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'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' [‎70r] (144/312)

The record is made up of 1 volume (152 folios). It was created in 1890. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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foot wide, witli some steep rocky parts in places. The lower slopes became
wooded with rich soil dotted over with a few vineyards.
For the last 2 miles of the descent the track is very rocky, following a nar
row ravine. Along the small stream bank are mulberry, sycamore, oak, fig,
and pomegranate trees. It would be quite impossible to make a fair road
out of this rugged path, strewn with boulders and rough jagged stones with
a sudden drop of three or four feet at intervals.
Bila Kenpri .—At 15 j miles emerge on the plain at foot of ridge (1,840')
near the small village of Zubbut; from which an easy track leads to Bila
Keupri (1,470'), where we halted (17§ miles).
This is a place of only 40 huts built with stones from some ruins close at
hand of buildings of the time when the Zebari Kurdish chiefs were powerful
here. The lower part of the walls of the houses are of this squared stone,
and the upper of wattle and daub with a flat roof of wattles covered with earth.
There is a stone fort in the village about 80 yards square, with round towers
at the corners and loopholed walls. It is partially ruined, and is used as
the kaimmakam's house. This is a kaimmakamlik of the Mosul Wahat; and
about 20 zaptiyahs are quartered here. The nearest point of the Zab river is
If miles distant and it opens into an undulating plain bounded by steep
ridges on all sides. The plain is crossed by several low wooded spurs from
the Piris Dagh.
The course of the river is on a bearing of 107° down the valley. About 1 0
miles down stream the hills close in, and it flows between narrow impassable
gorges as far as the Berdin Gorge.
Reznn .— Bezau is 3| miles distant (1 hour) on a bearing of 89°. It is
on the left bank, and now half in ruins, containing only 30 houses. Near it is
a small island in the Zab. A large tributary, the Keklik, coming from the
mountain districts of Shirwan, Girdi and Nutcha, flows in close to Rezan. It
comes through an opening about 1 mile wide in the hills to the north. The
road to these districts and Gavvar leads through this gorge. Some Christians
reported the road as very difficult; so narrow in places along the steep moun
tain slopes that two people could not pass abreast. Shirwan and Girdi have
become depopulated of late years, not more than 100 families of Nestorians
live there now; scattered among Kurdish villages, five or six families in each.
Caravans rarely follow the route through Rezan.
The Zab has a very rapid current below Rezan flowing among boulders and
rocks and is not fordable at any time of year. There is a raft ferry obtainable
near Rezan, but crossing is said to be difficult.
There is no route down stream from Rezan, as the river gorges are too
difficult. On the left bank extending from 343° to 55° is high mountain range,
with a long rocky summit thickly patched with snow. Dotted about its
slopes are the villages of the Beroz Kurds, about 15 altogether. It is a well
wooded country. No villages were visible, but their fires could be seen at
night. SJjirwan lies at the other side of this range, north of Rezan.
The Zab is known here as the Zerb. The peak of the Boz Dagh bore 65°
from here. A very rough mountainous country with several high snow covered
ranges intervenes east of Rezan. There are 10 Christian houses in Bila Kenpri,
and a few Jews who wander about trading among the mountain districts.
The valley round Bila Keupri towards the Zab grew splendid grass and red
and white clover. Men were gathering it for the winter.
Locusts arrived in the morning : the air became thick and the sun darkened.
In the afternoon there was scarcely a blade of green grass left. Corn was
hurriedly cut quite green to save as much as possible.

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Narrative report on surveys conducted in Mesopotamia [Iraq], North-West Persia [Iran] and Luristan [Lorestān]. The preface provides the following information:

'The object was to explore various tracts of little known country through which roads lead north from the head of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. to the Waliat of Van and North-West Persia near Urmia. To accomplish this, two routes through Luristan from the Tigris valley were travelled. In southern Kurdistan the roads from Kifri to Sulaimaniah, from there to Rawanduz, and Rawanduz to Amadiyeh, were gone over in Turkey, and Suj-Bulak to Karmanshah through Sakiz and Sihna in Persia. The country south of lake Van to Mosul was traversed in the routes Amadiyeh to Mosul, Mosul to Jazirah, Jazirah to Bashkala, Bashkala to Urmia, and Urmia to Suj Bulak through Ushnu.'

The report contains the following illustrations:

  • Tak-i-Girra, looking east (f 42).
  • Sketch showing the Town of Rawanduz [Rāwāndūz], (f 63).
  • Sketch showing the bridge at Rawanduz. (f 66).
  • Sketch showing Amadiyeh [Al 'Amādīyah] from the north-east, (f 76).
  • Sketch showing the bridge of Mosul (f 85).

The report contains the following maps:

  • Pass of Tak-i-Girra, on the Baghdad-Kermanshah Route, December 1889 (f 41).
  • Country in vicinity of Rawanduz, May 1889 (f 64).
  • Plateau of Amadiyeh and surrounding country, June 1888 (f 74).
  • Plan of Mosul and surrounding country, corrected from Jones' survey, August 1889, (f 87).
  • Country between Feishkhabur [Fīsh Khābūr] and Zakho, June 1888, (f 101).
Extent and format
1 volume (152 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 154; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

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English in Latin script
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'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' [‎70r] (144/312), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/144, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100035451478.0x000091> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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