The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1916-09-07
REGION FULL OF ROMANCE
khanikin, Kasr-i-Shirin and Other
Points on the Caravan Route
to Bagdad.

The Khanikin region, where the
Russians were reported to have been
checked some time ago in their ad-
vance upon Bagdad, is the subject OF
the following war geography bulletin
issued by the National Geographic So
cicty:
1t is 80 hours journey. along
much-travelcd Caravan route, from
khanikin to Bagdad. The latter city
lies IS miles southwest of the Turkish
border town which is situated on both
sides of the Hulvan river, u tributary
of the Dialn, whose waters empty into
the Tigris.
Nesting near the foothills of the
lagos mountains, with the fertile but
uncultivated Mesopotamian plain
stretching to the south, Khanikin is a
commercial gateway between Persia
and Asiatic Turkey. Through it pass
the caravans which bear to Bngdad
the produce destined for transshipment
| to the port Of Bnsra on the Persian
gulf. To the east lies Kermanshah, fa-
nous for it's carpets and it's horses,
and situated almost equidistant from
TabriZ, Tcheran, Ispahan and Bagdad.
Not only does the traveller Journey
ing from Bngdud to KhaniSin meet
trade caravans, but frequently he en-
counters curious funeral professions
Of Shiite pilgrims making their solemn
way from various points in Kurdistan
to Kcrbela, below Bagdad. The falth-
full believe that there is special virtue
in being buried near the shrine Of
IIusein, who fell at Kerbeln in ESQ
A. D., while battling with the enemies
Of his father, Ali, sOn-in-laW of tho
prophet and fourth caliph.
Khanikin is chIrmingly situated in
the midst OF galNens, whose fruits
and palms are famous. Six hours
journey from here, on the road to
kerrnanshah, is Kasr-i-Shirin, once the
headquarters or q notorious rObber
chief and interesting on account Of it's
connection with the romantic legends
| concerning Ferhad and Shirn. Here
| are to be found the remains of rock
hewn aqucduct, which in ancient days
| conveyed water for q distance of IS
! miles in order that the gardens Of
Shirin might be made worthy Of the
beauty of their far-famed mistress.
| The story of Ferhad and Shirin is one
| Of the favOrite rOmances of the East.
| Fcrhnd was the greatest sculptor Of
his day, and a great architect. While
| making baS-rciefS of his sovereign,
ChosrOes II, and of the latter's bride,
the Christian Shirin (also called Sira).
- Foil In
his beautiful model. ChOsrOes, so goes
the legend, promised to bestow Shirin
upon his gifted subject provided the
latter would cut through the rock Of
Bchistun and divert q stream to the
kcrmanshah plain. Ferhad UNDER
took the task, but when the work was
almost completed an emissary came
from the false king bearing a tragic
story of Shirin's death. The sculptor
in despair leapcd from the rocks and
was dashed to death upon the site Of
his engineering triumph.
In this neighborhOod is Sar-i-Pulizo-
hab, where the Ali Ilahis believe David
lived and where rOck-hewn tomb is a
place of pilgrimage. This sect, sup
posed to believe in the successive re-
incarnation Of the gOdhead through
1,001 existcnces, had q remarkable be-
ginning, for it is recorded that Ali,
who is held to be their god, repudiated
the worship of his wOuld-be followers.
and when AbduIla ibu Saba, an Arab,
proclaimed him to be God the disciple
and those who jHned in prOtestations
of reverence were ordered cast into q
pit where fire was thrown upon them.
While the burning brands descended
upon the zealots they cried out in their
agony, "Now is the certainty of all GER
tainty that thou art God, for the
prophet has said, None but God shall