Chapter IV: (eastern Sudan.) (2)

----------+---------------+---------------+---------------------------
| Hours. | Miles. |
Place. +--------+------+--------+------+ Description.
| Inter- |Total.| Inter- |Total.|
|mediate.| |mediate.| |
----------+--------+------+--------+------+---------------------------
Rufaa | — | — | — | — |Track is good all the way;
| | | | |no steep gradients,
| | | | |difficult khors, nor thick
| | | | |bush. Probably bad after
| | | | |rain.
| | | | |
_Tunbul El| 4 | 4 | 12 | 12 |Good sized village of
Jaalin_ | | | | |Jaalin, with well. There
| | | | |are two other villages
| | | | |close by called Tunbul El
| | | | |Agada and Tunbul El Eishab.
| | | | |Cultivation all the way;
| | | | |many villages seen.
| | | | |
_Abu Zeid,| 3 | 7 | 9 | 21 |A poor village. Well 250
Wad Um | | | | |yards S.E.; village of
Balli_ | | | | |Musaiab close by to N.
| | | | |Track continues mostly
| | | | |through thin low laot bush,
| | | | |but some cultivation is
| | | | |passed. Some villages lie
| | | | |on right, but are not
| | | | |conspicuous. Passes village
| | | | |of Um Hageir.
| | | | |
_Um | 2¾ | 9¾ | 8 | 29 |Thin straggling village;
Shinshin, | | | | |well, on road; last water
or Um | | | | |on road. On through low
Shinashin_| | | | |laot and grass, with very
| | | | |little cultivation, passing
| | | | |the small village of El
| | | | |Gura; no well; last village
| | | | |on road.
| | | | |
Um Ganatir| — | — | 5 | 34 |Tank, a boundary point of
| | | | |Rufaa District, used to be
| | | | |a man’s depth, but now
| | | | |nearly filled up.
| | | | |
Mufad Wad | — | — | 7 | 41 |Tank.
Dereid | | | | |
| | | | |
| 4½ | 14¼ | 1 | 42 |Road crosses a belt of laot
| | | | |giving good firewood; no
| | | | |more for two hours, though
| | | | |there are belts of kittr a
| | | | |mile or two on each side.
| | | | |Geili just visible 29½°
| | | | |(true). Jebel Lebaitor just
| | | | |visible in early morning to
| | | | |S. On over grassy plain,
| | | | |apparently rising.
| | | | |Direction of road some
| | | | |degrees E. of Geili.
| | | | |
Wadi Mofad| 2¼ | 16½ | 6½ | 48½ |Marked by a belt of thin
| | | | |kittr some 250 yards wide.
| | | | |Must be boggy after rain.
| | | | |Two tanks on each side of
| | | | |wadi. The place is called
| | | | |something like Rufa Wa
| | | | |Fagusa, Rufa applying to
| | | | |one pair of tanks and
| | | | |Fagusa to the other, but I
| | | | |am not sure of the names,
| | | | |nor which applies to which.
| | | | |
| | | | |The Wadi Mofad, I was
| | | | |assured, rises near Abu
| | | | |Deleig, and flows S. The
| | | | |wadis of Bahogi and Ankia
| | | | |passed on the Um
| | | | |Dibban—Geili road form part
| | | | |of it.
| | | | |
| | | | |E. of the wadi the Tundub
| | | | |road joins in, and the
| | | | |united road makes straight
| | | | |for Jebel Geili.
| | | | |
| 2¼ | 18¾ | 6½ | 55 |Road crosses a branch of
| | | | |Wadi Mofad coming from the
| | | | |E. of Jebel Geili. Some
| | | | |kittr and other trees.
| | | | |Track begins to get stony,
| | | | |particularly as Jebel Geili
| | | | |is neared.
| | | | |
_J. Geili_| 2¼ | 21 | 6½ | 61½ |Wells at S. end of Jebel
| | | | |Geili close to the carved
| | | | |rock.
----------+--------+------+--------+------+---------------------------

19.—GEDAREF TO KASSALA.

BY LIEUT.-COL. MITFORD (1899) AND CAPTAIN H. H. MORANT (1900).

The direct and more generally used road to Mogatta starts from Gedaref in a nearly northerly direction, and leaves J. Buadra about 1¼ miles to the right, and the scene of the battle of Gedaref ¼ of a mile on the left hand. After passing through much cultivation and high grass, the filthy village of Wad Gabu on the top of a small hill is reached. The water supply of this village is from a well some 2½ or 3 miles to the W. or S.W., and animals have to be sent there, as very little water is obtainable at the village itself. There is a rest house here.

J. Kassamon is visible nearly due N. About 2¼ miles further on the telegraph line and an alternative route from Gedaref, _viâ_ Seraf El Buadra and Bir Rowajda, which is generally dry, joins in.

From here to R. Atbara, at Mogatta, there is no water, and the country is most uninteresting. In the rains the scrub and scattered bush is almost concealed by high grass; this is burnt in the dry season, and the country then is bare black cotton soil, and devoid of any grazing for animals. About 12 miles from the river dense bush, chiefly kittr, begins, and continues until the halting place at Mogatta is reached. This road is nearly 20 miles shorter than that _viâ_ Sofi.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Gedaref | — | — |The track to Sofi leaves Gedaref
| | |in a N.E. direction, passing down
| | |a valley between gardens,
| | |cultivation and high grass;
| | |several hamlets half a mile
| | |distant on either side of road. A
| | |gentle ascent on N. side of valley
| | |to N.E. corner of a low flat hill
| | |called J. Buadra.
| | |
_Khor Seraf El| 3 | 3 |This khor crosses the path near
Buadra_ | | |corner of J. Buadra. One well,
| | |upper portion stone faced; 24 feet
| | |deep, 5 feet diameter, 4 feet of
| | |water. Two similar wells near
| | |track, one ½ a mile, the other 1
| | |mile further on. From this point
| | |track is a single camel path,
| | |winding among high grass or
| | |through bush; in places very
| | |stony. Ground on either flank
| | |cracked cotton soil.
| | |
| 2 | 5 |Top of pass is reached; the small
| | |hamlets of Um Shedra, Hissainad,
| | |and Turfur are seen in succession
| | |on the left hand of the track.
| | |
| 2½ | 7½ |A rise in the ground known as
| | |Gumerab is reached. On far side of
| | |it track descends sharply for 40
| | |feet, over rocks and stones on to
| | |a plain. General direction E. by
| | |N. Some dukhn or dura patches;
| | |rest of the ground covered with
| | |high aada and shush grass. 5 feet
| | |high.
| | |
| 4¼ | 11¾ |A copse of talh trees is passed
| | |through. For the next 5 miles are
| | |scattered trees along the path,
| | |with copses of hashab trees a few
| | |hundred yards to a mile on either
| | |side; shush, aada, naal and
| | |Umdenaib grasses.
| | |
| 4¾ | 16½ |A shallow excavation to catch
| | |rain-water is seen on left, 100
| | |yards off. General direction
| | |E.N.E. At the 24th and 27th miles,
| | |two more small rain-water
| | |reservoirs are passed.
| | |
Khor Bitnasr | 15½ | 32 |This khor is here crossed; it
| | |trends northwards and runs into
| | |the Khor Tomat. Ground now ascends
| | |slightly and is more broken, and
| | |track crosses several small khors.
| | |At the 34th mile the edge of the
| | |plateau is reached, and a sharp
| | |descent of 90 feet ensues.
| | |
_Sofi_ (Rest | 3 | 35 |A straggling village of a hundred
house) | | |men (Jaalin) on spurs running down
| | |to the Atbara 400 yards away. At
| | |date the river is easily fordable,
| | |the water not being knee deep and
| | |20 yards broad near the village.
| | |From this point the track as far
| | |as El Fasher follows the course of
| | |the river on the left bank, and
| | |distant from it 1 to 5 miles. The
| | |bush and jungle prevent approach
| | |from the track, except at the
| | |watering places in use. From Sofi
| | |the track winds up to the plateau
| | |in a N.W. direction along and in
| | |khors. On reaching this plateau,
| | |after a mile, the track bears
| | |generally due N. Quarter of a mile
| | |of dura cultivation is passed
| | |through, then the path runs along
| | |the flat top of a watershed
| | |draining into the Atbara on the
| | |right, and into the Khor Tomat on
| | |the left.
| | |
| | |One and a half miles E. of the
| | |Atbara the Setit runs parallel
| | |with the river and the khor until
| | |its junction with the former.
| | |Going is now very bad, kittr,
| | |laot, talh and sant close to the
| | |path; cracked cotton soil. At the
| | |43rd mile the track descends with
| | |twists and turns towards the
| | |river, and just before reaching
| | |Khor Tomat some salt workings are
| | |passed through.
| | |
_Khor Tomat_ | 9½ | 44½ |The khor near its junction with
(Rest house) | | |the river is 30 yards wide and 4
| | |feet deep. It takes its name from
| | |a mound near the khor with two
| | |knolls (Tomat = twins). Formerly
| | |there were several hamlets in the
| | |neighbourhood, but no traces
| | |exist.[11] The nearest hillet to
| | |the river was Wad Abu Hamed, just
| | |N. of the khor. Easy access to
| | |water at date. Track winds over
| | |undulating ground intersected by
| | |khors, below the plateau 1 to 2
| | |miles distant to the westward.
| | |Trees not quite so thick or close.
| | |
_Khor Um | 4 | 48½ |The Atbara is again reached here,
Garra_ | | |about 1 mile N. of its junction
| | |with the Setit, which brings down
| | |at this time of the year more
| | |water than the Atbara, and appears
| | |to be a broader and finer stream.
| | |
| | |Good watering place.
| | |
| | |The path leaves the river in a
| | |N.W. direction over broken and
| | |undulating ground for 1 mile. The
| | |plateau is reached and again thick
| | |bush and trees are passed through.
| | |At 55 miles J. Akelai is visible
| | |through a break in the trees,
| | |nearly due E.
| | |
Khor Fatut | 11½ | 60 |Track winds down to this khor, and
| | |then for 1½ miles passes over very
| | |broken ground. Track then
| | |improves; the country is not so
| | |closely wooded, and several open
| | |spaces are traversed.
| | |
_Mogatta_ | 10 | 70 |No village; grazing and watering
(Rest house) | | |place of the nomad Arabs. The
| | |river is 12 miles from the track.
| | |Several large islands in the
| | |Atbara here, the water in the dry
| | |season passing down by the left
| | |bank. Lions are plentiful here.
| | |
| | |Here the direct road from Gedaref
| | |comes in. From this point the road
| | |improves considerably. Troops can
| | |move on a broader front, and the
| | |soil, though still cotton, is not
| | |so cracked; the earth has a
| | |slightly red tinge. Occasionally
| | |belts of bush are traversed. At
| | |the 92nd mile the track descends,
| | |and the ground becomes very
| | |broken. The remains of an old
| | |Dervish post on a spur are seen
| | |400 yards to right.
| | |
_M. Khashm El | 23½ | 93½ |Track here meets the river; a
Girba_ | | |tributary, or branch of the
| | |Atbara, comes in here on the
| | |opposite bank, with water still in
| | |it. Broken country is again
| | |traversed, and many knolls and
| | |khors are passed until the plateau
| | |is again reached. Trees are
| | |larger, and ground covered with
| | |gau grass, excellent for grazing
| | |cattle and sheep.
| | |
Dervish earth | 3 | 96½ |A square Dervish earthwork, each
work | | |side about 80 yards long, is
| | |passed on right. This was the site
| | |of El Fasher village when it
| | |existed.
| | |
_El Fasher | 4 | 100½ |At date, river was 50 yards broad,
ford_ (Rest | | |18 inches deep at the most at the
house) | | |ford.
| | |
| | |Bottom of bed consists of shingle.
| | |Quarter of a mile up stream on the
| | |right bank is the site of the post
| | |held by a detachment from the
| | |Kassala garrison in 1898.
| | |
| | |On leaving the ford, track leads
| | |up the ascent to the plateau for 2
| | |miles, and passes over very broken
| | |country intersected by khors. Then
| | |the path is excellent; large open
| | |spaces are divided by belts of
| | |trees. J. Kassala bears E.N.E.
| | |
El Mellawiya | 22 | 122½ |An open (now) grassy space, where
| | |rain-water collects and stands
| | |from July to October. Serut flies
| | |bad at that season, also snakes.
| | |Attempts to make a well here have
| | |so far been abortive.
| | |
Old well | 5 | 127½ |An old government well is passed
| | |on right, now filled in. Country
| | |now becomes closer, and trees with
| | |bright green leaves become more
| | |numerous; track narrows
| | |considerably[12] as the Khor El
| | |Gash is reached, though movement
| | |is possible between the trees on
| | |either flank. At the 135th mile,
| | |the minaret of the Khatmia is
| | |visible to the right, and soon the
| | |factory chimney of Kassala is
| | |visible to the front.
| | |
Khor El Gash | 12½ | 140 |The left bank of this khor is
| | |reached; 600 to 700 yards broad.
| | |
Kassala | ½ | 140½ |Old town and Egyptian fort, now in
| | |ruins.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

20.—GEDAREF TO GALLABAT.

BY COL. COLLINSON AND CAPTAIN H. H. MORANT, 1898.

(_Corrected up to_ 1900.)

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Gedaref | — | — |From Gedaref the road usually
| | |taken leads in a S.E. direction,
| | |and passes through much
_Wells_ | 2¼ | 2¼ |cultivation to wells situated in a
| | |khor midway between the villages
| | |of Dalasa and Gabeisha. From here
| | |the road continues to pass through
| | |rain cultivation, which extends on
| | |both sides of the roads more or
| | |less continuously almost as far as
| | |the eye can reach until 6 or 7
| | |miles from Shasheina, after which
| | |only occasional patches are seen.
| | |
Shasheina | 14¾ | 17 |Several groups of tukls belonging
(Rest house) | | |to Debania and Takruris on western
| | |slope of a low ridge. Two good
| | |wells with any amount of good
| | |water, roughly 30 to 40 feet down.
| | |
| | |Leaving here the track skirts the
| | |bottom of the ridge and leads in a
| | |southerly direction over stony,
| | |bad going for about 2 miles, when
| 7 | 24 |it bends to S.E. and passes over
| | |an open plain to the E.; on the W.
| | |forest begins. The wells of
| | |Amzuani and Galaat Eila are passed
| | |2½ miles and ¾ mile to the E. of
| | |the track.
| | |
| | |J. Doka is now visible right
| | |ahead.
| | |
| | |The path here enters forest which
| | |continues to Doka. The soil black
| | |cracked cotton soil and the path
| | |is occasionally stony. Hashab,
| | |soffar and talh are the trees that
| | |predominate.
| | |
_Doka_ (Rest | 21 | 45 |A very wretched village that has
house) | | |seen better days. It used to be
| | |the residence of a mudir or
| | |important official in the old
| | |government days. The remains of
| | |his palace, &c., are still
| | |standing. Two wells, very
| | |indifferent supply; generally dry
| | |in the middle of the day a few
| | |months after the rains.
| | |
| | |There is a path from here to Abu
| | |Gulud and Sofi, also to Nogara. On
| | |leaving Doka several hills are
| | |passed, the principal being J.
| | |Doka 2 miles to the E., and
| | |Ajerawi or Kajerawi to the W.
| | |About 4 miles from Doka the route
| | |from Asar joins in from the right.
| | |This road is very little used, and
| | |is hardly noticeable. The track
| | |here becomes stony for a mile or
| | |so.
| | |
Khor Kefaia | 8 | 53 |Khor Kefaia, running W.
| | |
Khor Kanin | 3½ | 56½ |Khor Kanin, also running W.
| | |
_Seraf Said_ | 10 | 66½ |Several small villages and two
(Rest house) | | |wells in the khor of this name
| | |which is the boundary between
| | |Gedaref and Gallabat. Wells 30 to
| | |40 feet deep; fair supply. From
| | |here a road goes W. to Durraba[13]
| | |near the Rahad, and there is a
| | |track, made by honey hunters, to
| | |the Atbara, which is 13 or 14
| | |miles eastwards.
| | |
| | |For the first 2 miles after
| | |leaving the wells a good deal of
| | |dura and dukhn cultivation is
| | |passed through, and then forest
| | |with some quite fine trees begins
| | |and continues to within a mile of
| | |Gallabat.
| | |
_Khor Kuneina_| 15 | 81½ |The hills of Ras El Fil, where
(Rest house) | | |this khor originates, are passed 2
| | |miles on the right. Up to January
| | |water is obtainable slowly from
| | |holes about 3 feet deep in its
| | |bed. Later these become dry. Fine
| | |ardeib tree. Thick forest, chiefly
| | |talh and heglig, continues to Khor
_Khor Otruk_ | 7 | 88½ |Otruk, where water stands in a
| | |pool all the year round. There are
| | |also wells near, from which
| | |several small villages obtain
| | |their water.
| | |
| | |The road now ascends an easy slope
| | |for about 2 miles, and hills are
| | |passed to the right and left. From
| | |the top of this ascent Gallabat is
| | |visible, and ½ mile before
| | |reaching it a small khor with
| | |_running water_ is crossed.
| | |
Gallabat | 4½ | 93 |Old fort of Zeki Tumal’s, 120 feet
| | |above the town which lies at foot
| | |of slope about 400 yards E. Water
| | |from stream, which constitutes
| | |boundary with Abyssinia, 800 yards
| | |E. of fort.
| | |
| | |[There is an alternative route
| | |_viâ_ Asar. This is however very
| | |little used. It was taken by the
| | |two companies of Soudanese troops
| | |who first occupied Gallabat in
| | |December, 1898. It had been
| | |previously used a good deal by
| | |Dervish fugitives to and from
| | |Gedaref. The water supply along
| | |the Doka road is now better and is
| | |sufficient, if troops march at
| | |night, without carrying any great
| | |amount of water:—
| | |
Gedaref | — | — |A rather stony track in places
| | |leads across open country covered
_Asar_ | 10 | 10 |with high grass and dura to Asar.
| | |This is a Debania village and
| | |residence of their head Sheikh,
| | |Wad Zaid, and is situated at the
| | |S.W. end of a ridge 300 feet high
| | |and 1½ miles long, running nearly
| | |N. and S. Here there are two good
| | |wells which supplied Ahmed Fedil’s
| | |force of 3,000 to 4,000 men
| | |besides women, &c., for more than
| | |three weeks. A road leads from
| | |here to Beila, also to Shasheina.
| | |
| | |Leaving Asar, several deserted
| | |villages were passed, and after
| | |traversing undulating open country
| | |for 8 miles, talh and soffar
| | |forest commences.
| | |
_Khor Tagala_ | 15 | 25 |Water in holes in rocks by the
| | |road side. It has the usual
| | |stagnant rain-water taste and
| | |smell, but is said to last all the
| | |year round. Large baobab close to
| | |water. The track continues through
| | |forest with occasional open spaces
_Khor Ardeiba_| 15 | 40 |to Khor Ardeiba.
| | |
| | |A large khor running W. between
| | |hills. Water is found in several
| | |places in the rock on the side of
| | |the hill on left bank of khor. The
| | |supply was very scanty at
| | |beginning of December, and is not
| | |to be relied on.
| | |
| | |For the first 3 or 4 miles after
| | |leaving the bed of the khor the
| | |track ascends and descends several
| | |short steep slopes; trees
| | |interfere with the path, which is
| | |somewhat stony. It then crosses a
| | |fairly open cotton soil plain to a
| | |stone-lined well about 60 feet
_J. Kajerawi_ | 10 | 50 |deep, at the foot of J. Kajerawi
| | |or Ajerawi. As this well was not
| | |in regular use, the water tasted
| | |and smelt, but there was plenty of
| | |it.
| | |
| | |Four miles on the track joins in
| | |with the main road previously
| | |described, about 5 miles S. of
| | |Doka.]
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

21.—ABU HARAZ TO GEDAREF.[14]

BY LIEUT.-COLONEL B. R. MITFORD, MARCH, 1899.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Abu Haraz | — | — |Half of a mile N. of junction of
| | |R. Rahad and Blue Nile. Track
| | |leads through the village in an E.
| | |direction, and 4 miles over a
| | |plain covered with grass 4 feet
| | |high after rains; then some bush
| | |is entered which necessitates
| | |reducing front of the column to
| | |file. The Rahad is from 1 to 1½
| | |miles distant on right flank, its
| | |banks covered with a belt of
| | |jungle. Track consists of four to
| | |six camel tracks over cotton soil.
| | |
_Meshra El | 8 | 8 |Half a mile before reaching this
Hedeiba_ | | |meshra, the road bends to the
| | |S.E.; 1¼ miles E. is the village
| | |of Hedeiba, and 2 to 3 miles N.E.
| | |is the village of Shegeila. A
| | |single flat-topped samr tree marks
| | |nearest point for water. A large
| | |pool of water always here during
| | |the dry season in the river bed.
| | |Track passes over grassy plain
| | |covered with the usual grasses met
| | |with along the road, viz.: aada
| | |grass, which grows in wet places
| | |as high as 18 feet, and naal, from
| | |1½ to 3 feet high.
| | |
_Id El Maya_ | 2½ | 10½ |A descent of ½ mile brings one to
| | |this khor skirted with trees; the
| | |hamlet of that name lies 2 miles
| | |from the river; a meshra and pool
| | |here in the dry season. The hamlet
| | |of Amara lies 2½ miles N.E. Same
| | |country is traversed, with
| | |occasional belt of trees.
| | |
Khor Abu | 5½ | 16 |Track passes this khor 1½ miles
Seghira | | |from the meshra, which is very
| | |difficult to find, owing to the
| | |jungle and the creepers festooned
| | |from tree to tree. No pool there
| | |this dry season.
| | |
Khoran El Homr| 2 | 18 |The “Red Khor,” of which there are
| | |three. The second one is 1½ miles
| | |on, and the third 1 mile further
| | |on. Each khor is thickly fringed
| | |with trees, bush, and high grass,
| | |after rains. The track is now some
| | |3 or 4 miles from the Rahad. At
| | |23½ miles another khor is crossed,
| | |and the ground rises into a stony
| | |plateau.
| | |
_H. Sherif | 6½ | 24½ |Track passes to E. of this
Yagub_ | | |village. Inhabitants are Ashraf.
| | |
_M. El Egeiga_| ½ | 25 |Camping ground is on a bluff 40
| | |feet above bed of river; a pool of
| | |water always here in the dry
| | |season. Natives say that in the
| | |winter months it is not a good
| | |camping ground, as it is very
| | |feverish at night. Country now
| | |becomes much more close, trees and
| | |bushes narrow the track in many
| | |places, and in the autumn the high
| | |grass obscures all view to front
| | |or flanks.
| | |
_M. Abuet El | 5 | 30 |This meshra is only 100 yards from
Messih_ | | |the track, but the river is
| | |somewhat hidden by the jungle.
| | |Very unhealthy camping ground
| | |during the autumn and winter.
| | |Track continues through bush, with
| | |occasional open spaces.
| | |
_M. El Esheir_| 3 | 33 |Good camping ground near track,
| | |500 yards from the river. Just
| | |after leaving this place, the
| | |Arang range can be seen in clear
| | |weather. Track as before.
| | |
_Ein El | 7 | 40 |Watering place here, on the Rahad,
Lueiga_ | | |in the dry season; not a good
| | |camping ground during or after
| | |rains, there being much fever. The
| | |track now leaves the vicinity of
| | |the Rahad, and for the first 5
| | |miles trends towards the N.E.
| | |corner of the Arang hills. The
| | |Kassala Province is entered here.
| | |
| | |At the 48th mile a depression is
| | |passed, where a little water is
| | |sometimes found during the rains.
| | |Plain covered with grass 1 to 10
| | |feet high in October, which from
| | |that month becomes broken down by
| | |the wind, and in March is only 2
| | |feet high. Track twists and turns
| | |considerably until the hills are
| | |reached.
| | |
Galaat Arang | 18 | 58 |The track strikes these hills
| | |about 4 or 5 miles from its S.
| | |end; bush is again entered, and
| | |track becomes very stony and
| | |covered with fallen boulders from
| | |the hills.
| | |
| | |The hills are mostly rock, covered
| | |with laot, and stunted baobab or
| | |tebeldi trees. Ariel, gazelle,
| | |bustard, guinea fowl, sand grouse,
| | |apes, and baboons in these hills.
| | |A mile on two pools of water are
| | |formed in a shallow rocky
| | |depression during rains, which is
| | |only fit for camels. Track follows
| | |the foot of the hills towards the
| | |N., through bush and over stony
| | |ground.
| | |
_El Fau_ (Rest| 9 | 67 |Track passes through a gorge in
house) | | |the hills, wherein are the wells
| | |of El Fau, near the E. mouth of
| | |the gorge. One well, stone faced,
| | |10 feet in diameter, 27 feet deep;
| | |surface of water 1 foot from top
| | |in October, 10 feet in March. The
| | |other, stone faced, 5 feet in
| | |diameter, 15 to 20 feet deep.
| | |Water, both good. There are
| | |several other wells in the
| | |vicinity during rains, and pools
| | |of water in holes and depressions.
| | |
| | |Track runs along the E. foot of
| | |the hills to the N. point; bushy
| | |and stony.
| | |
North End | 5 | 72 |Near the N.W. point of the Arang
Arang | | |hills is H. Badad, or H. Sheikh
| | |Shah El Din; one well, now filled
| | |up. General direction of track is
| | |now N.E. To the S. is seen J.
| | |Fines, or Fenis, and to the S.E.
| | |is J. Sergein. Bush becomes very
| | |close; cotton soil.
| | |
J. Bayuda | 8 | 80 |Or Buwa’da, or Buwada’. A broad,
| | |low, conical hill; some water in
| | |rocky holes during the rains.
| | |Track now runs E. by S., and for
| | |the next 8 miles through thick
| | |bush; country then becomes more
| | |open and covered with grass again.
| | |
Ummat Rumeila | 19 | 99 |A group of some five or six hills,
(Rest house) | | |averaging 80 to 100 feet high.
| | |Some water in pools and holes
| | |during rains. The track passes in
| | |a N.E. direction through the
| | |hills; several patches of bush are
| | |traversed. At the 110th mile a
| | |narrow belt of laot trees, 10
| | |yards broad, commences to run
| | |alongside or in the middle of the
| | |track; this belt follows the road
| | |for 13 miles.
| | |
Taras Wad El | 20 | 119 |A small depression, wherein water
Fahl (Rest | | |lies during rains. Two thorn
house) | | |bushes to S. of track mark it.
| | |
Khor Abu | 7 | 126 |A descent leads to this very
Hashim | | |shallow khor, and a similar rise
| | |takes place on its E. side. J.
| | |Tiwawa now becomes visible to the
| | |E. Track runs over a grassy plain
| | |with not even a shrub on it.
| | |
Khor Abu | 11 | 137 |Or Abu Fura. This khor rises near
Faraga | | |Gedaref, and at this point the
| | |track meets it; it here turns S.
| | |The track runs parallel with it
| | |for a mile, 2 to 400 yards
| | |distant. At the 139th mile ground
| | |falls gently.
| | |
Um Gulgia | 3 | 140 |A stony mound on left of the track
| | |containing several deep holes,
| | |said to contain enough water for
| | |1,000 men and 500 camels during
| | |the rains.
| | |
| | |Ground still falls gently, and a
| | |mile on a small khor is crossed;
| | |then ground ascends through small
| | |scattered soffar trees. At the
| | |143rd mile the houses of Gedaref
| | |are visible. Track passes several
| | |hamlets on either side, and
| | |through much cultivation and high
| | |aada grass, along S. side of J.
| | |Tiwawa.
| | |
Gedaref | 6 | 146 |On top of a long gentle slope.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

22.—GEDAREF _viâ_ HAWATA TO ABU HARAZ.

BY MAJOR BULKELEY-JOHNSON, NOVEMBER, 1901.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Gedaref | — | — |Road leaves Gedaref from behind
| | |the old barracks, and takes a S.W.
| | |direction for 6 miles. Scattered
| | |cultivation of every kind. A flat
| | |basin like that N. of Gedaref.
| | |
J. Wad Sennat | 4½ | 4½ |Small hill 100 feet high and 500
| | |yards long, running N.W. and S.E.,
| | |with small hella S. slope.
| | |
_Abu Nagar_ | 1½ | 6 |Tukl village. ½ mile right of
| | |road; one of Abu Nagar group of
| | |five villages.
| | |
| ½ | 6½ |Ditto on left of road.
| | |
| ½ | 7 |Well 30 feet deep; water always,
| | |but only 6 feet deep; watered 80
| | |horses in 30 minutes.
| | |
| ½ | 7½ |Hella ½ mile right of road. Road
| | |bends to S.W. by W.
| | |
| 1½ | 9 |Cultivation ends. Road bad from
| | |small bushes hidden in naal grass.
| | |
J. Matni | 17 | 26 |J. Matni ½ mile long, 50 to 100
| | |feet high; stony and covered with
| | |habil trees. Woods round J. Matni
| | |(soffar and habil) to the E.
| | |
| | |From J. Matni to Beila by direct
| | |road 2 miles are saved. After J.
| | |Matni road branches to right,
| | |straight to Beila; left to Ghanem
| | |or Ganam (meaning water holes).
| | |
_Ghanem_ | 3 | 29 |Small khor and 12 water holes
| | |about 8 feet deep, and water 1
| | |foot 6 inches (Nov. 15th);
| | |probably dry by end of month
| | |(1901), rain having been slightly
| | |under average.
| | |
| 2 | 31 |Joins main road nearly at right
| | |angles.
| | |
| 15½ | 46½ |Small hill ¼ mile off the road.
| | |Road afterwards curls in between
| | |it and Beila to two small hellas
| | |on far side.
| | |
_Beila_[15] | ½ | 47 |Two small villages and two
| | |splendid wells cut in solid rock;
| | |any amount of beautiful clear
| | |water all the year round[15], 50
| | |feet deep; revetted at top; very
| | |good grasses here. From Beila a
| | |road now goes to Mafaya on the
| | |Rahad, which is much shorter than
| | |going to Hawata.
| | |
_El Fereikh_ | 5 | 52 |Thirty tukls; inhabited all the
| | |year road; now water from holes
| | |dry in March, 1902.
| | |
_J. Arid_ | 5 | 57 |Four water holes 6 inches deep,
| | |nearly empty on arrival; when
| | |opened up to 9 inches gave 3 feet
| | |muddy water. Nov. 17th watered 80
| | |horses three times; dry in March,
| | |1902.
| | |
J. Gerein | — | — |Water nearly finished; 30 tukls
| | |inhabited all year round.[16]
| | |Later on get water from Rahad,
| | |which is here about 60 yards wide
| | |and water 4 feet deep in Nov.
| | |Banks steep.
| | |
_Hawata_ | 18 | 75 |Very good camp. Fairly large
| | |village here.
| | |
| | |Road follows the river, never more
| | |than 2 miles from it, cutting off
| | |small bends. Single track; good
| | |through long grass; bad for guns
| | |as wheels or teams are going
| | |through the grass. River
| | |approachable everywhere, and
| | |watering possible at all times of
| | |year.
| | |
| | |Camps exceedingly good under shade
| | |of sunt trees 30-40 feet high.
| | |Grasses in abundance and good,
| | |neghil, abu rokba and abu arid.
| | |
| | |From Hawata track proceeds along
| | |right bank and enters bush.
| | |
_Wad Keriam_ | 2½ | 77½ |Part of Hawata belonging to Abu
| | |Bakr; small hills; clearing and
| | |cultivation.
| | |
| ½ | 78 |Ten tukls, ditto, ditto.
| | |
| | |Bush and grass alternately; thick
| | |bush, inland kittr and talh.
| | |
| 8 | 86 |Grass plain. Bend of river meeting
| | |it again at
| | |
_Wad Kerein_ | 5 | 91 |Fifty tukls belonging to Abu Sin,
| | |as does all the country up to
| | |hella Sherif El Hindi.
| | |
_Wad Mayim_ or| 2 | 93 |Same as Wad Kerein.
Wad Balula | | |
| | |
| 8 | 101 |Road crosses to left bank. Ford on
| | |Nov. 13th, about 3 feet deep; Nov.
| | |24th, 6 inches deep. There is no
| | |road on E. bank, only thick bush.
| | |From here open grass plain, bush
| | |inland, ½ mile off river bends
| | |from road.
| | |
| | |Between road and river a strip of
| | |country with big red sunt trees
| | |30-40 feet high and good grasses.
| | |The road now strikes khor—thickly
| | |wooded leading to lagoon running
| | |W. from river, which turns to
| | |S.W., road goes round it turning
| | |W. and afterwards S.
| | |
| 7 | 108 |Head of lagoon.
| | |
_Muttu_ | ½ | 108½ |Road branches to right of
| | |hella—Hawata (Arabs) 1½ miles
| | |off—300 yards from river in open
| | |bush.
| | |
| 1½ | 110 |Road to Muttu and meshra, 1 mile
| | |of thick bush, kitr and talh.
| | |
| 1 | 111 |Khor (dry).
| | |
| 2 | 113 |Big khor, nearly dry—very
| | |difficult during rains and up to
| | |Nov. 1st, 1901. Soft mud Nov.
| | |27th.
| | |
| 2½ | 115½ |Small road to right, leading to
| | |big khor thickly wooded, water 4
| | |feet deep or lagoon.
| | |
| 1½ | 117 |Khor (dry).
| | |
| 2½ | 119½ |Ditto leading to meshra.
| | |
| | |Road alternately bush and grass.
| | |
| 6½ | 126 |Road branches to meshra.
| | |
| 6 | 132 |Approaches meshra, 200 yards.
| | |
| 11 | 143 |Deserted village, 100 yards left
| | |of road.
| | |
| | |Road very good, broad and hard.
| | |
| 3 | 146 |Cross road from Rahad to Dinder.
| | |
| 10 | 156 |Ditto to Blue Nile.
| | |
| 1 | 157 |Road from meshra to hella, inland
| | |2 miles.
| | |
| 4 | 161 |Opposite to Ein El Lueiga.
| | |
| 3 | 164 |Road branches to right towards
| | |river—left to Sherif El Hindi.
| | |
Aruth Rutha | 2 | 166 |Road to Hella Aruth.
| | |
Hafeira | 2½ | 168 |Hella; Arab encampment; flocks and
| | |herds.
| | |
Wad Rekeih | 1½ | 170 |Hella, 100 yards right of road.
| | |
Sherif | 2 | 172 |Hella of Sherif Yusef El Hindi.
| | |
| 4½ | 176½ |Ford and road to Sherif Yakub.
| | |Road crosses river.
| | |
Abu Haraz | 24½ | 201 |(Afterwards _see_ map).
| | |
| | |[Rahad ceased to flow Nov. 30th,
| | |1901; only a slight trickle on
| | |29th.]
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

23.—SOFI _viâ_ ABU GULUD TO SERAF SAID.

BY MAJOR G. DE H. SMITH, FEBRUARY, 1900.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Sofi | — | — |Road goes down into khor and then
| | |winding through bushes and water
| | |courses follows crest of ridge
| | |between Atbara and Khor Gurri,
| | |then turns E. towards Kreder.
| | |
Kreder | 6 | 6 |A village of about 100 huts on
| | |spur above river, and not as shown
| | |on old maps.
| | |
_Sherif | 9 | 15 |There is no road now; I went
Ibrahim_ | | |across country, crossing ravines
| | |bordering Atbara, camels followed
| | |edge of plateau about 5 hours’
| | |march from Sofi. No village, only
| | |tombs of former inhabitants. Path
| | |leads from village to Meshra on
| | |Atbara.
| | |
_Dabuli_ | 12 | 27 |Left Sherif Ibrahim in a S.W.
| | |direction, and after 1 hour struck
| | |old path from Sofi; followed this,
| | |and after 2 hours came on
| | |cultivation. A big khor runs in
| | |N.E. direction towards Atbara.
| | |There are old wells here and site
| | |of village. New wells are being
| | |opened.
| | |
_Goreisha_ | 15 | 42 |Road now crosses khor above
| | |mentioned twice, and after 2 hours
| | |J. Tomborgu is passed on the
| | |right. From here road crosses
| | |three big khors, and in the next
| | |Khor J. Omrad, then cultivation of
| | |Goreisha is reached on left of
| | |road. Right side, thick bush.
| | |Another hour and Goreisha is
| | |reached; two villages with good
| | |wells and cultivation in khor.
| | |
_Abu Gulud_ | 4 | 46 |Road now crosses and recrosses
| | |this khor, which runs from Abu
| | |Gulud; after half an hour village
| | |of Salama is passed on khor on
| | |right, and after half hour arrive
| | |at Abu Gulud. Two villages; wells
| | |and cultivation. From here a track
| | |goes to Doka.
| | |
_Zemalat_ | 20 | 66 |Road leaves here in S.W.
| | |direction; about 1 mile Agala, a
| | |large village, is passed; about 4
| | |miles on a rocky ridge; ditto
| | |about 8 miles; about 10 miles
| | |village Lubaina. Few huts here.
| | |People only here for cultivation;
| | |water from Zemalat village on
| | |crest or ridge. Water from holes
| | |in khor below village, about 1
| | |mile away. From here a good view
| | |of hills near Doka and J. Nahut,
| | |J. Gadabi, and Ras El Fil
| | |obtainable.
| | |
_Seraf Said_ | 10 | 76 |Road now descends from ridge,
| | |cotton soil and bad going; about 6
| | |miles out J. Meriod is passed on
| | |right of track—village round other
| | |side of hill. Direct track leads
| | |off to right to village; bad going
| | |cotton soil. Rocky water hole in
| | |Meriod Khor not used now; about
| | |10th mile cross Seraf Khor.
| | |
| | |Two wells with water-tracks lead
| | |from here to Gallabat and Duraba,
| | |and the road from Doka joins here.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

24.—FAMAKA TO ABU RAMLA.

BY MAJOR C. W. GWYNN.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Abrunga | — | — |The direct route is up the khor
| | |through the Samina group. Very
| | |little water among these hills and
| | |none on the road.
| | |
_Belitamaru_ | 14 | 14 |About 1 mile north of the village
| | |and Belitamaru there are hills
| | |giving a little bed water in the
| | |Khor Godaff.
| | |
_Matongwe_ | 11 | 25 |Matongwe is a small Gumz village
| | |among the rocks on the side and
| | |top of J. Matongwe. Good well at
| | |the foot of the mountain. The
| | |mountain is a very striking needle
| | |of rock jutting straight out of
| | |the plain.
| | |
_J. Abu Ramla_| 12 | 37 |No more water is found till J. Abu
| | |Ramla is reached, and even there
| | |it can only be obtained in any
| | |quantity from the Khor Ramla at
| | |north-east end of mountain. There
| | |are holes in the rock on the hill
| | |side, however, which supply the
Mek’s Village | 3 | 40 |villages with drinking water.
| | |
| | |Another route can be taken from
| | |Famaka along the Nile to Hoburra,
| | |and thence to Belitamaru through
| | |Abrunga, but the first portion of
| | |the road along the river is very
| | |bad.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

25.—KARKOJ TO HAWATA.

BY MR. E. BONHAM CARTER, MARCH, 1902.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Karkoj | — | — |R. bank Blue Nile.
| | |
| | |From Karkoj, a narrow but well
| | |defined track leads through bush,
| | |thick in places, to the village of
_Kamrab_ | 18 | 18 |Kamrab, half a mile beyond which
| | |is a well and trees giving
| | |excellent shade.
| | |
_Abu Hashim_ | 4½ | 22½ |The R. Dinder is reached at Abu
| | |Hashim (Sheikh El Amin), a village
| | |on the left bank. The Dinder 100
| | |yards wide was dry here (March,
| | |1902), but there were water holes
| | |in its bed.
| | |
_Meshra | 12½ | 35 |The road here crosses the Dinder
Deberki_ | | |and follows the river to Meshra
| | |Deberki. River dry here, and about
| | |100 yards wide, but water holes in
| | |bed, and there is a large pool
| | |about ¼ mile up the river. No
| | |village here. Little shade at
| | |Meshra, but plenty ½ mile further
| | |up the river.
| | |
| | |The track here leaves the river,
| | |and after crossing an open piece
| | |passes through thick bush for 2
| | |miles, after which an open grassy
| | |plain with scattered bush extends
| | |for some distance.
| | |
| | |The track is merely a single
| | |donkey track over deeply cracked
| | |cotton soil, and is bad going.
| | |
Khor Atshan | 17 | 52 |Khor Atshan is crossed; a shallow
| | |khor draining into the Dinder.
| | |
_River Rahad_ | 16 | 68 |Track continues same with
| | |occasional bush to the Rahad; a
| | |few tukls here. Rahad in pools.
| | |
_Hawata_ | 3 | 71 |Three miles on down stream, Hawata
| | |is reached on the right bank. Here
| | |there is a pool a ¼ mile long.
| | |Fine sunt trees.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

26.—ROSEIRES TO ABU SHANEINA BY RIGHT BANK.

BY MAJOR C. W. GWYNN, R.E., 1900.