The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan: a compendium prepared by officers of the Sudan government, Vol. 1 (of 2)

Chapter XI: Section 1: Halfa to Merowe

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The northern boundary of the Sudan (and of the Halfa Province), though nominally the 22nd parallel of north latitude, begins for administrative purposes on the Nile at Faras Island, 12 miles north of the point where that parallel crosses the river and 20 miles north of Halfa. Opposite Halfa the river is some 900 yards broad, and is navigable up to the foot of the 2nd cataract, 26½ miles up stream.

Beyond the 2nd cataract the river runs through the broken rocky country of Batn El Hagar, and is full of rocks and rapids which require careful steering, even for small boats at high Nile, up to the Amara rapid. Beyond this the river is fairly easy till the 3rd or Kajbar Cataract is approached. At this point the Nile again works its way through broken hilly ground covered with boulders, and from thence it is plain boating, except for sandbanks, till Merowe.

A road, or rather a fair camel track—total 228 miles from Halfa to opposite Dongola—runs along the right bank of the river, taking short cuts across bends (notably for 35 miles across the desert between Kosha and Abu Sari) all the way, but has naturally been considerably superseded by the railway. On the left bank there is also a through camel track, but it keeps further from the river and is less used than that on the other bank. (For detail, _vide_ I.D.W.O. map No. 1489, sheets Wadi Halfa, Kosha, Dongola, Debba, and Merowe.)

The railway (3 feet 6 inches gauge) extending from Halfa to Kerma (203 miles) was started in Ismail Pasha’s time (1877), carried on nearly to Akasha in 1884-5, almost entirely destroyed by the Dervishes (1885-96) and rebuilt to provide means of transport for the Dongola Expedition in 1896. Of necessity it was rapidly and lightly laid, and it is now (1904) in a bad state of repair. Owing to the great cost which would be involved in its complete repair, it is to be abandoned (_see_ Chapter X, Section 1).

(For administrative and economical details of the Halfa and Dongola Provinces, _vide_ Chapters III and IX.)

N.B.—In the river table, in order to avoid fractions, as a rule only the nearest mile or kilometre is given. Kilometres, where given, are in italics: 5 miles = 8 kilometres.

THE EASTERN NILE BANK, SOUTH OF HALFA.]

[_Kms._: _Kilometres._
I.: Intermediate.
F.H.C.: From Halfa Camp.]

From Kosha onwards both the river banks become more and more cultivated, and are divided into districts varying from 1 to 4 or 5 miles in length, each containing one or more villages: gaps between districts in uncultivated parts.

All these districts consist of a greater or lesser amount of cultivated or uncultivated ground, together with a varying number of palm trees and huts. Each district is under a headman, and groups of them form the various sub-Districts, each under a Police Officer, a varying number of which go to make up a District; and out of these is formed the Province.

Only the more important sub-Districts will be mentioned in the River Itinerary.

[_Kms._: _Kilometres._
I.: Intermediate.
F.H.C.: From Halfa Camp.]

RECAPITULATORY TABLE OF DISTANCES.

------------------------+------------------+-------------------
| Intermediate. | From Halfa.
+------+-----------+------+------------
|Miles.|Kilometres.|Miles.|Kilometres.
------------------------+------+-----------+------+------------
Faras Island | — | — | 20 | 32
| | | |
Halfa Camp | 20 | 32 | — | —
| | | |
Foot of 2nd Cataract | 6½ | 10½ | 6½ | 10½
| | | |
Head of „ „ | 6½ | 10½ | 13 | 21
| | | |
Akasha | 72 | 116 | 85 | 137
| | | |
Kosha | 28 | 45 | 113 | 182
| | | |
Dalgo | 78 | 125 | 191 | 307
| | | |
Kaibar Cataract | 12 | 19 | 203 | 325
| | | |
Third (Hannek) Cataract | 26 | 42 | 229 | 368
| | | |
Dongola | 51 | 82 | 280 | 450
| | | |
Debba | 91 | 146 | 371 | 596
| | | |
Korti | 45 | 72 | 416 | 668
| | | |
Merowe | 31 | 50 | 447 | 719
------------------------+------+-----------+------+------------

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The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan: a compendium prepared by officers of the Sudan government, Vol. 1 (of 2)Chapter XI: Section 1: Halfa to Merowe

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