'Reconnaissances in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, North-West Persia, and Luristan from April to October 1888. By Lt F R Maunsell, Intelligence Branch. In Two Volumes. Volume I: narrative report, description of larger towns and routes leading from them. Simla: Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Dept, 1890' [‎15v] (35/312)

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These ridges, rising out of a perfectly flat plain, would form a good posi
tion for throwing up earthworks to bar the navigation of the river.
New Dujai/a Canal .—Some t miles in a direct line W. S. W. below Kut, and
10 miles by the windings of the river, the Turks in 1886 constructed what is
^called the new Dujaila canal.
It has been made with the entrance placed at a sharp bend of the
stream, so that the full force of the current is directed down it, and in flood
there is danger of the river being diverted and leaving the channel in an
unnavigable condition for steamers.
. Ih^ugh urgent representations made, its construction was stopped before
this actually happened. A trench was dug ‘20 feet broad at the top and 9 feet
at the base for about 2,200 yards, but was not connected with the river.
1 his trench was meant to connect the river with the old Dujaila canal, and its
total length was to be 10,000 yards. The river is now prevented by not more
than 20 feet of light soil from entering the trench, and this the current is
gradually eating away; and it appears certain that, unless measures are taken
to increase this barrier, the natural action of the river will soon connect them.
1 he same result may follow from accident during-the spring flood or from
rab views of local interest; also while the trench remains open within a
tew yards of the Tigris, the Turks can very quickly, should they think it
expedient, cut the communication between Baghdad and Basra by renderino- the
river unnavigable. °
nut-i-Amara-
Kut-T-Amara (the fort of the Amara) is 285 miles from Busra by the
windings of the river and 220 miles from Baghdad. It is 41 hours by steamer
up stream from Basra, and is on the left bank, containing 1,200 bouses built
of sandned bucks and mud, with a row of better built brick houses, belonc.
ing to merchants along the river front. The barracks and residence of the
, ludir, known as tne serai, are in a square brick building at the west end
There is a telegraph office, connected by a short branch line (two wires) with
the main line, which crosses a loop of the river some 6 miles to the eastward
There ar. some 200 soldiers quartered here, used chiefly for overaw“
Pusht^uh' ab The' ’VlT T P ' 1Ia ” e T™’ the C0Untrj ' betwpen tMs “<lthe
Jrusht- 1 -A.uh. I he inhabitants are mostly settled Arabs, and Persian refugees
from Lunstan driven across the frontier. These latter are very poor and'are
labourers, muleteers, or small traders. ^ 1 '
Lming the banks near the town are a fringe of gardens irrigated bv
water lifts from the river. These grow a great variety offruits-yount date
of ^“etebles’ Teions’Td’ pom ‘f al,a ‘ es ’ <%»> mulberries; and severatsorts
and pumpkins, beans, onions, bamia, badinjan &c
fnTwLt KufT S V%r- f ° £ C ,° Unfciy onboth banks under barfey
thriving place, and is a regular stopping place of the
m " 1 ei& ' u f Sl ^ 110 unding district and the country on the banks of the El-Hai
canal are the best gram-producing districts on the river
tn M tv %° m f caravan route leads * in a N N E direction
of the country are dates, dried fruits, wool, and wheat P P
ino. th7 ee a neral U dt-ee b Ho n C Tt? nS Ti! ieS - ^ the deSert to Ba ebdad, follow-
bolt bridge near ite ^(1^ the ^ a ‘ ^