"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد IV .١٩١٧" [ظ‎‎٢‎٢‎٢] (٥٣٠/٤٤٩)

440
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS
General Description. —Khoi is situated in a basin 16-18 m. long
and 8 m. broad, watered by the Qotur Chai and numerous hill-
streams. It is fertile, and contains many large villages. The town
itself is walled, but outside the walls there are extensive suburbs to
the W. and smaller ones to S. and E. The town walls form
a quadrilateral measuring 1,100-1,200 yds. in the side; they have
small circular towers or bastions at intervals of about 80 yds. The
mud curtain wall is 24 ft. high. The interior wall is vertical from
the ground-level to within 8 ft. of the top of the parapet, where
there is a way 6 ft. wide, in part paved with burnt bricks. The
parapet is loopholed, and its exterior slopes very steeply to the main
ditch, which is 50 ft. broad. Beyond this ditch is a broad and
massive outer line of defence, with another ditch 40 ft. broad and
15 ft. deep. The defences are in a moderate state of repair.
The town is entered by five gates, one each on the N., S., and E.,
and two on the W., approached by wooden bridges over the ditches.
The town is well laid out, with broad, regular streets, sometimes
shaded by willows, and watered by channels from the Qotur Chai.
There is a large walled enclosure called the Ark, containing the
arsenal, official residences, &c. The arsenal store-buildings are well
suited for their purpose. There are some good buildings elsewhere
in the town, including several mosques, a large brick bazaar, and
a fine caravanserai. The Qotur Chai is crossed by a bridge of seven
arches.
Supplies and Commerce. —The town is an important agricultural
centre, the locality producing, under irrigation, large quantities of
wheat, barley, and other grains, fodder, cotton, rice, fruits, and
vegetables. Wood is scarce, but all other supplies are plentiful.
There is a large transit trade, and considerable local traffic across
the Turkish frontier.
Inhabitants. —The population is largely Turkish, but there was an
Armenian quarter of some 500 houses outside the town.
KILLIS. About 35 m, N. of Aleppo. Pop. 12,000 (?). T. (Aleppo
.Mar'ash line).
Routes.—
(ij To Aleppo. (See Boute 152.)
(ii) To Jerablus. (See Route 141 a.)
(iii) To Birijik. (See Boute 142.)
(iv) To 'Aintab and Mar 'ash. (See 152.)