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Book on Kindle   p. 21   The Land of Rivers and the God of the
Deep    p. 22    p. 23  [paragraph continues] Alexander the
Great broke the power of the Persian Empire.   In Babylonia
there are two seasons--the rainy and  p. 24  the dry. Rain falls
from November till March, and the plain is carpeted in spring by
patches of vivid green verdure and brilliant wild flowers. Then
the period of drought ensues; the sun rapidly burns up all
vegetation, and everywhere the eye is wearied by long stretches
of brown and yellow desert. Occasional sandstorms darken the
heavens, sweeping over sterile wastes and piling up the
shapeless mounds which mark the sites of ancient cities.
Meanwhile the rivers are increasing in volume, being fed by the
melting snows at their mountain sources far to the north. The
swift Tigris, which is 1146 miles long, begins to rise early in
March and reaches its highest level in May; before the end of
June it again subsides. More slug