'Routes in Arabia' [‎747] (778/852)

747
R oute N o . 201— contd.
3 MIR RUSTAM .. 1 hr. The place where we
46 mts. halt is the ruined
village of Mir Rustam,
which was accidentally destroyed by fire in the autumn of 1909.
The present village is a little to the north-west, but we are as
sured that the people will return before long to the former site.
4 KOIKAH .. 2 hrs. In half an hour an-
1 fi mts. other station is reached
at Koikah, where the
track crosses another ridge, and where there are the remains of
a village deserted a year ago. The ovbservations are taken from
a place 100 yards to the right of the road. Looking backward
we see the crossing of the Mirawah ridge to the south-south
west. To the south by east, is Shavaisiyah, a village of 10
houses of Mir Mahmali Kurds, and to the south-east by south
is Shinawah, a village of 8 or 9 houses of the same ; wc passed
these villages 10 minutes before reaching the station, 8havai-
slyah being then 300 yards to the right of the road, and Shina
wah in line beyond it and about 1,000 yards from the road.
Both villages are under the Amir of Shaqlawah. From our
present point of observation we see, slightly to the right of Shi
nawah but about 2\ miles off, the village of Shaikh Mahmudi-
yah, 60 houses of Mir Mahmali Kurds ; it seems to lie immedi
ately under a hill which closes the upper end of the valley up
which we are now looking.
From that direction come two streams which close in to
wards one another and again separate under the point of the
ridge on which wc are now standing ; the nearer is called Sha
vaisiyah, the further Shinawah. Due east, at 500 or 600 yards,
is the village of Sisawah, consisting of 10 houses of Mir Mahmali
Kurds. Northwards, beyond the streams, on the road by
which we shall pass, is the village of Ari Sirak, 10 houses of
Mir Mahmali Kurds. It is 20 minutes beyond the point where
we now are. To the north-north-west, at about 1J miles, is
M5trawah village, 30 houses of Mir Yiisufi Kurds. To the
north-west by west, at some 2h miles, is Sursurah village, 30
houses of Mir Mahmali Kurds. There are some good fruit
orchards hereabout.
Since entering the hills between Arbil and Shaqlawah we
have seen oak trees of two kinds. In many places they make
up the greater part of the wooding. One of these is the ballut,