"العراق والخليج الفارسي" [ظ‎‎٣‎٧‎١] (٨٦٢/٧٤٥)

COMMUNICATIONS
57 8
Rutba (photo. 228) it joins and follows the pipe-line into Transjordan.
Mileages given above are very approximate. The distances from
Baghdad beyond the frontier through Transjordan and Palestine are
(388) H 4 Pumping station, (450) H 5 Pumping station, (512) Mafrak,
(538) Irbid, (562) Jisr el Majami on the Jordan, (616) Haifa. 1 The
old Nairn route leaves the new road at the pipe-line between Rutba
and H 3 Pumping station and crosses the desert north-westwards to
Damascus, about 270 miles from Rutba (photo. 217).
Route [16]. Karbala-Nukhaib
(Nukhaib Road)
Distances in miles
(34) Ukhaidhir. (122) Nukhaib.
General Description
The track is over hard sandy desert, with occasional soft patches,
to mile 9 where the Abu Dibbis escarpment makes heavy going for a
mile. Thereafter the surface is good and beyond Ukhaidhir excellent,
with the exception of occasional stony patches. The route is easily
passable for heavy motors in dry weather except at the Abu Dibbis
escarpment which is always difficult. The route is closed during
heavy continuous rain and for 24 hours afterwards, but muddy or
boggy patches can be circumvented after this interval.
Route [17]. Karbala-Jumaimu
(Darb Zubaida)
Distances in Miles
(51) Najaf. (184) Sichr. (190) Shabicha. (270) Jumaimu.
General Description
Between Karbala and Najaf the track passes over the undulating
desert bordering irrigated, low-lying, and cultivated land on the east,
liable to flood in winter. Patches of drift and soft sand make going for
heavy motors difficult, but there is a regular service of motor buses
between the two cities. From Najaf to the frontier the Iraqi govern
ment has opened up for motor traffic the old pilgrim road which was
laid in the eighth century by Zubaida, wife of Harun ar Rashid, from
Najaf to Medina and Mecca. It crosses featureless undulating desert
1 For description see Palestine and Transjordan, B.R. 514, pp. 388-389, SiS'S 1 ?-