"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد II. ١٩١٧" [‎٢‎٢‎٩] (٥٤٢/٢٣٨)

t in
*/-
ROUTE 8 a
229
Miles from
Amara
m
461
47i
534
56i
711
* *-
814
on the r. bank of the Shatt el-'Ama. The Shatt el-'Am a
was found to be dry in February 1914. See 10 c,
m. 62.
From Umm Chir there is a channel for difficult to
find, leading through the marshes to Biseitin.
Track skirts the edge of the marsh to S. To the N. are
sand-hills covered with camel-scrub.
Camping-ground on the N. side of the track.
Thalleh (village?) on the N. side of track.
Track now appears to turn in a general, SE. direction, still
skirting the edge of the marsh, and 3-4 m. from a line
of hills about 300 ft. high running SE. Firewood is to
be had on the hill-slopes.
About here the track appears to bend SSE. to some distance.
Camping-ground. Biseitin, a large straggling village about
2 m. to the SW. on the 1. (southern) bank of the Kar-
keh. River at the point where that stream changes its
general direction from NW. to SSW. to flow through
the marshes in several channels. The population of
Biseitin is reported as 6,000 Beni Taraf, with 200
mashhufs.
It was reported in 1911 that a strip of marsh f-1 m. broad
intervenes between the edge of the desert along which
the route runs and the r. (northern) bank of the Karkeh
Eiver: this marsh can be crossed at several points, one
of which is opposite Biseitin.
Track continues about SE., on the edge of the desert, at
some distance from the river, which is separated from it
by marshy ground and canals difficult for mules and
horses. The southern bank of the Karkeh is here much
cut up by canals.
Khafajiyeh on S. bank of Karkeh, a large village with
several mud huts and some hundreds of reed dwellings.
Eesources estimated at 1,000 buffaloes, 300 cattle, 500
sheep, 100 mashhufs. Here caravans in summer cross
the river (no details as to crossing), and proceed along the
S. bank, crossing numerous canals with minimum
summer depth of 4 ft. In winter and spring it is neces
sary to keep on the N. side of the river as far as Kut
Seyyid Ali, or possibly Kut Nahr Hashim (Illah). See
under m. 86^.
Kut Seyyid 5 Ali on N. side of Karkeh Eiver. Fop. 500,
J