'Central Asia. Part V. A contribution towards the better knowledge of the History, Ethnography, Topography, and resources of part of Asiatic Turkey and Caucasia' [‎19] (34/360)

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ALK—ALT
ALKOSII—Lat. Long. Elev.
A town in the Province of Mnsal, Asiatic Turkey, situated 80 miles north of
Musal. It is a large place, very strongly built on the side of a low rocky hill;
it is surrounded by a strong stone wall, and the houses are built in the most
substantial manner of the same materials; all are arched at the lower story
and being built on a declivity, they rise above each other, which together
with all the houses being loopholed and very strong makes it a place of
great strength. The inhabitants are all Chaldeans and Roman Catholics,
speaking nothing but Arabic. They are said to number about 2,000 to 3,000
souls. They are a very stout independent set, and can muster about 400
matchlocks. The men dress like Kurds of the poorer class : the women
wear blue trousers and over them a large blue shift; they wear no veils; their
hair hangs down behind in two plaits or tails and round their heads they have
a garland of silver coins. {Shiel.) (Rich.)
AL-MASHAHEDEH—Lat. Long. Elev.
A tribe of Arabs who wander about from Taji to Tarmigeh to the north-west of
Baghdad above the Saklawieh canal and on the right bank of the Tigris. They
number about 350 tents and the same number of matchlocks. They cultivate
lands usually pertaining to the farmed district of Dijel. They have cattle
in plenty, a few horses, and are capable of maintaining a position in a country
exposed to the Bedouins. They are expert thieves and indulge their pro
pensities in petty ways unusual with the Arabs in general. {Jones.)
AL MUKADAM—Lat. Long. Elev.
A tribe of Chab Arabs who reside at Khut, near Dorak, in the Province of
Khuzistan, Persia. They number 4,500 adult males. (Pelly.)
AL-TAI—Lat. Long. Elev.
A tribe of Arabs who reside south of the great Zab River in the Province
of Baghdad, Asiatic Turkey. They number 500 tents and are generally
employed in cultivation, though at times predatory. They possess many
camels. {Jones.)
ALTYN KOPRI—Lat. Long. Elev.
A town on the Altyn Su, Province of MtJsal, Asiatic Turkey, and 106 miles
south-east from that town. It is situated in a peninsula (which becomes an
island during the flood season) of the river, which is crossed by a bridge,
whence the town received its name," gold bridge/' Its population is said at
one time to have been 8,000, but Kinneir says it is of the same size as Kufri,
which has a population of 2,000 only. It contains in addition to the dwelling-
houses several grain-stores and wharfs, at which last the rafts descending
thus far are discharged. These are a little below the town in the right
bank. The river just above the town is about a mile broad, but runs off
into two arms, which join below, both equally considerable and leaving the
town in an island. Many houses are commonly carried away in the spring.
The town is then completely washed by the river. On the side of the great
bridge the river is confined by a strong bank of concrete pebbles till about
the height of the bridge, where the bank retreats about quarter of a mile
and slopes up gently. On the north side is a low plain, sandy, and pebbly,
confined by broken hills at about the distance of a mile. This space has
evidently at times been filled by the river up to the hills. {Kinneir—Chesney
Rich—Shiel.)
ALTYN StT—Lat. Long. Elev.
A river of Kurdistan, which rises near Ushnal to the south-west of the