"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" [ظ‎‎٨‎٦] (٣١٢/١٧٧)

The wood for rafts is floated down here from Diarbekr, Sairdt and the
wooded country north of Jazirah. At Baghdad the raft is broken up and
the wood sold at a remunerative price. Rafts are of various sizes, usually of
about 200 skins, sometimes of 400.
This was the end of the sheep shearing season, and several large rafts of
wool were about to start.
The raft is made of a framework of two layers of logs placed crosswise
over the skins and bound together with ropes and branches ; the deck is usually
covered with bitumen.
In the flood season in March and April, the voyage to Baghdad can be
done in 4 or 5 days with a loaded raft. In the low season it takes longer,
generally as much as 10 to 12 days.
The rafts are built just below the bridge on the right bank where poles
are kept ready stacked.
r Y!\\e. Euphrates steamer in 1839, under Lieutenant Lynch, surmounted
all difficulties and reached as high as the Zikr-ul-Ahwaz Bund, some 20 miles
below Mosul. There would be no difficulty in removing this and the river
would then be navigable to Mosul. Messrs. Lynch's present steamers, which
are far more powerful than the Euphrates, would find no difficulty in reach-
ino* Mosul, if the necessary permission would be obtained from the Turkish
Government. The Captains of both the steamers thought the project quite
feasible. [See description of Tigris above Baghdad )
Between Mosul and Jazirah there are no rapids, and there is a deep channel
and suitable for the river steamers all the way.
From a strategical as well as commercial point of view, it would be a
point of immense advantage that our steamers should know the river and
have the right of navigation as far as Jazirah.
The idea of starting a Turkish line of steamers between Mosul and Bagh
dad was being talked about here. It has several times been mooted, but the
necessary capital has not been forthcoming.
The principal merchant in Mosul is a Christian, named Abdul Hadr Shukur,
assisted by his three brothers. They are agents for Messrs. Lynch Brothers
of Baghdad, and he does most of the trade in cotton stuff and English goods
with that place. A large trade chiefly in wool, &c., is done, by caravans to
Aleppo and Sakandemn. Scarves worn by the Kurds are all of cotton from
the Aleppo looms.
In spring time droves of cattle are started from Shustar and Dizful and
driven along : the bank of the Tigris to Mosul, grazing as they go.
From here they are passed on to Sakanderun, where they are shipped for
Malta and Egypt. The best rice round Mosul is grown in the Navkur plain
and round Akra.
Complaints were made of the Hamawands on the Sulaimaniah road, having
recently looted £200 of treasure. There is also a considerable trade with
Persia following the Rawanduz route.
The climate of Mosul is very dry, the great heat in summer is debilitating,
and what with the general insanitary condition of the
Climate. narrow streets the inhabitants look pale and unheal-
l; I .j V •
The Mosul “button" is a kind of sore like the Aleppo button and the
Baohdad “ date mark." Ophthalmia is very prevalent.
The dryness of the climate is chiefly owing to the entire want of trees or
gardens and the proximity of the desert.