JABAL MISHRAK AND HAMMAM ALL 29 



concentrated sulphuretted hydrogen (see p. 35). Bituminous earth is 

 associated with this sulphurous emanation. As it seemed more than 

 probable that oil indications must exist somewhere in the hills, my 

 interpreter was sent on a long round, and after being shown two more 

 sulphur localities was at length successful in obtaining information 

 of a small seepage of tar, to which he was led by an Arab who had 

 noticed it while out shooting, and of which he brought back samples ; 

 it lies on high ground in a stream-course a mile or so west of the 

 large sulphur emanation in the Eiver Tigris, and consists of a slow 

 trickle of tarry oil, producing a small quantity of asphalt. 1 



At Hammam Ali there is a well-known spring of hot water, 

 containing hydrogen sulphide and a little sulphur derived therefrom. 

 This hot water is accompanied by traces of tarry oil, and there are 

 conspicuous tarry pools in the immediate vicinity and also east of 

 the spot where the Supply Depot used to be, some with gas rising. 

 This bitumen has not collected in sufficient quantity for export, but 

 it has been used locally for roofing and other purposes. The usual 

 odour of sulphuretted hydrogen characterises these pools. 



A small quantity of asphalt was found on the camping ground 

 at Shura, but as the latter was a swamp of mud at the time, it was 

 impossible to decide whether it had been brought there or was indi- 

 genous ; I am inclined to think it was the latter. 



A small sulphur-laden stream was noticed about six miles west 

 of Hammam Ali. 



Prospects of Boring. — The Mishrak anticline is a gentle one and, 

 besides the conspicuous Hammam Ali occurrences, at least one 

 seepage of oil is known. The chief risk of failure in sinking a boring 

 is that the river, which has eaten well into the north-eastern limb, 

 may conceal a fault or faults of magnitude. There is no evidence 

 in favour of this, and I think the chances are against it. The 

 prospects of obtaining oil are not unreasonable, and, in my 

 opinion, warrant a test, which should be sunk a mile or so S.S.E. 

 of Jahannam on the crest or 100 — 200 yards west of it. The rise 

 in the neighbourhood of Kharrar and perhaps the country some 

 distance west of Hammam Ali, may also be worth exploration, if 

 the boring in the river area is successful. The parallel anticline 



1 Messrs. A. H. Noble and R. DuB. Evans subsequently found another oil seepage 

 occurring at the junction of the valley in which the above recorded seepage was observed 

 with the Tigris. For yet another seepage sec note on page . 



