"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد II. ١٩١٧" [‎٣‎٥‎٧] (٥٤٢/٣٦٦)

EOUTES 21 b, 22
357
'Aqarquf is sometimes badly flooded (see under m. 11|). The country-
is mostly desert, with scattered patches of cultivation (see under
m. 27-2-). Nomads with flocks of sheep are occasionally seen on the
route, but no appreciable amount of supplies can be expected.
Water is apparently not plentiful. Grazing mostly camel-thorn and
tamarisk, though some grass may be found in places in spring. Fuel
scanty. The miles given below are taken from an account of 1905.
Another estimate gives 21 m. to Abu Ghoreib and 39 m. to Fellujeh,
and a third gives 40 m. to Fellujeh. There appear to be several
possible tracks ; see e.g. m. 1^ m. 11^.
Miles from
BagfMad
o
Baghdad. The road leads through the r.-bank suburb
of Baghdad, past gardens and broken mud-walls. Ac
cording to map of 1916, road in dry season (described
below) diverges from Ttoute 21 a, just beyond brick bridge
(p. 345); in wet season caravans go along the top of the
sudd to Kharr bridge (pp. 345, 346), and leave Route 21 a
immediately beyond it. This road apparently leads also
to Aqarquf.
Monument called Tomb of Zobeideh. It forms a notable
landmark about ^ m. to the N.
Zaptieh post, with five police (November 1905). The road
passes some brick-kilns lying close to the W. About
400 yds. off, in the same direction, is a dyke 12 ft. high,
some clay huts, and graves.
The route leads W. by N. through flat and open country,
largely covered with camel-thorn. 220 yds. farther on
the road passes a telegraph wire 300 yds. to the N.
Saqlawiyeh Canal, here about 50 yds. wide, touches the
road (water in November 1905 40 ft. wide, 2 ft. deep).
The road from Kerbela to Kazimain crosses route.
Large dry canal goes off to NW.
The route lies over flat, open, featureless country covered
with camel-thorn.
Nullah, easy to cross for all arms. 220 yds. farther on is
a deep brick well with good water 35 ft. below the ground-
level.
'Aqarquf ruins about 2 m. to the N. In April 1896
the journey up to near this point had to be made in
a boat, the marshes formed by the overflow of the
Saqlawiyeh Canal extending right up to the walls of
Baghdad