the yellow race, similar to the Chinese, who came from the north-east;
Cushites, deep brown in color, related to the Egyptians, came from the
east; Semites, of the white race, of the same stock as the Arabs,
descended from the north.[16] The Chaldean people had its origin in
this mixture of races.

=The Cities.=--Chaldean priests related that their kings had ruled for
150,000 years. While this is a fable, they were right in ascribing
great antiquity to the Chaldean empire. The soil of Chaldea is
everywhere studded with hills and each of these is a mass of débris,
the residue of a ruined city. Many of these have been excavated and
many cities brought to view, (Our, Larsam, Bal-ilou), and some
inscriptions recovered. De Sarsec, a Frenchman, has discovered the
ruins of an entire city, overwhelmed by the invader and its palace
destroyed by fire. These ancient peoples are still little known to us;
many sites remain to be excavated when it is hoped new inscriptions
will be found. Their empire was destroyed about 2,300 B.C.; it may
then have been very old.[17]


THE ASSYRIANS

=Assyria.=--The country back of Chaldea on the Tigris is Assyria. It
also is fertile, but cut with hills and rocks. Situated near the
mountains, it experiences snow in winter and severe storms in summer.

=Origins.=--Chaldea had for a long time been covered with towns while
yet the Assyrians lived an obscure life in their mountains. About the
thirteenth century B.C. their kings leading great armies began to
invade the plains and founded a mighty empire whose capital was