'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' [‎52v] (109/312)

SULAIMANIAH AND SURROUNDING DISTRICTS.
Sulaimaniah is a town of 2,500 houses, the greater portion flat-roofed
Kurdish huts, with few buildings of any size.
The palace, the residence of the Mutasarif, is a ruinous building in the
centre of the town, and the barracks are a tumbled down line of buildings
of sun-dried bricks.
The population, with few exceptions, is entirely Kurdish, this being looked
upon as the capital of Southern Kurdistan and is the centre of the district
of Sertchinar. There are 100 Jewish houses and some 20 of Christians, who
live in a separate quarter about a mile outside the town to the south.
The town is situated in a bare, treeless plain; with no gardens, orchards,
or any surroundings, and from a distance it has a very bleak appearance. The
streets are narrow and dirty ; the bazar is poor-looking, but fairly well stocked
with goods.
In the shops are chiefly articles to supply the simple wants of the Kurds.
The principal manufacture is saddles and horse furniture, shoes and leather
work generally, the leather being dyed in various colours. The saddles are
made of thick felt numdahs over a light wood framework, and are very
durable. Cotton shoes with rope soles, belts and powder horns, and knives
also seen.
A fair quantity of Manchester piece-goods, cotton kerchiefs, &c., from Bagh
dad. Dates, raisins, several kinds of dried fruits, curdled milk, or yaurt,
the universal Kurdish drink, also for sale.
Lettuces, beans, young almonds eaten green are the vegetables in the market
now.
Most of the wood for fuel comes from the thickly wooded ridges east of
the Pir-a-Magdurin range.
Red wine is made here and exported to Baghdad. A few vineyards were
visible on the Azmir Dagh slopes to the north-east.
The principal export trade with Baghdad is gall nuts and yellow berries used
for dyeing and gum tragacanth, tobacco, of which this district produces a
good quality, and wool from the flocks of the nomads. All this goes via Kir
kuk, the direct route via Kifri being practically never used. The Hamawand
robbers are now supposed to be exterminated. Fifty of them were sent to Mosul
in chains a fortnight ago. A determined effort has doubtless been made,
and the country is fairly quiet in comparison to its absolutely lawless con
dition a few years ago.
Their chief Jan Mir at Kasr-i-Shirin and Kak Abdulla at Khan-i-Miran
have been made away with; but in a few years it is probable new chiefs will
appear, and lawlessness become rife again.
I met the Mutasarif a month later in Mosul, called thereto receive a decor
ation and a great flow of praise for his skilful conduct in putting down the
rebels. Mosul merchants, however, on the other hand, complained of constant
robberies which still went on, and the general insecurity of the Sulaimaniah
road.
There are four regiments of about 400 men each quartered in Sulaimaniah,
besides a large detachment of zaptiyahs. The regulars were a fine body of
men, but with uniform in rags and pay uncertain. They were armed with