"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد III. ١٩١٧" [‎١‎٤] (٤٣٢/٢٣)

14
INTEODUCTION
are fairly well populated : the inhabitants (Yezidis) are said to have
been raiding the Deir—Mosul route since the outbreak of the war.
The direct lines across the desert from Tel es-Sawwar or Shedadi on
the Khabtir to Deir ez-Zor seem to be poorly supplied with water,
and it might therefore be preferable to make a detour to the S.,
descending the Khabur to its junction with the Euphrates, and
thence ascending the Euphrates Valley.
(6) Communication between the Tigris —
— MosulRoute. —North of the partially cultivated area that liesbetween
the Tigris and the Lower Diyaleh, there stretches between the Tigris
and the hills an open plain of clay and gravel traversed successively
by the 'Adheim, the Hamrln Hills, the Lesser Zab, and the
Great Zab.
As far as the Lesser Zab this plain is apparently inhabited only
by a very sparse nomadic population, who may practise a little
desultory cultivation here and there on the banks of the rivers or
where there are rain-water wells and springs. There is grazing in
this region in spring, but in summer both water and grass are
probably very scarce. The road between Salahiyeh (Kufri) and
Kirkuk might perhaps be reached by following the Adheim towards
the point where it emerges from the hills and then striking NW.
or W. across the Jebel Hamrln : but there is no evidence as to this
as a possible route. For a slight account of a route from Tekrit to
Kirkuk, see Boute 26.
Probably the easiest line would be along the course of the Lesser
Zab from the neighbourhood of Qal'ah Sherghat to Altun Koprtl. Here
water could always be obtained from the river and the country on
both banks appears to be open and easy. There is a down-stream
raft traffic on the Lower Zab, but whether steamers could ascend the
river to Altun Koprtl even in fairly high water seems very doubtful.
(See Moute III F.)
North of the Lesser Zab the population, though at first semi-
nomadic, seems to become more numerous. Thus in 1903 Sykes
saw numerous villages on the plain between Qalah Sherghat and
Makhmur, though these were then (temporarily ?) deserted owing
to drought and locusts. For the route from Qal'ah Sherghat to
Altun Koprtl via Makhmur, see Bout 27.
The plain S. and SW. of Erbil appears to be fairly well cultivated
(grain is exported thence to Baghdad) and between the Great Zab and
Mosul there are numerous villages, Moslem, Christian, and Yezidi.
Here over the open country are numerous tracks, and communica
tion between the Tigris and the Erbil—Mosul road should be easy.