'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' [‎80v] (165/312)

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The soil gradually improves, being a reddish gravelly loam. Wheat on the
uplands and rice in the valleys ax*e the chief crops. Several streams weie
crossed flowing north to south. As we go on the valley becomes dotted with
trees, with orchards round the villages. Some good grass, mostly clover,
was passed through. Large herds of cattle and a few sheep also noticed.
Arndina .—At 14 mdes pass Aradina (3,560'), a large Christian village on
a stream from the Ser-i-Amadiyeh. It produces tobacco and silk in some
quantity. The people are very industrious, far more so than the Kurds in the
same district Large quantities of rice and wheat iu terraces on the slope
beloiv the village.
A road leads from here across the valley, joining our route again near the
Pir-i-Daoudiyeh. It crosses some deep ravines in the centre of the
valley.
At 17 miles passed Bamurni, a small Kurdish village on the hillside 2
miles to the right, near which is the residence of Shaikh Muhammad, a Shaikh
of the Bahdinan Kurds, a man of much religious influence. His house is
in a large orchard on the hillside by a spring.
The road commences now to trend across the valley to the S.W. The
slopes of the ravines are dotted with a few low oaks. Across the valley to the
south were a series of undulations, the slopes covered with vineyards.
Daottdiyeh. —Cross a fertile plateau, and at 22 miles halt in Daoudiyeh
(3,015'), a small Kurdish village, where a kaimmakam lives. There is a small
mud fort close by, now half in ruins.
This situation at the edge of a flat spur overlooking the ravines to the
south is a good one to bar the passage of the road.
The watershed between the head-waters of the Ghara flowing towards
the Zab and the streams which flow towards the Khabur is a very slight ridge
about halfway from Amadiyeh.
Routes from Daoudiyeh .—In the direction of Zakho the country is easy,
said to contain several villages, and to be well cultivated, similar to the Supna
valley. The path follows a small stream valley all the way. The total dis
tance is two stages of six hours each or about 35 miles. The intermediate stage
is Baraski village.
To the north of Daoudiyeh, the Ser-i-Amadiyeh Range is a steep (< razor-
edged ^ ridge of limestone. A track leads over it to Ashitha, and from there
to Julamerk, but it is very rough and ditticulc, and seldom xised. Julamerk
is said to be six days distant, and caravans usually follow the route through
Amadiyeh. No difficulties were experienced on our route today for the
passage of guns, and it looks easy the remaining distance to Zakho also.
Weather cloudy and overcast in the morning; temperature 54° at 5-0 a.m.,
and 79° at noon. A thunderstorm came on at 2 p.m., with a sudden violent
storm of wind from the north-west, lasting only quarter of an hour, but level
ling every tent as it passed.
Heavy showers continued till midnight; with high wind and clouds in the
morning.
4th June.—General direction, S.W. Descend steeply from the village,
a broad grassy slope. Several vineyards and low shrubs on the hillsides, with
a few terraces of wheat.
After 2 miles the steep descent ceases. At the foot of a narrow valley we
forded a large stream flowing in a direction 333° towards the Khabur.
There is a crazy bridge (2,500'), constructed partly of masonry and partly
of wood ; the muleteers preferred to ford a little above it. This stream joins
the Khabur and flows past Zakho.