'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. III. 1917' [‎169] (178/432)

ROUTE 25 b 169
between Samarra and Qal'ah Sherghat spring-grazing for horses is
much more scarce. In Feb.-March 1878 there was some wild barley
and rye in places near the river, and good grass pasture was reported
in the valley a few hours N. of Tekrit. Grass is found in April in
the Jebel Hamrln, where the track crosses the hills. Grazing for
camels apparently fair near the river. Fuel is apparently scarce
throughout: \amarisk is found in places near the river.
Note on left hank. The route along the r. bank is followed by
travellers, as fewer obstacles are to be met with on that side of
the river than on the 1. bank. It is possible on the 1. bank to follow
the Baghdad—Salahiyeh road (see B25 a, ii) as far as the neigh
bourhood of Khan Nahrawan, whence a track apparently leads to
Samarra. But the 'Adheim River (see III D, m. 59-|) would be a
serious obstacle in spring and the distance from Baghdad to Samarra
by the 1. bank would be considerably longer. Supplies as far as
Khan Nahrawan would probably be more plentiful than on the
r. bank. For the Nahrawan canal, see p. 38.
Above Samarra the 1. bank track as far as Tekrit (and probably as far
as the Hamrin Hills) seems to be much the same in character as that
on the r. bank. The only details available as to the crossing of the
Hamrln range near the E. bank of the river are given in 26.
Above the Hamrln the Lesser and Great Zabs would be difficult
obstacles especially in the flood season. Local means of crossing
are merely a few ferry-boats or Jcelelc Material for raft or bridge-
building is lacking in the neighbourhood of the mouths of these
rivers. In the immediate neighbourhood of the 1. bank above
Samarra local supplies would seem to be as scanty as on the r. bank
of the Tigris: but on the plain E. of the Tigris between the Zabs
the district of Erbil produces enough corn to export in normal times
to Baghdad, and the plain between Erbil and Mosul is fairly populous
and well-cultivated. For a general description of the country
between Baghdad and Samarra on the r. bank of the Tigris see
Tigris, Introduction to Route III E.
Fords across the Tigris, passable in the 1. w. season, are mentioned
on p. 19 and p. 40.
Miles from
Baghdad
0 Baghdad. From the neighbourhood of the boat-bridge the
route follows the line of the tramway to Kazimain, or
by Zobeideh's tomb and thence farther inland passing W.
of Kazimain. Railway line at some distance to W. of
road.