'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎159r] (322/470)

QURNAH DIVISION.
Administration Report: Qurnah Division.
1. Political and Tribal.— The tribes of the Qurnah Division, with three
exceptions, are all in the Ahl al Jazair confederacy. These three exceptions are
Dair, Nashwah, and Suwaib; but, even of these, Dair and Suwaib are so closely
connected with the confederacy as almost to be regarded as members of it. Whether
the Albu Salih, under Badr al Rumaiyidh, which are now included in the Nasiriyah
Division, belong actually to the Ahl al Jazair is at present a moot point, but they
are claimed as members by the other Ahl al Jazair shaikhs. If Albu Salih are
not Ahl al Jazair, then the whole confederacy in included in this Division, and the
western boundary of the Division in the Hammar Lake marks the boundary between
the Ahl al Jazair and the Bani Khaiqan. The boundaries of the Division have
been finally decided during the year, and are as under
Eastern Boundary, from Pillar No. 14 on the Turco-Persian line to a point
3 miles north of parallel 31*15 North long.
Northern Boundary, from this point runs almost due West along the boundary
between Albu Muhammad and Bani Malik lands to the river, which it reaches
\ mile below Ezra’s Tomb. It runs diagonally across the river and leaves it
| mile above the Tomb. From there it follows the same tribal boundary to a
point about 2 miles south of Saiqal.
Eastern Boundary. —Due south from this point past Al-‘Abid (included) to
Hammar (Bani Hutait), where it runs through the middle of the village. Thence
it passes south of Mukabbah, and west of Tbadah (following the Albu Shamah and
Bani Hutait tribal boundary) in a south-westerly direction across the lake. From
the high-water mark of the lake southwards to Luqait station (excluded).
Southern Boundary. —From Luqait Station (excluded) along the northern edge
of the Basrah-Nasiriyah Railway to Rumailah Station (excluded), thence to ‘Aluwi
(excluded) and north-east through the marsh fro Nahr Shudhail, the northern
boundary of the Nahr ‘Umar estate, and down this Nahr to the river. The line
runs diagonally across the river to the mouth of the Nahr Abu Gharab and follows
the existing boundary between Nashwah and Zuraiji along the Abu Gharab, the
Urman Canal and the Abu Tabar Channel, until it reaches the desert, where it goes
in a straight line to No. 14 boundary pillar.
The division has not yet been divided into districts, but it is proposed to do
so as soon as another political officer is available. The new officer will be in charge
of the Hammar district, which will include Ibadah, Bani Musharraf, Bani Hutait,
Al Husaini, and Chabaish, and will have its headquarters at Bani Hutait.
It will, perhaps, be best to take each Nahiyah separately and note on each.
(1) Sakhrichah. —This Nahiyah runs along both banks of the Tigris from
Ezra’s Tomb inclusive to Nahr ‘Ajaimi, where it joins the Nuhairat Nahiyah. It
contains the Bani Malik tribe, who live between Nahr Ajaimi and Sakhrichah,
the Albu Bukhit, Bait Haddad, and one small section of the Al Fartus. These
tribes all live on the right bank of the river. On the left bank there are only two
small settlements, one at Al Khidhr at the mouth of the Rot ah Canal, and Silk
Humaiyun south of the Rotah Canal. These two settlements are composed of
a mixture of tribes, who cultivate the lands round their settlements. They own
allegiance to no big shaikh, but are under the authority of theii \ illage headman.
The Bani Malik were originally nominally under Shaikh Malzum, but he never
appears to have had much control over any but his own section of the tube, and
finally there remained three definite sections, each under its own head. It was
found impossible to deal with these other sections through Shaikh Malzum, and
so in September 1917 Muhammad Nuri, an ex Turkish official, was appointed Mudir.
He at first showed signs of capability, and appeared to be doing well; but later
fell away, and there was more than a suspicion that he had been mixed up with
robberies of supply trains, and he was accordingly dismissed in February 1918,