'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [‎82v] (169/862)

IO 4 GEOLOGY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE LAND
Ruwandiz, the country to the south will be described in greater
detail than elsewhere.
From south-west to north-east the chief barrier ranges are the
Selin Dagh, the Khati Dagh, the Shakh-i-Harir, the Bejan Dagh, the
Karokhi Dagh, and the high spurs of the Kandil Dagh.
The Sefin Dagh (Shakh-i-Sefin) rises from the fertile plain north of
the Bastura Chai with fairly gentle slopes for the first 10 miles. It is
bounded on the north by the Rubat Mawaran stream, which breaks
through an outlier, the Chia-i-Babachichek (3,281 ft.), to join the
Rubat Kara. Between these two streams the Selin Dagh rises rapidly
to nearly 4,000 feet. From here, with one low col below 3,000 feet, it
forms a long narrow ridge 30 miles long, one-third of which is drained
by tributaries of the Little Zab south-eastwards. A parallel ridge on
the south-west flank rising to over 4,000 feet has been almost separated
from the main ridge by streams draining north-west and south-east,
and is divided into two equal parts, the Birman Dagh and Bana Bawi
Dagh, though the central portion is drained by torrents which force
a single passage {darhand) between them to join the Bastura Chai.
The range is of limestone, with shale outcrops, possibly coal
bearing, in the east. Its slopes are well wooded; plane, mulberry, and
walnut trees grow to great size on the lower slopes and in sheltered
valleys, and there are hedgerows and poplar plantations near the
villages. On the north-eastern slopes abundant water for irrigation
is provided by springs; wheat, barley, mash, arzan, cotton, and sesame
are grown where space is available, also some tobacco. There are
apple and pear trees, poplar plantations, and many vineyards near
Shaqlawa. The crest and higher slopes of the range are grassy in
summer.
The Khati Dagh. East of Shaqlawa there are red sandstone hills,
through which streams from the north-eastern slopes of the Selin
Dagh cut gaps to reach the Rubat Mawaran. The well-wooded Khati
Dagh (3,600 ft.) north-east of the river is parallel to the Sefin Dagh.
It includes the Chia-i-Babachichek at its north-western end, where it
approaches the Great Zab. To the south-east it is connected by a
narrow limestone ridge of 3,000 feet to the southern end of the Shakh-
i-Harir; here its northern slopes are drained by the Soraq stream,
which cuts a narrow passage to the Harir plain.
The Harir Plain, or Dasht-i-Harir, is a wedge-shaped piece of
country to the north-east of the Khati Dagh, the Great Zab forming
its base and the Shakh-i-Harir the eastern side. Five miles broad
near the base, it extends south-eastwards for about 20 miles until it is