"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد II. ١٩١٧" [‎١‎١‎٨] (٥٤٢/١٢٧)

KIVER ROUTES
Right Bank
Total
distance
(i) The Old Channel from the Junction or the Tigris
and the Euphrates at Kurna to the Junction with
the Mezlaq Channel above Suq esh-Shuyukh.
The Old Channel, as a whole, is practicable for river
steamers up to 5-ft. draught in the high-water season, but
in low water the soundings in the Hammar Lake some
times give only 18 in.
From Kurna to Chubeish Bar (m. 27) the river is easily
navigable by steamers loaded down to 10 ft. at all seasons
of the year. The width varies from 180 yds. to 60 yds.
Date plantations continuous to mouth of Derbend Creek,
Junction of Euphrates and Tigris.
Sherish. village opposite Kurna. Bridge of boats across
river.
Country of the Beni Mansur begins. General direction
of course between WSW. and SW. River bank artificially
heightened by dykes locally known as The palm-
belt which stretches along the bank begins near the water
side and stretches back for about 400 yds. in the direction of
Derbend Creek (see below, m. 6) and the marsh-country to S.
In the neighbourhood of the bank the trees do not grow close
together, and the plantations are usually sown with grain
for the spring harvest or with rice for autumn harvesting.
Farther back from the river-front the trees are dense, and
there is a narrow strip of slightly raised ground, on w T hich
huts and houses are built. From the river it is only
possible to obtain occasional glimpses of Beni Mansur
dwellings, which are scattered through the plantations in
clusters or in lines or singly. The Various tracts, each
of which is under its own Mukhtar or headman, have
boundaries not distinguishable by a stranger, Hindaur
and Mezraf are given as the names of villages lying
between Sherish and Derbend,
Miles
0
1 4