'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. I. 1918' [‎292] (301/568)

292 COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPOKT
two roughly fashioned oars. In hot weather the exposed parts of
the inflated skins have to be constantly splashed with water to
prevent them from bursting. In the intense summei heats the
larger leleks carrying merchandise rarely navigate, but the smaller
types used for passenger traffic travel on the Tigris and Lesser Zab
throughout the year. Adverse winds greatly delay progress, and
mav make it impossible for days. ,, , ,
On arrival at their destination, the rafts are dismantled, the wood
sold, and the skins retanned and conveyed by pack-transport to e
P Eafts from Diarbekr usually stop at Mosul. Rafts from Mosul go
down to Baghdad, but raftmen {Mehjis) are changed at Teknt. ihe
crew of the raft usually numbers 2 or 4 men.
Normal times for Melt journeys are :
Mosul-Baghdad, 2-4 days in high water ; 8-15 days m low water.
Altun Koprli—Confluence of Lesser Zab and Tigris, 10 hours in
high water ; 2-3 days in low water. „ , .
The hire of a Melt is reckoned according to the number of skins.
Before the war a small raft could be hired for the journey from
Mosul to Baghdad for about £5-£8.
fii) Shahhturs, flat-bottomed boats, navigating downstream only,
used on the Euphrates between Birijik and Fellujeh ; they some
times descend the river as far as Museyib or the Hindiyeh Barrage.
Before the war they were built only at Birijik ; since 1914 they have
been constructed at other places on the Euphrates for use on the
Turkish lines of communication {s has been reported
as occurring at Jerablus, Deir ez-Zor, Anah, and Hit).
They are oblong in shape, 18 ft. long, 8 ft. wide, with a depth
from gunwale to flooring of about 2-| ft. When fully loaded they
draw 14 ft. The bottom consists of tree-trunks sawn halt, beneath
which flat boards are nailed ; and a flooring of flat boards is tastened
1 ft. above the bottom. The sides and ends of the boats consist ot
flat boards roughly nailed together, the interstices being stuffed witn
rags daubed with bitumen. One boat carries about 5 tons._ bhamurs
almost always travel in pairs, fastened together side by side, iney
are steered by clumsy sweeps, pulled in the bow, and are so un
manageable that they can travel only in a flat calm. They are ha e
to be stopped by the slightest wind. The times taken by
on their journeys vary enormously according to the state o
river and the wind. The journey from Birijik to Fellujeh may
take from 12 to 50 days or more. i
Shdkhturs take merchandise downstream and are towed back empi),
usually by Anah men.