'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' [‎84v] (173/312)

crowd jostle one another in the streets; Arabs, Kurds, Jews, Christians, and
Mosulis.
The streets are narrow and paved with round stones which make them
very slippery. There are three large serais in the town with very fair accom
modation.
Crowded round the toll bar at the bridge were hundreds of nomad Kurds
with their flocks waiting to pay toll and pass over. They are taxed by the
number of sheep they possess. They winter in the plains to the west and are
now on their way to the hills. They are mostly nomads from Jabal
Sin jar.
Seen from the opposite or left bank, the town rises slightly in the centre on
a natural mound. There are seven gates. On the east the Bab-es-Sinjar, on
the south-west the Bab-al-Baidhti, at the south corner the Bab-al-Irak, along
the south-east face the Bab-al-Lagish, Bab-es-Serai and Bab-al-Tup, and
overlooking the bridge Bab-al-Jisr.
The French Consulate is 1| miles from the Bab-es-Serai on the river bank
in a small garden {see plan).
The walls are from 15 / to 20 / high, 3 feet thick at the top and 4 / to 6 /
at the bottom, with a dry ditch about 15 yards wide and 10 feet deep outside
filled up with debris and sand in several places. There is no covered way or
glacis capable of defence as at Baghdad. The walls are of sun-dried bricks
and have much crumbled away, while in places they have been removed
altogether and the ditch levelled. There is a ruined citadel overlooking the
bridge head from the north. The walls were built as a defence against raids
of the Shammar Arabs some years ago.
To the north of the town the walls enclose a large open space. Lime is
burnt in numerous kilns outside the gates.
To the south-east, outside the Bab-es-Serai, is a large open space used as a
market for animals where fairs are held. On the river bank, f mile south of
the town, are the barracks and the Government offices of the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . This
is called the Serai and consists of one large two-storied building built round an
interior court; a fine looking place, but rather dilapidated. There are four bat
talions of the 6 th Army Corps, numbering about 4U0 men each, quartered
here.
An attempt was made to plant an avenue of trees to the Serai from the
town, but it failed. The entire absence of gardens of any sort is very
noticeable in Mosul.
There is a Governor of the town, Hamdi Beg, as well as the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of
the Wailat, Muhammad Tashin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , who has his headquarters here.
The Dominican Mission has a printing press at which they can print in the
Arabic, Armenian, Syriac and Chaldaic characters. There are 8 monks and 12
sisters.
Most of the higher officials in Mosul speak French; Arabic, and Kirmanji
is most spoken in the town; and Turkish only by officials.
In Mosul the Musalmans venerate many local saints. Mar Girgis, or St.
George, for instance, is their patron saint as well as of the Christians.
The tomb of the prophet Nahum is at Alkosh, whither the Jews make an
annual pilgrimage.
Nabbi Yunus ,—The tomb of Jonah the prophet is at Nabbi Yunus near
a large mosque on a mound opposite the south-east corner of the town on
the left bank. Several Yezidi tombs with their curious fluted conical spires
are also to be seen. There is also a leaning minaret bending itself, of course,
in the direction of Mecca.