'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' [‎100v] (205/312)

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This is much venerated by the Kurds and nomads \vho pass this wav.
It was set round with little green and white dags, and inside the low stone
wall were various articles, such as black tents, tent matting and poles
cradles, fee., deposited one by each set of passers-by as a sort of offering.
At 9 miles the spurs from the left cease, and the road turns south-west,
leaving the river and ascending the Derebun plateau (see plan).
Three Christian villages, surrounded by large groves of oaks, lay at the foot
of the ridge, and we crossed several small streams dowing from large springs
near these villages.
Derebun Plateau.— At Iff miles the level of the Derebun plateau (1,780')
was reached. The ascent is stony, but gradient easy.
This plateau is a long dat-topped spur, to 2 miles wide, extending
to the Khabur, which it overlooks in a series of steep bluffs.
At 17Smiles passed the small Yezidi village of Derebun, The rocky
ridge of the Jabal Abiadh terminates now to the left.
The telegraph, Mosul to Jazirah, passes close by the village.
At the foot of the rock is a spring from which dows a large stream with a
plentiful supply of good water all the year round. There was a convent once
here, but nothing is left of it now. The name means convent of the spring.
The stream dows down to the Tigris at Feishkhabur in a small ravine,
and is utilized to turn three mills.
A long even descent leads from Derebun to Feishkhabur (1,100'), 4-i miles
farther on. (Total 21 ^ miles.)
this line or hills at the foot of the Jabal Abiadh forms an excellent posi
tion to command the outlet of the passes from Upper Armenia and the
mountainous country to the north-east. Derebun plateau is a sort of natural
bastion, and the front is covered by the Khabur river.
hevshkhcibur Thisisa village of Papal Chaldeans of 200 houses onaknoll
overlooking the left bank of the Tigris, surrounded by fruit orchards and
gardens in a loop about 2 miles long to the south, irrigated from the river.
Wheat and rice are grown. The cotton crop was destroyed last year by
locusts.
The Tig ris dows here in a deep channel 150 to 200 yards broad, winding
over a gravelly bed from 500 to 600 yards wide, which is entirely covered bv
doods. The current was from 3 to 4 miles an hour, .and the water in the river
was still high from the spring freshets.
On the right bank were a line of steep earth cliffs 100 to 150 feet high,
beyond which rose a series of dat-topped undulations, extending 4 miles west
of Feishkhabur. These culminate in a low rocky ridge, about 8 miles
long, forming a sort of continuation of the Jabal Abiadh, though not so high.
These heights are too distant to command Derebun plateau.
The country on the right bank looks very bare and withered. No streams
or villages could be seen, and the Shammar Tai Arabs were now out raiding on
that bank.
There used to be a boat ferry here, but it has been removed by the Govern
ment in order to force the nomad tribes, who pasture their docks in winter on
the right bank, to cross at either of the bridges at Mosul or Jazirah, where
officials are posted to collect toll.
Some tribes manage to evade this toll and get across at various other
points. A tribe of nomad Yezidis migrating from Jabal Sinjar to the Hakkiari
mountains were met on the road who had done so.
^ The weather was fine, but rather hot in the day time; noon temperature
94°, but the nights were much cooler. Temperature at 5-30 a.m. was 71°.