Page 250 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

224 Part III.

222, Felix Jones had already seen sorvico in the lied Sea survey, in the
Maldives, in Ceylon, (n) and in the Mannar Gulf, and lie had reported upon tho
harbour of Grano or Koweit in 1839, ainco which timo he had been serving
under Captain Lynch in tho Euphrates. Ho was stationed at Baghdad, in com­
mand of tho Nitocris steam or, and had other duties besides surveying; but
every year ho succeeded in completing somo interesting and valuable surveys,
although for a great part of the timo ho was almost single-handed. In such a
region.it was impossible to go in any direction without meeting with work well
worth tho doing, and Felix Jones made tho best uso of his opportunities. Tho
country, infested by wild tribes of Arabs, was frequently dangerous, and
it was necessary to soizo upon any clianco that olTcrcd for exploring and sur­
veying.
223. In 1844 Captain F. Jones accompanied Sir Henry Itawlinsou on a
journey to collect information respecting the boundary bctwcon Porsia and
Turkey. The results were a memoir and map of a country but little known.
In 1846 he made an ascout of the Tigris from Baghdad to Samarrah, on board
the Nitocris.(b) In 1S4S ho undertook a journey to determine the course of the
ancient Nehrwan Canal, and to survey the once fertile region which it irrigated,
now a desolate and almost impassable waste. His interesting memoir(c) on the
Nehrwan Canal, accompanied by a map, gives the history of the work from
tho days of its construction in the time of the Sassanian dynasty, and minutely
describes its vast brickwork dams and sluices. In April and September 1830
Cautaiu Jones surveyed(c) the old bed of tho Tigris, discovered the sito of tho
ancient Opis, and made researches iu the viciuity of the Median wall and
Physcus of Xenophon. In 1852 he made a trigonometrical survey of tho
country betwoon the Tigris and the Uppor Zab, including tho ruins of Nineveh,
fixing positions by meridian altitudes of the sun and stars, with chronometric
differences for longitude. The results of this work arc recorded in the beautiful
maps of “Assyrian Vestiges/* in four sheets, and in a valuable memoir.
During 1853 Captain Felix Jones, assistod by young Colling wood, then a
Midshipman, completed a map of Baghdad on a large scale, with a memoir on tho
province, full of statistical information ; (c) and in 1854 ho sent home his maps
of Babylonia. They consisted of three sheets, with a detailed memoir, and
included tho country from Museyb, north of Uillah, down to the north-west
end of the Sea of Bejf. Unfortunately, these maps were lost iu tho India
House.(d)
224. In 1S46 Captain Felix Jones compiled a general map of Mesopotamia,
from Scandcroon on the Mediterranean to Basrah, which was based on the
surveys by Chesnoy, Lynch, and himself. Captain Jones retired from the
Mesopotamian survey to take up the post of Political ltcsidont at Busliiro
in the Persian Gulf iu 1S55. He possessed all the knowledge and lact which
were necessary for an officer in his position. For the work of tho Mesopota­
mian survey several acquirements were essential in addition to those of a Sur­
veyor; such as an acquaintance with (he language and ancient history of the
country, tact and judgment in dealing with wild Arab tribes, and capacity for
enduring fatigue and privations. All these were possessed by Felix Jones in
an eminent degree. In 1857, while lie was Political Bcsidont at Bushirc, the
Persian war broke out. This he bad foreseen, and provided for by furnishing
to the Government of India an elaborate plan for invasion, containing
itineraries through Persia, and guides for the Commissariat Departments of
the Army and Navy. This paper obtained for him great commendation under
Earl Canning’s own hand (e). Assisted by Captain Malcolm Green, lie made
a survey ot the Shat-cl-Arab, including the JCarun, which enabled Sir James
Outram to attack Mokammerah.
(a) While employed lirre ho visited and Hied Ailom'i Peak and tl.c Horton Plains, dcseondfng by tho Calt-jra
Bi»er, of which hr made a aurrey, in company with Mi joMSoucrnl Adame, wlm Ml at Inkoriuann. They pushed their
way oror Uic higher range* by the Elephant pathi, llurw being then no coiutructed rondo.
(1) Royal Qtographlcal Society’t Journal, xviii, p. 1. Bombay Selection! No. xliii, (Now Scrioe).
(c) The memoir* and map* by Captain Felix Jonc* will bo found in tho Jlomhay Selection/. No. still* (**•»
Berio*.), Mo*t of the memoir* wero reprinted iu the Tnnuctions of the Bombay Ueogriiphicol Society.
<dj On tbo .umy cf Nineveh and Babylon ho w*. much indebted to l>r. J. M. Hy-dop of tho Bombay Army tor
valuable aid In tho fi*ld oneratiom, and to Mr. T. K. Lynch, now Cou.ul-Qcnorol for I'enia »u Loudon, who entered
ton amort into tbo work from a loro of reicarch alone.
(«) Indian Uccorda, Political and Secret.