'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎36] (81/905)

SHATT EL HAl.
[CHAP. II.
Bifurcation
of the Tigris;
amarah, a small town on the left bank nearly midway
between Baghdad and Kurnah, being about 178 miles by
water from the former city, and 97J miles directly S.S.E.
from the latter.
Nearly opposite to this miserable specimen of an Arab
town, a bifurcation takes place; and it may be remarked here,
that the Tigris, instead of receiving, as before, an addition to
its waters from the Euphrates, now sends a considerable
portion to the latter river, by means of the canals above and
below Baghdad; through these canals, however, the waters
only pass during the season of floods.
The greater of these branches continues its easterly direc
tion, under the new name of Shatt el 'amarah, till it joins
the Frat; 1 whilst the smaller turns off nearly at a right angle
towards the heart of Lower Mesopotamia. The latter branch,
or Shatt el Ha'i, has a breadth of nearly 150 yards, and takes
a southerly direction to the mounds called Ne'ishaget Wasit,
where it forms two branches. One of these, called the Bu
ji Heirat, follows a circuitous course, by the old fort of Tesaine,
to Tela Tendhiyah, where it is rejoined by the other branch,
called the Shatt el 'Amah, 2 which flows near the modern
Wasit. 3 It is not navigable in this part of its course; but
the western is so, and is, in consequence, the regular passage.
These united streams take the direction of S. 22° E., under
the name of Sub-bil. At about 20 miles below the junction
just mentioned, the trunk of the Hai sends off a canal, called
Be Dukhan, tpwards the eastern side; and also another in
the opposite direction, to Shatrah, about 11 miles lower,
and of the Hai. At the tombs of Hamzah the main stream of the Hai again
divides into two branches; of these, the most northerly, or
that which is navigated, enters the Euphrates opposite to the
custom-house of A1 Arkah; and five miles lower, near the
village of Abti Sof, which is 78 miles by the river from
Kurnah, the smaller branch also falls into the Euphrates,
1 " The principal," says Abu-l-feda, " is Mara (woman), and it waters all
the land on the west side of the Tigris. The remainder flows into the other
river (Euphrates)."—MS. translation by Mr. Rassam.
2 Or the Wanderer.
Wasit el Hai.
i j-