"ملاحظات ميدانية: بلاد الرافدين. هيئة الأركان العامة في الهند. فبراير ١٩١٧". [و‎‎٩‎٧] (٣٥٠/٢٠٠)

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Route No. 10— contd .
The ruins of an old fort lie here on the south side of the dry bed
which could be adapted to form a defensive post. It consists
of a square enclosure, about 40 yards long surrounded by a
mound about four feet high and a ditch.
The left bank of the Karkhah above the salient is shelving
for a mile or more; and animals can go down to drink. At the
turn and for a mile or two down stream, the left bank is preci
pitous. The water is abundant and exceedingly pure, width
of river about 60 yards, depth from 20 feet in floods to nine feet
in autumn.*
At this point which would be a good place for a camp, a
little^ firewood is obtainable (it is very plentiful 10 miles up river
at Sinn-al-Abbas). Grazing is poor and cannot be taken into
account.
The track now runs along the left bank of the Kharkhah
at _ a^ distance of from I to 1 mile to a large village called Kut
Saiyid ’Ali, consisting of about 150 houses and situated 5 miles
from the fort on the right bank of the Kharkhah.
Firewood is stored in large quantities in the village (estimated
at 50 tons a 11 the year round). This amount is due to the fact
that this village is the first and closest one to the natural wood
supply at Sinn-al-Abbas, and little scrub brushwood to the west
of the village. Supplies 5,000 sheep, 500 cattle, no grain, no
transport animals available. The grazing is poor. Only about
10 mashufs (marsh boats) could be collected from this "village.
The population is about 500. This is the place favoured by
' Arabs for crossing as it is a straight reach with a depth of about
as a minimum in summer (in places, such as Khafajiyah—
10 miles below Kut Saiyid ’Ali) it is actually fordable for three
months (September to November), also there are other fords
reported up river from Kut Nahr Hashim but they have not been
definitely located.
The ground on the left bank of the Kharkheh is intersected
by deep canals and is unsuitable for anything but infantry and
lightly laden mules. It is impassable for wheeled traffic and
guns, also in spring and early summer for both cavalry and
* Current is J mile per hour in summer to 2 miles per hour as a maximum at
flood time, which may occur at various times between December and April (both
inclusive). t