"الطرق في بلاد فارس" [‎٥] (٨٥٢/٣٨)

Route No. 1— concld.
Kerbela is a town of about 50,000 permanent inhabitants
and has in addition a large floating population. The old town is
surrounded on three sides by a wall from 20 to 30 feet high,
with towers at intervals, but the work is in bad repair. There
are two tiers of loopholes ; perimeter of wall, about 2 miles ;
5 gates. Large agricultural and garden produce, considerable
quantities of dates. Large and well-stocked hazdr, and some 20
shops dealing in European wares. Kerbela not a good centre for
collection of supplies or transport. No mules ; and camels only
procurable in the autumn when the Bedouins come in. There is
a flour-mill driven by an oil-engine ; 2 ice-making plants. Water
from Husainlyah canal, or when it is dry, from 20 to 25 wells
sunk mostly in the canal bed. Garrison consists of about 2-40
Turkish soldiers, and there are about 100 Zaptiehs generally
present as well. Telegraph Office and Post Office. Kerbela is
also known as Mashhad Husain.
ROUTE No. 2.
- F rom BAGHDAD to HILLA.
G2 miles. 4 stages.
Authorities. —Major Newmarch, March, 1905.
Persian Gulf Gazetteer, 1908.
Epitome.
General Description. —A road, unmade but fit for driving,
along which public conveyances ply daily. Beyond the point
where this road separates from the Kerbela road the track is
not so well marked. Its character as far as Babylon (mile 56)
resembles that of the Kerbela route up to Museyib, for the
country crossed is, apart from a few minor canals and some
sporadic cultivation, merely a dry desert of clay. Prom Baby
lon onwards it runs through cultivated country and along the
edge of vast date plantations. A double line of telegraph ac
companies the road the whole way from Baghdad to Hilla,
Water, —Plentiful from canals and water-holes,