"ملاحظات ميدانية: بلاد الرافدين. هيئة الأركان العامة في الهند. فبراير ١٩١٧". [ظ‎‎٦‎٧] (٣٥٠/١٤١)

126
Route No. 1— contd .
4 SAFWAN . . . 10.—About N.-E. over
slightly undulating,
77 stony desert. Safwan,
a village situated on slightly rising ground, just within the
Turkish Frontier, and consisting of 2 or 3 small enclosures
containing a few houses and a date grove, surrounded by a
wall, and belonging to the Naqib of Basrah. Lucerne and a
few sheep are the only supplies obtainable. To the east of the
date grove is a post garrisoned by 10 zaptiahs (1911). One
mile to the west is a Bedouin halting place with wells of fair
water at 12 feet. Jabal Sanam stands 5 miles west of the
village.
5 RAFIDHIYAH . . 14.—General direction,
slightly E. of N.
91 The route runs over
flat barren, stony ground, passable for all arms. It skirts the
swamps at the head of Khor Zubair, and is above the ordinary
flood level.
At mile 14, Rafidiyah, a country residence of the Naqib
of Basrah, it is a quadrangular enclosure with bastions at the
north and south angles. Water sufficient for 1 brigade in
■standing camp from 5 wells of which 3 contain undrinkable
and 2 drinkable water. There are a few trees.
6 BASRAH . . . 16.—General direction
N.-E. by E. The
107 route at first runs
north over a plain with a very slight ascent. The soil is gravel
ly. There is fair camel-grazing and occasional houses with
irrigated gardens. The whole of the country betw r een Rafi-
dhlyah and mile 6 is plentifully supplied with water from
wells 5 to 6 feet deep; they are especially numerous about
mile 4. From mile 3 to 6 there is scattered cultivation of rice,
maize, lucerne, and dates, the pots being surrounded by
tamarisk growth. This tract is called Dirhamlyah, and the
population is about 6,000. There are large numbers of buffa
loes, cows, and sheep.
At mile 8 , site of old Basrah, and 3 miles off the track in a
direction south-west by west, is Zubair, a well-built town
situated on slightly elevated ground with a ridge of broken