Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎150v] (300/678)

22
Route No. 2 — contd .
Baghdad to Aleppo via the Euphrates Valley.
Name of stage.
Approximate distance
IN MILES.
Actual
time
occupied
in hours*.
Remarks.
Interme
diate.
Total.
3. Opposite Rumadi
30
60 105 The road keeps at first up the left bank of the river
to the village of Saklawiyahj about five miles.
The low ground by the river here is liable to in
undation in spring, when if the river bursts the
embankment it goes for miles inland towards Baghdad, and the flooded portion must be crossed in boats
Saklawyiah is an unimportant village on the canal of the same name, this is crossed by ferrj, half a 1
bevond it. Road then over undulating desert, keeping some way inland to avoid the low ground ; there are
generally encampments of Shammar and Dilem Arabs about. Camp a little above and opposite o
Rumadi in pasture land occupied by Dilem Arabs.
Hit _ ... 34 103 n Road goes rather inland at first over gravelly desert
' more broken and higher than before. After about
12 miles descend to river. A good track which
soon strikes again across the desert and reaches
the river a^ain four miles below Hit. Thence up to the ferry at the town. The sarai is bel ow the mound on
which most of the town is built. 1 his is the only place to stop, all the ground round being a mass of
bitumen and sulphur springs, but it is very dirty. Supplies of all sorts procurable.
5. Jabbah ... ... 27 130 9 Road up the river among low rocky barren hills for
about 10 miles when the village and island of
Salahiyah are reached. Then leave river and
strike across desert to a little below Jabbah.
Small villages and water wheels scattered along river on both banks. Jabbah is only a small Zaptieh post,
with 3 or 4 men,; plenty of grass and supplies in small quantities from villages.
6. Hadithah ... 18 148 6J Road first for about 14 miles over the desert away
from the river, Last four miles up river bank
through cultivation. Hadithah, a large village on
an island. Camp on bank opposite. The Zap
tieh post is on the island ; supplies and grazing.
7. Fahami
16
164
5J Road close to river for eight miles, then strikes over
desert across the bend in the river to Fahami.
No village here, only a small walled post with two
| or three Zaptiehs. No supplies and fuel scanty.
This, like most of the other Zaptieh posts, is about 100 feet square, with high walls, but no means of firing
over them.
8. Anah
184
Road soon leaves the river for the high ground and
again comes close to river at 11 miles. From here
Anah is visible and the outskirts of the town are
reached at 17 miles. Camp three miles further
on in a small open space by the river; supplies procurable. The distance between Jabbah and Anah
can easily be done in two marches of about 27 miles each. There is a good place to encamp between
Hadithah and Fahami.
9. Nahiah
21
205
Half a mile from the camping-ground the long
street of Anah is left by the northern gate. After
a mile through gardens’ and fields the read ascend?
to the high ground and keeps mostly along it,
occasionally descending to the river bank At a little under 20 miles a large grassy plain is reached on
which the post of Nahiah is situated. No village or supplies of any sort, but good grazing. It is held by
two or three Zaptiehs. Country here not so thickly populated as below Anah and very few villages.
10. Al Kayim
24
229
7i
For 11 miles road mostly close to the river, then
across the desert for eight miles more. The last part
is close to the river, chiefly through cultivation. Al
Kayim is only a Zaptieh post on rising ground
near the old tower from which it takes its name. No village near and no supplies, but it is the residence of a
Mudir. The people about are Karablah Arabs who do a little cultivation.
11. Abu Kamal
16
245
The whole of this march is over low-lying ground,
marshy in places and with thick brushwood near
the river. The road keeps over the grass avoid-
„ . , ., , ■ , . , W S t ' le marshes. About half-way between Al-
kayim and Abu Kamal the Wilayat of Baghdad is left and that of Aleppo entered. Abu Kamal is a small
village on high ground by the river, but with low-lying and rather marshy ground all round it It is the
residence of a Kaimakam and has a small bazar. About two miles lower down stones were being collected
and it was said that a new post was to be built there for the Kaimakam and Zaptiehs.
12. Salahiyah
20
265
04
Road as in the preceding march and good. Sala
hiyah is only a Zaptieh post situated below the
cliffs which above it come close to the river. No
supplies procurable. The distance between Al
Kayim and Salahiyah can be done in one long march.
* The times given are those actually taken by a Caravun consisting i.f six hnrsps ak li . , ,
containing camels was joined and the pace w as rather slower. " * ^ . ^ arera h onwards, whe» a caravan