"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد IV .١٩١٧" [و‎‎١‎٥] (٥٣٠/٣٤)

IS
INTRODUCTION 25
can be reached, or in summer and autumn the Khabur can be forded
at one of several practicable places between Zakho and its mouth : or
again the Tigris can be crossed at Feishkhabur(where there was a ferry
before the war) and JezIret-ibn-'Omar can be reached by easy country
along the r. bank of that river (see 90 a, b, c).
From Jezlret-ibn-'Omar to Nisibin there are two roads over the
plain below the Tur Abdin. These, some years ago, were not
throughout passable for wheels, but were generally easy for baggage
animals, though the southern route was liable to become difficult in
winter owing to mud. Both routes are well supplied with water.
There are a number of small Christian and Kurdish villages in the
neighbourhood (see Boutes 93 a, b).
Nisibin can also be reached by a direct route from Feishkhabur
over a rolling plain fairly well supplied with water (see 90 d).
Again, caravans used sometimes to go direct from Mosul to Nisibin
by Tel Rumelan, passing over undulating country, most of which is
uninhabited. The surface here is fairly easy for wheeled traffic, but
water is scarce, especially in summer and autumn. In spring there
is abundant grazing here. This is the line which has been planned
for the railway between Nisibin and Mosul. It is not known what
may have been recently done to make it more easily passable
for troops (see Eoute 91 and appendices). But it appears that in
January 1916 the Turks were using a line of march from Eas el-Ain
via Tel Ermen, Amudeh to Nisibin, and thence to Mosul direct (see
Boutes 126, introduction; 94, m. 17, and 91, Appendix 4). The
march from Eas el-Ain to Nisibin was stated to occupy 4 days, and
that from Nisibin to Mosul 9 days (or according to another report
15 days for the whole). It was anticipated that from July onward
a route from Eas el-Ain via Tel Ermen to Jezlret-ibn-'Omar, and
thence to Mosul, would be used, as it is better watered. Lastly a
circuitous way from Mosul to Nisibin is by Tel A'far and thence
along either the north or the south side of the Sinjar Hills to the
neighbourhood of the Shillo Pass, whence Nisibin can be reached
by desert tracks over flat country, soft in wet weather, with a poor
water-supply (see Boutes 92 a, b).
From Nisibin to Mar din there is a carriage-road easy in dry
weather but soft after rain, running along the foot of the Tur Abdin.
It is not very well supplied with water (see 94).
From Mardln to Diarbekr there was a partially metalled road which
was described before the war as passable for carts, but only in dry
weather for carriages. It leads along valleys between the Tur Abdin
and the Mazi Dagh and crosses some low stony hills. Water is
rather scarce on parts of the way (see 95 a). An alternative