"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد IV .١٩١٧" [ظ‎‎٢‎١‎٦] (٥٣٠/٤٣٧)

428
GAZETTEEE OF TOWNS
appear to be situated in or on the outskirts of the town. There is
one good stone khan and several others in eaves in the rock.
Supplies and Commerce. —The Euphrates valley for about 80 m.
southwards from Birijik is fertile, and produces wheat and barley
without irrigation. In 1903 it was reported that 500 boats laden
with grain went down from Birijik to Deir ez-Zor every year. The
place was also the principal trade centre of this part of the country
for butter, olive-oil, and grapes. Numbers of sheep are to be found
in the surrounding country.
A plentiful supply of water from a spring on the top of the hill
above the castle runs through the town in several streams. Wood
fuel from up the river is plentiful: a few poor trees grow on the
heights overlooking the town. To the S. is a good district for
collecting camels.
For commerce passing into Mesopotamia from Northern Syria the
importance of Birijik has been two-fold. First, it has long been the
principal point of passage on this part of the Euphrates, being used
by caravans from Aleppo or Alexandretta bound for Diarbekr or
Mosul. In the years immediately preceding the war, however, the
more southerly crossings at Jerablus and Tel Ahmar appear to have
been coming more into use as the country became less insecure in
that direction: and the construction of the Aleppo—Kas el-Ain
railway which crosses the Euphrates at Jerablus must seriously
affect Birijik. Secondly, Birijik is the starting-point of the down
stream traffic on the Middle Euphrates by shakJitur. This class of
boat was before the war built only at Birijik : see Eoute lY I.
Inhabitants. —The population is said to be mixed, Turk, Arab, and
Kurd, with some Armenians and Jews.
Administration. —Birijik is the head-quarters of a Kas a in the
Sanjaq of Urfeh and the Vilayet of Aleppo.
BITIiIS . In the valley of the Bitlis Su, about ^ 15 m. from the
SW. corner of Lake Van. Alt. 5,098 ft. Pop. estimated in 1914 at
about 40,000. P.O. T. (communication before the war with Mush,
Van, Diarbekr, and Sairt. Lines from Mush to Erzingan, Erzerum,
and Akhlat by Melashgird.)
Routes.—
(i) To Diarbekr via Ziyaret Wa'iz el-Qur'ani, Zokh, and Farqin.
(See Boutes 85 and 103 a.)
(ii) To Diarbekr via Ziyaret Wa'iz el-Qur'ani, Zokh, and
Desht-i-Kiri. (See Routes 85 and 103 b.)