"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد IV .١٩١٧" [ظ‎‎٨‎٠] (٥٣٠/١٦٥)

156
LAND ROUTES
arch, over which it seems that flood-water passes, the
roadway being much worn in 1900, when the bridge was
in bad repair. Its use can be avoided, when the river is
not in flood, by an easy ford with good approaches,
some 50 yds. above it.
Beyond the bridge a short and rather steep ascent leads to
a rocky ledge, which to fit it for wheeled traffic requires
widening and levelling in places. Hence there is
a descent leading to a rocky defile 50 ft. lower, the
stream passing through a gorge on 1.
Zernak, Kurdish village of some 30 houses, on 1. bank,
dominated by remains of a castle, situated at the mouth
of a rocky ravine and surrounded by a few trees and
gardens. A mule-track runs up the Zernak valley to
the road leading from Serai to Pagha Gedik and Qasriq.
Farther on the valley is 400 yds. wide with 200 yds. of
shingle and shrubs and brushwood along its banks,
thi'ough which flows the Khoshab Chai, easily fordable
except in the spring, when the rush of water is very
great.
Route leads past low hills closing in from N. and crossing
the wide shingly bed of a stream at the mouth of a deep
valley running NE., whose sides are intersected with
numerous small ravines.
Pass Ari Khan, an Armenian village of 40 houses, 1|- m.
to r. Prom this place mule-tracks lead N. over the hills
to Toni and Kashish Grol.
Track begins to leave the valley trending NW.
Pass Hindustan, Armenian village of 50 houses, 1 m. to 1.
on the Khoshab Chai.
Cross to r. the mouth of a large ravine from Toni and
Kashish Gol and follow a good clay track.
Norkeugh, Armenian village of 60 houses with good
springs, situated on the edge of a well-cultivated plain.
Following outliers of the Varaq Dagh (alt. 10,195 ft.),
which lies to the N., by an easy ascent overlooking the
Havatzor plain, the slope becomes steeper until, trend
ing round the hill-side to W., it becomes easier; then it
follows a small ravine and ascends steeply.
Norkeugh Gedik (alt. 7,635 ft.), on which in April 1904
there was so much snow that horses had to be unloaded