'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. IV. 1917' [‎119r] (242/530)

^ • ■
m
le l-A8i
ty)-
?h. In
gallons
Bg;
pring.
Miles from
Mosul
64|
ivated
1888).
ed by
)n r.,
op of
er as
ately
road
3 for
that
;iven
ragh
irove
)ws:
68
then
with
At
sight
12 ft
few
le is
ract,
EOUTE 90 a
233
gradient 10° ascending. For 150 yds. from the summit
the gradient is 12° up a series of short zigzags.
At 33 min. the summit of pass (2,680 ft.) is reached. The
length of the ascent is given as 2^- m.
The 1903 observer's account of the road from the summit
to Zakho is again very brief. He states that from the
summit it is merely a rough, stony hill-path unfit for
wheels. It is steep and zigzags continually. The
1909 traveller describes it as a bridle-path strewn with
boulders. The steep descent ends 3 m. below the
summit. It then goes down a gentle slope. 3^ ,m.
below the summit there is a good spring on the r.
From summit to Zakho is given as 6 m.
The 1888 observer's account of the descent is as follows.
He started to descend by an easy 20-ft. track, following
a small stream. The road here could be ascended by
wheels. At 7 min. from the beginning of the descent
the altitude is 2,590 ft. At 23 min. it is 2,300 ft. At
42 min. the valley opens to f m. wide; stream keeps
E. and disappears among some rounded spurs. Road
crosses some wide grassy terraces forming lower spurs
of the range. The hill-side is sparsely wooded with low
oaks and undergrowth. At 46 min. the height is 2,020 ft.
Road lies through large groves of oaks. The gradient is
easy, following the 1. bank of a stream. The track is
rough in places over sandstone. A little clearing of
loose stones and clay would make this easily practicable
for artillery.
At 1 hr. 1 min. descend a clay spur between two ravines
by some short zigzags; track 12 to 15 ft. wide. The
route crosses a small stream and ascends by 12-ft.
paved road with two zigzags cut in a ledge. At 1 hr.
13 min. the route descends the W. side of a clay spur
towards the mouth of the pass. A mile to the r., on
a grassy spur, is a small village called Hasan, sur
rounded by vineyards. This would seem to be the place
at which the 1903 observer reports a spring. At 1 hr.
21 min. the altitude is 1,870 ft. The road follows a
stream in a deep valley with shelving clay sides, banks
lined with oleanders and shrubs. At 1 hr. 41 min. the
altitude is 1,670 ft. On either side of the valley are
rounded, gravelly spurs, outliers from the main range.