'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' [‎39v] (83/312)

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The soil is fertile and the date gardens are famous. A good deal of wheat,,
barley and maize is grown along the river bank, but the general insecurity of
the country prevents much prosperity or trade. A series of mounds iind ruins
called Tapa Akr lies to the north beyond the gardens, said to be the Tomb
of Darius.
The population are mostly settled Arabs, with a few Lurs from over the
frontier. They are all Shiahs both in Bedrai and Zorbatiyeln The Shaikh of
Redrai is a Sunni, and there are some 20 houses of that persuasion there.
The river water is brackish and bitter, but drinkable. The place is un
healthy on this account, and much fever prevails. In 1884 the plague broke
out in the Mendali, Bedrai and Zorbatiyeh districts. Numbers of the inhabit
ants tied, and deaths were numerous. No other water is procurable; some, a
little better, was got from a canal to the south of the place.
The weather was sultry and oppressive, hot winds blowing all day from the
desert. Noon temperature 102°; after sunset 82°, and at 2 a.m. down to 73°.
Flies, mosquitoes, &c., very troublesome.
There is no way of dividing the distance to Kut, except one short stage to-
Jessan (13 miles), and a long one from thereto Kut (40 miles). No water
or supplies to be had at this time of year between Jessan and Kut. The dis
tance was given as 10 farsakhs.
29th August —Left Bedrai at 2 a.m. escorted by six zaptiyahs, whom
the Mutasarif insisted on giving. The road was a broad, level, well defined
track, skirting the river bank, crossing several irrigation cuts. The ground
is left fallow for two years before crops are again taken.
Jessan .—At 13 miles at 5-45 a.m. reached Jessan, also in a date grove on
the river bank. Stayed during the day in the house of the Shaikh. Tem
perature 98° at noon in the house, with hot winds. This is a place of 400
houses. The date gardens seem poorer than Bedrai, and it suffers much from
Arab raids. Water is from the river and canals, bitter and brackish, but drink
able—rather worse than Bedrai. The population are settled Arabs, all Shiahs.
Several cattle and sheep grazed on the plain.
Left Jessan at 5 P.M., carrying water in skins, and started across the plain.
Remains of numerous canals and watercourses were crossed, for the first 6 miles
and then a broad well beaten track was followed over the bare desert. Soil was
a caked alluvial clay. At 19 miles (9-45 P.M.), marching in bright moonlight,
we came upon the edge of dry salt marshes, in which the track became
entirely lost. The zaptiyahs lost the road, but by steering by compass from
bearings previously taken from the map, I managed to shape out a very direct
course and hit off the track again on the other side within i mile.
The bearing from Jessan to Kut is 190°, and the track runs in almost a
straight line between the two. This is the Suwekjeh marsh formed by the
Gunjir from Mendali and other streams which at this season lose themselves in
the desert. Probably some water from the Bel id Ruz canal also enters it. In
spring time I was told the track has to be found through 3' of water. There
are other large marshes more to the southward, into which flow the Gunjian-
chun and the Changolan, a river emerging from the mountains 30 miles to the
south-east, and the outlet of which reaches the Tigris near Ali Gharbi.
These latter—a large sheet of water—could be seen in the moonlight to
the south of the route. It is only in spring or flood time that any surplus
water finds its way into the Tigris.
d he track led over ground covered 6 to 8 inches deep with white saline
powder, through the crust of which the animals sunk at every step. Not a
vestige of vegetation of any sort could be seen.