'Reconnaissances in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, North-West Persia, and Luristan from April to October 1888. By Lt F R Maunsell, Intelligence Branch. In Two Volumes. Volume I: narrative report, description of larger towns and routes leading from them. Simla: Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Dept, 1890' [‎19r] (42/312)

TIip time taken by travelling by raft varies according to the time of year.
From Diarbekr to Mosul the descent can be made in 44 days in the flood
season, the total distance of 270 miles being accomplished in 90 travelling
hours—that is, at the rate of 3 miles an hour.
From Jazirah to Mosul is 36 hours by raft in June, when the water is get
ting low. There are no rapids or any obstruction, and navigation is easy, the
river flowing in a deep channel over shingle and gravel banks, which do not
alter their position as easily as the sand and mud banks lower down.
From Mosul to Baghdad takes from 3 to 4 days in the flood season and
12 to 14 in the low season, when they are only able to navigate by day, and
have to lie up for the night.
The chief difficulties of this section are the passage of the bund of Zikr-
ul-Awaz below Nimrudand the shallow rapids in passing through the Hamrin
ridge. From Tikrit to Baghdad the navigation is easy.
Bafts at present manage to slide over the bund, a drop of about 1 8 inches,
with a good deal of twisting and breaking of the skins. The Euphrates
steamer, belonging to Colonel Chesney's expedition, ascended as far as the
bund, 20 miles from Mosul, but did not cross it. Messrs. Lyn ch say they
could easily run their steamers to Mosul were the bund removed, and having
reached Mosul, there is no difficulty in reaching Jazirah.
The Turks talk about forming a company to navigate the Tigris as far as
Mosul, and the Euphrates as far as Maskeneh ; but very little seems to come
of it.
About the 36th of October, sooner or later according to the season, the
Rise and fall of the rains cause the first rise in the river, and the navigation
r ’ ver - improves.
In January the frost and snow in the mountains checks the rise; and the
permanent rise does not begin till March, when the high floods commence.
In the middle of July the low season commences, and lasts for four months.
The current in the low season is very slight, and in flood the swiftest is
about 4 miles an hour.
Sudden freshets are occasionally met while the river is rising, coming
down with great violence, but not continuing long.
Below Baghdad the constant passage of the steamers has improved the
navigation a good deal.
In April the river rose 3 feet in a single night at Baghdad.
As regards the tributaries of the Tigris, the Bohtan-Su, the principal
Navigation of tributa- eastern branch, is not navigable at all.
ries of the Tigris.
The Khabur is navigable for large rafts from Zakho to its junction with
the Tigris from November to about the 15th of June, a distance of some 25
miles. In the hills to the north of Zakho are coal mines, from which the
lurks supplied the fuel for their Tigris steamers, and which was brought
from Zakho to Baghdad by raft. This has now been discontinued through
some mismanag^pent, as the mines are still perfectly workable.
The Greater Zab would be navigable from the Berdin to its junction with
the Tigris, a distance of about 60 miles. It is a deep sluggish river at this
portion of its course, and probably, if explored, could be navigated by
steamers.
The Lesser Zab is navigated by timber rafts from the Marga plain to the
Tigris ; but it is doubtful whether steamers could ascend it, except perhaps
in the flood season.
The Diala is navigated by the Tigris sailing craft as far as Bakuba, about