'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' [‎121r] (246/312)

In the mountain districts in the villages the houses are run one into the
other under one flat roof, so that the village looks like
Description of moun- one house, although in reality it contains several. This
tain village. ^ etter protection against the winter cold.
In the winter cows, sheep, and animals are crowded in, and give an addi
tional warmth, and keep the temperature above freezing point.
Entering by the low door, immediately to the left, is a large room with a
low roof of thick rafters supported by uprights at intervals. Over the rafters
were fascines and two feet of clay. There was one small hole for ventilation.
This room was intended for cows and sheep.
A little further along the passage, barely 6 feet wide and roofed over,
was a door opening into the living room of one family. It was about
feet square, and lighted only by a hole 2 feet square in the roof; and t e
roof was slightly raised in the centre and supported by wooden uprights.
In the floor was the oven, and the heat and smoke inside at this time of
year was stifling. _
In one corner was a large brick vat for holding water in the winter to pre
vent its being frozen. _ ,
The walls of the house were built of slaty shale and turf sods, rurther
along the passage were other doors leading into the houses of othei families.
The villages are usually situated iu sheltered positions at the bottom of t ie
^ 00 p vallevs.
The Kurd nomad tribes in the mountains usually quarter themselves in the
Nestovian villages for the winter.
11 th July General direction E.N.E. Left Merwanen (8,095') following
a broad well-defined track over undulating clay hills. Several fields of millet
and sesame were passed and quantities of good hay still uncut.
Stian.—A.t miles passed Stian, a small Nestorian village, at the head
of a grassy valley similarly situated to Merwanen.
At miles crossed a small spur ( 8,000 ), and descended a wide grassy
valley, following a small stream.
Tall white and red clover, ryegrass, two small kinds of vetch, and
numerous English flowers and grasses grew in great abundance.
There were numerous springs in the hillside, and district looks as if it
would support a very much larger population. Only a few cattle and sheep
Sekunis .—At miles we reached the bottom of the valley (6,925 ), and
crossed a large stream in two branches, each 40 yards broad and 2 feet deep.
On the other bank is the Nestorian village of Sekunis. This stream is one
of the many forming the upper waters of the Bohtan Su.
A few stunted poplars and willows grow along the banks. These are the
first trees seen since leaving Maidan Jashush. A large herd of cows and a
few water buffaloes were grazing by the stream bank.
Several tracks lead up and down the valley, and the hills look easy and
rounded to the right and left. Our track is a broad clay path ascending a wide
spur, dividing this from another stream»valley also running west.^
The general direction of the main valley from Sekunis is 295 .
The Lahijan Dagh is clearly visible now to the west. It overlooks the
valley of the Bhotan Su from the south.
At 91 miles we reached the top of the spur (7,970 ), and descended a long
narrow valley by the bank of a small stream.
The hill slopes are, as a rule, rounded, with isolated volcanic-looking peaks
of rock jutting out here and there.
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