"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد IV .١٩١٧" [و‎‎١‎٧‎٨] (٥٣٠/٣٦٠)

Miles from
XJrfeli
o
28
Oft.
32
illev
35i
be-
m
and
46^
50|
(low
57^
ROUTES 120 b-123 a
351
@>
Urfeh. No details are available as far as Hovek.
Hovek. large Zingari village with good water from
a perennial stream. Route 113 (m. 38^) crosses here.
Leaving Hovek the track runs W. for about 2 m. and then
bends N. by W.
Pass Sarunjaq village on r.
Pass Eaperga village on r.
Yallakh. village.
Qishkan village on 1.
Narsaid village in Euphrates valley (see 115, m. 26).
Eilik on the Euphrates : ferry.
ROUTE 123 a
BIRIJIK—URFEH (43| m.)
Via Char Melik
Authorities: — Military Report onE.T.A., vol. iv, Route 146 (reports of 1886 and 1902).
Notes by a traveller of 1908. Information of 1914.
This is the more northerly of the two routes to Urfeh. It is
generally fairly easy, but in places rough, stony, and heavy in wet
weather. It was regularly used in 1908 for carts, both for passengers
and merchandise. By 1914 the road had not been metalled for the
first part of the way except for a short distance outside Birijik. The
last third of the road before reaching Urfeh is a well-engineered
chaussee, which would be considered good in any country. In 1903
it was reported that it was less used than the route SerQj (see
Eoute 123 b), owing to the insecurity of the country and the in
completeness of the chaussee, but conditions may have altered in
the interval.
Between Birijik and Char Melik, 21 m., the country is open, bare
and undulating; the soil heavy; much cultivation; villages fairly
numerous but small and miserable. Water from wells; supplies
scarce. No wood. From Char Melik to Urfeh the country consists
of bare rocky limestone hills ; water very scarce ; no supplies.
(The distances given below appear to be somewhat under
estimated.)