'Field notes. Mesopotamia' [‎12v] (29/230)

14
From tho mouth to a point about eight miles above Muham-
tnaroh it forms the Turco-Persian boundary.
It is a fine river, 1| miles wide at tho mouth, and navigable
as far as Basrah, by any vessels that can cross tho bar at the
entrance. The land is very low on both sid-s of tho entrance,
but differs much in appearance, that on the western side being
fertile and thickly covur, d with date trees, that on the Persian
side being on tho other hand comparatively bare, and barren
for several miles up the river.
There are two channels loading into the river en ranee, the
eastern or Khor-al-Amaya, and the western Khor-al-Kafka.
The latter is the principal channel, and is the one us^d by steam
Vessels ; it runs between two large banks and across broad
flats, which form the bar already alluded to. To cross the bar
vessels drawing more than 13 feet must wait for the flood. At
high spring tide (highest tides are night tide in winter, day tide
in summer), vessels of 20 to 22 feet draught can enter ; at neaps
the draught is 18. As tho mud is very soft, powerful steam
vessels are often forced through a foot or more of it, and vessels
load to the actual depth available at the bar.
A later examination, however, of the bar, concluded in
1911, under the direction of the Commandor-in-Chief, East
Indies Squadron, indicates that at a moderate outlay of money
the bar could be dredged so as to admit of the passage of vessels
drawing up to 25 or 26 feet.
Fao. Tho bar is about 2 miles from Ras-al-Bisha, the west
ernmost point of the entrance, and 3| miles above Ras-al-Bisha
is Eao, a village of about 400 inhabitants, and the late terminal
station of the Turkish land telegraph line, connecting with the
British cable (Indo-European) to Bushire and India.
Eao has a rough stone landing jetty, with deep water a
few yards from the outer end.
There is a mud fort at Fao and in the neighbourhood, about
6,400 yards south-east of the telegraph station, is also an'un
completed brick work. This is closed work in the shape of a
blunted redan (but nearly rectangular) facing approximately
south-east. It is now in ruins and overgrown with reeds,
(See also page 133.)
Having entered the river, the banks are very low on both
sidse tho entire distance to Basrah, and are intersected by