'Central Asia. Part V. A contribution towards the better knowledge of the History, Ethnography, Topography, and resources of part of Asiatic Turkey and Caucasia' [‎176] (191/360)

HIL—HOK
just as it is described by Herodotus, and seems to be well adapted for ferry
ing- across the strong current without losing- much distance. The view, at
Hillah, both up and down the river, though not very extensive, being
varied with houses and date groves intermingled, is pleasing, from its verdure
and the life it receives from the water and the boats. [Kinneir Chesney
Fraser— Winchester^)
HUITZ—Lat. Long. Elev.
A village in the Province of Arzrum, Asiatic Turkey, 12 miles east of
Arzrnm.— {Abbott.)
HINDI EH—Lat. Long. Elev.
A canal in the Province of Baghdad, Asiatic Turkey, which leaves the right
bank of the Euphrates between Mussayib and Hillah, and flows south until
it spreads out into extensive marshes west of Birs Nimriid, and after passing
Kufa it falls into the great inland sea, the Bahr-i-Nedjef. When greatly
flooded the Euphrates frequently forces open a new passage or enlarges that
previously existing at the entrance of the Hindieh j thus a considerable por
tion of its stream is diverted from the river, and it is necessary to restrain
this efflux by dams at the point of bifurcation.— [Loftus.)
HIOBDON—Lat. Long. Elev.
A plain in Daghistan, Russian Government of Georgia, the exact posi
tion of which is not stated. It is nine miles square.— (Chesney.)
HIT—Lat. 33° 43' Long. 42° 27' Elev.
A town in the Province of Baghdad, Asiatic Turkey, on the right bank of the
Euphrates. It contains about 1,500 houses built all round an elongated hill
rising from, and parallel to, the right bank of the river. The houses are chiefly
of clay, one or two stories high, flat-roofed, and many of them covered or re
paired" on the top with bitumen. The streets are narrow and dirty, and fre-
quentlv steep, rising one above the other along the side of the hill, with a duty
black appearance owing to the smoke from the constantly boiling bitumen.
The hill and town are enclosed by a high mud wall with semi-circular towers,
but there is no ditch. One graceful minaret appears amidst this mass of brown
clay, and some respectable specimens of arabesque architecture are displayed
in some of the Saints' tombs, a little way outside the town, where the scenery
is that of brown, barren hills, and a desert country. Little or no grain is
cultivated near Hit; the inhabitants prepare a good deal of wool, but their
chief occupation is boat-building, burning lime, making salt, and preparing
bitumen, nafti, &c., great quantities of each being sent to Hillah, Baghdad,
Basra, and other places, the nafti finding its way even to India. The
celebrated springs of bitumen are near Gasar Sadi on the left bank, the
sources of which seem as permanent as a source of water. A bridge of
boats has been thrown across the river at this point for the passage of the
caravans of Baghdad and Aleppo.— {Chesney Kinneiv.)
HOGASTJR-Lat. Long. Elev.
A village in the province of Diarbakr, Asiatic Turkey, on the road between
Kharpft and Palu. It is large place, inhabited almost entirely by Arme
nians.— [Brant.)
HOK—Lat. Long. Elev.
A village in Russian Armenia, north of Nakhshwan on the road to Erivan.
It is a small white walled village with few inhabitants.— [Morier.)
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