'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' [‎77v] (159/312)

116
*
tiers of rock terraces. On the upland of Leihun we found the Berdazawi divided into three branches,
all of which unite before a gap in the rocks over which we had just come. All these streams we
crossed on wicker bridges.
This upland is inhabited by the Kurdish tribe of Leihun under Julamerk. Many villages
with much cultivation are scattered around. We crossed the river, and turned south-west to
Leihun village, where we halted.
19th —From Leihun we altered the direction of our route in order to suit the configu
ration of the country better, and instead of travelling nearly north we now turned eastward over
the upland of Leihun and some low ranges of hills.
The temperature was so low as to feel actually cold. As we went eastward the river of
Leihun was seen flowing through pastures as a quiet stream and no longer a torrent as before.
Far away to the north was a Christian Church called Mar Ghiyorghiyo Karkal, much reverenced
by the Nestorians as the tomb of a Saint. At the head-waters of the river was the snow-clad chain
of Para Ashin which stretches in front and beneath the loftier Erdish Dagh.
Passing over a range of hills, rising no great height above the upland, we descended to a culti
vated vale with houses and gardens, where was a poor Kurdish village called Eslaya. Near Eslaya
(6,280 feet elevation) we entered upon the first granitic district we had met with in the mountains.
These rocks show themselves first on the upland at an elevation of 6,000 feet, but soon rise 1,000
feet above that in bare masses ; and their prolongation apparently forms the Tura Jelu, the loftiest
chain in Kurdistan. # .
Julamerk .—Another ascent with a patch of snow brought us in view of Julamerk bearing N.
80° E. The place is situated in a deep hollow at an elevation of about 4,500 feet and in a ravine
by which the streams find their way into the Zab immediately below.
To the east is a bold rocky mountain, called Shembat, rising at least 3,000 feet above Julamerk.
To the south-west is a limestone rock about 600 feet high bearing a ruined castle called Kala
Bawa.
22nd June .—Left Pagi, an Armenian village near Julamerk, on our way to Bashkala.
We had a gentle ascent up the shoulder of the Tura Burjullah which lasted nearly 2 hours, and
then descended to the valley or rather upland of Kochannis, the residence of Mar Shimun.
We rode some distance along the sides of the Kochannis Hill, leaving a higher range called the
Areb Dagh before us.
We then descended by a long and steep though otherwise good pathway to a valley in which
were many villages and a varied and abundant vegetation. We ascended again to a cultivated
upland at the foot of the Areb Dagh where were the Chaldean villages of Espin and Gharanis.
The prospect from Gharanis where we halted at an elevation of 7,000 feet is very fine, and a great
quantity of water flows in the torrents down the mountain sides.
23rd June .— There are two roads from Gharanis—one over the mountains, and another along
the valley of the Zab. We took the latter, although longer, and made two slight ascents and
descents, and passed some deposits of sulphur.
We passed the Chaldean village of Kermi and then turned off from the Zab valley which
was here rocky and beautifully wooded, and headed to the north-east passing a valley with two
more Chaldean villages. The outline of the mountains has now become less rugged, the
uplands more lofty, and the chains more continuous.
In the evening we followed for some time the valley of the Zab where it wound through
a marshy vale. At the end of this it received a large tributary from N. 80° W., which we
crossed by a bridge.
Ascending a plateau, a little above the Zab we reached the Chaldean village of Mailawa
(elevation 6,418 feet), where we halted.
24th June .—Our road still continued up the open valley of the Zab : hours brought us to
where two streams meet,—one from the mountains beyond Bashkala, and the other from Kanda
Kilissa. We soon came in view of Bashkala, 2 miles to our left.
Julamerk to Amadiyeh.
The following is a precis of M. Binder's journey from Julamerk to
Amadryeh {Travels in Kurdistan, May 1886) :
1st October .—Left the valley of Amadiyeh at the south-west corner where the torrent flowed
from it to join the Zab. The path was a zigzag staircase cut in the rock, and the mules could
with difficulty turn in the narrow passage.
After following the bank of the torrent for some minutes, we debouched into the Great Zab
valley. The river was now a yellowish torrent some yards wide flowing between high mountain
ranges. .
We crossed on a very ricketty bridge of a framework of tree trunks at each end with the
centre formed of hurdles and branches interlaced. One man went across alone first, then two men
too-ether, then an unloaded mule, and finally a loaded one.
° The muleteers have a curious custom in narrow places of guiding the mule by the head and
tail as well.