"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد IV .١٩١٧" [ظ‎‎٦‎٠] (٥٣٠/١٢٥)

116
LAND ROUTES
Miles from
Dizeh
21|
23
28
31
33i
34i
Skirt the edge of a cultivated plateau and, going through
the country of the Pinianishli Kurds, cross the head of
a flat, fertile valley, well cultivated.
Disbereh, a village of 150 houses, 1 m. to 1. Eoute then
ascends gradually by a small ravine and crosses a ridge,
the divide between the Nihail Chai and the Menel Chai,
a large stream which drains the slopes of the Mur Dagh.
On the N. side a miserable village of 30 huts, ^ m. to 1.,
is passed.
Takurava. Route follows a broad easy track, over gravelly
soil, passing small springs and streams, and descends
the valley of a small ravine (alt. 7,300 ft.), wide at the
head and with a succession of fertile grassy terraces, on
which are several small villages, surrounded by poplars
and inhabited by Shekak Kurds, who have a lawless
reputation. The gradient gets steep, and the ravine gets
narrower at the bottom where it meets
Messel Chai (alt. 6,120 ft.), a rapid stream, 30 yds. broad
and 2 ft. deep in July, running over a pebbly bottom,
through a narrow valley bordered by high, rounded hills,
covered with grass.
Route then ascends a V-shaped stony ravine, with some
pollarded willows in it, by a steep rough track, which
leads to a valley 200 to 300 yds. wide bounded by
rounded undulations on which good hay is grown. Prom
the head of this valley a broad easy track skirts some
low gravelly hills, descending gradually to
Char Dereli (alt. 6,820 ft.), a village of 60 Kurd houses,
with some vegetable and tobacco fields, but no trees.
Water from a well 6 ft. deep. The horse-track from
Dizeh joins here. From Char Dereh the road descends
gradually, crossing numerous swampy valleys in which
fine hay is grown, and passing over undulating
spurs.
Bawls, 80 houses, in a small valley. Route follows a good
gravelly track by a gradual descent, then crosses some
swampy ground.
Cross the river Zab (alt. 6,180 ft.), by a ford with a gravel
bottom, the river here being 60 yds. wide and 2 ft. deep
in July, with a strong current.
Ozaia, a village of 20 huts, is passed on the opposite (1.)
bank of the Zab. Track is broad and easy.