Thurs. March 9. [9 March 1911] We were all ready before dawn - the little town with its 2 spires against the dawn with the river steel under the sunrise looked very lovely. The river had risen and that arm was pretty deep. We went over with the afsh and the donkey in a small shahtur the muleteers rode the horses bare back across. The water came up to their backs. So at 6 we landed at the gate of the bazaar and I went off to see the tomb of Ezra where the Jews were already at their prayers. Thence to see the Mudir. We got off about 6.30, I and 'Abud and a sort of soldier, Shibly, rode to Birs in 31/2 hours, quick going. We met a corpse on the way going to Nejef [Najaf, An]. Below Birs about 1 hr away is a village, Kuddam I think its name is. Climbed up past the temple (note round pilasters on some of the walls [sketch]) and up to the foot of the burnt brick tower whence we saw Hilleh [Hillah, Al] and Kwairish and might have seen Nejef but the horizon was a little misty. Lunched there. A strange and ugly landscape. On the mound opposite (a low natural hill) is a small shrine of Ibrahim el Khalil. We got into Hilleh in a few minutes over 2 hrs and met the caravan at the town gate. As we rode through the bazaar an officious policeman relieved F. [Fattuh] of my rifle. I went to the head of police and said we came from the desert where there was no govt and had to carry arms. He said there was govt and the martini was mamsru'[?] So I went to the acting kaimmakam, Hajji Na'muk Beg who promised at once to have the rifle returned. The teacher of the Alliance Juive school was there and we went off to see it. Na'muk Beg had given clothes to the poorer boys. There were Xians and Jews and Islam. They read French and English and sang songs, God save the King just recognisable. So to the Madrasseh el Banat founded 5 days ago by Hajji Na'muk; very pretty to see him make the little girls read their letters. The teachers, Xian or Moslem, all veiled while he was there. As we walked he explained to me that the real difficulty was that C'ple [Istanbul (Constantinople)] wd not let the local governors alone. So it was with Nazim who was constantly hampered. If they wd leave him in Irak for 10 years all wd be quiet. So away at 3 and reached Babil [Babylon] at 4. Went out to the ruins and found Mr Buddensieg who was working in the Kasr. He showed me the new little temple in the Merkez with the usual narrow passage behind the sanctuary. So back to wash and dress. Koldewey most pleasant. There were there also Reuther and M¸ller.