"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد III. ١٩١٧" [‎٣‎٩] (٤٣٢/٤٨)

I j W s /
THE TIGEIS—EOUTES HID, E
89
Inter
mediate
distance
Miles
Some distance above the tower is an opening in the bank
marking head of an ancient canal (Nahr Talsiyeh ?).
Euin-fields extending up to Samarra. The river is here
reported to contain several small rapids, probably due to
outcrops of rock in the river-bed.
Ford in low-water season.
Samarra Boat-bridge.
The river here varies in breadth from 370 to 460 yds.,
according to the season. Its current in mean water is 3 m.
an hour. Its depth is considerable: reliable details on this
point are lacking. The 1. bank is high (60-80 ft. above the
river in l.w.), and shuts off the view of the town from the
Tigris. The r. bank is said to be about 30 ft. high and
steep. The banks and river bottom are mainly firm
earth, with some sand (mostly on r. bank) and a few
stones.
Samarra and 120 miles from Mosul, by the Jebel Hamrin, a range of
rugged heights rising to 300-500 ft., through which the river forces
its way after running for some distance along the NW. side of the
hills. The Tigris flows over a bed mainly of shingle, with outcrops
of rock. The river frequently breaks up into two or more channels,
p Opplf enclosing low islands often overgrown with tamarisk and other
ritiesscrub. These islands are specially numerous between Mosul and
the mouth of the Great Zab. The rocks in the river-bed are often
^'verT and stand up out of the water or are barely covered by it.
'iih*# hedges of shingle, stretching across the channels between islands
clevil"* <ind the banks, and forming rapids, are common. Where it flows
in a single channel, the river is in the flood season generally
400-550 yds. broad from Samarra up to the neighbourhood of the
, 'MGreat Zab, where it is said to narrow to 200-250 yds. In l,w, its
trisf breadth in places may decrease considerably (see, e, g., m, 31, under
Ttl i- The current varies considerably according to the width and
ffl li ^ ie 1 ^ ver > an d the time of year. Depths also are very variable
|e'' 11 ^ See ^ )e ^ ow im< ^ er Navigation). For the two great tributaries, the