'Military Report on Mesopotamia (Iraq)' [‎79r] (162/226)

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is amongst the Yezidis a temporary cure for a worse
disease—anarchy. If Hammu Shim’s power be weakened,
the Yezidis will split into small groups at the mercy
of the desert tribes.
The Yezidis are a settled agricultural people who culti
vate cereals in the Sinjar plain and practise viticulture
and fig-growing on the Jabal Sinjar. Formerly a fair
amount of tobacco was grown, but this has been dis
continued. Yezidi villages lie in the foothills south and
north of the Jabal and also in the heart of the mountain
itself. Annually they produce about 3,000 tons of wheat
and barley and possess about 30,000 sheep. They obtain
other supplies from Mosul and Nisibin, the latter through
the courtesy of Muhammad, Shaikh of the Tai.
The internal cohesion of the Yezidis is good, but has
been slightly impaired recently by Hammu’s injustice.
Samoko and other villages on the north of the Jabal are
inclined to follow Husain Burgess, but in any trouble
with the Muhammadan tribes all the Yezidis would follow
Hammu Shiru. The Yezidi Chief indulges in friendly
correspondence with A1 Asi of the Shammar, but is not
inclined to look on the tribe with aught but suspicion.
He is peculiarly averse to Hachim ibn al Asi. The Tai
are looked upon as friends, and in October, 1920, the
Tai Chief visited Hammu Shiru in Balad Sinjar, where
an exchange of presents took place. Hammu also allows
certain Tai sections to graze between Samoko and Kiran
—largely to preclude hostile Shammar from attacks on
outlying Yezidi villages. Of the Juhaish the Yezidis are
rather contemptuous, and towards the Mutaiwid bear
a frank loathing. Hammu cleared out the Mutaiwid’s
villages during the Tel Afar rebellion in 1920. There is
no love lost between Yezidis and Tel Afaris, and in 1920-
1921 it was only with difficulty that the Chief of Sinjar
could be persuaded to allow the Tel Afaris to obtain
firewood and charcoal in the Sinjar. Hammu Shiru also
hates Musi at Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of the Jubur, whom he accuses of
being the main instigator of the Tel Afar disturbances.
Muslat has made overtures of friendship, but these have
always been turned down. It is probable ^ that Muslat
enjoys the privilege of being Hammu Shiru’s most hated
enemy.
The whole Yezidi population is brave, hardy and war
like. It has no fear for its Badawin enemies, and in the
Jabal Sinjar has proved more than a match for Turkish
regular troops. Hammu Shiru can raise about 2,400
grmed men, of whom 500 would be mounted on horses