Chapter XXV: Section 1: Gezira; Khartoum to Sennar—goz Abu Guma Line

[Sidenote: General description (topographical).]

The area of about 7,500 square miles enclosed by the Blue and White Niles, from their junction at Khartoum to as far south as the line Sennar-Goz Abu Guma, forms the northern portion of that generally known as the “Gezira” or “El Hoi,” and contains some of the most fertile and most thickly populated districts in the Sudan. Though rather sandy in the neighbourhood of Khartoum, the soil of this flat alluvial plain gradually becomes richer and richer as one proceeds southwards, until between Mesellemia and Managil or Abud the acme of fertility is attained. The eastern half of this district is much more fertile and cultivated than the western half, a fact perhaps attributable to the fertilizing properties of the Blue compared to the White Nile. The whole of this region is so flat and free from khors, or other indications as to the direction of the drainage, that, except perhaps just south of Managil, it is impossible, without careful levelling, to define the watershed between the two rivers.

Bush of any extent and the granite hills, so common in most parts of the Sudan, are only found along its more southern, eastern, and western limits, whilst where not cultivated, the surface of the ground is usually covered with maheirib, homra, hantut, or naal grass. The entire area is definitely owned by tribes, families, or individuals, and strangers desiring to cultivate any portion can only do so on payment of rent, which is usually taken in kind.

[Sidenote: Inhabitants.]

Many of the tribes, and their name is legion[74], inhabiting the interior of this district are of a semi-nomadic nature, that is to say, they cultivate and graze in the interior during the rains, and in the dry weather repair to the rivers, where not only is the watering of their flocks an easier matter and the grazing better than inland, but much ground is left by the receding Niles available for cultivation.

On both the Blue and White Niles, however, there is, in addition, a large and heterogeneous sedentary population.

[Sidenote: Cultivation (dura).]

The principal cereal cultivated is, of course, dura, and a species known as “feterita” is sown as soon as sufficient rain has fallen, after which it merely requires to be kept weeded, and in two months’ time is ready for harvesting. The only drawback is that this crop is entirely dependent on the rainfall, which is often insufficient, and small banks, 1 to 2 feet high, called “taras,” are generally necessary to hold up the water in order to thoroughly flood any particular piece of land which it is desired to cultivate.

Three ardebs[75] per feddan (acre approximately) is an exceptionally good crop, but one ardeb per feddan is the ordinary yield of rain-watered land. The natives reckon a yield of 15 ardebs per ruba[75] of seed sown a very good crop for very good land in a favourable year, but 4 ardebs per ruba is about the average.

[Sidenote: Dura shami.]

Shaduf or sagia-watered land on the Blue Nile yields 5 ardebs of dura shami (Indian corn) per feddan, whilst on the White Nile 3½ to 4 is an average crop. Irrigation on the former is usually by sagia, and on the latter by shaduf.

[Sidenote: Wheat.]

Wheat is cultivated to a limited extent on shaduf or sagia lands, but it is too expensive to be popular with the natives. An average crop is 5 ardebs per feddan. It is sown late in November, and harvested three months later.

[Sidenote: Cotton.]

Much has yet to be learnt as to the suitability of the Gezira for growing cotton. Cotton sown on the foreshore of the White Nile near Khartoum in July is irrigated by the flood, and three pickings can be made before the river becomes too low in February. Experiments so far show “Mit Afifi” to be the species best adapted to the country, but the paucity of the rainfall has so far precluded the possibility of obtaining reliable results from the experiments made. Sufficient cotton, of a quality suitable for local requirements, has, however, been grown for many years.

[Sidenote: Water supply.]

The water supply during the dry season of other than the riverain population is from wells. In the rains these are supplemented by hafirs or tanks. The depth of the wells varies from 60 feet on the east of the watershed near the Blue Nile to 100 feet in the centre, where they gradually become deeper the further south one travels, until a few miles south of Managil they are as much as 200 feet deep, whilst in the pans or hollows of the west of the watershed they are often not more than 15 feet. These latter wells are peculiar, in that if used for long they become salt and thus new wells have to be constantly dug.

Many of the wells also in the north of the Gezira are salt. Nearly all villages have their own well, though occasionally water is carried for a distance of several miles.

[Sidenote: Grazing.]

There is often very little grazing a few months after the rains have terminated; during the dry season, therefore, the flocks are pastured along the banks of the Niles, and in bad seasons they even cross the river into Kordofan.

During the Kharif, as the serut fly is not present north of Sennar-Shawal, many camels and flocks are brought from the south to graze north of this line.

[Sidenote: Chief towns.]

EL GETEINA.—54½ miles by road south of Khartoum on right bank White Nile. Headquarters of Geteina District and residence of Mamur, police officer, etc. The inhabitants are chiefly Danagla and Jaalin. The Omda’s name is Sheikh Mohammed Osman Abd El Rahman, a Dongolaui. Most of the houses are built of mud. Post and Telegraph office. (_Vide_ p. 53.)

KAWA.—132 miles by road south of Khartoum on White Nile (right bank). It is the same as El Eis of the old travellers. It has rather a large population of Danagla, Jaalin, Shaigia, and various blacks. The Omda’s name is Ismail Musa. The houses are both mud and flat-roofed, and grass “tukls.” It is the headquarters of Kawa District and residence of Mamur. Post and Telegraph office. (_Vide_ p. 57.)

GOZ ABU GUMA (or ZEINOBA).—Quite a newly built town of grass tukls on the White Nile, about 180 miles by road south of Khartoum. A steamer from Khartoum runs up as far as this with mails weekly. There is a post office and telegraph office. Residence of a Mamur and police officer. Inhabitants, Danagla, Jaalin, Gowama, and blacks. Omda Ahmed Mohammed El Zein, a Jaali. Practically no transport animals obtainable here. A good deal of gum is collected here from the interior of Kordofan. (_Vide_ p. 59.)

MAATUK.—A collection of tukl villages, 22 miles north-east of Dueim and 29 miles west of Managil. The population, a large one, consists chiefly of Arakin, also Hassania and Tawal. The Omda’s name is Ibrahim Wad El Netef, an Araki.

The water supply is plentiful and good from many wells 15 to 30 feet deep. In the rains the inhabitants, to a great extent, leave the wells and live on their cultivation, drinking from hafirs or rain-water tanks. There is much rain cultivation about here in good years. Where not cultivated, the land is usually covered with scattered laot and kittr bush. Maatuk belongs to Kawa District of the Gezira Province.

MANAGIL.—A collection of some half-dozen or more tukl villages in the centre of the most fertile part of the Gezira. It is 38 miles from Wad Medani, 50 from Dueim and 107 from Khartoum. Residence of Mamur and police officer of Managil District belonging to Gezira Province. Fair “Suk”: market days, Sundays and Wednesdays. The wells, three in number, are about 150 feet deep. There is a large mixed population here and throughout the District, which contains 43,000 inhabitants. The land just south of Managil is the most suitable in the Gezira for the cultivation of cotton. This district was handed over to his fellow Taaisha by the Khalifa Abdalla, and some of the Tagale blacks imported by them to cultivate have settled in the neighbourhood.

SEGADI.—A large tukl village situated at the foot of the southern slopes of two low granite hills 50 miles south of Managil. It belongs to the Sennar Province. The Omda’s name is Torin Ahmed, of the Rufaa tribe. The population, numbering about 1,500 (?), is composed of many different tribes. Water supply is fairly good. It is about 40 miles from Goz Abu Guma and 36 from Shawal, on the White Nile.

MOYA.—Another large village belonging to and 21 miles west from Sennar and about 14 miles south-east of Segadi. There are several hills in the neighbourhood, chief of which is J. Moya, about 500 feet high, from the summit of which Jebel Dali, on the road to Gule, is visible bearing 177° mag. There is a road from here to Gule and another to Wad Medani. Water supply is very bad, and, in fact, almost nil towards the end of the dry season, when the inhabitants disperse in different directions. The Omda’s name is El Imam Hadibai, and the population, which, however, varies, numbers about 1,200, chiefly Amarna, also Hameg and Gowama.

KAMLIN.—58½ miles by road and 64½ miles by river from Khartoum, on left bank of Blue Nile. Present (1904) Headquarters[76] of Gezira Province and residence of Mudir. There is a large population, consisting of Danagla (several sections, but chiefly El Jeberked), Mawalads (Mogharba and Egyptian), Jaalin, and Shaigia. Houses mostly built of mud. Post and Telegraph office. The Omda’s name is Abbas Musa.

HELLET AMARA (or ARBAGI).—On left bank, Blue Nile, 84½ miles by road and 95 by river from Khartoum. Opposite Rufaa. There are several villages in the angle of the river which, however, are so close to one another that they may be considered as one. Houses mostly built of mud. Population chiefly Jaalin, Danagla and Batahin, under Omda El Sheikh Ali El Haj Taha, a Jaali. Amara is the headquarters of the Mesellemia District of Gezira Province and residence of a British inspector, Mamur, police officer, etc. Population of District 32,300, chiefly Halawin, who are the best cultivators in the Sudan.

ARBAGI.—Arbagi, which is close to Amara, is one of the oldest sites in the Sudan, and is mentioned by the learned Ludolphus in his history of Abyssinia. It was destroyed by the Shukria early in the 19th or at the end of 18th century.

MESELLEMIA.—Mesellemia, from which an administrative district takes its name, is about 11 miles nearly due south of Arbagi, and about 6 miles inland from the Blue Nile (L.B.). Prior to the Mahdia it was a very large town and a great centre of trade. People are now returning and are rebuilding it. Surrounding it is some of the most fertile land in the Sudan. Residence of a Mamur and headquarters of the district.

WAD MEDANI.—Population about 14,000; on left bank Blue Nile, just above its junction with Rahad; about 1 mile long by ½ mile broad; large market daily, also bi-weekly, Monday and Thursday, the largest in the Sudan next to Omdurman. Founded by El Fiki Medani about 1800 A.D. Post and telegraph office. Inhabitants: Gezira sedentary tribes, principally Khawalda, Arakin, Kawahla, Jaalin, Bussalia, and Medaniim. Headquarters of Gezira Province (1905). Garrison, one battalion. Rainfall here for 12 months—March 1903 to February 1904—was 313·5 m.m. or about 12½ inches.

SENGA.—Headquarters of Senga District: will probably be headquarters of Sennar Province in 1905. A large and increasing village, and next in importance to Wad Medani; left bank Blue Nile about half mile long and some distance inland; all built of straw huts except the Government buildings, which are of brick. Soil fertile, and district much wooded. Population about 1,600. Yearly increasing trade and daily market. Founded by Abdalla Wad El Hassan about 19 years ago. Inhabitants mostly Jaalin and Kenana. Post and telegraph offices.

SENNAR.—Almost in ruins owing to Dervish occupation. Has lost all its former importance. Extends about ¾ mile along the river, surrounded by an old trench and embankments. There is a large mosque of red burnt bricks, in a very bad state of repair. At the time of its re-occupation in 1898, Sennar town was in ruins and uninhabited; it was made headquarters of the province till, in April, 1900, it was superseded by Wad Medani, Sennar remaining headquarters of a District. In March, 1903, the headquarters of the District were removed about 3 miles south of Sennar to Kabush on the river bank, where new buildings have been erected; people are now moving and settling between old Sennar and Kabush. Bi-weekly market Monday and Thursday. In surrounding district soil very fertile, all land cultivated by rains, except in Sennar town, which is irrigated by five sagias. Near Kabush there is thick forest along the river, known as the forest of Kabush, extending nearly up to Ereidiba. Population 350. Inhabitants: Kenana, Gawazma, Rufaa, Jaalin, Kawahla, etc.

WAD EL ABBAS.—Population about 1,200; right bank Blue Nile; founded about 50 years ago. Inhabitants, Jaalin and Gezira tribes, with some 300 blacks. Weekly market on Wednesdays.