1868. | Artificial Irrigation. 487 
owe their fertilty to the happy manner in which the inhabitants 
have availed themselves of a mode of conducting water to them, a 
mode, as far as I know, peculiar to this country. The greater 
part of the face of the country being destitute of running streams 
on the surface, the Arabs have sought in elevated places for springs 
or fountains beneath it. By what mode they discover these I know 
not, but it seems confined to a peculiar class of men who go about 
the country for the purpose ; but I saw several which had been sunk 
to a depth of 40 feet. A channel from this fountain head is then, 
with a slight descent, bored in the direction in which it is to be 
conveyed, leaving apertures at regular distances, to afford ight and 
air to those who are occasionally sent to keep it clean. In this 
manner water is frequently conducted from a distance of 6 to 8 
miles, and an unlimited supply is thus obtained. These channels 
are usually about 4 feet broad and 2 deep, and contain a clear rapid 
stream. Few of the large towns or oases but had four or five of 
these rivulets, or jelezi, running into them, The isolated spots to 
which water is thus conveyed possess a soil so fertile, that nearly 
every grain, fruit, or vegetable common to India, Arabia, or Persia, 
is produced almost spontaneously.” In the ‘Journal of the Asiatic 
Society of Bengal, the same subterranean irrigating channels are 
referred to as being used in Affghanistan, where they are called 
Kahrezas. Cieza de Leon, writing between 1532 and 1550 a.p., says, 
“The Indians of Peru had, and still have, great works for drawing 
off the water, and making it flow through certain channels. Some- 
times it has chanced that I have stopped near one of these channels, 
and before we had finished pitching the tent, the channel was dry, 
the water having been drawn off in another direction, for it is in 
the power of the Indians to do this at their pleasure.” Markham, 
referring to these works of the Yncas of Peru, states, “Trenches 
are cut along the whole length of the valley, becoming tunnels at 
the upper end, and penetrating into the rocks until they come in 
contact with underground springs. They are some 4 feet in height, 
with the floor, sides, and roof lied with stones, and are called 
huirca. At intervals of 200 yards there are man-holes in the main 
tunnels.” 
Somewhat similar works are also referred to in Baird Smith’s 
Italian Irrigation, under the designation of Fontanilt, as existing 
throughout the irrigating districts of Piedmont. 
