'Reconnaissances in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, North-West Persia, and Luristan from April to October 1888. By Lt F R Maunsell, Intelligence Branch. In Two Volumes. Volume I: narrative report, description of larger towns and routes leading from them. Simla: Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Dept, 1890' [‎14v] (33/312)

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Three miles farther on the wheat and barley crops, 3 to 4 miles wide,
commence again on either bank. There are also large tracts of grass land. At
31 miles up stream we passed Abu Saijan, a small grove of trees on the right
bank, with a ziarat.
Amara.
Amara is on the left bank, and is about 135 miles from Busra by the wind
ings of the river (19 hours by steamer), and contains 1,500 houses with a
small well-supplied bazaar. The population are chiefly settled Arabs, with
some Persians driven from over the frontier, and Sabeaus from Nazarieh on
the Euphrates. The houses are of sundried bricks and mud, with a few good
two-storied ones of burnt brick. It is comparatively a modern town, begun
16 years ago round a coaling station for Lynch’s steamers.- The Hut canal, the
northern branch of the Kerkhah river, flows in immediately above the town.
At the junction of the two rivers is the serai, the quarters of the Muta-
sarif and some 200 regulars. There is a custom-house and telegraph office. It
is a regular stopping place for steamers; there is no pier, and they have to
come alongside the mud bank as best they can. A small supply of coal
is kept here.
There is a bridge-of-boats consisting of twenty-three pontoons built with
Boat Bridtve light wood scantling, covered with bitumen. Each
pontoon is 25 feet long and 10 broad, with a gunwale
of 6 feet when there is no weight on the bridge. The clear span between
each pontoon is 15 feet, and a large iron chain keeps the whole in position.
There is a 20-feet roadway, with wooden transoms and crosspieces, on the
top of which are brushwood fascines covered with a stratum of hard clay. It
is swung back to allow the steamers to pass.
Amara is a thriving place, and large quantities of wheat are grown along
Trade in the Amara Dis- the river above and below it. Up the Hut canal is
tnct ' alluvial soil, on which grows fine wheat and barley.
Wheat from the surrounding districts and wool from the Arab tribes are the
chief exports.
Between Amara and Dizful in Persia there is an important trade in spite
of the efforts of the Turks to prevent it.
One hundred and fifty muleteers and four hundred mules make two trips
monthly between Amara and Dizful, and it forms an outlet for the wheat-growino-
country about Dizful and Shustar. It was the more direct line previous to
the opening of the Karun river navigation, but probably trade will be diverted
by the steamers on that route.
Along the left bank is a line of young date plantations and gardens,
extending 200 to 300 yards from the bank. The gardens grow several kinds
of fruit and vegetables—almonds, dates, pears, grapes, figs, pomegranates,
melons, beans, onions, bamias, badinjans, &c.
The Sultan has made large purchases of land in this district. The land
purchased was said to be paying taxes to the amount of £36,000 annually,
but the Sultan purchased the whole outright for £5,000. J
At 15 miles above Amara cultivation ceased and'the marshes ao-ain super-
deserted Wlth the eXCepti ° n ° f a stra y reed llut ; country was perfectly
In April on the right bank, for 10 miles inland, was an immense sheet of
water.
The river at Amara is 250 yards wide, and as we ascend it becomes wider,
ana less water loses itself in the marches.