'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' [‎113v] (231/312)

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rich loimy clay which overlays the shale, and in whicli trees, shrubs, and grass
grow. The whole basin of the Hazil is this formation, and presents a curious
mottled appearance of large groups of trees with spaces absolutely bare, soil
intervening.
Conglomerate overlying limestone was seen at the bottom of some of
the ravines. The road winds among some small ravines until a small ccl is
reached at Vl miles (4,810').
llnlakur Dagh .—From the summit bearing 358° to 15° is the Halakur Dagh,
I 0 miles distant. The south-east face presents along the summit a precipitous
wall of rock, which firms the edge of a grassy plateau running north-west,
merging into flat-topped hills rising beyond it.
I he summit of the Halakur Dagh was patched with snow, and it is used
as a “ zozan ” by kochers, abundance of green grass being found there
now.
Tracks led from here towards the Halakur Dagh. One track led over the
hills to lake Van through what looked a very rough country, cut up by deep
narrow valleys.
Halakur Dagh probably corresponds with Harakel Dagh mentioned by
Chermside.
At 15 miles descended steeply into the gravelly bed of a small stream
(8,310'), the Busta Berouseh, coming from the Halakur Dagh, and flowing
south-south-east towards a narrow gorge in the mountains to join the Hazib
Left the stream valley by a very steep ascent in a bare shaly slope, and pass
two large heaps of stones marking where two men had been murdered* Crossed
a bare ridge (3,830 ), and descended into another small stream vallev, well
wooded, with an open grassy space for camping, where we halted, called Keni
Mahwesik (3,430').
Keni Mahwesik, these wooded valleys have abundance of dead wood suit
able for firewood.
This little strenm valley runs down 173°, and the slopes on either hand are
thickly wooded. Some 12 mile# down stream could be seen the gorge, through
which flow the united streams which go to make up the Hazil, which emero-es
into the plain, and joins the Khabur west of Zakho. This gorge looks very
narrow and precipitous with some enormous cliffs.
The soil valleys is rich; ash, willow, and sycamore grow by the stream
banks. Some of these valleys are cultivated by people from Shernakh in the
summer; otherwise this large tract of fertile country is entirely desolate.
Temperature at 4 p.m. was 88 ° and at 6 a.m. 50°, the night being much
cooler than the day.
4th July—General direction E. by N. Left camp, ascending the valley
for a short way, and then turned to the right up a steep shaly ridge. At
II miles reached the summit (3,875'), and turned along the ridge. The path
was a 1 foot ledge in a slope of 45°, and a single slip would have sent the
mules 300 to 400 feet down into the ravine. The mule carrying my tent
got hung up in a small tree, and the branches had to be carefully cut away
to extricate him. About 2 mile further on followed a long narrow-backed spur
towards a deep valley in front of us; and a short way along this the track
turned down the side of the spur, here a slope of 45°. The only way I could
find of getting down was by putting both feet together and letting myself slide.
The mules managed in something the same way, picking their own way, as
the muleteers were quite unable to guide or help them, and the riding horses
gave a good deal of trouble. Several sheep tracks used by the kochers in the
migrations led about these spurs, but none of them were any easier.