EUPHRATES, in Arabic and Persian Forat or Forath, in the Hebrew language Perath or Phrath, words which mean to fructify or t,o fertilize. The elevated plateau which extends from the base of Mount Ararat into Northern Armenia, Kurdistan, and part of Asia Minor, contains the sources of four noble rivers, having their estuaries in three different seas. One of these, the Euphrates, rising near the shores of the Black Sea, and in its course to the Persian Gulf almost skirting those of the Mediterranean, at one time formed the principal link connecting Europe commercially with the East. It has two great sources in the Armenian mountains, and the most northern of these sources is situated in the Anti-Taurus, 25 miles N.E. of Erzerum. The branch from thence takes at first a westerly direction, and, after passing within 7 or 8 miles of the capital of Armenia, it is joined by two small feeders. Its first large tributary, however, is the Mahmah Khatun, which runs into it down the plain of Tejran. From hence the river, which is now a considerable stream, known by the name of the Kara Su, makes a circuit, winding through the mountains and over rapids, into the plain of Erzingan, through which it flows in the same general direction, close to the town of that name. At Erzingan it is fordable only at a few places even in the dry season. As it nears the ancient Hit, with its bituminous fountains, the stream has an average width of 350 yards with a depth of 16 feet, and a current of three knots per hour in the season of the floods, when there are fourteen islands, on some of which are small towns. About 70 miles lower down is the modern castle of Felujia, situated 29,i miles W. 2° N. of Baghdad. The average width in this part of the river decreases a little, being only about 2'60 yards, with an ordinary depth of 20 feet ; and there is a current of less than 2i miles per hour iu the flood season, when the river forms thirteen islands without wood. About Felujia, at 5i miles N. 60° W. from it, the deviation, or channel, called the Saklawiyah, takes place ; this stream crosses Mesopotamia by a tortuous eastern course on the north side of Akar Kuf, and enters the Tigris at a point 5 miles below Baghdad, but, until altered by Daud Pasha to avoid the danger of inundations, it joined the Tigris a little above the city. The
distance from river to river (by the course of the Euplirates steamer, in passing, under Lieut. Lynch, in 1838) is about 45 miles. Near the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris, in lat. 31° N. and long. 47° E., after ft course of 950 miles, is the walled town of Kurnah, containing about 800 houses, disposed along the right bank of the Tigris and the left of that of the Euphrates. The Euphrates and Tigris from this fortn one tidal channel, almost half a mile wide, aud which takes nearly a straight course S. 37° E. under the well known appellation of Shat-el-Arab, and when 5 miles below Kurnah, their united waters receive those of the Kerah or Kerkhah, which, coining from the mountains of Ardelan through an exten sive tract of country, passes a short distance westward of the ruins of Susa, and likewise of tho town of Hawizah. After receiving this accession, the Shat-el-Arab flows through date groves and near several villages, chiefly on the left bank, and at length arrives opposite 13asrah, which is 39f miles by tho river, and 36 miles S. 34° E. direct from Karnali. Basrah is built on both sides of a creek or canal, and contains about 6000 houses, which commence nearly at the edge of the main stream,and on its right bank. Below the city, this majestic river sweeps a little more to the east ward ; its width is about 700 yards, its ordinary depth 30 feet, and it forms three largo islands between this place and the small town of 3foha marah, that is, within a distance of 22i miles by water, or 20f miles direct S. 70° E. Here the Karun enters it, after a long course from the Koh-i-zard, tlirough Shustar, Ahwaz, and other places. After this great accession to its waters, tho Shat-el-Arab inclines a little more towards the south. During the remainder of its course it passes many large villages, and almost continuous belts of date groves, and at length it reaches the sea, which at the bar is 40 miles from Moha marah. Between this last place and the sea its average width is 1200 yards, and its ordinary depth 30 feet.