'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. III. 1917' [‎362] (371/432)

362
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS
friable limestone, abounding in shells. This layer is thin to the W.,
but much thicker to the S. of the city, where it is extensively
quarried for building purposes.
The Tigris at Mosul cuts into the side of its trough and threatens
some of the buildings of the town. The whole river-bed, covered
in high flood, is about 675 yds. broad, and there is a deep channel
on the W. of about 150-200 yds. The bridge of boats crosses the
river from a pier 32 yds. long opposite the Bab el-Jisr Gate (in the
southern half of the river-front) to a gravelly bank which is sub
merged when the Tigris is in flood. The boat-bridge is 125 yds.
long, and has a roadway of rough planking 24 ft. wide, which is
laid on 17 pontoons, flat-bottomed boats 26 ft. long by 10 ft. wide,
with a waterway 10 ft. between each and its neighbour. The
gravelly bank on the E. side of the river is crossed by a bridge of
brick faced with sandstone, which is laid at an angle of about 45°
to the boat-bridge. The masonry bridge is approached from the
pontoon-bridge by a ramp 46 yds. long, and has a total length of
278 yds. : the roadway, which is 16 ft. wide, is laid on 29 arches,
each of 20 ft. span, and at the eastern end there is a ramp 52 yds.
long. Beyond the E. end of the masonry bridge the road may be
under water for as much as 150 yds. in the flood season. In high
flood the boat-bridge is removed, and the river is then crossed by
boats. These boats (of which about 30 used to be available) are
each about 24 ft. long by 8 ft. wide. They are punt-shaped, with
the stern cut down to allow animals to go on board. Each boat
can take 6 laden mules. The boat-bridge may be expected to be in
position from some time in the early part of June to the end of
March.
The town of Mosul, though dusty, glaring, and treeless, is not
unpicturesque at a distance, the outline of the walls being broken
by numerous domes, minarets, and towers. The city is partially
surrounded by badly-built rubble walls, 15-20 ft. high, with a thick
ness of about 6 ft. at the bottom and 3 ft, at the top. These were
constructed at the beginning of the last century as a protection
against Bedouin raids, and are now out of repair. In many places
they have already been breached, and the ditch has been filled in.
There are 11 gates. On the river side, houses have been built into
the wall, and their windows look out on to the river. To the N.
and W. there is an expanse of waste land between the houses and
the walls. To the S., beyond the Bab es-Serai, the river is fringed
with mud houses inhabited by raftsmen, boatmen, and fishermen.
Behind these houses is a broad road planted with trees, and E. of
this is a broad open space used partly as the drill-ground of the