Chapter XIII: Descriptive

Our rate of travelling. — Latitudes and longitudes. — Water. — Temperature. — Geology. — Zoology.

THE day and the hour of our caravan’s arrival at El Fasher or Tendelty was Wednesday, March 22nd, 2 o’clock p.m. We had left Old Dongola, as will be remembered, at 11 o’clock on the morning of February 3rd, and, as 1876 was leap-year, had been forty-eight days and three hours on our journey.

The time during which the camels had marched was two hundred and thirty- two hours and eighteen minutes, and the distance travelled by the route I followed was five hundred and ninety-two miles, giving an average rate of something over two and a half miles per hour. Our through rate per day, including stoppages, was twelve miles and a third.

On short distances, if the state of the camels on arrival at the end of their journey is a matter which cannot be taken into consideration, it is sometimes possible to travel, on well-conditioned animals, at their normal pace for sixteen hours a day; and journeys of two hundred and fifty miles have sometimes been made at this rate. At the expiration of that time, however, the camels will require a rest of ten or twelve days before being again fit for work, and many of their number may, moreover, have given in and died on the road. On long journeys, where it is necessary to husband the strength of the camels and of the men, it is always best to work them only for eight hours a day, and if the wells are four or five days’ journey apart, to allow them to rest for two or three days. Twelve miles per day, including stoppages at the wells and delays from all causes whatever, is generally considered a fair rate of travelling. A rate much exceeding this will fail to keep the camels in health and fitness for long and continuous work.

The direction of El Fasher from Old Dongola is south-west. Below is appended a tabulated list of the wells at which we stopped, with their latitudes and longitudes and heights in feet above sea-level.

[M.: Number of miles travelled.
Avg. rate.: Average rate per hour in miles.
Alt.: Height above mean sea-level.]

+------------+--------------+--------------+---+---------+-----+-----+
| Place. | Latitude, | Longitude, | M.| Time |Avg. |Alt. |
| | N. | E. | |occupied.|rate.| |
+------------+--------------+--------------+---+---------+-----+-----+
| | ° ′ ″| ° ′ ″| | H. M.| | |
| | | | | | | |
|Old Dongola | 18 13 18| 30 41 35| — | — | — | 790|
| | | | | | | |
|Mahtool | 17 32 | 30 41 | 47| 17 13| 2·73| 899|
| | | | | | | |
|Sotaire | 17 0 | 30 37 | 44| 16 50| 2·61|1,030|
| | | | | | | |
|Ain Hamed | 16 31 | 29 34 | 80| 31 20| 2·55|1,188|
| | | | | | | |
|Bagghareeyeh| 15 20 | 28 48 |104| 39 20| 2·64|1,572|
| | | | | | | |
|Om-Badr | 14 14 | 28 4 | 92| 35 0| 2·63|1,949|
| | | | | | | |
|Karnac | 13 30 | 27 20 | 75| 32 55| 2·28|1,926|
| | | | | | | |
|Boota | 13 28 | 27 15 | 7| 3 30| 2·00|1,801|
| | | | | | | |
|Broosh | 13 35 | 27 2 | 18| 7 30| 2·33| — |
| | | | | | | |
|Abiad | 13 47 | 26 32 | 37| 15 15| 2·43|2,047|
| | | | | | | |
|Orgoodt | 13 28 | 26 0 | 45| 18 25| 2·66|2,260|
| | | | | | | |
|El Fasher | 13 36 45| 25 22 37| 43| 15 0| 2·87|2,418|
+------------+--------------+--------------+---+---------+-----+-----+

The latitudes and longitudes and heights above mean sea-level of Ain Hamed, Om-Badr, and Abiad refer, not to the site of the wells, but to the bottom of the valley, where the proposed railway crosses.

WATER.

An analysis of the water in some of the wells gave the following results:—

+------------+--------+-----------------+-----------------+----------+
| — |Mahtool.| Karnac. | Bootah. | Orgoodt. |
+------------+--------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
|Grains of | 73 |2·50 |2·45 |2·45 |40·1 |50·4 |50·3 |50·10|2·52|
|common salt | | | | | | | | | |
|per gallon | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
|Hardness by | 9° |8°·5 |8°·4 |8°·6 |17° |27° |21° |21° |23° |
|soap test | | | | | | | | | |
+------------+--------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+

The water in most of the other wells was soft and saltless to the taste, and no analysis was made.

With the exception of the wells at Sotaire and Bagghareeyeh, none of those we stopped at on our way to El Fasher ever become absolutely dry. The year of our journey was unfortunate in the respect that the rainfall of 1875 had been limited, and the quantity of water in the wells was not so ample as it is in most years. We had, however, hitherto experienced no scarcity. Ain Hamed has never been known to be dry, but just before the rains the yield is so small that the well is useless for any caravan but a very small one. Om-Badr, for several months after the rains, supplies water enough, and to spare, for the ten thousand camels that daily drink; but as the dry season advances, many of these have to disperse to other wells, and, just before the rains again begin to fall, there is sometimes not more than sufficient water for a thousand camels to drink per day. It is, perhaps, needless to say that the yield of all these wells might be largely increased and rendered permanent by sinking them to a greater depth.

TEMPERATURE.

Although on a few occasions during the latter part of our journey the thermometer had risen beyond 100° Fahr., we had never felt the heat oppressive, had suffered no inconvenience, and all of us enjoyed perfect health.

The average of the daily registered maxima during the month of March was 97° Fahr.;[13] on ten days in the month the temperature exceeded 100°; on the 6th the maximum attained to 107°; and on the 27th and 28th, the two hottest days in the month, to 109½°. On four days only the maximum was less than 90°, 87° being the lowest. At night the minimum temperature averaged 60°, varying pretty regularly between 55° and 65°, once only descending below 50°, and twice not falling lower than 75°.

In February the average of the maxima was 87°; on five days only the thermometer rose above 90°, and on one day did not rise above 80°. The hottest part of the day in this month, as throughout the year, was almost invariably from one to two o’clock, after which, till sunset, the fall of the mercury was very regular, being, on many days, equal every quarter of an hour. The nights were pleasant, and cool enough to necessitate plenty of blankets. The temperature was registered every night, and the average of the minima during the month was 55°, varying from 51° to 61°.

During the months of December and January, when we were travelling on the bank of the Nile, the temperature was somewhat lower, giving only 82° as an average of daily maximum, and 45° and 43° as the average of the minima for the two months. The lowest temperature reached was on the 27th January, at Old Dongola, 36°, or only 4° above freezing point. On our first expedition 31° was once registered in December 1871.

TABLE of DAILY MAXIMUM and MINIMUM TEMPERATURE between the Months of
April, May, June, and July.

+---+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| | April. | May. | June. | July. |
|No.|----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| |Min.|Max.|Min.|Max.|Min.|Max.|Min.|Max.|
+---+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| 1| 69| 111| 64| 111| 66| 110| 81| 104|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 2| 68| 113| 72| 111| 71| 115| 80| 112|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 3| 81| 110| 57| 112| 72| 115| 82| 110|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 4| 80| 110| 65| 113| 76| 107| 77| 115|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 5| 87| 110| 61| 117| 72| 105| 75| 112|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 6| 85| 116| 71| 110| 76| 101| 67| 110|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 7| 81| 110| 72| 106| 77| 101| 69| 109|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 8| 85| 110| 71| 106| 76| 112| 75| 106|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 9| 83| 107| 64| 105| 79| 111| 72| 101|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 10| 82| 104| 68| 112| 80| 113| 74| 107|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 11| 81| 104| 65| 113| 72| 101| 73| 105|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 12| 77| 101| 66| 115| 72| 102| 74| 110|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 13| 71| 100| 65| 113| 72| 103| 79| 115|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 14| 60| 99| 64| 110| 72| 101| 80| 113|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 15| 65| 97| 59| 101| 72| 105| 72| 106|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 16| 59| 100| 70| 112| 72| 104| 79| 111|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 17| 60| 101| 68| 112| 72| 104| 77| 110|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 18| 63| 98| 70| 111| 72| 104| 75| 109|
| | | | | | | | | |
| 19| 55| 101| 70| 112| 76| 109| 71| 106|
| | | | | | | | |
| 20| 55| 103| 69| 114| 76| 111| Arrived |
| | | | | | | | at |
| 21| 63| 104| 72| 115| 76| 107| Old |
| | | | | | | | Dongola |
| 22| 68| 110| 75| 116| 72| — | |
| | | | | | | | |
| 23| 62| 111| 77| 115| 64| 104| |
| | | | | | | | |
| 24| 63| 109| 78| 115| 68| 105| |
| | | | | | | | |
| 25| 75| 115| 82| 117| 62| 108| |
| | | | | | | | |
| 26| 69| 108| 75| 112| 70| 98| |
| | | | | | | | |
| 27| 65| 107| 79| 112| 70| 97| |
| | | | | | | | |
| 28| 59| 112| 69| 100| 75| 99| |
| | | | | | | | |
| 29| 64| 113| 69| 100| 78| 102| |
| | | | | | | | |
| 30| 67| 113| 74| 110| 78| 98| |
| | | | | | | | |
| 31| — | — | 79| 115| — | — | |
+---+----+----+----+----+----+----+---------+

GEOLOGY.

Concerning the geological character of the country through which we had passed, I have already made some general remarks. Details may not, however, be wholly uninteresting.

On both sides of the Wady Milkh, as far as the end of Gebel Ain, the rocks consist of layers of sandstone alternating, sometimes, but very rarely, with layers of limestone, and intersected by numerous volcanic dykes of trap. The trap is much broken up by the action of the water in bygone times; pieces of it cover and colour the whole area of the rocks, even when sandstone or limestone forms the upper stratum. After passing Gebel Ain a harder class of sandstone replaces the layers of soft sandstone and limestone, and granite takes the place of the trap rock.

We collected many geological specimens on the journey, of which the following table gives full particulars:—

No. 1. — Sandstone (quartz veined).

„ 2. — Granulite: component parts quartz and felspar. The latter
mineral decomposed and now represented by kaolin; the
specimen is bounded by cleavage.

„ 3. — Decomposing granulite or felspathic grit, much weathered.

„ 4. — Sandstone (iron-stained).

„ 5. — Talcose schist.

„ 6. — Altered sandstone (laminated).

„ 7. — „ „ „ and stained with ferric oxide.

„ 8. — Altered sandstone.

„ 9. — Specimen too much weathered to admit of determination.

„ 10. — Altered sandstone (quartz-veined).

„ 11. — Sandstone (greenish tint in parts).

„ 12. — Quartzite.

„ 13. — Granite: components, pink orthoclose, quartz, and
magnesian mica.

„ 14. — Fragment of quartz crystal.

„ 15. — Vein quartz.

„ 16. — Quartz, containing little grains of mica.

„ 17. — Probably a felspathic grit.

„ 18. }
}
„ 19. } Metamorphosed sedimentary rocks.
}
„ 20. }

„ 21. — Granulite or Felspathic grit—felspathic ingredients
converted into kaolin.

„ 22. — Granite.

„ 23. — Quartz, containing scales of mica and flecks of a dark
mineral (possibly hornblende).

„ 24. — Brown hematite.

„ 25. — Quartz, veined with brown hematite. Surface of specimen
worn and polished (probably by blown sand).

„ 26. — Brown jasper.

„ 27. — Laminated sandstone.

„ 28. — Quartzose conglomerate.

„ 29. — „ „

„ 30. — Sandstone.

„ 31. — „

„ 32. — Mica schist.

An eminent geologist, attached to the Geological Survey of England and Wales, to whom the above specimens were subsequently submitted, observed, “They are all very poor specimens, and I should have thought were not worth collecting.” In reply, I can only say that they were all we could find, and that had there been any better we should certainly have brought them. The fact is we were travelling through a second-hand and worn-out part of the world.

ZOOLOGY.

Nearly all the animals found in Darfoor are common to both sides of the Nile in the same latitudes.

_The Gazelle_ (_Dorcas)_ was more or less plentiful along the whole of our route, but abounded most near Bagghareeyeh.

_The Ariel_ (_Oryx)_ were first seen after passing the Wady Sotaire. They are generally alone; but in pairing time, early in the year, they are met with in small herds.

_Antelopes_ are chiefly confined to the district between Om-Badr and El Fasher, but in the rainy season they come further north.

_Wash-el-Baggher._—This name, signifying “wild cow,” is given in Darfoor to an animal with very long slightly-curved horns. In shape it somewhat resembles the ox tribe, but is not larger than a donkey. The name is, however, used by the Arabs dwelling in other parts of Northern Africa to designate the _Alcephalus bubalis_ which has horns resembling the two prongs of a pitchfork (Figuier). Near Om-Badr, shortly after the first rains, small herds of these animals were seen; only one or two specimens were met with in the dry season.

_Giraffe._—Two of these animals were seen but in the woody parts, near the hills, tracks are very numerous. A tree (Ziraffa), an acacia, is named after it; it has a tall slender stem and branches at the top only, and its leaves are quite out of the reach of any other animal.

_Lions._—Tracks of these were noticed, but none were seen or heard. The camel-drivers say that as near as the spring of Ain Hamed the lion is occasionally found.

_Leopards_ are rare, and their skins are much prized. The Arabs eat the flesh, under the impression that it conduces to strength and courage.

_Hyenas._—No wild hyenas were seen but in the neighbourhood of El Fasher and of many of the larger villages there are always several prowling about. In Darfoor they are almost looked upon as domestic animals.

_Hares_ are plentiful after Gebel Ain.

_Porcupines._—Burrows of these were found after passing Orgoodt; beyond El Fasher they are more numerous.

_Jerboas_ were occasionally seen after passing Bagghareeyeh.

_Foxes_, after passing Gebel Ain.

_Ichneumons._—One was seen after passing Karnac.

_Cattle, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, camels_ are owned both by the settled and nomadic population. There are a few scavenger-dogs in the larger villages, some are also kept for hunting.

_Tortoises._—Several were seen, varying in size from six inches to one foot six inches in length.

_Snakes_ are very scarce, the puff adder is the poisonous snake most often seen.

_Python_, or _Boa Constrictor._—One was killed near Bagghareeyeh. It measured fifteen feet five inches in length and one foot four inches in girth.

_White ants_ are plentiful in the valleys where wood is abundant. In the dry season they burrow deep into the earth to get to water; in the rains they come to the surface and devour the moist trees. After passing Om- Badr ant-hills were sometimes met with generally from one to two feet in height.

_Locusts._—The first of these were found between Ergoodt and Gebel Sarghenat on the journey up. On the return journey immense flights of the brown locust were seen in the neighbourhood of Zancore and Om-Badr. The Foorawees gather them and eat them.

_Scorpions and hunting-spiders_ are only found near the wells, where they are pretty numerous.

Immediately after a shower of rain numbers of small spiders of a brilliant carmine colour were found, generally on the ground; as they are never seen except after the rains, the Arabs firmly believe that they fall from the clouds.

_Stick insects_ and a few moths and beetles were seen between Ergoodt and El Fasher.

_Common flies_ are thick in the villages.

_Caterpillars_, green in colour and about an inch and a quarter long, swarmed during the month of June in the valleys near Om-Badr.

_Ostriches._—Only two were seen wild, but further west they are numerous. They are kept tame in the villages, and their feathers are plucked, on an average, once a year. The feathers are reckoned of inferior value, those of the wild birds fetching a much higher price.

_Guinea-fowl_ are numerous between Karnac and El Fasher.

_Sand Grouse_ are found in the desert near the Nile, but nowhere else.

_Francolin_, a species of pheasant, were shot occasionally.

_Parrots_, green and small in size, were seen only near Mushanger.

_Hawks and Vultures_ were seen between Bagghareyeh and El Fasher.

_Turkey bustard_, in pairs, were seen, at rare intervals only, after Om- Badr.

_Pigeons and doves_ frequent some of the wells, more especially Mbombagallah and Ergoodt.

_Small birds_ of several varieties were found near the wells after Karnac; their nests are built with a protecting cover.

_A large owl_ with very powerful claws was shot near Om-Badr.

_Snipe_ and _wild duck_ come down to drink at the pools after the rains.

[Decoration]