'Routes in Arabia' [‎651] (682/852)

651
R oute N o . 184—con^.
No. of stage
and total Dotail.s.
distance, j
BAGHDAD. See Jloute Xo. 1
1 JADIDAH (1) .. 18 m. The track crosses
the telegraph line
^ 111 • three times just after
leaving Baghdad. There is at mile 1 a large dyke on the
right-hand side ; on the left, cavalry barracks. In the first
2 miles the track crosses several irrigation channels, some of
which are impassable for artillery, being about 6 feet deep and
10 feet wide; the only bridges bsing light ones of palm-tree
wood about 3 feet wide. On the left are walled date gardens
for about 2 miles. Cultivation on both sides of the road for
about 4 miles. Opposite Kadhimain, the track is boggy for
about a | of a mile. After 6 miles, low mounds occur on both
sides of the road, but chiefly on the right. About mile 10
there is a ruined fort about 400 yards to the left. Two miles
from Jadidah cultivation again begins on both sides, with
several irrigation channels, just as on leaving Baghdad.' The
river nearJadTdah has high dykes on the left bank to protect
the cultivation from floods. These dykes are about 20 feet
high, 12 feet on top, and base 30 feet wide. They afford
complete cover from the river. About ^ a mile and 1 mile
outside Jadidah are 2 mud and wattle villages of about 50
inhabitants each. Tn tTadidah are 2 khans, one near entrance to
the village, about 80 yards square, stabling for 200 horses
well in centre, water about 20 feet from surface. This khan
has on the roof a low parapet of mud about 2 feet high and 15
inches thick. Two staircases on the roof in north-west and
south -east corners. Another khan about 300 yards further on
and about 150 yards from river bank, with nothing between
it and the river. This khan is about 60 yards square, stabling
for about 100 horses. In the centre of each khan is a circular hole
about 15 yards in diameter and 4 feet deep in centre ; abundant
water from Tigris. Jadidah (1) has about 300 houses of mud walls,
and many date gardens enclosed by walls. Most of the walls
are topped with thorny brushwood, which answers the purposes
of broken glass. About 600 sheep available ; 50 horses of sorts •
population, all cultivators, about 1,000 ; 2,000 palm trees,