'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' [‎90r] (184/312)

These names are rather arbitrary and not used by the people. The name
dating from the earliest times and used in their official
Designations. documents is the “ Church of the East ” referring to
the time when the Church spread over the greater part of Central Asia. The
national name, used exclusively by the people and in ordinary letters is
“ Syrians/’ and they consider themselves to be one with the Syrians of West
ern Asia. The name “ Chaldean " has come into use in modern times and is
now generally employed to the Roman Uniats at INdosul in oidei to distinguish
them from the “ Jacobites,” to whom the name “ Syrian ” is there confined.
The name “ Nestorians ” is usually given to the people by outsiders and is
hardly ever used, except by those who have been under European influence. The
Musalmans use the word “ Nasara” (Nazarenes), which they give only to this
people- - • ,
The name f< Nestorian ” is retained in this report because it is the name these
people are best known by to English people; Assyrian Christians would seem
to be more correct. ... .
By far the largest portion of the Nestorians inhabit Turkey. In Persia
they only occupy the flat plains of Urmia and Salmas, extremely fertile and
well watered.
The mountain or Turkish districts are different to this, and intersected in
all directions by lofty mountain ranges separated by deep narrow valleys.
Here the people may be divided into two classes, the tribal Nestorians or
a Ashiret ” and the Rayah, or non-tribal. The former inhabit the valleys of
Tiasi, Tkhoma, Baz, Jelu, Diz, Walto, and Tall.
They are under Maliks or chiefs and rarely leave the valleys where they
live. They are more or less undisturbed there by their Musalman neighbours,
though their flocks are frequently carried off by raiding parties when they are
obliged to quit their natural fortifications in search of pasture.
These Nestorians are wild and savage, and schools among them are practic
ally unknown. Their priests are frequently incapable of reading or writing
and generally ignorant of the rudiments of the Christian faith. Preaching is
neglected and the ancient rites have become meaningless.
The Rayahs, or non-tribal, Nestorians are in a pitiable condition. Their
villages are generally the property of Kurdish chiefs, and they themselves little
better than slaves. They are taxed up to starvation point; their houses unfit
for habitation: men, women and children go about scarcely covered from the
winter's cold by a few rags, but in spite of this apostacy from Christianity is
almost unknown.
The interior of their church is a most touching sight; the old priest clad
in a vestment of the meanest material repeating hesitatingly the prayers that
have come down from the cradle of Christianity, the poor villagers pressing
forward to kiss a little common wooden cross, the emblem of our Holy Eaith ;
the monotonous chanting of the congregation conducted in low murmurs as
if they were afraid of being heard outside, all constitute a scene without
parallel since the persecution of the early Christians.
The country inhabited by the Chaldeans and Nestorians may be outlined
by taking a line from Sairdt down the Bhotan,
Country of the Nestorian.. ^ a j on? the Tigris to its j unction wi th the
great Zab, thence to Rawanduz, Urmia, and through Bashkala back to Sairdt.
Although no distinct line of demarcation can be drawn, the plain arourd
Mosul and the valley at the foot of the hills at Amadiyeh, Zakho and Jazirah
may be taken as the Chaldean country, while the Nestorian districts extend
from Amadiyeh eastward across several ranges of intricate and lofty mountains