Chapter XVII: Section 1: Country Between Halfa and the Atbara Mouth Along the

NILE BANKS.

[Sidenote: General.]

Along the Nile from Faras to Halfa the east bank is fairly well cultivated. From Halfa to near Kosha, with the exception of Sarras, there is little cultivation and practically no inhabitants. Most of this stretch is rocky and desert-like, and is known as “Batn El Hagar.” South of Kosha cultivation and villages become more general, and continue almost uninterruptedly to Abu Hamed (_see_ Chap. II, Sections 1 and 2. For the left bank, Dongola town, etc., _see_ Chap. IX.)

Between Abu Hamed and the Atbara junction there is little cultivation on the east bank, except south of Genenetti. From here to the Atbara there are about 500 sagias. The cultivated land, as a rule, extends about 500 yards back from the river, and in a few places as much as 3 miles.

The country enclosed by the river and the mainline Sudan Government Railways between Halfa and Abu Hamed is waterless, sandy, or gravelly desert, broken here and there by rocky hills and ridges. It is practically uninhabited, but is believed to contain minerals and workings of old mines near Kuror, etc. These are now being explored.

The soil on the banks of the river in the Dongola Province is rich and alluvial almost throughout, and well adapted for cotton cultivation. This province is in fact the richest and most prosperous in the Sudan.

[Sidenote: Climate.]

Health is excellent all the year round. Very little fever, only simple cases. Little rain; showers may be expected in September. The wind is almost constantly from the north. Ophthalmia, common in Egypt, is rare in Dongola Province. During months June to end of September, the weather is very hot and enervating, but air dry.

[Sidenote: Communications. Roads.]

Good roads, 5 metres in width, have been made on both banks of the Nile throughout the Province; bends can be cut off frequently, notably between Kosha and Abu Sari, a distance of 35 miles across the desert with no water (_see_ Chap. II). There is a desert track on the right bank from Dongola (Naui) to Merowe, a distance of about 100 miles without water, and there are other desert tracks which have never been traversed by a white man; of these latter little or nothing is known.

[Sidenote: Boats.]

Heavy goods, such as merchandise, grain, dates, etc., are mostly carried by boat, and there is no lack of transport for the needs of the natives in this respect; boats are constantly being built, and every encouragement is given them to do so.

A fortnightly post boat runs between Kerma and Merowe. From February to June, however, the low state of the river renders navigation for steamers dangerous through the rapids between Kerma and Dongola; during these months, therefore, the mail is carried by camels over this reach of 40 miles, transport requirements being conveyed by Government gayasas, of which there are 9 in the Province. There are two steamers (1903).

[Sidenote: Population, riverain, and desert.]

From Halfa to Debba the inhabitants are Berabra.[41] The Mahasi dialect is spoken from Halfa to Kerma. Here the Gararish[42] and then the Danagla (Berabra), commence and continue to Debba; from there on to Berti are the Shaigia. From Berti to Khulla the Monasir are found, and then come the Robatab, who extend as far as Kerraba. From here on to the Atbara junction are the Angariab, Hagab, Merifab, and Fadlab. The few inhabitants of the desert are mostly wandering Bisharin.

The total riverain population of Dongola Province numbered (December, 1902) 105,026, and is rapidly increasing.

This is exclusive of nomad Arabs, whose numbers may be put down at 2,000 Gararish (along the river), besides Bisharin, and other Nomads (_vide_ Appendix F.) on the left bank.

The occupation of the people is that of cultivating the ground, which they do very imperfectly except in Dar Shaigia; it could be made to produce double the amount.

The natives of Mahas and Sukkot lag behind, the fault being entirely their own; they are of an extremely indolent nature, perpetually quarrelling amongst themselves over questions as to ownership of land and date trees, and do little or nothing towards bettering themselves.

There is naturally a certain proportion of poor in the province, but agricultural labour being in demand, employment is always to be obtained by persons not too lazy to work.

[Sidenote: Cultivation.]

The cereals mostly cultivated on the river bank are dura, barley and wheat. Cotton has hitherto been grown to a limited extent for local use only. On the completion of the Nile-Red Sea Railway a great increase in cotton culture is expected. A large amount of land, admirably suited to the cultivation of this valuable commodity, is available, and very large issues of Egyptian cotton seed have this year (1904) been made by the Government.

In the Berber Province the wheat and barley grown are of good quality, but both are expensive to cultivate.

Average yield per average price
feddan (Berber), barley 5 ardebs, per ardeb, PT.45 to PT.55.

„ „ wheat, 3 „ „ „ PT.75.

„ „ dura, 5 „ „ „ PT.35 to PT.80.

In the Dongola Province the crops are as follows:

-----------+-------------+------------+---------+-------------------
| Months when |Months when | No. of |Average yield per
Crop. | planted. | cut. | crops |crop per feddan of
| | | yearly. | PT. 40 land.
-----------+-------------+------------+---------+-------------------
Dura |June and |August and | 2 } |
|September |December | } |3 to 4 ardebs.
| | | } |
Dura Shami |June |August | 1 } |
| | | |
Wheat |December |March | 1 } |
| | | } |2½ to 3 ardebs.
Barley |December |February, | 1 } |
| |end of | |
| | | |
Simsim |September |October, | 1 |
| |end of, or | |
| |November, | |
| |beginning of| |
-----------+-------------+------------+---------+-------------------

N.B.—The majority of the land will give three crops yearly, viz., twice dura and once wheat or barley.

The number of sagias in the Dongola Province in December, 1902, was 3,462, besides 77 shadufs and two pumps. There are now (1904), nearly 4,000.

Iron sagias, though tried, have been pronounced unsuitable as they are difficult to repair. Iron fittings for the old wooden sagias have, however, proved a decided success. European ploughs are not popular on account of their weight.

The chief requirement of all the riverain Provinces is agricultural labour, men of the fellahin type, who would teach the inhabitants how to till and tend the soil, and thus produce crops in proportion to the value of the land.

The local breed of cattle is fair, and moderately numerous, but might be improved in both respects.

[Sidenote: Dates.]

The date tax (PT.2 per tree) is one of the principal items of revenue in Dongola. There are also a considerable number of trees in the Berber Province. It is hoped that the new railway will enable dates to be much more largely exported,[43] and thus materially increase the revenue of these Provinces. At present the freights are almost prohibitive. Date harvest, October and November. Quality in Dongola excellent, and ripen before those from Egypt, Tunis or Tripoli. In Berber the dates are not so good.

[Sidenote: Dom palms.]

The dom palm furnishes a means of livelihood to many of the riverain inhabitants in the Berber Province. The leaf is made into mats, sandals, and baskets. Coir (lif) is largely exported to Omdurman, where it is made into rope.

[Sidenote: Other trees.]

Besides the above, there are sunt trees mostly used for sagia building, and selem, talh, samr, and heglig mostly on the back lands, with haraz and the dwarf tarfa on the river bank. Tamarind trees are being introduced and are doing well.

[Sidenote: Senna.]

A certain amount of senna grows wild in the Berber and Dongola Provinces. It is gathered by the Arabs, who transport it to Kordofan, and Aswan, where it fetches about £E.2½ per camel load.

[Sidenote: Fruit.]

Melons and lemons are plentiful in the spring and autumn. People are commencing to cultivate the vine.

[Sidenote: Trade.]

The import trade of the Dongola Province consists chiefly of cotton goods and such luxuries as sugar, tea, coffee, perfumery, etc., and of the export of cereals and dates. Business, however, is not brisk. The chief obstacle to the development of the import trade is the want of enterprise on the part of traders. There are excellent openings for merchants. The people are well off and willing to buy, especially such goods as cutlery, crockery, soap, agricultural implements, hardware, and such sundry merchandise, but at present (1904) there is not a single well-to-do trader in the Province.

Native cotton cloth, called “damur,” is worked throughout the Province, and forms the chief clothing of the men, who dress in shirt and drawers, with ferda (or toga) of this material.

[Sidenote: Administrative.]

Crime is small in proportion to number of population. Inhabitants most peaceably inclined, and all (men, women, and children) work at their crops.

[Sidenote: Housing.]

Villages are mostly composed of well-built houses straggling along the borders of cultivation. The houses are built of galus (mud and stones), with good court yards, whitewashed and clean. Very superior to those of fellahin in Egypt.

[Sidenote: Miscellaneous insects.]

The “Nimetta” fly, a small midge, appears in countless myriads from November to April, both months inclusive, between Dalgo and Korti. The bite causes slight fever through irritation. At times they are absolutely unbearable, and cause temporary migrations of both white men and natives. Natives wear bunches of smouldering grass twisted round the head to keep off the fly.

White ants also are both numerous and most destructive between Dalgo and Korti.

[Sidenote: Chief towns. HALFA.]

HALFA (Wadi Halfa), comprising “The Camp” and “Halfa town” is the capital of the Province of Halfa,[44] which extends along the Nile from Faras Island (N. lat. 22° 10′ approximately) to Abu Fatma. It is also the present headquarters and terminus of the main line (Sudan Government Railways) to Khartoum, as well as of the branch to Kerma. There are extensive railway workshops at the Camp. The latter includes barracks, prison, officers’ mess, native quarter, and the old fortifications. Also post and telegraph office. Population about 400, of which one-quarter are white. No garrison at present. Halfa was for years (1885-96) the headquarters of the Frontier Field Force which defended the southern frontier of Egypt against the Dervish invasion.

The civil quarter of Halfa lies 1½ miles to the north of the Camp. Here there is an excellent hotel, also railway station, post and telegraph offices, some good stores, and native bazaar. The population, which is composed chiefly of Egyptians and Sudanese, with a large sprinkling of Greeks, is about 2,900.

[Sidenote: BERBER.]

BERBER is a long straggling mud-built town containing about 5,000 inhabitants. It was captured by the Mahdists after a certain resistance on the 26th May, 1884, and was re-occupied by the Anglo-Egyptian forces under Lord Kitchener on 6th September, 1897. It is now the capital of the Berber Province, but this will be moved to El Damer in 1905 (_vide_ Chapter IV). There are at present two railway stations, Berber Camp and Town. Post and telegraph office. There are no good stores in the town, and there is little trade here at present. The present town lies 2 miles to the north of old Berber, and is the headquarters of an Egyptian battalion.

The desert road to Suakin starts from here (242 miles). Behind the town an immense flat plain stretches to the horizon. This is fertile soil, and only awaits proper irrigation to be reproductive. Berber is 1,140 feet above the Mediterranean or 95 feet below the level of Khartoum.