"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد II. ١٩١٧" [‎٢‎٠‎٤] (٥٤٢/٢١٣)

204
LAND EOUTES
There are several canals and irrigation cuts which need ramping
for wheeled traffic. None of these requires bridging except where
noted in the itinerary.
Water is good and plentiful from the Tigris. Information is given
with regard to watering-places, but these vary considerably from
year to year.
A limited number of sheep and cattle can be obtained from villages
and Arab encampments en route.
Considerable quantities of bhusa and grain for fodder can be
obtained from villages and Arab encampments Camel-
grazing is plentiful, but there is very little grazing for horses.
Wood fuel can be obtained only at Qutniyat (m. 68|), but scrub
jungle is plentiful.
In time of high flood the only places that can be counted on as
having considerable areas above flood-level are Kut el-Amara, Bagh-
dadiyeh (see under m. 76) and Ctesiphon (m. 93).
A T. L. runs roughly parallel with, and often contiguous to, the
route. For the river-route see Boute III C, and Appendix B.
Miles from
Kut el-
Amara
o
6
10
Kut el-Amara (camping-ground). General direction to
m. 16, WNW. Eoad runs NW. from camping-ground
for about 2 m.: on this stretch in Feb. 1916 it needed
improvement for wheeled transport by filling in water-
cuts, &c. (The Turks subsequently made a road from
their camp at Shumran passing N. of Kut to the 1. bank
of the Tigris opposite Maqasis.)
Route joins old caravan-route. From here to m. 6 the
going is good. The track runs for the greater part of
the way along an old canal. The side-tracks leading
to the river are very sandy and heavy.
Route turns SW. to river and runs along river bank to
m. 10, through the Zoweir Hammad tract. There are
here two tracks : the upper one is dry and dusty but
affords good going for horses and vehicles: the lower
track has in the dry season a hard damp surface said to
be ' excellent for infantry but doubtful for guns'; in the
flood season this lower track would probably be under
water. The river bank is covered with scrub: owing to
its steepness, watering would be difficult.
Track, continuing in same general direction, leaves the
river, which here makes a considerable detour to S.
(through El-Qayet esh-Sharqi and El-Qayet el-Grharbi