'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎65] (198/458)

MEMOIR ON THE “TIGRIS” Qr y
Arabs located in the vicinity are the Suadiyeh and Meshahedeh, who
cultivate the West bank of the Tigris between Tel Goosh and Jedideh :
they are Sunnis ; but a Shiah tribe named Khasrej wander in the vici
nity ef the Kh&n and the Tarmiyeh, whose occupations are entirely
pastoral#
Despatching a Kawas * across the country to Jedideh, with instruc
tions to move the vessel to the next appointed station of Sindiyeh, we
awaited his return at the Khhn, as well as to obtain shelter in the heat
of the day, which, in this month, begins to be considerable. By 2 v. M.,
however, we had mounted, and keeping a course of 34° 3" traversed
a bare plain without anything to relieve the monotony of the journey,
excepting occasionally crossing branch lines, emanating originally from
some large canal, which, I am told, passes a little to the East of the line
of our route. The glare from the arid tract was very painful. An hour
and a half s ride from the KMn brought us upon the large canal alluded
to and called by the Arabs Nathriydt. f It comes from a direction of
NNW,, and is considerab ( y elevated above the surrounding country,
with high steep banks on either side of its bed, from whence, indeed,
it derives its modern name of Nathriydt. Like other conduits used for
conducting water from a hard soil on a high level to depressed alluvial
districts, the course here is very sinuous, to break the force of the
stream, and to give an easy descent to the element into the plain,—in the
same way as horses or men take the diagonal slopes in the descent of a
hill instead of the steeper and straight path. This spot is on the verge
of the tertiary and alluvia ; the surface soil here changing, as you proceed
North, from argillaceous earth to pebbles, which latter increase in size as
you progress upwards. As yet, however, they are here mere washings,
as at Akr-Kuf; and a line drawn directly South, from Khdn Dholoiyeh
to the East of Tigris—through Nathriydt, Akr-Kuf, onwards to Khan-
Iskenderiyeh, on the road to Hillah—will define the exact geological
separation of these surface soils in this part of Mesopotamia. From
Dholoiyeh Northwards, the course of the ancient Batt Canal may be
* Kawass, see note $ to page 4.
f Nathriyat is the plural of nathr “ observation,” and, attached by the modern Arabs
to the elevated mounds on this canal, implies <£ look-out places,” from its being a favorite
resort of the predatory Arabs, who, stationing one of their party on the summit, see to an
immense distance around, remaining concealed themselves in the bed of the canal, until it
suits them to issue forth, and sweep off flocks of caravans that may have strayed within reach
of their vision.