'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' [‎97v] (199/312)

152
Route No. X —Mosul to Jazirah-ibn-Omar via Zakho.
Distance, in miles.
Stages.
Hours
marching.
Intermediate.
Total.
Rate of march
ing in miles
per hour.
Deir (Mar Girgis)
• • •
...
1-75
5-5
55
3-14
Gurrapahan
...
...
8'80
295
35-0
334
Zaktio ...
...
...
11-00
36-0
71*0
327
Nahrawan
...
...
6-00
19-5
90-5
3-25
Jazirah-ibn-Omar
...
...
5o0
19-5
1100
3-54
16th June.—General direction, N. From Mosul, took the post road
through Zakho to Jazirah.
Crossed the Tigris boat bridge at 3-40 p.m., and followed a broad road
through extensive melon and cucumber beds.
The telegraph, two wires to Baghdad, and two wires to the northward,
bifurcates at the bridge head.
Khizir River .—After 1 mile forded the Khizir River in preference to
going over a masonry bridge of six arches, now in a bad state of repair.
It was built by a French engineer, but the work was scamped ; the found
ations of the piers are beginning to give way; the approaches are partially
washed away by high floods, and there are sundry holes in the roadway. If
the approaches were levelled, it is still passable for artillery.
The bridge is just below the mound of Koyunjik, where once stood the palace
of Senacherib, and the road skirts a long regular rampart 30 to 40 feet high,
the remains of ancient Nineveh.
At 3 miles the road bifurcates, one track going over the low gravel undu
lations towards Talkaif and another which we follow.
Turning north-west along a small branch of the Tigris, which encloses an
island covered with low bushes and gardens. Our route follows the line of the
new post road, visible at intervals till Zakho pass is reached. It is 15' to 18'
wide, with a shallow ditch dug at either side, but only about half a mile of
it, near the Khizir bridge, is complete. Portions here and there have been
roughly metalled, and along others lie heaps of stones still standing. The
metalled portions require gravelling and rolling to make them smooth, but
all work has ceased now for two years. A few culverts, but no large bridges,
were built: some of the former, are crumbling away already from scamped
work.
Forced labour was employed and villagers were supposed to work without
pay for six hours on either side of their village. For work beyond that distance
a little uncertain pay, issued quarterly, might be obtained.
Villagers refused work, and fled from their villages.
The road is never used, paths alongside it being preferred for caravans.
flhese are broad tracks 15 to 18 feet wide, over gravelly clay soil, crossing a
series of low undulations.
Hadiyah, -At 3 5 miles pass Hadiyah, a ruined village on the river bank,
destroyed by high floods, and a modern village of the same name on the low
heights to the north of the road.