[p.53]

It is a very large and ancient city, situated on the river Hiddekel
(Tigris), and is connected with Nineveh by means of a bridge. Nineveh
is in ruins, but amid the ruins there are villages and hamlets, and
the extent of the city may be determined by the walls, which extend
forty parasangs to the city of Irbil[119]. The city of Nineveh is on
the river Hiddekel. In the city of Assur (Mosul) is the synagogue of
Obadiah, built by Jonah; also the synagogue of Nahum the
Elkoshite[120].

Thence it is a distance of three days to Rahbah, which is on the river
Euphrates. Here there are about 2,000 Jews, at their head being R.
Hezekiah, R. Tahor and R. Isaac. It is a very fine city, large and
fortified, and surrounded by gardens and plantations.

Thence it is a day's journey to Karkisiya which is Carchemish, on the
river Euphrates. Here there are about 500 Jews, at their head being R.
Isaac and R. Elhanan. Thence it is two days to El-Anbar which is
Pumbedita in Nehardea[121]. Here reside 3,000 Jews, and amongst them
are learned men, at their head being the chief rabbi R. Chen, R. Moses
and R. Jehoiakim. Here are the graves of Rab Jehuda and Samuel, and in
front of the graves of each of them are the synagogues which they
built in their lifetime. Here is also the grave of Bostanai the Nasi,
the head of the Captivity, and of R. Nathan and Rab Nachman the son of
Papa.

[p.54]

Thence it takes five days to Hadara, where about 15,000 Jews dwell, at