'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' [‎82v] (169/312)

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construction, drawn across the stream, chiefly used for driving mills or
irrigating small orchards or gardens.
The stream bed (1,610') is sunk too low to allow the plain being irrigated.
The road is very rough and over slabs of rock in places, and would require
improving to pass guns through. ^
Shinaioa. At tne mouth of the pass is the small Yezidi village of Shinawa.
The road turned east from the pass along the foot of the rido-e to the
north.
Alkosh. —At 13 miles Alkosh was reached (1,800'). It is a place of
l,o 00 houses situated partly on the slope of the hill. The houses are built of
a species of concrete of gypsum embedded with small round stones. No
wood is used, and the ceilings are arches turned with cement. The houses
are built under, in, and on each other in a most perplexing way. The
stieets aie nairow, fairly clean, and as a whole the town has a smart and
bustling appearance. The bazar is small and straggling. All round the out
skirts were piled large stacks of wheat ready for threshing. There is a good
trade with Mosul, carried on by small mule caravans, carrying wheat and
barley, the inhabitants are exclusively Christians, numbering about 7,000 ;
of these about two-thirds are of the New Chaldean sect, and the remainder
Papal Chaldean.
Alkoy-h Monastery.-—To the south-east, H miles farther along foot of the
hilb, is the Monastery of Alkosh. It contains a small chapel and rooms for
the monks, of which there are here 25, including the head priest, who is an Ita
lian ; the remainder being taken from the Papal Christians of the district. The
monks own large tracts of land about Alkosh, Tal Ouskof, and Tal Kaif r and
have several flocks of sheep and cattle, besides vineyards on the upper slopes of
the hill. ' r
Robbaa Eormvz About two-thirds of the way up the rocky
hillside to the north is the Monastery of liabban Hormuz. The hill is very
precipitous, and a narrow winding staircase leads up the last 300 feet. The
chapel and most of the buildings are excavated in the rock, a whitish limestone.
Each monk when not engaged in devotional exercises cuts his cell and rooms
out of vaiious parts of the rock, to which little stairs lead. They are expected
to dig theii graves out of the rock as well. An excellent red wine is made by
the monks from their vineyards, and a typical old Simon the Cellarer brought
forth a jug on our arrival. They are of the order of St. Anthony, with strict
observances.
Young priests are educated here, and on coming of ao> e are given their
choice of remaining or going out into the ministry. The range on which
the monastery is built is steep and rocky on its southern slope and rises 1 000
to 1,500 feet above the level of the plain. Mar Mattel is a monastery on the
same range some 15 miles to the south-east and built in a somewhat similar
position : there are said to be 365 cells there, also cut out of the rock The
monks there are of the New Chaldean sect.
Left the Alkosh convent at 12-15 p.m., having been entertained by the
hospitable monks. The road over the plain is a 12 ' to 15' track over slight
undulations, and is easy going all the way to Mosul. &
The soil is a rich loam, and grows wheat without irrigation. Indian corn
and melons are grown in the hollows. Very little water is met with now, and
the streams are slightly brackish by the gypsum strata passed here and
mere.
n 7 A ^??n^ F ‘~ Afc 11 ^ miles £l ' 0m Alkosh balt ed in the village of Tal
Uuskot ( 1 ,-iOU). °