"استطلاعات في بلاد الرافدين وكردستان وشمال غرب بلاد فارس ولرستان في الفترة من أبريل إلى أكتوبر ١٨٨٨، كتبها المقدم ف. ر. مونسيل، فرع الاستخبارات. يوجد مجلدان. المجلد الأول: تقرير سردي ووصف للمدن الكبرى والطرق المؤدية منها. شيملا: فرع الاستخبارات، إدارة قائد الإمداد والتموين، ١٨٩٠" [ظ‎‎٢‎٢] (٣١٢/٤٩)

30
Shaikh Mizal Khan of Muhammerah, a man of considerable influence, is
the principal shaikh of the Chab Arabs.
Muntifik Arabs .—These are by far the most powerful tribe of lower Me
sopotamia. They inhabit the country enclosed between the lower Tigris
and Euphrates, and on the rig-ht bank of the Euphrates south of Suk-ush-Shiukb
as far as the desert east of Busra.
A portion of them, the original Bedouin stock, are still nomad, but a large
portion of them are Eallahin, and cultivate the fertile land along the Euphrates
and Tigris near their junction. Suk-ush-Shiukh is their principal settle
ment.
These Fallahin are sometimes known as Marsh Arabs.
Large numbers of villages of reed huts, with cultivated strips of land, have
been banked out from the inundations and extend a long way above Kurna.
In the Hawizah district are many of the Muntifik tribes, migrated from
the right bank of the Tigris, between Amara and Korna, to escape the exac
tions of their Shaikhs. When the Mulaof Hawizah is strong, they pay him
tribute; when he is weak, thej^ decline to do so.
The Muntifik contain some 20 subdivisions, subject to constant change, as
regards numbers and strength.
The Beni Sa^ad are a large division occupying the loop between the rivers
near Kurna. Some divisions of the Muntifik are also to be found to the north
west of Baghdad.
Albu Muhammad .—These Arabs live along the left bank of the Tigris
from Amara to Kurna. They live in reed huts, and cultivate what land they
can reclaim from the great marshes. They are occasionally to be found in the
Muntifik country on the right bank.
Uubia .—These inhabit the districts on the right bank of the Tigris south
of Kut-h-Amara and Ali Gherbi. They are also known as the Rubbah. They
are now cultivators or Eallahin for the most part, but at one time occupied
the whole of the present Muntifik country. The Amara are a large subtribe
of the Rubia.
Bani Lam .—Along the left bank of the Tigris, between it and the lower
slopes of the Pusht-i-Kuh range, are the Bani Lam Arabs.
They occasionally roam as far north as Mandali and the junction of the
Diala and Tigris ; but remain round Bedrai and Torbatiyeh, and extend as
far south as the Tib and Kerkhah rivers.
They are a turbulent lot, always at feud with the Lur tribes over the
Persian frontier.
Zobuid. On the right bank of the Tigris, occupying the intervening
country between it and the Euphrates to the south-west of Baghdad, are the
Zobaid Arabs.
Shamar Toga .—To the north-east and east of Baghdad are the Shamar
Toga, the Battah and several other small Fallahin tribes.
Shamar. Along the right bank of the Tigris, between Baghdad and
Jazirah, extending over the large extent of country known as A1 Jazirah, are
the Shamar Arabs, a very large tribe with many subdivisions. They are an
offshoot of the great Najd tribe, who are distinguished as Jabal Shamar.
Routes in Luristan.
. In an y route which leads from the Mesopotamian plains into Persia, the
chief difficulty lies in the ascent of the great plateau, which extends all
over Central Persia, and varies in level from 4,000 to 5,000 feet.