"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد IV .١٩١٧" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٠] (٥٣٠/٢٠٥)

196
LAND ROUTES
Miles from
Jeziret-
ibn-
'Omar
591
60i
62
66|
66^
73
74^
76
78
79
here 120 yds. wide, and 5 ft. deep, with a rapid current
among boulders and shingle. On the 1. bank rises a cliff
above which is a sloping terrace f m. wide, topped by
a wall of rock 300 ft. to 400 ft, high. Oak scrub on the
slopes. The ascent is easy at first, then gets steeper, and
ends in short paved zigzags with a roadway of 10-12 ft.
or narrower at some points.
The top of the steepest part is reached (alt. 2,750 ft.) and an
easy clay track follows, going up a bare dry valley to
the N.
Aderius, ^ m. to the 1.
Eoad reaches head of ravine and enters Sairt.
From Sairt the T.L. to Bitlis strikes N., while the route
under description goes NW. along a projected
(1888) to Bitlis, the first 3 m. of which across the open
plain were well metalled, and practicable for wheels. The
telegraph line towards Diarbekr goes along the
which has probably been further improved of late years.
Descend by a stony track to the Keser Sn, 2| ft. deep
in September. It rises to 5 or 6 ft. in April or May.
Ford the stream. Here a track to Diarbekr by Sinan
branches off.
Pass Serpir on the r., near a ruined stone bridge. Cross
a fertile plain passing Keseri hamlet and Erbin village
(on the r.), and then skirting some low hills. Turn NE.
and follow a valley, in which is a small, brackish stream.
The valley leads towards the Bitlis Su, to which there
is a steep descent by a fair track. Pass Maclar on the r.
Pass Seriyan on the r. On the 1. bank of the river low
ground with cotton cultivation.
Ford the Bitlis Su. It is usually passable except in spring.
The track follows the r. bank, over sandy soil, and passing
a spring. On the 1. bank are high hills fairly wooded.
Sulha, a small Kurd hamlet. Here the road leaves the
river which comes down from a gorge to the NE. Ascend
a narrow valley, skirting in places a winding torrent bed
(dry in September).
Cross into another similar valley, with scattered oak and
hawthorn.
Gevri Giaour, a village to the r. The road then leads
across a hilly amphitheatre by a pass 300 yds. long to