"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد II. ١٩١٧" [‎٦‎٦] (٥٤٢/٧٥)

66
RIVER ROUTES
cultivators have been causing considerable deterioration in the
channel, both by throwing out brushwood groynes and reclaiming
the land on a falling flood, and by cutting irrigation channels at the
concave sides of bends. It is reported that if these practices were
checked and the narrows dredged, navigation would be materially
assisted here.
2 m. above Kurna town the palm-trees cease, and between that
point and Amara occur only in isolated clumps. Marshes prevail on
both banks of the river to a point some 10 m. above c Ozeir, though
in places there are small areas of cultivation ; above this point there
are fine areas of grazing ground and cultivation and numerous Arab
settlements of mat huts, sometimes collected round a large mud
building, half dwelling-house, half fort.
From Kurna to f Ozeir the banks on both sides of the river are
inhabited by small and unimportant Arab tribes, the largest being,
Right Bank
Kurna fortifications.
Nuheirat village and date gardens occupy a strip of land
m. broad extending from Kurna fortifications to
about
Fort Snipe, 1^ m. up-stream. Behind Nuheirat plantations
the ground is low-lying and is flooded every summer to a
depth of 2 to 3 ft., and farther from the river gives way to
permanent marsh.
Port Snipe,
Port Snipe Creek, 400 yds. above the fort.
MTorfolk Hill, a large mound about 1 m. from Fort Snipe.
Barbukh Creek, a large creek 1,600 yds. above Norfolk
Hill. This creek connects inland with the El-Howeir
Creek, which runs into the Euphrates (see Boute IV A (i),
m. 7i).
Shrapnel Hill, conical and conspicuous mound 500 yds.
above Barbukh Creek and l^- m. from the river.
Gun Hill, long and low mound 500 yds. NE. of Shrapnel
Hill.
Aluweh (burnt, 1915), a small village. River bends
WNW. for about 1 m.