmayer & showed him the documents of Alexander he sent me, he does not see why the ecclesiastics do not give him the necessary documents, it proves that it is a sort of civil marriage which is not sufficient in a religious point of view, he kept them to conferr with Mons. Roué the french Consul & we shall see then ~
I came on board at 10 we are discharging cargo; sent money to the office & I went home at 11 ½ ~
Took a warm Bath, at 4 P.M. I called again [pg: 286] on Monseigneur Altmayer, he had seen Mr. Rouèt the french Vice Consul, and told him, the the authorisation for Alexander's marriage should be made before my Consul & both my wife & myself with two witnesses & the Consul will take my deposition & my wife’s authorising our son to get married, but my wife being in Basreh; he asked me to see Mr. Richarz about it, I went to the latter but he was not at home;
I called to see my sister Emilia at Alices (I have not been there for the last year or more) I came home & then at 6 went to Antone Marine & I dined there, at [pg: 287] 9 I came home, took a Pill to open my bowels as Dr. Sturrock prescribed, I have not the pain now since two days;
Light air & fine weather at 7 am I called on Sister Medula & then came on board, we have finished discharge, & are shipping I wrote letters to Alexander & to Blockey; by todays Post;
At 11 3/4 I went home & took my breakfast soup & boiled fowl, the Pill I took last night worked me 3 times, I feel weak & am better,
At 1 1/2 P.m. came on board we are shipping cargo;
The river is falling a little~
The Turkish Authorities & the Reis Beledyeh have requested Mr. Bottomley [pg: 288] to let the Mejidieh go down tomorrow to the Kerradah & Kher and tow up part of the Bridge which was carried away during the high rise;~
At 5 P.m. I went home, called on Catterina Yaghichi also on Abduljebbar Effendi the Lawyer, he is going to Europe to the Paris Exhibition via Aleppo in a fortnight,
Came home Johny and Artin came & spent the evening ~
I feel better now the Pill worked me well today; & am taking the medicine but feel weak;
Light N. Erly & fine ~ The Mejidieh left at 6 3/4 am & steamed down to Asfar's Garden, she towed up one portion (5 Boats of the Bridge) [pg: 289] and then went back again at 10 & brought the rest of it & arrived at 2 1/2 P.m. ~
I called on Menusha, & then came home, I had taken 2 Pills last night & my bowels are working ~
At 9 1/2 I called on Mons Rouét the french Vice Consul, we talked over Alexander's marriage, I also went to the Office to Mr. Bottomley; and at 11 went over to Sister Eliza to breakfast there I had only soup & boiled fowel; I left at 1 P.m. & came home at 4 P.m. I called on the French Carmelite fathers & on Mr. Habib Chiha but the latter were at not home, came to the house ~ [pg: 290]
Light n.w. & fine weather,
Light n.w. & fine ~ at 7 1/4 am. I called on Dr. Sturrock as he wished to see me & told him all what I have done & that I have not the pain now but am weak from the medicine & wishes to have something to take so as to keep my bowels from getting constipated & some tonic; he promised to send me that, (he wont take an other fee from me for this visit)
I came on board, we are shipping cargo;
At 11 I went home and breakfasted & came at 12 1/2 weather rather warm, River is rising a little;
At 5 P.M. we finished loading, I went home, no one called on me; I took dinner at 7,, ~
I got 2 different sort of [pg: 291] medicines from Dr. Sturrock to take after dinner & at bed time every day until I return from Basreh
I have had the pain back again this afternoon as before but not so severe; ~ One of the medicine to be taken 3 times a day after meal, & the other is awfully bitter something like tincture of Aloes ~
Light N. Erly breeze and fine ~ at 5 am I came on board, left in the house the watchman, Petrozi a tilkefli & his sister Mariam who has cooked for me in these days~ [pg: 292]
| Passng | Okes | GS. Piast | Draft / Draft of Barge |
| 217 1/2 | 198,555,, | 29439, | 3,,9 / 2,,6 |
At 5,,45 Am proceeded Ship & Barge loaded with nearly 200,000 Okes,
River is still rising since yesterday it rose 1 foot; it requires 2 feet to reach its highest rise or normal,
At 7,20 passed the SS. Khalifah going up without a Barge at Dedewyeh~
At 7,,35 passed Diala river;
At 8,,45 passed Ctesiphon, weather getting cloudy;
At 1,,35 P.M. passed Baghdadieh Fort; weather got cloudy all over;
We have altogether 190 1/2 Passengers (6 are in 1st Class The Prince & Princess Scipione Borghese, Italian travellers [pg: 293] came via Damascus and are proceeding to Persia via Bushire, they were living at Mr. Richarz & had been to Babylon, both are very amiable & genteel Also Joseph Georgi Asfar & his Sister Harriet both free with R. Ticket; Mr. Bell of Gray Mackenzie returning paying deck, and the American Missionary Mr. F. J. Barny returning to Basreh, paying 2d Class & occupying 1st; and 2 in 2d Class the Greek Yany & Simon Dayekh)
At 3,,25 P.m. passed Azizieh village~
At 7,,20 passed the S.S. Ressafah & Barge going up at top of Sherish
At 8,,15 passed Memlah ~ [pg: 294] Fine clear weather;
At 0,,20 AM. arrived at Coot, landed 46 1/2 passengers & 100 packages
I got a letter from Henry, the rest of the papers he has left at Amara; the Khalifah has 197,000 Okes she has no Barge, and 479 Passengers (without Coot passengers) he says, that he did not see my wife as she was in Basreh
The SS. Baghdad, & Barge are at Coot on her way up; she left at 3 1/2 am;
At 5,,15 am we left Coot; took 5 passengers weather little cloudy; N. Erly breeze;
At 7,,45 the steamer in turning round the bite of Umel Henna, went too close to the East shore & grounded took anchors aft also forward & hove off; at 10,,5 we [pg: 295] we proceeded;
At 0,,20 P.m. passed Sheikh Saad; ~
At 2,,30 passed Ali Sherghi; River is as high as the bank here about;
At 6,,10 passed Ali Sherghi weather fine; a great marsh is formed on the west bank as far as one can see;
At 10,,50 P.m. arrived at Amara landed 25 Passengers & 56 packages; Took 7 Tons Coal; ~ Received my papers & letters one from my wife she had entered in Basreh to make arrangements for her son Rezookis betrothal with Mina the daughter of Nassoory Andrea;
The Sheikh of the Beni Laam Ghadban has been changed, the Government appointed an other [pg: 296] one Shibib his uncle,
Light n.w. cloudy weather
At 5 am we left Amara took 14 passenges
Detained about 1/2 hour, in many narrow reaches,
At 0,,15 P.m. passed Azair ~ Cloudy all over;
At 0,,30 P.M. passed the SS. Phrat going up with Barge in tow, Mr. Krouglow the Russian Consul and Mr. Ovsinkow his Chancellier the Motserrif of Amara Rafat Pasha are on board going up also Abdul Kadur Khdery;
At 3,,45 P.m. landed 3 Basreh passengers at Gorna & went on at 3,,50 Breeze Easterly & warm, Cloudy ~
At 8,,35 P.m. arrived [pg: 297] at Basreh ~ weather got fine; The SS. Muristan is only up here, & the Goolistan is down in quarantine; Rufail's Belem came for me & I went up to them saw my wife Eliza, also Tukyeh is there & her husband, & children; I related to Eliza all about Alexander & red his letters to her, we turned in at 12, but I could not sleep at all,
Light N. Erly & cloudy I took some milk (as I not taking tea at all, & am using the medicine of Dr. Sturrock & has not had the pain since I left Baghdad
At 7 1/2 am I came on board with Rezooki [pg: 298] Angoorly; Jeboory Asfar came to fetch the Prince & Princess Scipione Borghese to put up in his house for 2 days until they leave by the mail boat, also Yousif Asfar & his Sister; We are discharging Cargo; weather cloudy all over;
At 9 my wife came down as arranged so as to go to the Consulate to Mr. Wratislaw & make our deposition consenting to allow our son Alexander to be married in Paris with Mary Sophie Josephine Deristourg ~ at 10 we went there & Rezooki my wife's son told Mr. Wratislaw of our coming; he came to the office, took my deposition down & wrote it out then I went to fetch [pg: 299] two witnesses, I wanted to get Alfred Holland and Capt Cowley but could not find them so I brought Mr. Smart our 2d mate & Metty my Assitt Clerk; they signed & then Mr. Wratislaw wrote below, that according to the request of Mr. RIcharz the German Consul of Baghdad, and in the absence of a German Consul at Basreh that our deposition is made before him & he certifies to it etc; it was stamed & sealed, I had to pay a Fee of £Stg 1,,5, ~ We came on board I brought the Certificate with me ~ I breakfasted & went up with Eliza to Roofail's house at 12 [pg: 300]
The mail Str Pachumba arrived at 12 ; I received some french Papers sent to me by Alexander from Paris, I had also got some by last mail ~ Père Emmanuel came to see us; also Joseph Yaghchi & his wife my niece Louisa who had come down in the Khalifah & will also return by her next trip; they remained till sunset; Also Capt Cowley came & had some tea etc & went at sunset;
Light n.w. & fine weather,
Light n.w. & fine cool weather ~ at 7 1/2 am I came on board ~
Again we have the Arab Pilgrims coming & have filled the deck; the Ship is getting very crowded again like last trip [pg: 301]
Pere Emmanuel, Yousif & Mickail Yaghchi, Rezooki & Rufail called on me,
Our Cabins also were all engaged, & others want more
We finished loading at about 3 P.m. ~
We are not towing a Barge ~ Received the mail at 4 P.m. ;
| Passg | Okes | G.S.P. Local | Draft |
| 428 | 188,808 | 25975 1/4 | 4,,9 |
At 4,,45 P.m. got under way & proceeded ~ Weather warm & light n.w. air ~
At 0,,40 am landed one passenger at Gorna & went on at 0,,50 ~
Light n.w. & fine weather At 6 am passed Azair;
At 10,,50 landed 10 Passengers at Kalat Saleh [pg: 302] took 5 & went on at 11;
Finished with the Passengers tickets, we have altogether from Basreh 333 1/2 (4 are in 1st Class, Mrs. Bottomley & her 2 young daughters of about 4 & 3 years returning back with us having left her two young sons to go to England in the Goolistan leaving today, Captain Paramore commanding & he brought out his wife too; we also have major Cohusac in the Bombay Army coming to inspect the sepoys of the Residency, also Yousif Korkis free returning & Rezooki son of Beshoory paying;)
At 5,,5 P.m. arrived at Amara landed 17 1/2 Passeng & 5 Bales through cargo Took in 8 Tons Coal; [pg: 303]
At 6,,15 the S.S. Khalifah arrived here; I just had time to get Henry's letter as we were leaving; ~
At 6,,30 we left Amara Took many passengers some had to put them on the quarter deck; ~ The Khalifah left Baghdad yesterday morning, She has 104,000 Okes and 125 passengers, The river fell 7 feet in Baghdad;
Light n.w. & fine weather;
Light n.w. & cloudy a little At 3,20 am passed Ali Sherghi
Gave tickets to Amara passengers; we have 60, (one in 1st Class & another in 2d Class, 2 french men of the Susa Mission of excavations, they came [pg: 304] to Amara, having terminated their work until the hot weather is over, they are going to Baghdad with 17 Cases of Antiquities & will also return with us to go to france on the 15th with the cases to be shipped in Basreh, (a curious idea of taking them up & down through Turkey, instead of shipping them down to Mahomerah & put them on board of a Steamer, One of them is called Mr. Lampre, & the other Mr. E. André ~ They have left some more attendants at Amara~
At 10,,55 landed 4 passengers at Ali Gherbi took one & went on at 11,,5 ~
At 5,,15 P.m. passed Sheikh Saad; The river is falling about 3 feet [pg: 305] below the top of the bank
Light S. Erly & cloudy weather At 2,,45 am. arrived at Coot, landed 18 passengers & 4 Bales of through Cargo, Took 7 Tons of Coal and passengers ~
At 4,,45 left Coot, cloudy all over ~
Gave tickets to 28 1/2 Coot passengers ; ~
Wind shifted to n.w. & became fine but hazy;
River is falling ~
At 2,,10 P.m. passed Memlah;
I paid the Ship’s Company their wages for March;
Weather became cloudy all over with a very light n.w. air ~
I keep taking Dr. Sturrock's medicine ~ I have no pain, but it comes once [pg: 306] a day in the afternoon very slightly & passes away, my bowels are open by the medicine I am taking, but I still feel billious, I am taking milk morning & evening; & no tea at all;
Weather keeps cloudy,
At 2,,35 Am. passed Azizieh cloudy all over ~ S. Erly breeze & cloudy;
The S.S. Phrat is in sight ahead going up; we had passed her at Azair in going down ~
River begins to rise again;
At 7,,45 passed Baghdadieh Fort, steamed up inside the Island & the East bank;
At 9,,15 passed the S.S. Phrat & Barge in tow going up at Rwebyeh, the Russian Consul Mr. Krouglow [pg: 307] & his Chancellier Mr. Ovsinkow with Artin Megherditch are on board going up;
Weather getting dusty, hazy & strong S. Erly wind,
At 0,,30 P.m. passed the S.S. Ressafah & Barge going down, at Jubeil,
At 7 P.m. passed Ctesiphon, Cloudy all over & dark, S. Erly wind;
At 9,,45 anchored at Jaffar, very cloudy ~
At 5 am proceeded, very cloudy & gloomy weather,
At 6 passed Diala, few drops of rain falling S. Erly wind & warm;
At 7,,30 AM. I landed at Gherrara, & walked in to Baghdad; I had [pg: 308] to walk over a Sud made toward Kerradah on account of the flodding of the river in the desert, & the Gherrara road is swampy yet;~ I arrived at Mr. Richarz’s house to show him the paper of my Authorisation for Alexander's marriage done by the English Consul at Basreh, but he was in bath; so I passed to see Mr. Bottomley in his house & then I went to the Monseigneur Altmayer & gave him the paper to be sent to Père Henri Bernard at Paris & I came home; Found 2 letters from Alexander of the 3 & 9 of March also 2 letters from Mr. Böhn informing me of the nomination of a New Consul for [pg: 309] Austria in Baghdad a Mr. Rappaport, & he leaves on the 23d of March and recommends him to me, & to assist him etc;~
The Mejidieh arrived at 10 1/2~
Light Variable winds & Clouds~ Antone Marine called in the evening~ Weather getting warm,
The SS. Phrat & Barge arrived at 12 P.M.~
Light N. Erly & cloudy, at 7 AM I called on Menusha & then came on board The Baghdad is loading & leaves tomorrow, we are discharging & will leave on Sunday~ I went to the office & then came home, after breakfast I came on board to [pg: 310] square the Cash Book for the Quarter~ I left & called on Sister Eliza, & then called on my sister Emilia & Alice; I wanted to see the Monsigneur Altmayer but was not at home; I met Père Augustine who had been to Mons Rouet to have the Baptismal Certificate of Alexander certified, but he told him he better get an other one signed by the Superior Père Pièrre instead of the Old one signed by the deceased Père Marie Joseph, & so he got a new one made out & hat it certified I paid on fee of 3 Francs (14 1/2 G. S. P.)~ I went to call on Catherina Yaghchi & came home;
In the evening Artin my nephew & his wife [pg: 311] Sirpohy & his sister Terooza called on me, They left at 7 1/2~
Weather cloudy & warm, I am sleeping in the room,
Light N. Erly & Cloudy~ at 7 AM I called on Menusha & then came on board, I wrote out the letter for Cardinal Richard in Paris as the Mons. Altmayer drafted out for me to write about Alexander's marriage, I finished all the letters, to Alexander very long ones, & am returning to him the documents he sent me about the girl Mary & her parents etc
At 10 I called on Monsgr. Altmayer & gave him the letter of cardinal Richard he also red to me the letter [pg: 312] he wrote to Père Henry Bernard at Arceuil to do all what is requisite, I left & came home & had breakfast,~ At 1 P.M I came on board & closed the letter for Alexander to be registered & other letters; as the Damascus Post leaves this evening;
Mr. Holdway our Old Mate in the Company's steamers since nearly 20 years, & lately in the Khalifah, had taken ill from excessive drinkness & was put on shore to be treated, but he got worse, & has had the heart and liver disease; that the french Carmelite Father Superior Pièrre took him over to their house lately but he grew worse and [pg: 313] died yesterday evening in the Church, he became a Roman Catholic before his death & left his money they say about 800 Liras to his youngest daughter being in the Convent with the nuns, his three other daughters he would not even look at them and they turned out prostitutes one became a Mahomedan & so all went to the dogs, Haldway came out here in 1856 during the war between the English & Persians & the taking of Bushire & Mahomera he was an Able Sea man in the government steamer "Comet"~
The SS. Baghdad left this morning for [pg: 314] Basreh;
At 1 P.M. I came on board We shipped some Cargo, there is not much though~ Weather cloudy & overcast warm & disagreable;
At 5 I went home, called on Eliza & Adoola my cousins but were not at home~ I went to Sister Medula for 1/2 hour & at 6 went to dine at Antone Marine, at 8 1/2 came home~ There are so many flees in this time that troubled me much in bed;
Light N. Erly Cloudy and overcast~ At 8 AM I came on board~ River is stationary. It has fallen from its highest rise only 3 feet; at 9 I went on shore called on Mr. Habib Chiha, & at 11 went to my sister Emilia & Alice and breakfasted with them At 1 P.M. I came home [pg: 315] took a warm bath, at 4 called on Shekoory Sayegh & Menusha but none were at home; I came home, The Damascus Post arrived I received a letter from my son Alexander from Paris dated the 16th March;~
Light NW. & fine weather
Light N.W. & fine, at 7 AM I came on board~
The river rose 4 bricks since yesterday;~
At 11 went to breakfast & returned at 1 P.M.;~
I wrote a letter to Alexander of todays date in answer to his of yesterday, & left it with Shekoory Sayegh to be sent by next mail leaving on the 12th;
We have only 31,000 Okes of Cargo~
At 5 P.M. I went home [pg: 316] Antone Marine called on me till 7 P.M.~
Light N.W. & fine weather
At 4 1/2 AM I came on board~ Light N.W. and fine~ River falling about 4 Inches;~
| Passg | Okes | G.S. Piast | Draft |
| 138 1/2 | 33,950 | 13,757 3/4 | [N/A] |
At 5,,15 AM. got underway & proceeded~ Fine weather with a light N.W. breeze;
At 5,,30 passed the S.S. Khalifah going up at Cherd el Pasha without a Barge,
Passed the Bridge of Gherrara opened for us at 6,,20~
At 6,,55 passed Diala At 8 passed Ctesiphon,
At 10,10 P.M passed Baghdadieh Fort~ [pg: 317]
At 1,,40 P.M. passed Azizieh~
We have 117 Passengers (5 in 1st Class, Mr. Lampre & M. André the french excavators at Shushter returning with us to go to Paris, Mr. Veillont a Swiss merchant who had been here before several times, Major Cohusac of the Bombay native Regiment returning with us, and Yasseen son of Abdulrezack Khdery free to Basreh, servant by Lynch's Agent order and 2 in 2nd Class Lynch's people Vartan the Clerk & a Blacksmith free to Coot to work the Wool Press for the Season)
There are 10 free in All cabin & deck [strikethrough], [pg: 318]
Weather is calm & warm also with some clouds~
At 5,,45 P.M. passed Memlah;
At 9,,30 arrived at Coot landed 31 passengers and 170 Packages; Received a letter from Henry & one from my wife Eliza; The Khalifah had 232,338 Okes of Cargo and about 150 passengers, she brought no mail as she left on Monday,
We remained at Coot for the night, having also landed Vartan & a Blacksmith with him & 120 Bund Hoop Iron for the Wool Press of Lynch all free~
At 4,,35 AM left Coot, Light air from N. Est & sultry warm~
Took 13 Passengers from [pg: 319] Coot;~
At 10,,35 landed Specie at Ali Gherbi & went on at 10,,50~
Strong N. Erly wind blowing at 4 P.M.
At 5,,45 P.M. arrived at Amara landed 31 passengers & 76 Packages; we shipped 100 Cases of Ghee through for Bombay @ 6 Paras per Oke;
At 8,,10 we left Amara Modte N.W. wind & fine;
At 9,,30 anchored above Aboo Sedra~
Light N.W & fine weather at 5 am proceeded Gave tickets to 7 ½ Amara passengers; and one in 2d Class Mr. Chaumet an assistant to Mr. Lampre at the excavation at Shushter & their Luggage & 2 [pg: 320] Dogs fine black retrievers,
At 10,,20 passed Azair;
At 1,,20 P.M. landed 3 1/2 passengers at Gorna & went on at 3,,25;
At 5,,25 P.M. we rounded & went alongside the SS. Blosse Lynch to load from her Cargo;~
There is only one Steamer here in Quarantine the Gladhow for Gray Mackenzie,
Mr. Wratistaw the British Consul here has left on 6 months leave to England and an other one came in his place he is in the quarantine to make 10 days, called Mr. H. M. Shipley, he is a C.M.G. & was before in Angora
I went up to Rufail’s [pg: 321] house, saw my wife Eliza, Rufail & Rezooki; their sister Takoohi is in town,
Rezooki gave me a telegram sent to me from Bombay by Mr. Rappaport the Austrian Consul from Bombay on the 5th Instt he simly says.
Svoboda Basreh Simla Consul Rappaport
I asked Rufail & Rezooki to assist him in the Quarantine & supply him with provisions & a Cook for the 10 days he stay there~
I red to Eliza Alexander's letters etc etc;
Today is the first day of the Mohamedan Holyday of Moharrem or the [pg: 322] 10 of Zalhejjeh~
Cloudy all over gloomy & S.W. breeze; Eliza & I slept in the saloon, but I could not sleep at all from the mosquitoes, sandflies and flees; they are all fully troublesome, & being without a curtain;
At 8 AM I came on board, we are shipping Cargo; from the Blosse Lynch, & we are to tow a Barge;
At 1 P.M. I went up to Rufail's place, there are only Eliza & Rufail;~ at 4 P.M I went to see Jeboory Asfar & his family also Yousif Asfar & his sister Hariet are still there & will go up in the Khalifah,
At 6 I came back to Rufail's where I dined & slept;~ I put up a [pg: 323] Curtain from the mosquitoes & I slept better~
The Mail SS. Pemba arrived at 6 P.M.~
Light S. Erly & cloudy weather~ At 7 AM I left & came to the Mejidieh, Eliza with me, she is gone in to Basreh as tomorrow is good friday, she will stop there until Easter Sunday in which day the betrothal of Rezooki her son will take place;
The SS. Mossul & Barge left yesterday at 2 P.M., she had been undergoing a through repairs since about 1 1/2 Year here;
We finished shipping at 3 P.M., Rezooki Sayegh & Rezooki Angoorly, also Yousif & Michail Yaghchi came off to me~ [pg: 324]
| Passg | Okes / Barge Okes | GSP | Draft / Barge Draft |
| 218 1/2 | 175291 / 143270 | 28156 1/2 | 4,,4 / 2,,7 |
At 5,,15 P.M. we proceeded taking Barge in tow; Weather hazy & dusty, dim cloudy & warm~
My wife wrote to me from Basreh that she has procured a cook for Mr. Rappaport, the Austrian Consul in quarantine when he arrived; & Rufail offered to send him all the provisions he may require; I wrote to Mr. Rappaport a letter and gave it to Rezooki to be given to him when he arrives on Wednesday next week, I have done for him all I could to assist him in every kind~ [pg: 325]
Light N.W. & fine; At 3,,50 AM. passed Gorna~ weather warm & getting cloudy & sultry;
We have altogether 180 1/2 Passengers (4 in 1st Class: Yassin Khdery returning with us free with his servant & the little son of Kassim Khdery not entered in Passengers List; 3 Jews with through 2d Class from Bombay Mr. David & 2 women, they took a 1st Class & paid me the difference of 11 ½ G. S. Piast each, & 2 other Jews in 2d Class Cabin)
At 10,,20 we went along side at Azair & landed 10 1/2 Jews, & remained awaiting for the S.S. Phrat & Barge to pass down~
At 11,,5 the Phrat passed down having very few passengers~ [pg: 326]
At 11,,10 we left Azair & proceeded;~
At 5,,15 P.M. landed 4 passengers at Kalat Saleh & took one & went on at 5,,20~
Light N.W. & fine weather
At 1,,30 AM. arrived at Amara landed 12 1/2 Passeng & 23 Packages of through Cargo; Took 12 tons of Coal~
At 3,,30 we proceeded, Left Henry's letters at Amara,
Took 25 Passengers from Amara, The river is high yet, it has fallen about 1 foot from its highest rise,
At 3,,15 P.M. passed Ali Sherghi~ Weather is Cloudy in some parts, a modte N.W. wind & moon 15 days Old~ [pg: 327]
Easter Sunday~ Light N.W. & fine cool weather;
At 2 AM landed 2 Passengers at Ali Gherhi & took one & went on at 2,,5~ Modte cool N.W. wind,
At 11,,30 passed Sheikh Saad~ Light N.W. & fine weather River is falling;
At 11,,55 P.M. arrived at Coot landed 7 passengers & one Bale of through Cargo We took 17 Tons of coal,
The SS. Khalifah is here arrived tonight
Modte N.W. wind & fine Cool weather, rather cold wind~
At 4,,45 AM we left Coot; I got a letter from Henry, the Khalifah left yesterday morning from Baghdad; she has [pg: 328] 31000 OKes Cargo and 135 passengers; Henry tells me that the son of M. Nelson called Yousif of about 30 years old, as he was coming from Babylon (Where he is employed with the German mission excavating there) on his way to Baghdad, he put up for the night in a Khan with some other Christians with him & being very drunk he went out of the Khan at night time for some purpose & never was seen since, whether he was murdered or fallen into the Euphrates it is not known yet; Mr. Richarz in Baghdad has imprisoned the one or two Christians who were with Yousif Nelson;
The Khalifah left Coot about 1/4 hour before us after having shipped about 400 Bales of Liquorice root from the opposite [pg: 329] side of Eassay's Press~
We took 11 passengers; Weather getting cloudy; The smoke of the Mossul is visible ahead of us at Um= el Ajaj, she was 10 hours ahead of us at Coot, & 27 from Basreh;
At 5,,45 P.M. passed Memlah Light N.W. breeze & fine weather, we are going very slow;~
Light S. Erly breeze and Cloudy weather~ at 5 1/2 AM passed Humenyeh reach; The Mossul is in sight, getting nearer, just left Azizieh;
At 7,,45 AM passed Azizieh Village~
Wind shifted to N.W. before noon & became fine
At 2,,5 P.M. passed Baghdadieh, The Mossul is just opposite us round [pg: 330] the reach up above~ River is falling, it is about 5 feet below the top of the bank;
In passing Swera Village at 5 P.M. I saw the Mossul had got up round Dowar reach, it does not look as if we have gained on her much since this morning,
Light N.W. & little Cloudy, but cool weather~ We cought the Mossul up at Semreh at 4 1/2 AM we were within 100 yards astern of her; but she seems to be gaining on us~
At 5,,45 AM passed Ctesiphon, the Mossul got about 500 yards ahead of us; Although her Steam power is much less than the Mejidieh & is towing a loaded Barge, the Mejidieh is loaded too much having 175291 OKes or [pg: 331] 219 Tons & about 180 passengers drawing 4,,4; if she was only drawing 4 feet, she would have gone better, the Barge is drawing 2,,7' & having 149 tons of cargo, At 7,,20 we got up to within 150 Yards of her at Gusseiba, At 7,,30 we got abrest of her & kept running in parallel but got ahead & passed her~
At 9,,25 passed Diala river; the Mossul is left far behind about 1/2 a mile; We passed the Gherrara bridge opened for us at 11,,15, the mossul is about 1000 yards astern~ At 11,,30 landed a Deckman & Passengers at Gherrara, I did not land having a little Colic in stomach & pain I think it is from the bad milk I am taking morning & [pg: 332] afternoon;
The Mossul got up to us & passed us ahead but again she failed & her steam must have run down & gradually kept back, in passing the groves opposite Kher she is about 200 yards behind~
At 3,,20 P.M. we arrived at the Custom house at Baghdad we did not stop at the Residency to land the mails on account of the Mossul which is behind about 1000 yards; but sent it down in the Boat;
I went home, found the watchman Moolla Abolulrahman & the Tilkefly Servant Mariam & her brother there they sleep also in the house~
I found a letter from my son Alexander of the 23 [pg: 333] March from Paris; he has received my letter of the 17 Feby; he was not well having caught cold but is better since;~ Shekoory Sayegh & Artin my nephew called on me till 7 1/2 P.M.~
Light N.W. & fine cool weather;
Light N. Erly & little cloudy
I wrote a letter to Alexander for todays Post; At 7 1/2 called on Menusha & then came on board We are discharging cargo The Jews are still in their Holy days & will be out on Sunday~
At 9 I left & went to sister Eliza & then called on Alice & Sister Emilia [pg: 334] & left at 10 1/2 called on Sister Medula, & then went over to Menusha & breakfasted with her and the children & also Catterina Yaghchi was with us, at 1 1/2 P.M. came home & at 3 I came on board, there is very little cargo for shipment; at 4 I went home, called on Asfar & saw Hannosh Asfar only himself as he is getting too old he does not leave the house now; & cannot work so well;~ I came home at 5~ Sister Emilia, Alice & Menusha called on me also Ferida Yacoob Pahlawan our neighbour & Jhony, the latter & Antone Marine remained till 7 1/2 P.M.
 I could not sleep from the rage I was in;~
Light N.W. & fine cool morning~ At 7 AM I called on Antone Marine & I sent for Brejo our old servant of Alexander before 20 years & got her to serve & wash my clothes, I came on board at 8, there is no cargo or any body on board, I left at 8 1/2 & went to call on Monseigneur Altmayer he was not at home, I went to Alice & Sister Emilia & at 9 1/2 I called on [pg: 336] Mr. Richarz; there was Mr. Meissner the German excavator Babylon, he is going down with us; Mr. Richarz told me that he has obtained the garden of Rezooki Abood (now his brother’s Nasoory) where there are two rooms etc, for the accomodation of Mr. Rappaport our Austrian Consul, for a few days until he finds a house & he can mess with him; Nassoory Abood came also there & Richarz asked him if he would let him have the garden & he willingly accepted;
I then called on Monseign. Altmayer, he is leaving for Mossul on Wednesday evening, with Père Augustine also for about 2 months, he gave me a letter he received from Père Henri [pg: 337] Bernard, in which he tells him about the girl whom Alexander wants to marry~ I left at 11 1/2 & went to Sister Eliza where I breakfasted with them, & at 1 1/2 P.M. I came home and took a warm bath;
At 5 P.M. Monsg. Altmayer called on me; also Naoom Loca~ Light N.W. & fine weather;
Light N.W. & fine weather at 7 1/2 AM. I came on board; There is very little cargo to ship; the Jews are in their Holydays & will be out tomorrow, and besides it is not the season for exportation of any produce of the country
All the cabins are let & others want more - [pg: 338]
At 11 I went home to breakfast, & returned at 12 1/2~
No trace of Yousif Nelson has been yet found, since the 8th. when he disappeared from the Khan at Mussayeb he body is not found in the river & he must have been murdered & burried as he had about 30 Liras with him~
At 4 P.M. we finished loading~ At 5 I went home then I went to call on Monseigneur Altmayer to bid him goodbye but he was out I saw Père Augustin & sat with him in the garden for 1/2 hour & then left, they start for Mossul on Wednesday evening~ I called on Sister Emilia & Alice [pg: 339] for few minutes & came home~
Light N.W. & fine cool weather, I am still sleeping in the room;~
Light N.W. & fine weather At 4 AM I came on board,
| Passg | Okes | G.S.Piasters | [N/A] |
| 250 | 65,515 | 16,535 1/2 | [N/A] |
At 5,,5 AM. we got under- way & proceeded; both ship & Barge are light having only 18,000 Okes of Cargo;
The SS. Ressafah arrived this morning at 2 1/4 AM;
At 7,,5 passed Diala river;
At 8,,30 passed Ctesiphon Finished with the passengers' tickets we have in all 222 1/2 (4 in 1st class they are Mr. & [pg: 340] Mrs. Berk, & Mrs. Puttmann the latter is Mr. Berks’ Sister who is going to Europe, & the former are only accompanying her as far as Basreh; Also Mr. Meissner one of the German mission digging in Babylon, Dr. Adler leaving Baghdad after a stay of about 30 years he is getting too old to practice, Mr. Abdulhussein son of Adamjee Peerbhoy, who was sent up by the Indian Govermt to buy mules but failed as the Turkish Government are levying a tax or export duty of 5 Liras on each head, he is going to try & procure some in Desfool & Persia; and a Persian Consul for Basreh called H. Moossa Khan, but as there is no cabin for him, he stays up on after Deck, we have [pg: 341] also a young son of Mr. Chavanis (French Civil Engineer in the Turkish employ) he is about 13 years being sent to Lyons, paying Deck & stopping on the quarter Deck & sleeps in Mr. Meissners' Cabin & messes at the table; The 2d Class is given to a Persian employed in the Mohamera custom house they are 2 1/2 in the cabin & 5 1/2 Deck all at deck rate by Order of S. Lynch & Co); ~
At 0,,45 P.M landed a passenger at Swera & went on at 0,,50,
At 1,,45 passed Baghdadieh Fort~
At 3,,50 passed Azizieh; ~
At 7,,25 passed the S.S. Baghdad & Barge going [pg: 342] up~
At 9 passed Memlah & at 9,,20 anchored at Bughela landed 3 passengers 2 Bales gunnies & some specie we remained here for the night;
At 2,,45 AM. the S.S. Khalifah & Barge passed up~
Light N.W. & fine cool weather~
At 4,,45 AM we proceeded, Some Clouds coming on;
One of our Arab Coot passengers died on board last night;
At 9 arrived at Coot, landed 29 passengers and 17 Bales, I received a letter from Henry; he says that Mr. Alfred Rappaport the Austrian Consul arrived in the Simla he went alongside to see him, he speaks English and french too, & was going to land to the Lazarette to pass his 10 days quarantine [pg: 343]
He left Eliza well, & they have about 345,000 Okes & 120 passengers; Yousif Asfar & his Sister, Yousif Yaghchi & his wife Louisa, Père Emmanuel; Mr. Luidl a German priest Catholic going to the German mission at Babylon, & a Mr. Vienne (brother of the one that was here in the Regie) are passengers in the Khalifah, We shipped 576 Tins of Ghee of different shippers at 5 Paras per Oke; At 10 3/4 we left & steamed over to the Other side to Eassayis’ Wool Press, & shipped 300 Bales of Liquorice roots by their Agent Iskender Aziz belonging to a Jew Moshi Beryain in @ 7 G. S. P. per Bale of 132 Okes~
At 0,,15 P.M left [pg: 344] Coot; Took one passenger,
At 4,,40 P.M. passed Sheikh Saad; weather hazy & cloudy;
At 7,,55 P.M. we rounded & came to at Ali Gherbi landed 5 passengers & remained for the night it being dark & cloudy;
Light N.W. & fine cool morning
At 4,,45 AM. proceeded;
At 1,,10 P.M. arrived at Amara landed 42 passengers & 3 packages, We took 4 tons coal; I received Henry’s letter & a letter from Eliza my Wife, she has sent to Mr. Rappaport our Austrian Consul in quarantine, the Cook & daily provision until he finishes his 10 days quarantine~
At 2,,20 P.M. left Amara took 17 1/2 passengers [pg: 345] light N.W. air & fine;
At 6,,10 passed Kalat Saleh, took one passenger; Very light breeze & warm weather;~
At 6,,45 we anchored near Nafikh for the night, light N.W. breeze~ It is warm in the cabin, no air & the flees are very troublesome; I could not sleep at all, having got cold & sneezing all the night.
Light S. Erly & fine~ At 4,,45 AM we proceeded detained in the narrow reaches about 1/2 hour;
At 8 we anchored off Azair, sent the Boat and brought 8 Jews passengers for Basreh, at 8,25 left & proceeded;
At 9 we passed the little Turkish Gunboat Aloos alongside the bank above [pg: 346] Hmeyan, & Arabs on the bank running & dancing with three guns; We were told that Hathem son of Seyhood & brother of Faleh had revolted against the Government & went with some of his tribe from Kalat Saleh toward Howeza in the marshes because the Government did not farm to him some canals near K. Saleh where his father is now as well as his brother Faleh and they say he thretens to attack the steamers~ a little wary further down, met about 6 mashoofs armed by the Shebana Guards, they sung out to us to stop & they came all in the Barge to escort the steamer down some distance, & their [pg: 347] mashoofs made fast alongside, they danced & sung the war dance on the deck of the Barge, In passing round Hmeyan two or three mashoofs got sunk & the Arabs shipped & pumped off to save what they had in them; they then all cleared away;~
At 0,,15 P.M. landed 1 1/2 Passenger at Gorna and went on at 0,,20; S. Erly breeze & warm;
At 5,,30 P.M. arrived at Basreh, There are the S.S. Kilwa (mail boat) just arrived the SS. Mozaffar & Henry Bolk of the B. & P. S. N. Copy & an Austrian Lloyed Str. Jenny chartered by Kassem Debbagh for Goods to ship the Agents are G. Mackenzie, all in quarantine~ [pg: 348]
Rezooki Sayegh came to me, he has been betrothed to Mina daughter of Nessoory Andrea on Sunday, I took Rezooki & we went down to the quarantine Lazaretto on the opposite side to see Mr. Rappaport the Austrian Consul, he came out & met us & we landed & went into the house (the quarantine Doctor Ahmed being our friend & he allowed this privilege only to us) I found Mr. Rappaport a very nice & gentlemanly person; he speaks English well also french, his time will be up on Saturday morning, but perhaps we might manage to get him out on friday afternoon so as to go with us; but he should like to go with Mr. Shiply the English [pg: 349] Consul if he is going up by the Khalifah next time if not, he will go with us then; Rezooki is sending him all the provision every day, & he has a Cook and a servant too, as he wished to have, we left him & came up to the steamer took my bed and went up at 7 1/2 to Rufails' house I saw Eliza she is well also Tookyeh is there & Rezooki Angoorly,
Weather is warm & a Modte S. Erly Wind ~
Modte S. Erly wind & clouds are coming on,
At 7 1/2 AM I came on board; We are discharging & shipping cargo;~
Mr. Shiply the Acting English Consul wants us [pg: 350] to stay till Saturday so as to take the 26 Relief Sepoys for the Baghdad Residency from the quarantine as their time will be up as well as Mr. Rappaport the Austrian Consul but this latter it is doubt= ful whether he is going with us or stopping here as he seems inclined for a few days longer, I wrote to him a letter in English about his Boxes etc.;
At noon Rezooki came and I went with him up to Rufails, & spent the day there, It got very warm cloudy & then a slight shower with thunder & lightening~ It became Cooler at night~
N.W. breeze & little cloudy At 7 1/2 AM I came on [pg: 351] board;~
Berk & his wife are living on board to return with us, as well as Mr. Puttmann & Mr. Meissner these two are going in the Lloyed Steamer Jenny leaving on Monday,
I went to the Consulate & red the Public news & came on board;~ Passengers came on board as usual thinking we are leaving today;
At 4 P.M. Ali Beg called on me also Rezooki Angoorly & we went up together to Rufail's place, where Yousif Marine was, he came to see his Sister as she is going up this time, Nassoory Andrea, his Wife, Jeboory Asfar's Wife & Medoola Sister of Yousif John came also to see Eliza my Wife and they went away in the evening~ [pg: 352]
Light N.W. breeze & fine weather;~
Light N.W. & fine Weather at 7 1/2 AM. I came on board;~ Mr. Rappaport left the quarantine yesterday before sunset, & came up to the Consulate and put up with Mr. Shiply; They came on board and showed Mr. Rappaport his cabin, he is going up with us; they went again to have breakfast together,
We got lots of Passengers & the deck is full;~ At 12 AM. Mr. Rappaport came in company with Mr. Shiply; and also my wife Eliza with Rufail but she forgot her Box & had to send for it & picked it on board as we went up; [pg: 353]
| Passng | Okes / In Barge Okes | G.S. Pias Local | Draft / In Barge Draft |
| 346 | 154,960 / 183,660 | 22,439 3/4 | 4,,5 / 2,,7 |
At 1,,30 P.M. we left, flood tide just making, ship drawing 4,,5 and the Barge 2,,9~ Modte N. W. wind;
Mr. Rappaport speaks Italian well too, also English & French & a little Arabic, he was in Egypt for about 6 months as Vice Consul;~
At 10,,40 landed 2 passengers at Gorna Mr. Felix Querry a young frenchman employed in the Public Debt, he had come down in the Khalifah last voyage; he had a deck passage & messed with us~
Weather calm & not at all cool~ [pg: 354]
Calm & warm weather At 3,,40 AM we anchored for the SS. Mossul & Barge coming down~ At 4,,30 she passed down & we proceeded;~ The little Turkish gunboat Aloos met us & escorted us aft a far as Azair, also few Arab Shebana in Mashoofs, on account of Hathem son of Seyhood having caused a disturbance & run away toward Howeza~
Finished with the Passengers tickets we have in all 223 (5 in 1st Class, Mr. & Mrs Berk returning; Mr. Rappaport he has a through ticket from Bombay; Missak Effendi the Turkish Civil Engineer going to Amara and [pg: 355] my wife, and the native officer of the Sepoys going to relieve the Residency Guard 25 Sepoys & one Servt all with through tickets) Also 3 are free by Lynch Brothers
At 6,,45 stopped at Azair & took 2 passengers, & 10 other Shebana guards to escort us as far as Kalat Saleh;~
At 1,,30 P.M. landed 5 passengers at Kalat Saleh; went on 1,,35;
At 9,,50 arrived at Amara landed 36 passengers (one 1st Class Missak Effendi) and 44 packages of through cargo; Took in 8 Tons of Coal; I left Henry's letter & Paper here~
At 11,,50 left Amara [pg: 356]
Light S.W. breeze & little hazy~ Gave tickets to 57 [strikethrough] Amara passengers~
We are flying the Austrian Consul flag; but Capt Cowley has had it taken down as he says it is quite new & it is a pitty to see it blown by the wind, only will have it up on passing villages & towns~
At 11 [strikethrough] passed Ali Sherghi; Modte S. Erly wind;
At 8,, 25 P.M. passed Ali Gherbi; Light S.Erly breeze & fine weather;
Mr. Rappaport speaks Turkish too & reads it, he was for about 8 years in Albanya, also in Constple He requires a Dragoman to be sent to the Seraî etc. [pg: 357]
At 0,, 50 A.M. passed the S.S. Khalifah & Barge at Anchor at Seyd Abbass,
S. Erly wind & clouds, hazy warm weather~
At 4,, 50 passed Sheikh Saad;~
At 4 P.M. arrived at Coot landed 26 ½ Passeng & 8 Bales of Through cargo Took in 12 Tons of Coal~ At 5 P.M. the S.S. Rassafah & Barge arrived from Baghdad,
Henry left me a letter here he says that they have 30000 Okes & 123 passengers;~
At 6,, 15 left Coot; Light N.W. & fine cool weather~
At 11,, 45 we dropped anchor; being cloudy & dark; [pg: 358]
Light N.W. & some clouds
At 4 AM we proceeded Gave tickets to 64 Coot passengers~
At 11, 45 passed Memlah, wind got up & got stronger from the N.W
At 6,, 45 P.M. while at Deboony reach, the weather became cloudy & squally, a strong N.W. wind blew, with dust, lightning & thunder; then it came on a heavy shower of rain, at 7,, 15 we anchored and at 4,, 45 proceeded the squall passed away but remained cloudy a little, moon 5 days old;
Light N.W. & fine cool weather~
At 4,, 25 A.M. passed [pg: 359] Azizieh; ~
At 10,, 50 passed Baghdadieh Fort;~
At 1,, 45 P.M. we stopped at Swera Village & took on board Mr. Nassoory Abood, from the opposite side of the river, he came down in the Mossul with Yacoob Pasha Eassayi the latter is left here he is building a house and a bazaar for him; while we were here the S.S. Baghdad & Barge passed down~ at 1,, 55 we went on; Nessoory Abood stays on the quarter Deck charging him 3 Mejidies his 2 men @ 2 Mjid each; he messed with us;
Light N.W. & fine cool morning~
At 3 A.M. passed Ctesiphon~ [pg: 360]
At 6,, 50 AM passed Diala;
At 9,, 30 landed a Deckman at Gherrara & went on,
At 2,, 15 P.M. landed the mails at the Residency, & went on to the Custum House; Mr. Richarz sent his two Kawasses on board to assist Mr. Rappaport & he himself came in the carriage outside the custum house in the bazaar to await to take him, Mr. Rappoport left us & went away, The garden of Nassoory Abood has been taken for him temporary until he finds a house~
Eliza & I went home but we have no servant only the watchman, [pg: 361]
I found 3 letters from Alexander from Paris he is waiting ourpapers to get married & start at once for Baghdad~
Catterina Yaghchi called on us also Medoola daughter of my wife also;~ Antone Marine, Johny & Artin also called in the evening~ Poor Mr. Nelson died about 6 days ago, he was too weak & old & the loss of his son Yousif plunged him in grief & sorrow & was hastined his end, he was a Dane,
Light N.W. & fine cool weather; at 7 AM I came on board~ there are no steamers here & we are discharging
at 10 I went to Lynch’s Office [pg: 362] got pounds Sterlings to pay officers; at 12 came home,
Light N.W. & fine weather I am still sleeping in the room but it is rather warm,
Light S.Erly & cloudy; at 8 am I went to Church, called on the French fathers, on Catterina Yaghchi, Sister Medula & Menusha came home at noon, some visitors called on us,
Mr. Rappaport has gone today to see the Waly officially in his uniform with the plumed hat epolettes etc in Mr. Richarz’s carriage & Kawasses; & presented his Firman~ I called on Antone Marine & Regina my niece (wife of Duncan Alexander) & then at 3 ½ P.M. I went to see Mr. Rappaport in the garden of Rezooki Abood [pg: 363]
I found him dressing to go out to call on the Consuls; he has not been able to find a house on the river, I have also been enquiring but none to be got; he tells me that he is going to take the small house near Alices’s where Dr. Hesse was living; I left & called on Edward Blockey my nephew but he was not at home, called on Eliza sister, also on Yacoob Oossy & came home at sunset~
Light S.Erly & cloudy weather
Light & variable wind & clouds; I went to Artin to see about Dr. Hesses’ house to be let to Mr. Rappaport; came on board, we are shipping some cargo;
At 10 went home, many ladies’ visitors are calling [pg: 364] I took a warm bath;
At 2 P.M. Mr. Rappaport called on us, he is looking for a house & had been to see some but there are none to be got on the river we left together & went to see some others; I then left him at 4 & came on board; we shipped some cargo~ At 5 I went to see Yousif Yaghchi in the Khan of Asfar & got the Lawyer Artin Senan to consult him about the mortgage I have at Kadumain, the property of a man Seyd Ali Zewayed & his wife & it is gauranteed by the Nawab Agha Mahomed & the latter sent me word to say that the wife is dead & I better take steps to [pg: 365] secure my claim etc;
I went home found [strikethrough] my relatives, sister Eliza her daughter Terrooza, also Artin’s wife, Menusha & Catterina Yaghchi etc;
Light N.W. & fine Weather
Light N.W. & fine clear weather~ at 7 AM I came on board~
We are getting Jews for Azair, the Khalifah took last time 23 only, at 4 Mejidies there & back;
at 10 went to breakfast & came back at 12; We shipped a good deal of cargo~
Capt Cowley did not Come on board this afternoon not being well, he has the fever & jaundice again~
at 5 P.M. we finished; I went home; Artin my [pg: 366] nephew called on us, he has finished the hire of the house of Naman Pachachy the small one opposite the Residency Garden for 50 Liras a year, for Mr. Rappaport ;
Light N..W. & fine weather,
Light N.W. & fine cool morning~ at 4 am I came on board~
| Passg | Okes | G.S. Piasters | [N/A] |
| 284 | 130,608,, | 27,037 3/4 | [N/A] |
At 4,, 30 AM we proceeded, Fine weather~ Passed through the Bridge of Gherrara cut open at 6 ~
At 6,, 35 passed the S.S. Khalifah & Barge going up at Dedewyeh; ~
At 6,, 50 passed Diala river; [pg: 367]
At 8,, 20 passed Ctesiphon,
At 10,, 20 passed the S.S. Mossul & Barge going up,
Finished with the passengers tickets we have in all 253 ½ (1 in 1st Class to Amara Father Pièrre the Préfét of the Carmelite Fathers; and the native officer of the Sipoys having a 2nd class but have to put him in 1st as the 2nd c. is taken by Jejo Mourad & a Blacksmith of S. Lynch Co going free to Amara to Press wood with 16 followers,) we have 25 Sipoys returning with Through tickets;,
At 2,, 15 P.M. passed Baghdadieh Fort:~
We have 94 ½ Jews for Azair with R. Tickets at 4 Mejidies each~
At 4,, 30 P.M. passed Azizieh~ [pg: 368]
At 9,, 55 passed Memlah
At 10,, 50 anchored for the night below Bughela,
Light N. Erly breeze and light clouds~
At 4,, 15 AM proceeded At 9 arrived at Coot, landed 43½ Passengers & 80 Packages;~ Received Henry’s letter & Papers, the Khalifah had about 90 passengers & 385,000 Okes in both Ship & Barge;~ we shipped 111 Pressed Bales of wool from Lynchs Press, and 147 Tins of Ghee;
At 11,, 50 left Coot, took 5 ½ passengers (1 in 1st Class to Basreh Missak Effendi the Civil Engineer); ~
At 4,, 30 P.M. passed Sheikh Saad; Fine weather & N.W. wind;
At 7,, 50 P.M. passed the S.S. Ressafah & Barge going [pg: 369] up~
At 8,, 10 landed one passenger at Ali Gherbi [strikethrough] we anchored here for the night, weather fine & cool; I have a very bad cold on my head since this morning;~
Light N.W. & fine Cool weather~
At 4,, 15 A.M. Proceeded;
At 8,, 25 passed Ali Sherghi,
~At 1,, 15 P.M. arrived at Amara landed 27 ½ Passengers and 58 Packages,
The Khalifah had an escort Police guard of 15 men from Basreh to here last time, on account of Hathem son of Seyhood who is in the marshes, has revolted against the government, because they made his father [pg: 370] Seyhood Sheikh of the Hafireh & Kesreh, by giving a bribe of 1200 Liras to the Waly Mohsen Pasha of Basreh, which was taken down to him by his Defterdar in the Khalifah, and now we have also taken these guards back with us~
At 2,, 30 P.M. left Amara, Took 24 ½ passengers (9 ½ for Azair) & 17 Zaptyes;
At 7,, 5 we anchored near Nafikh for the night; Light N.W. & fine weather;
Light N.W. & fine weather,
At 4,, 15 AM. we proceeded,
At 6 we anchored below the Elbow to repair the starboard wheel having got bent in rounding the Elbow lower reach;
At 6,, 45 proceeded [pg: 371]
At 8,, 30 AM. went alongside at Azair & landed 105 ½ Jews (94 ½ with Ret. Tickets)
At 9,, 10 proceeded; There is the little steam boat Alooss still here at anchor below Azair; at Seraifah there are some soldiers encamped;
At 11,, 15 passed the S.S.. Baghdad & Barge bound up; she stopped & gave us her 13 zaptyes to take back, & at 0,, 40 P.M. we landed them at Burbukh (above Gorna) to some other soldiers encamped on a mound & went on at 0,, 45 P.M.
At 1,, 10 P.M. landed 4 Passeng at Gorna & went on,
At 6,, 15 arrived at Basreh~ There are no [pg: 372] steamers here, but in quarantine the Afghanistan and the Persian Copy’s steamers King Arthur & the Mushtary
We went alongside the Blosse Lynch to ship cargo from her~ Rezooki Sayegh came down to me,
The Assyrian Bishop of Baghdad has come back from Calcutta by last week’s mail & finished his quarantine & came out on thursday; he was at Rufail’s as we passed down; I went with Rezooki up to their house, & on the way we met the Bishop Aghnatios entering Basreh, we stopped & greeted each other, he is not going up with us this time,
I got to Rufail’s place [pg: 373] saw there Takoohy her husband Rezooki & Yousif Marine, but he went up to Shaebyeh after an hour, having dined with us & left at 9 P.M.~ I slept in the room with windows open & was not so warm;
Light NW. & fine weather, the sun is getting hot;
At 7 Am came down to the steamer;~
The Malamir came up to the quarantine at 10 am;
We are shipping & discharging Cargo;~ I wanted to go in to Basreh as promised to the Bishop Aghnatius to see him, but I awaited till 1 P.M. for Rufail & he did not come, & sent me the Belem I went up to him
at 4 P.M. Tookyeh [pg: 374] & I went to Jeboory Asfar, Rufail also came; ~ Jeboory has decided to go to Europe with his wife son Albert and daughter Josephine in the Turkistan leaving this on the 30th. Instt; he is going to PortSaid & then will have to take a steamer thence to either Brindisi or Marseilles, then to Paris, London etc he does not want to be absent for more than 4 months, his sole object in going is to square his business up with Frank Strick in London the Director of the Anglo Arabiam Steamers etc ~
We came back at 7 ½ It became very warm & dampy, disagreable [pg: 375] weather; ~
Light S. Erly & fine but Sultry weather ~ at 7 am I came on board ~ We shipped cargo from the Bloss Lynch, ~ News came of the mail steamer having left Bushire yesterday, & we are to await for her & take her mail, we wre to start at 4 P.M. ~ The mail boat passed Fâo at noon~ Ali Beg, Rezooki Angoorly came to me the latter brought me the iron double bedstead I have bought for Alexander, my son; Rezooki Sayegh also came, he says we are to await for the mail boat; weather very warm S. erly breeze & became cloudy~ [pg: 376]
At 8 1/2 P.M. the mail Steamer Pemba arrived to quarantine, We could not get the mails to start; the quarantine people said tomorrow morning we will have it~
Warm S. Erly breeze & hot in my cabin~
Erly breeze & cloudy~ At 5 am sent to bring the mails~ I received only one paper the Times weekly Edition dated the 20 April, it came very well & quick in 24 days,
I left Henry’s letter & Papers here with Rezooki as the Khalifah has left on Sunday & will be at Amara this evening,
We received the mails at 8 AM;~
| Passges | Okes / Barge Okes | G.S. Piast Local | Draft / Barge Draft |
| 210 1/2 | 180,001 / 165,155 | 15,201 1/4 | 4,,4 / 2,,7 |
At 8,,30 A.M. we got underway & proceeded [pg: 377] Barge in tow~ weather S. Erly breeze, cloudy and warm;
We have altogether 119 Passengers (3 in First Class the wife of Rezooki Beshoory & his sister, & sister in law, the latter paying 2nd class fare as there is no cabin forward, & 2 in 2nd class Haroon Kharmoosh and his family) 4 are free by Lynch Brothers;~
We have 16 Zaptyes to escort us to Amara;
Very warm & disagreable weather cloudy all over& sultry with S. Erly breeze behind us; I am swetting in the Cabin~
At about 3 1/2 , the weather became dark, dusty & misty & blew strong [pg: 378] from the S. West; & then at 4 it begun to rain heavily with much thunder & lightning so incessantly, for about an hour, it cooled down the atmosphere, & lifted all that nasty heat; at 5 ¼ the breeze shifted to N.W. but remained cloudy,
At 5,, 25 P.M. passed Gorna, it is still raining drizzly~
At 7,, 35 P.M. we dropped anchor at Zechyeh date grove, still cloudy & a light N.W. breeze; any amount of mosquitoes came on board; my Cabin although claused with wire nets on the window; got [pg: 379] full, I could not sleep,
At 1 A.M. it begun to blow strong N.W. & Clouds gathering ;~
At 2,,10 we got under= way & proceeded, the mosquitoes were very troublesome; weather cloudy, but moon 16 days old;
At 6,,10 AM. went along- side at Azair, landed 11 ½ passengers, & took some,
At 6,,30 left Azair; Took 9 ½ Ret Ticket Jews (2 of the Mejidieh & 7 ½ of the Khalifah) also 7 ½ for Amara~
At 7,,10 met the Khalifah coming down, she sent her boat with a letter for Capt Cowley from his son Charley who [pg: 380] is in charge of the Khalifah this trip taking her down, Capt Hanslow remained behind this trip on account of his child having died
The Khalifah having only 73 Jews with Ret Tickets, she has altogether 215 passengers and 63,000 Okes, Henry has left me letters at Amara & Coot;
Wind shifted again to S Est & is cloudy sultry;
At 1,,5 P.M. landed 9 passengers at Kalat Saleh took 1 ½ passenger and went on at 1,,10~
At 5,,10 P.M. passed Aboo Sedra~ At 6 wind shifted to N.W. but it is cloudy; At 7 ½ weather became very thretening, strong lightning [pg: 381] overhead & Cloudy, with Modte N.W. wind; ~
At 8,,20 dropped anchor just below Amara near Johny Birjony’s Garden, it rained slightly with Lightning & thunder~ At 9,,10 we then proceeded~
At 9,,25 arrived at Amara landed 28 ½ passengers and the 16 zaptyes and 78 Packges (50 Bund Hoop Iron for Lynch’s Press) took 10 Tons of Coal;
At 12 left Amara, Fine weather;
Light N.W. & fine weather,
Gave tickets to 53 Amara passengers;
At 10 passed Ali Sherghi Modte N.W. wind blowing all the day & fine~
At 6,,50 P.M. landed 6 Passengers at Ali Gherbi [pg: 382] and went on at 7~
Light N.W. & fine cool night,
At 2,,45 AM landed 5 Passeng at Sheikh Saad & went on at 2,,50~ Light N.W. and very fine cool weather;
At 0,,15 P.M. arrived at Coot, landed 25 Passng and 60 Packges (60 Bund Hoop iron for Lynch’s Press,
The Mossul & Barge are here, bound down, arrived since this morning, she left at 0,,30 P.M.; ~
I received a letter here left by Henry with a packet of letters sent to me by my wife amongst them one from my son Alexander from Paris of the 20 Ulto he is anxciously waiting the papers for his marriage he tells me of the opening of the Great Exhibition [pg: 383] in Paris on the 14' Ulto; & is a wonder of the world; and Millions of people were present etc etc;
We shipped 30 packages of skins etc~
At 2,, 35 P.M. left Coot, weather became cloudy all over & sultry warm~ Took 31 Passengers from Coot, (one in 1st Class a Jew Shawl Shamoon)
I heard here that Mr. De Sarzec has come back from Tellow & left for Baghdad in the “Baghdad” with his family about 3 or 4 days ago, he has only been about 1 ½ month excavating & I do not think he found anything interesting; the French Governt had allowed him 30,000 frcs for the expences but I do not think that he has spent one fourth of it [pg: 384]
Light S. Westerly & cloudy a little~
At 1,,30 AM. passed Memlah;
The River looks to be rising a little~
Weather became very cloudy all over & warm, with a light S.W. breeze, we are going better than last time the current no so strong ~
At 1,,55 P.M. passed Azizieh Village, all falling in to the river; The river is still rising;~
Very warm & sultry cloudy weather with air from the S.W. & west~
At 7 P.M. passed Bagdadieh Fort; Very light S.W. breeze & cloudy ~
Moderate N.W. wind, and cloudy weather~
At 5,,20 Am assed Bostan, fresh wind & cool~
At 9. passed Ctesiphon [pg: 385]
A strong N.W. wind is blowing & cleared all the clouds away & became very fine & cool, as if the strong Basreh or Shemal wind has sat in;
At 0,,30 P.M. passed Diala River;
At 2,,40 I landed at Gherrara & walked in to Baghdad the time is pleasant & a Modte N.W. wind; I reached home by 4, saw Eliza well, she has had the house repaired by masons & carpenters it looks very nice & neat, I found letters for me from Alexander Paris dated the 27 April which had arrived on the 17 Instt: he had not yet received my large registered letter with documents etc in them; an other letter [pg: 386] from Yousif Metchich from Aleppo in answer to mine; the other one a registered letter from Blanche (Alexander’s widow) from Constanple a most insolent letter she is taunting & threatening me & is going to take legal steps to have her complaint redressed for not having sent her sufficient money to London, & she gives me 2 months’ time to reflect & pay her at least 2000 frcs otherwise she will take her case up & persecute me etc etc I was so awfully enraged & upset, she appears to have lost & forgotten all her relationship, behaviour, & self respect, & became so cheeky & insolent, [pg: 387]
Sofia Asfar the Sister of Hannosh Asfar died yesterday so sudden from the old deseased of a cancer in her breast she has been suffering since last year; she was unmarried & old about 75 years old,
The Mejidieh arrived at 6,,35 P.M.~ She met the Ressafah going down at the Kher where she was shipping Liquorice root;
As soon as the Mejidieh arrived, Mr. Rouet sent me an invitation to dine with him at 7 1/2 , but as I was very tyred & had not changed & getting late I wrote to him & excused myself for his kind invitation
I heard that Mr. Rappaport [pg: 388] Mr. Richarz, Mr. De Sarzec & others were also invited to dinner;~
We have gone up to the top of the house to sleep since 5 days ago; we also dined there~
Light N.W. & fine cool morning; at 7 AM I came on board, sent money to office & at 10 I went to call on Mr. Rappaport he has taken the new house of Naman Pachachy the small one facing the Residency Garden for 50 Liras; he has also taken 2 Kawasses & a Cook & servant & Artin has got for him some furniture I asked him to write to the Consul General at Beyrout to give Alexander a pass to go on with [pg: 389] to Aleppo & here; & he is going to do it & I left him at 12 & came home at 3 P.M. I called on Mr. Rouet the french Consul & excused myself for not having been able to have the pleasure of dining with him last night; Mr. & Mrs. De Sarzec & his son called there, they are leaving shortly by the desert via Aleppo; I left at 5 1/2 called on Sister Medula & came home found Johny & Artin, they spent the evening,
Fine cool weather
Modte N.W. & fine cool weather; we have still [pg: 390] the masons plastering the terrace & the Serdabs,
at 6 ¼ AM I came on board, took my Passport etc,; & went on shore to see Mr. Rappaport, called on Sister Eliza to take Johny to introduce him to Mr. Rappaport; at 8 we went, I gave him my Passport & asked him to write to Beyrout about my son, but when he knew my son’s age in the Passport 18 years & now he is 23, he told me that he cannot by the rule write to the Consul to ask him to assist my son because he is obliged to say that he has not served the military service & he can never get a Passport too, also that his marriage at this age would not be valid [pg: 391] or permitted in the Austrian law, until he gets to the age of 32 then he is exempt, Otherwise he cannot see how come he write & ask to be protected or given him a sort of Passport; But he will see what he can do tomorrow until the Post leaves for Damascus I left with Johny at 9 I then called on Mons. De Sarzec at the Delagate Altmayer house, I gave him a list of the stations between this & Aleppo & the hours etc I left & came on board;
I hear that the Khalifah left Basreh on Friday;
At 11 went on shore called on Menusha & came home to breakfast, and sent for Artin Senan the Lawyer to write me a Petition (Arshal) about the mortgage of the Property [pg: 392] at Kadumain etc etc~
Mr. Rappaport sent for me wishing to see me about the writing to Beyrout for my Son’s passing etc, I went to him @ 1 P.M. he says that he has been trying to find out some means so as to be able to write to the Consul at Beyrout & let him give Alexander a Pass or assistance but he sees that he cannot do it without risking himself He has however thought of wiring to the Government at Agram in Croatia, where my Passport had been issued & inform them that my Passport dated 30 Decr 1895 No. & place & name etc, & that my Son Alexander now being married in Paris and [pg: 393] is coming out to Baghdad via Beyrut, for the cause of a grave familiar affair & requests him to wire so as he can inform the Consul of Beyrut to let him pass & assists him, He made out the telegram which came to 64 words & reply paid also 10 words & I took it & sent it on at 4 P.M. & had to pay 35 francs & 25 Cents, I then sent the receipt to Mr. Rappaport~ We shipped very little cargo, at 5 ½ P.M. I went home;
Mons. De Sarzec & his son called on us in the evening he is leaving in 10 days via Aleppo~ [pg: 394]
Light N.W. & fine cool weather, it is too cool on top of the house;
Light N.W. & fine cool weather~ at 7 am I came on board; we are shipping cargo; at 11 went home to breakfast, at 12 I went with the Lawyer Artin Sinan to the Mehkeme to legalize a procuration appointing an agent at Kadumain to proceed with my claim of the [strikethrough] mortgage of property at Kadumain, I had to pay about 53 ½ G. S. P. for fees, & came on board at 1 P.M.
We have very little cargo only about 26000 Okes;
At 6 I went home~ The Khalifah has passed Gherrara coming up [pg: 395] and at 7 Henry came in walking from Gherrara & passed to see me for few minutes, also Artin my nephew; ~
The Khalifah arrived at 9 ½ P.M.~ The Assyrian Bishop Aghnatios coming back from Calcutta came in the Khalifah; she has about 236,000 Okes & 180 passengers; ~
Very light air & cloudy;
at 3 ½ am I came on board
| Passeg. | Okes | G.S. Piast | [N/A] |
| 288 1/2 | 131,313,, | 27,046,, | [N/A] |
At 4,,30 AM we got under way & proceeded; The Baghdad & Barge is also leaving [pg: 396] soon after us~
Weather cloudy & warm, with light air; Passed the Bridge of Gherrara opened for us; ~ At 6,25 passed Diala~ Weather became fine with a light N.W. breeze,
At 7,,45 passed Ctesiphon Gave tickets to the Passengers
At 1,,20 P.M. passed Baghdadieh~ Weather again getting cloudy~
At 3,,20 landed a bundle of spice at Azizieh & went on at 3,,25;
We have altogether 264 [strikethrough] (4 in 1st Class, two Persian women and two Jews to Azair free R. Ticket family of Shantok) We have 98 1/2 for Azair being 86 [strikethrough] with Return ticket paid & 3 free, & 2 1/2 without Return; [pg: 397]
We have also taken Mr. Alex Blaney from the Khan of Lynch to replace Mr. Barlow who is to remain at Basreh to get the Mejidieh Cleaned & hauled and we will shift to the Blosse Lynch to run in her for a couple of trips,
At 8,,20 passed Memlah, At 9,,5 anchored below Bughela; Light N. Westerly, I slept in the Cabin, it was not so warm; & became cool at night;
Light N.W. & little cloudy
At 4,,15 AM. proceeded; The Baghdad is in sight coming behind us~The breeze is S. West;
At 8,30 AM. arrived at Coot, landed 26 1/2 Passengers and 19 Packages;~
At 10 we left Coot and steamed up to the other [pg: 398] side to ship wool pressed by Eassay’s Press~
At 10,,10 the SS. Baghdad & Barge came down,
We also took a horse to Basreh from Coot for a Turkish officer for 10 Mejidies
We shipped 356 Bales of wool~
At 11,35 we left Coot, Strong S. Erly wind and cloudy~ Took 7 Passengers
Strong S. Erly wind blowing,
At 7,,50 P.M. we rounded & anchored at Ali Gherbi landed 1 Passenger & remained here for the night,
Lots of mosquitoes in the cabin,
Light S. Erly & cloudy all over, & gloomy.
At 4,,20 AM we proceeded The Baghdad came down & following us~
At 5 passed the S.S. Mossul & Barge bound up [pg: 399]
At 8,,10 passed Ali Sherghi, Easterly wind & very cloudy;
At 1,,5 P.M. arrived at Amara landed 30 passengers and 101 Packges; The Baghdad arrived also down at 3 P.M.
We shipped 302 Bales of wool and 300 cases of Ghee through; ~
At 4,,15 P.M. proceeded from Amara; Took 20 1/2 Passengers; (9 for Azair) and 15 Zaptyes as Guard; But they say that Hathem the son of Seyhood has gone to Basreh he was persuaded to go on guaranteeing his life by the Turkish Government;~
At 6,,50 we anchored for the night, just sunset, a light N.W. breeze but warm; ~ [pg: 400]
At 7,,50 the S.S. Baghdad & Barge came down & went on,
Light N.W. breeze & fine;
Light N.W. & fine
At 4,,10 AM got underway
At 5,,15 passed Kalat Saleh,
At 8,,50 arrived at Azair went alongside & landed 104 1/2 Jews (91 with Return tickets 5 are free of these)
At 9,,50 we left Azair The Jews holy day will be on Sunday next, Took 2 passengers from Azair;
Very light N.W. breeze and getting cloudy;
At 1,,10 P.M. landed 3 passengers at Gorma and went on at 1,,20; ~
At 6,,10 we arrived at Basreh, the Baghdad has just arrived about 5 minut before us~
The SS. Turkistan also the Dwina [pg: 401] she was here two years ago belongs to the Anglo Arabian & the S. S. Tregurno. for Kassim Khdery; and the Steamers in quarantine the Aseyr a Turkish Steamer from Jedda with about 400 pilgrims, & the B. & P steamer~
Rezooki came to me and I went up with him to Rufail's place, Tookyeh & her children are in Basreh
Jeboory Asfar & his wife, & two children are going in the Turkistan leaving on Tuesday~
Very light Westly air and cloudy, warm;
Very calm, cloudy and sultry~ At 6 1/2 AM I came down to the Mejidieh she is alongside the Blosse Lynch, we are [pg: 402] transferring on to her & the Mejidieh will undergo reparation & cleaning for a month, The Blosse is so dirty and my cabin not fit to leave in, there is nothing in it; shifted my kit to the Blosse Lynch & only left very few things which I do not require~
A light N.W. breeze sprung up~
At 10 the SS. Tregurno for Kassim Khdery left laden with Barley~
At 12 Rezooki came to me & I went up with him to his house, he breakfasted & at 1 1/2 him & I went in to Basreh in the Belem, we called on Tukyeh his sister & then went to call on Nessoory [pg: 403] Andrea & his wife Terrooza to congratulate them on the betrothed of their daughter Mina with Rezooky my stepson; We then came back to Tukyeh had tea & left walking to the mouth of the Creek in a hot sun, because his Belemchy was absent from his Belem, we then took a Belem & went up, I landed at Jeboory Asfar, where many people were coming to bid them goodbye, Many Turks also, and the Waly Mohsen Pasha & other Turks called on Jeboory; Père Pièrre who came down from Amara in the Ressafah is living here; there is great confusion and [pg: 404] they are very busy in packing their kit; At 7 P.M. I bid them good bye & Yousif Marine Rufail & Rezooki & I left & came to the house of Rufail, found Tukyeh her husband Rezooki & her children had come out to stay here~
I got my bond of 1000 TLiras with Jeboory Asfar changed for an other year, it will end on 1 R. Awal (one month more) but as he is going away he had to renew it for me & gave me a check on Asfar in Baghdad for 70 Liras payable at 5 days after sight, it is dated the 29 May (tomorrow)
Light N.W. & fine, I slept below in the verandah~ [pg: 405]
Light N.W. & fine cool morning~ At 7 AM I came down to the Blosse Lynch; People are Shifting and working in the Blosse to put her right, she is already loaded with cargo before we came down~
The SS. Ressafah & Barge left yesterday at 4 P.M.;
My Cabin in the Blosse is fearfully hot, the sun is striking, & the confusion & work at my Cabin door etc,
At 11,,20 AM the SS. Turkistan weighed & proceeded down, she passed us & Jeboory Asfar his wife, son Albert & daughter Josephine on board [pg: 406] passing & we saluted each other, the Turkistan will stay about 3 days at Fao to get some more cargo down; & in Bushire 3 days & will go streight on to Port Said, where the Asfars will disembark at Suez & take the Train to Cairo & thence to Alexandria, & thence by the P. & O to Brindisi Rome & Marseilles then to Lourdes, Paris London & other towns;
We are to await for the arrival of the mail steamer having left Bushire yesterday~
At 6 1/4 P.M. the mail steamer Khandalla arrived to the quarantine;
The heat is awful in my Cabin, the heat from the [pg: 407] Engine room is great, & I am swetting from it; & it made me so weak & miserable; there is no place to go to all the cabins are taken & the quarter deck is always crowdy;
At 8 1/2 P.M. we received the mail on board; I got my Paper the Times weekly Edition dated the 4 of May,
| Passg, | Okes / Okes of Barge | G.S.P. Local | Draft / Draft of Barge |
| 286 1/2 | 158512 / 131,448 | 18824 1/4 | 4,,6,, / 2,,8 |
At 8,,45 we got underway & proceeded, Light N.W. breeze; I went to sleep in the deck over the saloon, the Persian 1st Class, Naoomy Loca & Michail Yaghchi & Capt Cowley also sleeping, [pg: 408] it became warm at night,
Very light N.W. air & calm, my cabin is like a furnace, cannot stay a minute in it;
At 7,,35 AM passed Gorna; I am writing up on the quarter Deck it is impossible to approach near my cabin from the heat of the Engines;
Finished with the Passengers tickets;
We have 152 Passengers (6 in 1st Class, a Persian Agha Ahmed & 2 women in 2 cabins but never went into them they are on the upper saloon deck from the heat; Mr. Lisdall an English Missionary from Persia with an Armenian in 2d Class a servant with through ticket [symbol] & 1 ½ Jewess in 2 Class & Naoom Loca and Michail Yaghchi)
I cannot stay in the Cabin for a minute [pg: 409] although there is a nice breeze outside but the Boiler being so close to it;
At 2,,15 P.M. arrived at Azair landed 14 Jews and took some & left at 2,,45; Very hot weather Therm. 96~ We took 93 Jews (88 with Return Tickets, 3 of them are free 2 in 1st Class the family of Yousif Shantob, and 85 are paid 46 of the Mejidieh & 39 of the Khalifah the remaining 5 are paid to Amara & Baghdad,
Detained at the Elbow from 5,,50 till 6,,30~
Very light N.W. breeze & little cloudy & warm;
At 8,, P.M. we came to for the night~
Very light breeze, it became a [pg: 410] little cooler at night the noise & confusion of the Jews on deck is awful;
Very light or calm N.W. breeze, Cloudy, & a heavy dew fell at night, there is a little fog on the Surface of the Ground~
At 4,,15 AM we proceeded from near Abdulla ibn Ali; Very hot & miserable;
At 6,,55 landed 7 Passengers at Kalat Saleh, took one & went on at 7,,5, A Modte N.W. breeze, sprung up; but I cannot sit in my cabin to write, from the heat of the Boiler;
At 3,,15 P.M. arrived at Amara landed 20 Passeng & the 5 Zaptyes & 10 Bales of Through cargo; took 10 Tons of Coal,
At 5 P.M. we left Amara; Cloudy weather and light N.W. wind [pg: 411]
We took 25 Passengers, (2 in 1st Class Mr. Rigo & his wife the daughter of Mr. Chavanis, he is the Inspector of the Public Dept) ~
Light N.W. wind & fine~
Very light breeze & cloudy
At 4,,15 AM passed Ali Sherghi, the steamer is going very slow;
At 10,,50 passed the S.S. Khalifah & Barge going down,
Very hot weather, my cabin is like a furnace;
At 1,,40 P.M. passed Ali Gherbi~ The Turkish Troops about 200 are encamped here opposite Ali Gherbi those that had gone after the pursuit of Ghedban son of Benyeh who has fled into Persian territory,
I paid the Ship's company their wages for May [pg: 412]
Modte N.W. & little cloudy but the weather is cooler;
Light N. Erly & Cloudy but cool weather;
At 8,,40 AM. arrived at Coot, landed 11 Bales through cargo & 3 passengers; Took 12 Tons of Coal~ I received a letter from Henry left here, enclosed a letter from my wife she sends me a letter from Alexander from Paris dated the 3 of May which arrived by last Post, Henry & Eliza tell me that Mr. Rappaport has received the answer of his telegram he sent on the 22d May to the Governor at Agram; they allow Alexander to get a Passport from the Austrian Consul of Beyrout on his calling there;~ Alexander has [pg: 413] received my letter registered of the 5 April & all the papers & documents & our authorisation for his marriage, he hopes soon to leave Paris, but he intends to travel via Geneva, Genoa, Leghorn Rome, Naples & Brindisi thence to Beyrout, instead of to Marseilles,
The Khalifah had about 250 passengers & she loaded Liquorice roots, We shipped the Baggage of Monsieur De Sarzec which he had left here;
At 10,,40 left Coot, Took 15 passengers~ Wind shifting always, it is blowing a S. Wester & clouds are thretening
At 5 it became squally & some thunder in [pg: 414] the distance a cloud of dust got up & followed us, it begun to rain and blow very fresh,
I lost my straw Hat overboard the wind blew it off my head; It rained a little & kept cloudy & blowing S. Erly all the night;
At 11,15 P.M. passed Memlah; The Ressafah bound up is ahead of us, her smoke was visible in the evening;
S. Erly wind & cloudy sultry weather; At 6,,15 AM anchored at Shedief and buried a small boy 2 years old a Jew which died yesterday evening, it was buried on the West bank in the bush~
At 6,,50 we proceeded [pg: 415]
At 1,,15 P.M. passed Azizieh ruined Village, The SS. Ressafah & Barge are alongside she has just arrived here, in an other hour we would have passed her;
At 7,,15 P.M. passed Baghdadieh Fort; Very calm & cloudy weather; It became nice & cool at night,
At 11 1/2 we took on board from above Swera reach (opposite Dawar) the family of Abdulghany Khdery, 2 women one man & 2 children & 10 Tins of Ghee for Capt Cowley all free, & were put in a Cabin aft, we went on at 11,,40~, Abdulghani has property & cultivation here, as well as sheep etc,
Light N.W. breeze and very fine & clear cool weather, I felt it so cold on the upper deck & not [pg: 416] having a thick cover that I had to come down to my Cabin at 3 AM;
At 7,,10 AM passed the S.S. Mossul & Barge going down at Semreh reach,
Detained 10 minutes at Joorf el Batta on a shoal, The river is falling fast, it is getting as low as in the low season;
At 11 passed Ctesiphon, weather became calm and warm;
At 3,,15 P.M. passed Diala river~
At 5,,50 I landed at Gherrara also Michail Yaghchi; Naoom Loca etc, I walked in to Baghdad & got home by 7,,5, saw Eliza, she gave me a letter from Alexander of the 11th from Paris, and a telegram dated the 31st in which he says,
Svoboda Baghdad [pg: 417]
“ " Austroconsul, requires " Rappaport marriage " Attestation awaiting;
It had arrived here on the 2d June; Alexander writes a long letter in English & Arabic all about the difficulty of his marriage through Père Bernard & the Cardinal Richard etc ~
The Blosse arrived at about 11 ½ P.M. she was detained repairing wheel at the Kher & landing 6 Bundles Gunny Bags of Naoom Loca for his Liquorice etc;
Light Erly breeze & cool morning~ at 7 AM I came on board; paid Some people their wages & At 8 ½ I went to call on [pg: 418] Mr. Rappaport, he told me that he received the answer from Agram 4 days after he had wired and they have allowed my son to be furnished with a Pass by the Austrian Consul of Beyrout on his arrival there but only liable until he reaches Baghdad; I Spoke to him regarding the telegram my son sent me on the 31 May & which I showed to him, it which he says that (as I have copied above) and Mr. Rappaport told me that he cannot give such an attestation for the cause that he has not served his military term, and [pg: 419] therefore the law does not allow a young man at that age to marry until he has done his military service, he overhauled all the law books, and could not find any way to facilitate it, even it says that persons contracting such marriage being liable to a fine of 1000 florins or an imprisonment of 6 months, and even the Consuls who contract such marriage are punished with a fine of 500 Flor or an imprisonment of 3 months; I was very sorry & dishearted, after talking much, he said that if I would [pg: 420] like, that he will wire to Agram to ask for leave, & explain the necessity of its being done, I agreed, but he also doubted whether the answer will be favorable, so I left him to make out the telegram & send it to me;
I went to the Office & got some pounds sterling from Mr. Bottomley, & came home;
Mr. Rappaport sent me a letter written by him in Italian for me to sign, it is a declaration from my part saying that, by the verbal [pg: 421] conversation I have had this morning with him regarding my son's attestation for marriage, and I consented to his wiring to Agram for instruction & that I would pay all expenses etc; so I signed it, and after an hour he sent me the telegram & writes, to me to read & count the words and give the money to the Kawas to have it wired
I had written to Rappaport that should the answer be unfavorable, I will wire to my son to leave at once and come out here and [pg: 422] have his marriage celebrated in Baghdad, he answered me that it will be certainly valid but illicit by the Austrian Military law, by article 50 of the Military Code ~
To be Continued
in Diary No.
51; [pg: 423] Jews to Azair with Return Ticket @ 4 Mejidies each
| "Mejidieh" | Khalifah | ||
| 1900 Embarked | |||
| May 9 94 1/2 | April 29 23 1/2 | ||
| " 24 86 | May 13 73 " | ||
| _____________ | " 30 23 | ||
| 180 1/2 | _________________ | ||
| 119 1/2 | 119 1/2 | ||
| ___________________ | |||
| Total 300 | |||
| Taken | |||
| Returned | |||
| May 16th 9 1/2 | May 5th 7 1/2 | ||
| " 30 85 | " 20th 49 1/2 | ||
| June 16 21 | June 5 132 | ||
| ____________ | ______________ | ||
| 115 1/2 | 189 | ||
| 189 | |||
| _________________ | |||
| Total Returned 304 1/2 | |||
[pg: 424] 1st Jany 1900 1000 G. Asfar 1000 Rufail Sayegh 500 Nawab Agha Mahomed 500 Cash at hand ____ (200 with O. Denus) 3,000 ,, ~ [pg: 425] [back cover] [pg: 426]