TCD MS 3416 page 6
[April 1916]
noon on May 7th we arrived at Suleiman Pak, the scene of the battle of Ctesiphon, having passed on the way many places recalled the fights at Urum-el-Tabul, EL Kutumie. Zuer and Lajj. So those amongst us whose duties had held them behind the firing line during the great battle of Ctesiphon, now had a good chance of examining from a short distance off the Great Arch & its solid ornamented masonry, built by Chosroe, King of the Medes, some 1200 years ago.
We arrived at Baghdad early on May 8th. Up till then nothing but waterless desert had bounded both banks of the Tigris. Now however, we saw ourselves paddling up the muddy river towards the “City of the Kalifs”, with their date groves & fruit gardens running down to the waters edge on both banks, where there was usually to be seen in full swing, the primitive Arab method of irrigation, namely a large leather bag hoisted up from the river-level by a rope slung over a rudely made derrick.
Our steamer tied up at noon near the British Embassy which was being used as a Turkish Hospital. Well built houses ran along