'Field notes: Mesopotamia. General Staff, India. February, 1917.' [‎113r] (232/350)

217
the Ike
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where it
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ae water
i side of
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e south,
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mile 5
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name
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Route No. 23— contd.
2 MUSAIYIB . . • 20.—S.S.W. At mile 5,
Khan-al-Bir, a cara-
4 ^ vansarai, now de
serted stands on the west side of the rqad.
At mile 12, Sikandariyah village, 50 mud houses with a
khan and several brick enclosures, on left bank of canal of same
name. Cultivation being developed; grazing for considerable
flocks and herds.
Just beyond here, a canal from the Euphrates is crossed by
a brick bridge. Between here and end of stage there is some
times an extensive slough, known as Abu Lupah.
The road strikes the left bank of the Euphrates immediate
ly above Musaiyib town; about 50 yards before reaching the
bank it crosses a deep canal by a high brick bridge of which the
roadway is 10 feet wude.
The approach to the town is along a broad embankment
carefully revetted, which contains the river at this point. In
the middle of Musaiyib town the Euphrates is_ crossed by a
boat bridge of 24 pontoons, a rickety and ill-maintamed struc
ture.
Musaiyib, situated on both sides of the Euphrates, and shut
in by palm trees; main part of the town on left bank, but some of
the best buildings are on the right bank. Houses mostly of
masonry: there are 12 khans, 25 granaries, and about 100 shops.
On the left bank immediately above the town a strong em
bankment carefully revetted extends for about 600 yards, on
the top of which runs the Baghdad-Karbala road.
Population, about 3,500 souls: there are 40,000 date palms,
transport is not readily obtainable in any amount; forage ant?
provisions limited; boats include about 12 safinahs and a scoio
of sajahs.
3 KARBALA . . . 20.—W.S.W. The road
for wheeled transport
g 4 from here to Karbala
skirts the northern edge of the cultivation dependent on the
Husainiyah canal, at a distance of 2 or 3 miles from the