"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد II. ١٩١٧" [‎٤‎١‎٩] (٥٤٢/٤٣٠)

NEJEF—RUMEITHEH—SAMAWEH
419
their relations in the holy place. The result is that the town is
H much overcrowded, and ' people are here heaped on top of one
another'. See further on Shiah pilgrimages, vol. i, p. 83.
Administration and Authorities. —Nejef is the head-quarters of a
of the same name in the Kerbela of the of Baghdad.
Before the war Turkish administration was maintained at the lowest
strength compatible with effective control: the garrison consisted of
one company of infantry with a small force of mounted police.
The Shiah Mujtahkls (see vol. i, p. 86) are numerous, and the
influence of some of them extends throughout the Shiah world.
RUMEITHEH, on the Hilla Branch of the Euphrates, 28^ m.
above Samaweh. Pop. (1908) 2,500,
River Route. —See Euphrates, Itoute IV C, ii (Hilla Branch), m. 27.
General Description. —The town is situated on both banks of the
river, and its houses are scattered among gardens and date-groves.
For some years previous to the completion of the new Hindiyeh
Barrage (1914) the productivity of the soil was seriously affected,
and the population diminished owing to the drying up of the Hilla
Branch. In 1908 the number of houses was estimated at 600, mostly
low mud huts, but a large proportion of them were deserted. There
is an old stone fort on 1. bank of river near lower end of the town.
Supplies and Commerce. —In 1908 there were 180 shops, of which
40 were then unoccupied. Animals for food and transport are kept
in the neighbourhood, except camels. At that date barley,
idhrah, wool, and hides were still being exported, and in the autumn
a good deal of business was transacted with the Arabs in the neigh
bourhood, for whom Manchester piece-goods, drugs, and groceries
were imported.
Inhabitants. —The population is wholly Shiah and, with the excep
tion of about 70 Persians, Arab.
Administration. —Rumeitheh is in the of Abu Qawarlr in
the Kaza of Samaweh.
SAMAWEH. On the Euphrates, 71 m. by river above Nasirlyeh,
near the point where the Hindiyeh and Hilla branches reunite.
Pop. 10,000 (?) P.O. T. (the line Basra—Baghdad via the
Euphrates valley passed through Samaweh before the present war).
Bridge of boats.
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