'Routes in Arabia' [‎691] (722/852)

691
R oute N o . 190— conoid.
Nasiriyah is a large umvalled town with a population of about
10,000 situated on the left bank of the Euphrates. The town
stands on level ground and has a river frontage of half a mile.
In addition to a large number of huts there are about 600 small,
but well built houses arranged in broad well aligned streets.
There are large military barracks with sufficient accommoda
tion for a normal garrison of two infantry battalions and a
squadron of cavalry. Large numbers of livestock, and great
quantities of vegetables and fruit can be obtained here of which
latter a considerable amount comes from Samawah.
ROUTE No. 191,
F rom ALEPPO to MOSUL vid DAIK-AZ-ZOR.
396 miles. 12 stages by carriage.
Authorities. —Arab Officer captured at Nasiriyali, who
performed the journey in a four-horsed carriage in
August, 1914.
General Description. —Practicable for wheeled traffic the
whole way, ' Going ' heavy after rain.
Water. —Plentiful between Aleppo and Dair-az-Zor. Be
tween Dair-az-Zor and Mosul water is plentiful' at each of the
camping grounds, but there is none between stages during the
dry season which renders the route impracticable for infantry.
Supplies. —Practically nil except at Dair-az-Zor.
No. of stages]
and total
distance.
1 DEIR HAFJR .. 34 m. Seven hours by
carriage. General direc-
34 m. tion of stage east-south-
cast, « Leaving Aleppo the road traverses an extensive fringe
of gardens planted with rows of olive trees and enters a
grassy plain dotted with villages of huts shaped like bee
hives. The track crosses several water-cuts which are, how
ever, insignificant obstacles.,
'D.'tails.