'Routes in Arabia' [‎57] (90/852)

57
Route No. liy—zonhl
TTafer.-Each village stands on a creek, generally providing
good and plentiful water. There are no wells, bx.t water is
always easy to obtain from creeks or the riv4. The banks
^ould generally require to be ramped to enable animals to
get to the waters edge, but this would present no difficultv.
IS ear the sea, water should be taken with the falling tide"
especially when the river is low. '
.fVeZ, A great abundance of date-palm wood
Mfer.-Plenty of short graas inside the date plantations.
Lucerne and barley are extensively grown and, in places, rice.
spring^for sheep. P,antati0M ^ " n0 «
Sapplies. Large quantities of dates, and a little straw
and barley, are obtainable at the hamlets. The best dates
f pr ° C 7 at I)arah and Sani yah, stage I, the former
tract also producing a few grapes, oranges, and figg. Meat
alfPwrff a f T nt ' and milk ' fairly so - A few donkevs
and indifferent horses are to be found in many of the ham-
It -M OSt . 0f ^ n ! ch aIs6 ^ oss ess boats. A considerable num-
ber oi boats and barges could easily be collected.
Kb. of stage
and total
distance.
Details.
administrative'
headquarters of a dis-
. i- , , tnct of the same name
extending along the right bank of the Shatt-al-'Arab from the
sea upwards for 8 miles ; a place of international importance,
inor to Xove.mber 1915, Fao station consisted of two sets of
Telegraph Offices, the one of stone near the river being' the
luridsh, and the other, the British. Alongside the latter water
is stored in 7 tanks holding 400 gallons each. South of the old
British office is a substantial single-storeyed brick structure
cu 5 rooms, formerly the property of the Turkish Government •
near by is a hut village with a population of 150 souls. Fao fort
is about 600 yards from the Shatt-al-'Arab, but at high tide the
water washes up to its walls. It is roughly rectangular, and had