'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎35v] (75/470)

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to Shinafiyah, just above which town the two streams there, called the Mishkha
and the Ghammas, reunite, together with the desert to the West. The boundaries
are not as yet exactly defined and will inevitably remain vague till a boundary
commission traces some definite demarcation. As a rough guide the boundary is
on the North a line running East and West coming from the desert cutting the river
just below where it forks at Kill and extending at a point some 13 miles East of the
river. On the East the boundary runs from this point North and South through
the Hor ibn Najm, of which two-thirds lie in the Eiwaniyah District, after which
it turns slightly towards the Eastward till it reaches a point some 7 miles South-
West of Saiyid Hasan Abu Tabikh. From there the Southern boundary is a straight
line to Shinafiyah, which lies just outside the Division, and from Shinafiyah due
West into the desert, the Division including A1 Quaim. The habitable area is
thus some 50 miles long by 30 broad.
Topographically the Division falls naturally into three distinct parts : agricul
tural Shamiyah, the town of Najaf and Kufah, and the desert.
(а) Agricultural Shamiyah .—This is the land watered by the two rivers—that
is, the island from Kifl to Shinafiyah and the limits of irrigation to the East and
West. In the extreme North of the District irrigation by lift only is possible, and
the country is almost bare of trees. Especially is this the case on the right bank
of the Kufah Channel from Kifl until a few miles above Kufah, the land here rising
fairly rapidly to the bluff which dominates the Najaf Sea. But beginning at points
some 3 miles North of Kufah on the one channel and Abu Shorah on the other, the
banks fall away and direct irrigation is carried on from the river by means of tubars
or small canals. From here to Turumah on the Mishkhab and Kharm on the
Ghammas is the Garden of ‘Iraq. Dense gardens of date-palm, vines and figs
clothe the banks of the river and of every large canal, while there is no canal,
however insignificant, without its row of willows and poplar (gharab). There are
numerous small towns and villages, while every Shaikh or Saiyid of importance
possesses an imposing “ qasr ” surrounded by gardens with a small permanent
settlement about it. In the North of the District on the island to a line between
Abu Sukhair and Umm al Ba‘rur excellent spring crops are grown. The land East
of the Shamiyah Channel in the Hor al Dukhn bears spring crops, while between
Salachiyah and Umm al Ba‘rur both spring crops and summer rice flourish. South
of Umm al BaTur and Abu Sukhair, given a sufficiency of water, lies the finest
rice-growing tract in ‘Iraq.
On the Western river lie the towns of Kufah and Ja‘arah Abu Sukhair, and
further South the large village of Turumah. The town of Kufah is situated in
dense date gardens. Its main importance is, however, as the port of Najaf, with
which town it is connected by tram. It may, therefore, be properly excluded from
agricultural Shamiyah, Ja‘arah Abu Sukhair is situated in the famous date
gardens of Ja‘arah and its population, including the non-tribal garden population,
is estimated at 10,000. Turumah is an island at the head of the Shinafiyah lake
and the market of the Ghazalat.
On the Eastern river lie, in order from North to South, the village of Abu Shorah,
which is rapidly becoming the market of the Hor al Dukhn Bani Hasan ; Salachiyah,
a large village containing over 90 shops on the Hor ibn Najam and the market of
the Ja‘arah; Muhannawiyah, some 5 miles off the river on the Muhannawiyah
Canal, similar to Salachiyah and the market of the Shamiyah Fatlah: ‘Aqar on
the ‘Aqar Canal, a similar type of village belonging to the Kurd; Umm al BaTur
on the river itself, a prosperous town of some 4,000 inhabitants and the seat of
government of Eastern Shamiyah' and Ghammas, a small town on the lower reaches
of the river, the property of Saiyid Muhsin Abu Tabikh.
(б) The Toivn of Najaf .—West of Kufah the land rises gradually to a height of
120 feet above the river in a distance of about 6 miles. It then falls away suddenly
to a depression below the level of the Euphrates, pear-shaped, and some 15 miles
broad, known as the Najaf Sea. Due West of Kufah, on the summit of this bluff
which decreases in height Southwards till at Abu Sukhair it is almost level with the
surrounding country, stands the town of Najaf. Completely walled, in the midst
of the desert, dominated by the golden dome of the shrine of Hadhrat ‘Ali, said to
be visible three days’ march away, it presents a sight not easily forgotten. ’ Except
for the tombs of the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. al Salam and a few khans, it is self-contained within the .
walls. No green thing can be seen, even water has to be brought in skins three-
quarters of a mile from the foot of the cliff. To enter it is to be plunged 400 years