'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' [‎112r] (228/312)

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An outcrop of coal was passed in some slialy undulations, but it is a ratber
poor quality, and is probably a continuation of the beds north of Zakho.
The Nurdush rises between the Judi Dagh and the east end of the Sher-
nakh Dagh. The lower slopes of the Judi Dagh in this direction are shady
undulations, cut up by ravines and dotted over with low scrub, the higher
slopes and the valley itself being thickly wooded with oaks.
A long gradual ascent over a well cultivated'country leads to| Shernakh
(4,650') 12 miles from Chemishum Siki.
Sheniakh .—This is a place of 400 houses, all Kurdish, with the exception
of 30 Nestorian. It is situated on the hill slope by a small stream.
Water is obtained from numerous small springs, and the houses are clean
and built of stone and mud with flat roof. Whitewash is generally used, a
remarkable thing for a Kurdish village. The hillside hr 2 or 3 miles on
either side is cultivated in terraces, with wheat and a quantity of tobacco.
The wheat is still green at this elevation, although it has been harvested
in Jazirah.
The people seem industrious and work hard in their fields. Some good
oak, poplar, and mulberry frees grew along the stream.
Hartoshi Kurds .—Muhammad Agha,the chief of the Hartoshi Kurds, lives
here in a small house in the village. He is the son of Bader Khan Beg, and
is a man of large influence among the mountain Kurds, and occupies a position
partially independent of Turkish authority.
The Hartoshi are a large tribe of some 3,000 tents, almost all nomads, except
some settled in these villages round Shernakh, Shakh, Derguleb, and Divin.
The nomads spend the summer in a Zozan ” or summer quarters in the
high mountain ranges to the north-east, and winter either in the valle}^ near
Shernakh and Derguleh, or the plain round Mosul and Jazirah.
Muhammad Aghn/s influence is felt as far as Bashkala, where some of his
tribe were met, and be absolutely controls the tribes as far east as Mer-
wanen.
He transacts a good deal of business, and papers kept constantly coming
in and messengers from bis vakils Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. on the distant mountains. They were
written in Turkish, and the chief can both read and write.
Muhammad Agha has three sons, the eldest a boy of about seven, who is
looked upon as his heir. The Agha’s brother also lives here, and seems fond
of engineering work, and showed me an irrigation canal which had been made
under his superintendence, of which he was very proud. He complained that
under the Turkish Government there was no scope for his talents. He said
he looked upon me as the precursor of the English, who were some day coming
to occupy the country, and he would be very glad when they did.
Muhammad Agha is a middle aged man, slightly grey, with a hand
some, determined-looking face, clear blue eyes, and a fair complexion. He
was at Constantinople for four years about 1878, at the time when the
British fleet came to Ismidt, and seemed much impressed with England's
action then, and the Russian forces stopped at the gates of Constantinople.
He was well acquainted with current European politics, and accounts of
Her Majesty's Jubilee in London interested him much.
He speaks Turkish well, reads and writes it also. Kermanji is the lan
guage spoken by the people.
The Agha had a scheme on hand now for repopulating and settling the
Shernakh valley, which since the massacre of the Nestorians in 1842 has been
quite waste. He talked of the value of a good water-supply and cleanliness
in his villages.