'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' [‎40r] (84/312)

61
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This lasted for 9 miles till midnight, when we emerged close to the track
leading to Kut, and found a small caravan encamped. Found one of our zap-
tiyahs soundly beating the headman for not being able to supply us with fresh
water from the Tigris—rather an unreasonable proceeding.
The soil is again an alluvial clay, and a broad well defined track led into
Kut-d-Amara, which we entered at 5-80 a.m. of the 80th of August. Total
length of stage 40 miles. Stayed in the house of a Baghdad merchant, who
offered his hospitality until the arrival of the British river steamer.
On the 2nd September we left Kut in the Medijieh, and reached Basra
on the evening of the 3rd. This route is the concluding one of our journey;
hut it has been placed as Route II, because the district adjoins that passed
through in houte I.
The weather was hot and oppressive, with a burning wind all day. The
nights were fairly cuol, sleeping on the roof. Temperature 80° at 6 a.m. and
9*° at noon in an underground cellar or “ serdab/' The Beni Lam Arabs have
been very troublesome this summer, and have looted cattle along the river hank.
Route No. XII.—Karmanshali to Baghdad.
Khorassabad to Sir-i- Pul.
Stages.
Hoars
marching,
Distance, in miles.
Rate of marching:
in miles per
hour.
Intermediate.
Total.
Karind ...
3*3
10
10
3-CO
Pai Tak ...
65
21-5
3P5
3-30
Sir-i-Pul...
35
1P5
430
3-30
Two stages and a portion of a third on this route were travelled. It is
the main road taken by caravans and pilgrims going to Kerbela to reach the
Mesopotamian plain from Central Persia, and has been frequently described
by travellers.
It descends at once the whole difference of level between the upland
country and the plain at tho Tak-i-Girra Pass, and at the foot reaches the
valley of the Alwand, a tributary of the Diala, the broad valley of which
latter river it follows to Baghdad, over an easy undulating country.
This route is of great military importance as King the easiest for troops to
reach the important position of Karmanshah from the Tigris valley. It avoids
the series of rugged ridges which in other directions separate the central
plateau of Persia from the plain.
30th April —Reached the main road from Mandali and Zarna at the
small village of Khorassabad, 10 miles from Harunabad. On leaving this we
kept along a narrow stony valley bordered by rounded hills which gradually
opened out to 5 to 6 miles broad into the plain of Karind.
The road is crossed by several small streams which in this loamy soil
make the crossing places swampy and bad, and small culverts are badly needed. ’
Much cultivation was seen, and ploughing was in progress. A few small
villages were noticed on the banks of the Ab-i-Karind which skirts the south
side of the plain.
Karind.— This is a place of 500 houses at the mouth of a narrow
gorge, called the Tang-i-Enus, in the rocky ridge bounding the valley to the