| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Nahud | — | — |The country round Nahud is sandy
| | |and undulating; about 5 miles all
| | |round is cleared for cultivation.
| | |There are many tebeldi trees which
| | |are used for water tanks. There is
| | |a very good supply of well water,
| | |wells from 30 to 60 feet deep.
| | |Population about 3,500, chiefly
| | |Hamar Arabs. _Vide_ also later
| | |reports.
| | |
_Hella El Sau_| 5 | 5 |Hamar village (Hamed Bey Fetin),
| | |no wells, but good supply of
| | |tebeldi trees. Track is very well
| | |defined, being the main road to
| | |Shakka, &c., country undulating,
| | |heavy going for camels, bush
| | |thick.
| | |
Hella El | 4 | 9 |Hamar (Hamed Bey Fetin), no wells.
Garaui | | |
| | |
_Hella Um | 3 | 12 |Hamar (Abu Dagal) no wells, but
Hashaba_ | | |tebeldi trees and water melons.
| | |
| | |There are no more villages before
| | |El Eddaiya, bush thick, chiefly
| | |ebony, bad shade, track good, but
| | |heavy going for camels and
| | |slightly undulating.
| | |
Fula | 25 | 37 |There is a large fula here, but it
| | |was dry at the beginning of
| | |November, very good shade; is a
| | |good halting place.
| | |
| 10 | 47 |A broad shallow khor or valley,
| | |good shade and some tebeldi trees;
| | |after this you cross an open
| | |plateau into El Eddaiya, there is
| | |good grazing on this plateau and
| | |nice shade, a capital camping
| | |ground.
| | |
_El Eddaiya_ | 5 | 52 |Is a large village or collection
| | |of hellas, and has a mixed
| | |population, Homr (Felaita), Hamar
| | |(Abu Dagal), Bederia and Messeria,
| | |besides many small merchants
| | |(Jaalin, &c.). It is the starting
| | |point for merchants for Bahr El
| | |Arab, Dar Jange, Dar Fertit and
| | |Shakka.
| | |
| | |Camels are very little used S. of
| | |this.
| | |
| | |Water very plentiful and good
| | |wells from 8 to 30 feet deep;
| | |there are remains of many old
| | |gardens, and even now they
| | |cultivate onions and other
| | |vegetables.
| | |
| | |There is a small Government post
| | |held by fifty Bashibazuks.
| | |
Khor Atrun | 3½ | 55½ |Very good shade, no water but
| | |after kharif (rainy season) many
| | |fulas. The track is undulating and
| | |sandy, but broad and well defined.
| | |
_Abu Asha_ and| 4 | 59½ |Both Bederia hellas, no wells, but
Walad El Seluk| | |tebeldi trees and water melons.
| | |
_Mumu_ | 7½ | 67 |This is a district; many hellas,
| | |Homr (Felaita), Sheikh Hamed
| | |Yassin, several fulas but all dry
| | |by middle of November. No wells,
| | |some tebeldi trees, much
| | |cultivation. After the harvest is
| | |gathered and when the water in
| | |tebeldi trees is exhausted, the
| | |people move near to El Eddaiya.
| | |There are no hellas between here
| | |and Muglad, it is more or less
| | |forest.
| | |
| 6 | 73 |At this point the road branches;
| | |the main road goes on to Shakka,
| | |but take left-hand one S.S.E. to
| | |Um Hagar if you want water.
| | |
_Um Hagar_ | 8 | 81 |There are here a succession of
| | |rocky basins. All had some water,
| 1 | 82 |the one furthest S. after the
| | |rains must have been a
| | |considerable lake, and some years
| | |contains water during the whole
| | |year, but, I think, will be dry by
| | |end of December this year.
| | |
| | |The track, now very indistinct,
| | |runs W.S.W. for 1½ miles, until it
| | |rejoins main road which we left at
| | |mile 73. Country continues the
| 1½ | 83½ |same until about the 86th mile,
| | |when it becomes flat and clay
| | |soil; track good and hard going,
| | |but all forest.
| | |
Um Sidr | 14½ | 98 |Large fula. Road branches at Um
| | |Sidr; main road to Shakka S.S.W.
| | |is much best and shorter, I took
| | |the one to Um Battu, but returned
| | |by main road. Gullum now becomes
| | |common.
| | |
_Um Battu_ | 8 | 106 |Three small wells in dry bed of
| | |fula, 8 feet deep. These wells
| | |could easily be improved, but are
| | |not now to be depended on after
| | |15th December. This, like all the
| | |following places, was once a
| | |village. Country all bush and
| | |very little shade except at these
| | |fulas, where there are splendid
| | |ardeib trees.
| | |
Um Gamadi | 15 | 121 |A dry fula and was an old village.
| | |
Um Gamadi | 3 | 124 |Also called Um Gamadi.
| | |
Um Kantor | 6 | 130 |Dry fula, there was an old village
| | |here at some time.
| | |
Um Gedir | 11½ | 141½ |Dry fula; very fine ardeib trees
| | |here.
| | |
Um Malis | 4½ | 146 |Dry fula, same as above.
| | |
Khor El Heggis| 2 | 148 |Northern boundary of Muglad
| | |district; very small khor, but
| | |thickly wooded.
| | |
| 1 | 149 |Road branches, take right-hand one
| | |S.S.W., the other (main track)
| | |S.S.E. is one of the many tracks
| | |to the Bahr El Arab.
| | |
Um Shanga | 1 | 150 |There is water here in khor and
| | |some tebeldi trees (but not filled
| | |with water), but this year water
| | |would be dry by end of December.
| | |
| 3½ | 153½ |No track for 3½ miles W. through
| | |very bushy country, then strike
Hella Ereiga | 1½ | 155 |path N.N.W. to Hella Ereiga. From
| | |here you strike a well-defined
| | |path to Moghrabi.
| | |
| 4 | 159 |Track branches S.W., main track S.
| | |to Jange, take right-hand one S.W.
| | |
Hella Moghrabi| 5 | 164 |This is where Ali Gula, Nazir of
| | |the Homr, lives.
| | |
_Um Moghrabi_ | 2½ | 166½ |Large fula, plenty of water.
| | |
_Um Uerst_ | 2½ | 169 |Large fula and lots of good water.
| | |But none of these fulas (or
| | |rahads, as they call them) can be
| | |relied on after end of December.
| | |
| | |There is another road from El
| | |Eddaiya further W., it is no
| | |longer, but goes through very
| | |thick forest, impassable for
| | |camels, but there are some wells
| | |on this road, and it is used in
| | |the dry weather.
| | |
Muglad | — | — |Is a district about 50 miles
| | |square, two days easy from Shakka
| | |and two days from Bahr El Arab.
| | |
| | |There are many feriks, but no
| | |permanent villages; the people all
| | |go to Bahr El Arab as soon as the
| | |water gets scarce and the harvest
| | |is collected. They store grain on
| | |the tops of trees for consumption
| | |and seed when they return in the
| | |rainy season. Population all Homr
| | |(Ageira), there are many Rizeigat
| | |and a few Maalia when I was there,
| | |but they have returned to Shakka.
| | |There is lots of gum in the
| | |district, but they do not collect
| | |it. Wells can be made at 10 feet,
| | |but they make none. I only saw one
| | |well (at Um Ardeib). The people
| | |are lazy and poor, but they have
| | |large herds of cattle and sheep.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
94—FOGA TO EL EDDAIYA, _viâ_ J. KAJA SERRUG, DAMJAMAD, AND
KORDOFAN-DARFUR.
BY CAPTAIN B. C. CARTER, JANUARY, 1903.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Foga | — | — |_Vide_ Route 28.
| | |
J. Kajaserrug | — | — |This hill is now deserted. There
| | |is a broad track running from J.
| | |El Hella (Darfur), _viâ_ J.
| | |Adashir into Kaja. This was
| | |chiefly used, I think, for looted
| | |cattle. J. Zerga holds water in
| | |the rocks, and there is a khor
| | |running, roughly, E. and W., with
| | |tebeldi trees, which were filled
| | |in the rains. They were still full
| | |in January. J. Zumkhor has traces
| | |of a wall and brick houses, said
| | |to have been built by the Fungs.
| | |Also traces of old wells in the
| | |wadi. The bricks are good and
| | |well-burnt. There are similar
| | |buildings on J. Sukunja, W. of
| | |Kaja, and also on J. Bishara Taib,
| | |E. of Foga.
| | |
J. Zerga Mima | 9 | 9 |These villages are built on a bare
| | |sandy ridge and grow dukhn only.
Gilatt | 4 | 13 |Two miles from Gamania the path
| | |joins road from Foga to Damjamad,
Gamania | 3 | 16 |which latter is a district,
| | |including 4 villages of the same
| | |name. These people go to Um Shanga
| | |when the water supply fails.
| | |
_Damjamad_ | 14 | 30 |A fair path, after passing small
| | |village of Dunur, goes through
| | |some thick thorn, and in about 8
| | |miles descends into Wadi Zernak.
_Zernak_ | 15 | 45 |This wadi is full of tebeldi trees
| | |and may be noted as a base in case
| | |of trouble with Darfur. The trees
| | |would hold a very large amount of
| | |water, but, of course, would have
| | |to be filled by hand at the proper
| | |time.
| | |
Hemir Sibil | 15½ | 60½ |Six miles from Zernak the road
| | |quits the tebeldi forest and goes
| | |over undulating ridges to Hemir
| | |Sibil, which depends entirely on
| | |melons. There is a good deal of
| | |cultivation.
| | |
Tom Wad | 11½ | 72 |A small village dependent chiefly
| | |on melons.
| | |
Zarug Dagmar | 7½ | 79½ |Fair sized village growing a good
| | |supply of dukhn.
| | |
Lingu | 9½ | 89 |This district is known as Zalatta,
| | |from a rock which holds rain
| | |water.
| | |
Edam | 3 | 92 |Small village.
| | |
Gurab | 7½ | 99½ |Small village, deserted early, as
| | |melons were scarce. Ridges end and
| | |country becomes flat with trees
| | |and grass.
| | |
Um Reida | 8½ | 108 |Large village with many tebeldis
| | |and melons enough to last till
| | |next rains. This is in district
| | |called Ghabeish.
| | |
| | |Good track all the way to El
| | |Odaiya.
| | |
Gad el Habub | 8½ | 116½ |Small Hamar village. Few tebeldi
| | |trees.
| | |
Wad Domai | 3½ | 120 |Village.
| | |
Abd el Hai | 3½ | 123½ | „
| | |
_Sharafa_ | 3½ | 127 |Large Gowama village. Water from
| | |tebeldis and from Ogr; a “Hafir”
| | |or pond 50 yards in diameter, 8 to
| | |10 feet deep, 2 miles south. It
| | |holds water until about January.
| | |
| | |There is no bad bush from here to
| | |El Eddaiya. Good going.
| | |
| | |Sharafa belongs to Kordofan, El
| | |Ogr to Darfur.
| | |
Gabralla | 9 | 138 |Small village of people from
| | |Bornu.
| | |
Gariban | 6 | 144 |Small Hamar village. Main roads
| | |from Taweisha and Shakka come in
| | |here.
| | |
Um Sedeir | 7½ | 151½ | }
| | | }
Wad Dunga | 7 | 158½ | }
| | | }
Tamba | 9½ | 168 | } All small Hamar villages.
| | | }
Sabi | 12 | 180 | }
| | | }
Aris | 7½ | 187½ | }
| | |
Wad Dau el | 5 | 192½ |
Beit | | |
| | |
_El Eddaiya_ | 12 | 204½ |_Vide_ previous routes.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
95.—EL OBEID TO NAHUD (DIRECT ROAD).
BY CAPTAIN E. G. MEYRICKE, R.E., NOVEMBER, 1903.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
El Obeid | — | — |The road goes off almost due W.,
| | |and runs over an undulating plain,
| | |at first open and covered with
| | |dura cultivation, and then covered
| | |with small and thorny shrubs.
| | |There are several villages to
| | |right and left of road. Village
| | |here consisting of about 60 tukls.
| | |From here the road goes straight
_Um Doma_ | 12 | 12 |to Jebel Abu Sinun. The water here
| | |is obtained from tebeldi trees,
| | |and there are some large fulas
| | |some distance away, one of which
| | |was not dry in December, although
| | |there had been little rain (1903).
| | |Four miles further on one arrives
| | |at a large fula; it contained no
| | |water in December. This road now
| | |passes El Abiad, where water is
| | |obtained from a few tebeldis and
| | |from distant fulas.
| | |
_Monzuka_ | 8¾ | 20¾ |Monzuka is reached, a small
| | |village, water obtained from
| | |tebeldi trees in small quantities,
| | |and about 2 miles further on we
| | |came to the remains of a village
| | |which was formerly called Um
| | |Banda. The nature of the country,
| | |throughout undulating, is a sandy
| | |plain covered with thorny bushes
_Um Sumaima_ | 21¼ | 42 |(not dense) and a few trees, and
| | |it remains so until at mile 42 one
| | |arrives at Um Sumaima, where there
| | |are tukls and people.
| | |
| | |There are many fulas on both sides
| | |of Um Sumaima. The tebeldi trees
| | |give only a very limited supply of
| | |water, but I was told there was a
| | |village named Nethrea not far off
| | |in a southerly direction, where
| | |there was more than one well.
| | |After leaving Um Sumaima the road
| | |passes many fulas and khors, now
| | |quite dry. The bush becomes a
| | |little thicker and there are many
| | |more trees, but there is no
| | |difficulty in clearing. About 7½
| | |miles from Um Sumaima you see
| | |traces of the old telegraph line
| | |in the shape of the bases of iron
| | |poles, one or two of which are
| | |still standing, but the majority
| | |are lying along the road. Trees
| | |are now numerous, and one reaches
| | |Dudia at mile 58. There are many
| | |tebeldi trees here, but there is
Dudia | 16 | 58 |no one living here now.
| | |
Huoi | 13¼ | 71¼ |The trees are more numerous and
| | |the bush thicker here. Huoi like
| | |Dudia has many tebeldi trees, and
| | |there is a big fula, but there was
| | |no water in December. There is no
| | |village here now and no people.
| | |
_Merkab_ | 22 | 93¼ |Continuing, the road passes
| | |Merkab, a village started this
| | |year (1903). Here there are many
| | |tebeldi trees and about 10 tukls.
| | |Chickens may be obtained here, but
| | |only, say, two at a time. The road
| | |here runs through a network of
| | |thorny, though small, trees, a
| | |good bit higher than a man on a
| | |camel, and it would be unpleasant
| | |travelling by night.
| | |
Manwissa | 9 | 102¼ |The thorny trees end before
| | |arrival at Manwissa, where there
| | |is a village, and the country is
| | |now covered with scattered trees
| | |and thin bush.
| | |
_Um Farigh_ | 5½ | 107¾ |Manwissa, Um Farigh, and Goda are
| | |in a district called Sheikh El
_Goda_ | 2½ | 110¼ |Dud. All round here there are
| | |dukhn crops; water is obtained
| | |from tebeldi trees. These villages
| | |are small ones. Goda contains
Sudda | 4 | 114¼ |about 60 tukls, while 4 miles from
| | |Goda, Sudda, a small village, is
| | |reached, the face of the country
| | |remaining unchanged.
| | |
Abu Dagal | 1 | 115¼ |Abu Dagal is reached shortly
| | |afterwards, and after ascending an
| | |elevation on which the trees are
| | |much more numerous, the road
_Nahud_ | 15½ | 130¾ |descends to Nahud. Water is
| | |obtained from wells, but some of
| | |it has very acid properties. This
| | |town is about the same size and of
| | |the same population as El Obeid.
| | |The country all round is open.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
96.—EL OBEID TO NAHUD, _viâ_ ABU ZABBAT.
BY CAPTAIN W. LLOYD, APRIL AND OCTOBER, 1900, AND CAPTAIN
C. H. TOWNSEND, 1901 AND 1902.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
El Obeid | — | — |The S.W. road is taken. Good
| | |track, little bush. Plenty of
| | |grazing. Country slightly
| | |undulating. Sandy soil.
| | |
Abu Haraz | 25 | 25 |Small village. Wells in the khor.
| | |Pools of water last till end of
| | |October. There are some in the old
| | |town and some in the khor. Latter
| | |are best. Good shade. Leaving the
| | |village the bush becomes thicker,
| | |but there is a good track.
| | |
_Um Geiga_ | 7 | 32 |One bad well situated on the side
| | |of a wide khor. A mile down this
| | |khor is Um Gurus. Here there are
| | |three wells which generally
| | |contain enough water for 30
| | |camels. The sand in the khor is
| | |very soft. Leaving Um Geiga the
| | |track ascends at first. Bush
| | |thick, many tebeldi trees about.
| | |
Khor Sulfan | 10 | 42 |A wide shallow khor. Bush very
| | |thick. This khor should be crossed
| | |by daylight if possible. The track
| | |now becomes good, and the bush,
| | |though thick, does not interfere
| | |with transport.
| | |
El Saata | 18½ | 60½ |A ruined Hamar village. Many
| | |tebeldis about, some of which have
| | |been used for storing water. Old
| | |wells.
| | |
| | |The country now becomes nearly
| | |level, and is covered with ebony
| | |trees. Good shade when in leaf,
| | |but none in the hot weather. White
| | |ants swarm.
| | |
_Um Galb_ | 22 | 82½ |A small village on the edge of a
| | |swamp. The village and wells are 1
| | |mile to the S. of the road. Water
| | |plentiful. The track now passes
| | |along a ridge of red sand.
| | |
_Abu Zabbat_ | 6 | 88½ |A Hamar and Bederia village on the
| | |sandy hill. To the S. is a large
| | |swamp in which are the wells, 25
| | |to 30 feet deep. Water usually
| | |plentiful. Much dura cultivation.
| | |Small suk. Many cattle, sheep, and
| | |goats. Good rest house.
| | |
| | |It is very difficult to find one’s
| | |way out of the village, and a
| | |local guide should be taken until
| | |the main road is reached, as
| | |tracks lead in all directions. The
| | |track bears N.W.
| | |
Um Dugran | 5 | 93½ |A small village; much cultivation
| | |about, chiefly dukhn. The track
| | |crosses several khors, but none
| | |are bad.
| | |
J. Howawag | 32 | 125½ |A low hill on the S. side of the
| | |road.
| | |
Um Regulti | 6 | 131½ |A small Hamar village, only
| | |occupied during the rains. No
| | |well. There is a good deal of
| | |hashab bush about. Further on arad
| | |trees are met, they have no
| | |thorns.
| | |
Um Genglit | 8 | 139½ |A similar village to Um Regulti.
| | |
J. Wad Abu | 4 | 143½ |A few low hills to the N. of the
Agala | | |track.
| | |
_Nahud_ | 10½ | 154 |For description, _see_ Routes 19,
| | |30, and Vol. I, Chap. VIII.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
97.—EL OBEID TO EL EDDAIYA, _viâ_ SUNGIKAI.
BY CAPTAIN W. LLOYD, APRIL, 1900; AND CAPTAIN C. H. TOWNSEND,
E. SURREY REGIMENT, 1901.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
El Obeid | — | — |For route El Obeid to Sungikai,
| | |_vide_ Route 17.
| | |
_Sungikai_ | 72 | 72 |The track, which is good, leaves
| | |the wells in a south-westerly
| | |direction. The country is fairly
| | |level, but much cut up by khors.
| | |Low rocky hills are seen on all
| | |sides. The bush on both sides is
| | |thick, but horses can move without
| | |much difficulty. Many of the
| | |hills, now deserted, show signs of
| | |former Nuba occupants.
| | |
_J. Kudr_ | 16½ | 88½ |A Nuba village on the hill. Water
| | |on the hill and in a well at the
| | |foot. The track now winds between
| | |many hills.
| | |
_J. Saboi_ | 7½ | 96 |Nearly due W. of J. Kudr. A Nuba
| | |village on the hill. Three wells
| | |and some pools. No supplies were
| | |obtainable. The bush becomes thick
| | |in places.
| | |
_J. Kasha_ | 14 | 110 |Large Nuba village on the hill. A
| | |plentiful supply of indifferent
| | |water from wells, about one mile
| | |from the village. The inhabitants
| | |are fairly well off and some of
| | |them go to the suk at Abu Zabbat.
| | |The men carry spears and rifles;
| | |they have a number of the latter.
| | |
_J. Shifr_ | 6½ | 116½ |A Nuba hill. Water plentiful in
| | |wells in the khor on the N. side
| | |of hill, and has much improved.
| | |Good camp. The bush continues bad
| | |all the way to Kubgr.
| | |
_El Sinut_ | 21 | 137½ |A depression of black soil. On the
| | |borders are many Messeria camps.
| | |In the rains the depression is a
| | |swamp, covered with long grass and
| | |ambach. Sunt trees abound. There
| | |are many wells about 40 feet deep,
| | |which are used in summer. There is
| | |a small market. During the rains
| | |the people wander off to places
| | |where there are rain pools and
| | |cultivate.
| | |
_El Seneita_ | 9 | 146½ |The track runs S.W., leaving the
| | |village to the N., and a swamp,
| | |similar to El Sinut, containing
| | |the wells, to the S. The village
| | |is on high ground and on sandy
| | |soil. Track leads S.S.W. through
| | |very thick bush.
| | |
_Toto_ | 17½ | 164 |A swamp, similar to El Sinut. Many
| | |wells 30 to 40 feet deep, giving a
| | |plentiful supply of water. Good
| | |shade, some gullum. Many Messeria
| | |camps about. Bush thick and the
| | |cotton soil much cracked in
| | |places. The track now turns N.W.
| | |for two miles and then W. Some
| | |cultivation is passed belonging to
| | |a small Messeria village, Ardeb by
| | |name, which lies to the N. of the
| | |track.
| | |
_J. Kubgr_ | 17 | 181 |There are many wells on the N.
| | |side of the hill, though only two
| | |on the S. side. From here the
| | |following jebels are visible, they
| | |are all close and under Mek Abu
| | |Dugal of Kubgr:—J. Shenshal, J.
| | |Abu Gerein, J. Umbosha, and J.
| | |Seigo. To the N. of the hill, and
| | |about two miles from it, is a Beni
| | |Fadl village named Shallo. The
| | |people drink from J. Kubgr. There
| | |is a direct road from Kubgr, _viâ_
| | |Shallo, to Nahud.
| | |
_El Eddaiya_ | 30 | 211 |A collection of villages, all
| | |under an Omda, Safi Negm El Din,
| | |by name. The main village, which
| | |is the largest, is close to the
| | |wells, which are numerous and lie
| | |in a depression, and give a
| | |plentiful supply of water at a
| | |depth of from 10 to 30 feet, small
| | |hand-wheels being used to draw it
| | |up. There are many good gardens
| | |here and, at certain seasons, a
| | |plentiful supply of vegetables is
| | |obtainable. The population is very
| | |mixed, there being Homr, Hamar,
| | |Messeria, Bederia, also some
| | |Dongolawis and Jaalin. The Homr
| | |belong chiefly to the Felaita
| | |section, and they have several
| | |villages, the chief of these being
| | |Mumu, about 12 miles W. of El
| | |Eddaiya. There is a Bashibazuk
| | |post of 50 men here, and a small
| | |market. This is the starting point
| | |for the Bahr El Arab, Dar Jangé,
| | |Dar Fertit, and Shakka. Traders
| | |going S. and W. from here proceed
| | |on donkeys and cattle, camels
| | |being little used.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
98.—EL OBEID TO KERAIA (J. TAGALE), _viâ_ JEBEL DAIER.
BY CAPTAIN J. R. O’CONNELL, THE KING’S SHROPSHIRE LIGHT
INFANTRY, AND CAPTAIN W. LLOYD, THE SCOTTISH RIFLES, JANUARY, 1900;
WITH ADDITIONS FROM EL KAIMAKAM J. BUTLER BEY’S REPORTS IN 1901.
There is no difficulty with regard to grazing or firewood on this
road, but camels cannot be watered between El Obeid and El Rahad. The
country S. of El Rahad is practically impassable to camels as soon
as the rains commence.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
El Obeid | — | — |Leaving the Mudiria, there is a
| | |good track over level ground to
| | |the S. end of J. Deigo. Bush never
| | |thick, but after the rains the
| | |going is bad in places.
| | |
J. Deigo | 8 | 8 |Small fula at S. end. Water does
| | |not last after November. Track now
| | |turns nearly S. and bush becomes
| | |thicker. Several large deep khors.
| | |J. Kordofan on W. of track. There
| | |is a pool on top of northern peak
| | |which lasts till April (_i.e._, in
| | |1901).
| | |
J. El Sofaia | 10 | 18 |Left to E. of track; bush bad and
| | |continuous, so to El Rahad.
| | |
_J. Um | 2 | 20 |On W. of track. There is a crack
Dubabat_ or | | |in the rock near the road which
_El Ein_ | | |always contains water, said to
| | |come from a spring, but by the hot
| | |weather water becomes somewhat
| | |foul. The country is flat, bush
| | |thick, and there are several deep
| | |khors.
| | |
Arab cemetery | 12 | 32 |By the side of a khor.
| | |
Khor Um | 10 | 42 |A broad, shallow khor, which must
Dagergur | | |be very swampy in the rains.
| | |
_El Rahad_ | 5½ | 47½ |Near the lake the road divides in
| | |two. That to the E. leads to the
| | |villages of Sheikh Adam Maznuk, a
| | |Gowama. The villages are large and
| | |have a small market. The lake is
| | |about 2 miles wide and 5 miles
| | |long. When it is dry (as it was in
| | |January, 1900) wells are dug in
| | |the bottom.
| | |
Regela | 5 | 47 |The road to the W. is the main
| | |track and passes through Regela,
| | |and near the remains of one of
| | |Hick’s forts. Several large khors
| | |are crossed.
| | |
_Khor Abu | 9½ | 56½ |Is 50 feet wide and 2 feet deep,
Habl_ | | |but the banks are flooded in the
| | |rains, and it is said to be
| | |impassable at times.
| | |
_Egeria_ (in | 4 | 60½ |A Dabab village, situated in a
Jebel Daier) | | |khor in J. Daier. The entrance
| | |closed by high stone walls—now
| | |broken—near the khor. Three
| | |hellas, and a small market. Wells
| | |in the khor, inside the wall.
| | |Plenty of water.
| | |
| | |Leaving the village the track
| | |crosses several khors; bush thick
| | |and between high hills.
| | |
_Kitra_ | 4 | 64½ |A small village buried in the
| | |hills. The entrance is between
| | |rocks hardly wide enough for a
| | |loaded camel. Gowamas and Nubas.
| | |Wells inside the village.
| | |Cultivation: dura on plain
| | |outside.
| | |
| | |Moving near the foot of the hills
| | |the bush continues thick.
| | |
_Sitra_ | 5½ | 70 |A village built on the side of the
| | |hills. Good wells with more than
| | |enough water for 100 camels. J.
| | |Daier is now left, and the track
| | |bears E.S.E. over level country,
| | |much cut up by khors, many of
| | |which are 10 feet deep. The bush
| | |is very thick in places. J. Tagale
| | |is seen ahead.
| | |
_Kodi_ | 24½ | 94½ |After crossing several low hills
| | |and some cultivation, Kodi is
| | |reached. The village is on the top
| | |of a hill which commands an
| | |excellent view in all directions.
| | |The wells are in a khor S. of the
| | |village, but large parties of
| | |animals have to go to a pool 5
| | |miles S. W., where 100 camels
| | |watered without any effect on the
| | |supply. The track there is very
| | |bad, being over a rocky path
| | |through bush.
| | |
| | |The road continues to be much
| | |broken by khors. It goes between
| | |high hills and through bad bush,
| | |and 9 miles on becomes so bad that
| | |it is necessary to dismount and
| | |lead the camels for ½ mile.
| | |
_Morat_ | 16 | 110½ |A small Nuba village buried in the
| | |hills. One bad well with little
| | |water. J. Abu Dom is seen to the
| | |E.
| | |
| | |Path crosses many khors and
| | |wanders about through thick bush;
| | |Senadre and Julia are left to the
| | |W. Khor Julia, 20 feet deep, with
| | |steep banks, has to be crossed.
| | |
Ruri | 11 | 121½ |The track now ascends some 200
| | |feet over sheet rock and then
| | |descends among boulders. This took
| | |200 camels an hour and a half to
| | |cross.
| | |
Duris | 1 | 122½ |A small hella on the side of the
| | |hill.
| | |
| | |On descending on to the plain the
| | |track passes over level country
| | |covered with thick bush. It bears
| | |almost due S., and suddenly turns
| | |W. into a large cove, the entrance
| | |to which is between narrow rocks.
| | |There is a good camping ground
| | |inside and fair wells. The village
_Keraia_ (J. | 2½ | 125 |and market is up the hill. Keraia
Tagale) | | |is a large place. Mek Geili has a
| | |large and well-built house there.
| | |There are also springs of water
| | |near the top of the hill. The
| | |camels, however, had to be sent to
| | |some wells in a big khor 7 miles
| | |further S., as these springs only
| | |give enough water for the
| | |inhabitants.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
99.—KERAIA TO RASHAD, AND THENCE TO J. GEDIR.
AS FAR AS RASHAD, BY CAPTAIN J. R. O’CONNELL AND CAPTAIN W. LLOYD,
JANUARY, 1900; REMAINDER BY EL KAIMAKAM J. BUTLER BEY, MARCH, 1902.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
_Keraia_ (J. | — | — |Leaving the wells at the bottom of
Tagale) | | |the hill the road turns south
| | |along the foot of the hills,
| | |crossing many small khors flowing
| | |westwards. Much dura cultivation
| | |seen near.
| | |
_Khor_ | 6 | 6 |A large khor, 50 yards wide,
| | |coming out of the hills and
| | |turning north-east. A mile up this
| | |khor are several good wells.
| | |Watered 250 camels there.
| | |
| | |The road now enters a narrow
| | |valley; thick jungle for 3 miles,
| | |and then ascends a steep hill.
| | |Camels have to be led. Hill
| | |terraced for cultivation; now
| | |deserted (1900); signs of
| | |elephant. Ground stony in places.
| | |Many khors, but not difficult to
| | |cross. High trees shut out all
| | |view. Nine miles from the khor
| | |descends a hill, and the road
| | |crosses a series of ridges and
| | |khors. Much bush.
| | |
Khor El Fedala| 13 | 19 |A deep khor. Camel corps had to
| | |dismount. Ridges and khor
| | |continue, but track improves.
| | |
_Mernia_ | 6 | 25 |Ruined village. Two wells, good
| | |water. Jebel of same name near.
| | |Road passes between J. Mernia and
| | |J. Abu Shok on to a level plain.
| | |J. Rashad seen due west.
| | |
_Rashad_ | 6 | 31 |Large Nuba village in a valley;
| | |both ends closed by strong
| | |sangars. Water quite near the
| | |surface in January, 1900, but
| | |dirty; watered 200 camels. In
| | |February, 1902, water was very
| | |foul. Good shade and grazing. Road
| | |turns south; rocky in places.
| | |
_J. Tendik_ | 15 | 46 |Head-quarters of District. Nubas.
| | |Well at foot of hill, road to east
| | |of jebel. Fair track.
| | |
J. Turum | 9½ | 55½ |Track crosses jebel; very bad
| | |going. Well. Nubas and Kenana
| | |Arabs. Fair going. Four or five
| | |miles on a large forest of deleib
| | |palms is entered and continues to
| | |Gurun.
| | |
_J. Gurun_ | 20 | 75½ |Well and village of Kenana Arabs.
| | |Track passes by many disused
| | |wells. Very stony in places.
| | |
Khor Wad el | 25 | 100½ |Flows south-east. Good track to
Hileisa | | |village north-west of J. Gedir,
| | |leaving J. Girada, inhabited by
| | |Kenana Arabs, to the east. Then
| | |very bad track to Mek Bosh’s
| | |village, south of J. Gedir. Two
| | |wells.
| | |
_J. Gedir_ | 26 | 126½ |Village protected by sangars.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
From Rashad to J. Gedir there is nowhere enough water for 200 camels.
100.—KAKA (KARWA) TO J. GEDIR.
BY COLONEL B. MAHON BEY, D.S.O., 8TH HUSSARS, OCTOBER, 1899.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
_Karwa_ | — | — |Site of camp on left bank White
| | |Nile just S. of Kaka. Good camping
| | |ground S.E. of village.
| | |
| | |The track leaves the river and
| | |runs practically W.N.W., but winds
| | |greatly through trees, bush,
| | |scrub, and high grass, which
| | |requires clearing for camel
| | |transport or guns.
| | |
| 6½ | 6½ |Track continues W.N.W. over a very
| | |extensive shadeless plain, covered
| | |with grass 3½ to 5 feet high, but
| | |not thick. Until beaten down or
| | |burnt, this grass makes marching
| | |difficult for infantry.
| | |
Domat, or | 8 | 14½ |There has been a lot of water at
Domaia, or El | | |Domat, but it is now (Oct.)
Zeif | | |practically dried up.
| | |
| | |At Domat there are two or three
| | |groups of dom palms, which show up
| | |well and can be seen for a long
| | |distance. From here the hills of
| | |Kau and Niaro can be seen bearing
| | |about 275° magnetic.
| | |
| | |From Domat, for the next 6¾ miles,
| | |there is no track, but, if from
| | |the largest group of dom palms on
| | |left of track you march due W.
| | |magnetic after going about 2
| | |miles, a thick clump of dark green
| | |bush is seen on the skyline at
| | |about 3½ miles distant, and on the
| | |same bearing. A few degrees to the
| | |right of the clump, the hill of
| | |Fungor can be seen from the same
| | |point.
| | |
Mohabia or | 5¾ | 20¼ |Beyond Mohabia, the above-
Hobobia | | |mentioned clump of bush, J. Fungor
| | |cannot be seen again until you
| | |arrive within about 2 miles from
| | |it, except from one point, viz.:
| | |Sahab.
| | |
| | |From Domat to the commencement of
| | |the forest a plain is crossed
| | |covered with grass from 3 to 5
| | |feet high. From Mohabia on, the
| | |track is again visible through
| | |grass, as before.
| | |
| | |At 22¾ miles the edge of the
| | |forest is reached. Track winds
| | |through forest and undergrowth,
| | |the latter not very thick. Timber
| | |much injured by fire. No good
| | |shade.
| | |
Sahab | 4½ | 24¾ |There was water till recently
| | |here; now (Oct.) dried up. J.
| | |Fungor visible bearing 275°
| | |magnetic.
| | |
| | |Track through forest as before.
| | |
_Safa, or | 8¾ | 33½ |Fine trees giving excellent shade
Sufa_ | | |at Safa. Two pools of water in
| | |sandstone rocks; one is 27 yards
| | |long by 16 yards wide, and 9
| | |inches deep, the other, circular,
| | |20 yards in diameter, and 9 inches
| | |deep. If the water remains as at
| | |present, enough to water all our
| | |animals.
| | |
| | |Path continues distinctly marked
| | |and through forest without much
| | |undergrowth except where one or
| | |two grassy khors are crossed. Very
| | |good ground for marching.
| | |
| | |Within 1 mile of Fungor, country
| | |has been cleared for cultivation,
| | |and there is some dura and high
| | |grass.
| | |
_J. Fungor_ | 12 | 45½ |Very good camping ground N.E. of
| | |the centre hill and close to the
| | |water.
| | |
| | |Several large tanks of good water
| | |were found besides several smaller
| | |ones of still better water amongst
| | |the rocks on the hill side. With
| | |the assistance of a heavy
| | |thunderstorm the water supply was
| | |ample for two battalions, 500
| | |cavalry, and some Camel Corps and
| | |transport for 3 or 4 days in
| | |October, 1899. In fact no
| | |impression was made on it.
| | |
| | |The village is situated on the E.
| | |side of the central hill, which is
| | |about 350 feet high. The hill is
| | |very steep and difficult to ascend
| | |with boots. The inhabitants are
| | |almost all Nubas. Mek’s name
| | |Khalil. There are also some Aulad
| | |Hameid under Sheikh Idris.
| | |
| | |For the first 2 miles the path
| | |winds through high grass and very
| | |thick bush, crossing one small
| | |khor, containing water from
| | |previous night’s rain. The bush is
| | |of low sunt, and was evidently
| | |once a clearing.
| | |
| 2 | 47½ |The path passes to the right of
| | |some low rocky hills, after which
| | |the forest opens out, and the
| | |trees, chiefly heglig and acacia,
| | |are bigger. The soil is sandy,
| | |grass very low, and little
| | |undergrowth.
| | |
| 2½ | 50 |At about 4½ miles the track is
| | |opposite the S.E. end of the Kau
| | |range, which is a ½ mile on the
| | |right. Country fairly open; going
| | |very good.
| | |
_Kau_ | 2½ | 52½ |The village of Kau is on the W.
| | |slope of J. Kau. It contains about
| | |500 inhabitants. Nubawi blacks;
| | |neither men nor women are clothed.
| | |Most of the houses are built high
| | |up amongst the rocks. Water
| | |obtainable from crevices on the
| | |rocky hillside. A good many dom
| | |palms near the village. A space of
| | |about 10 feddans to W. of hill was
| | |formerly cleared, but is now
| | |overgrown with small dom palms,
| | |about 4 feet high. After leaving
| | |Kau, the track winds through open
| | |forest, the trees improve in size,
| | |and more tropical plants are seen.
| | |Large numbers of bamboos, of
| | |apparently very good quality, grow
| | |in clusters along the small khors.
| | |Soil light and sandy.
| | |
| 5¾ | 58¼ |Nearly 6 miles from Kau the soil
| | |becomes heavy clay, and the grass
| | |is higher. The path winds a good
| | |deal, and is full of holes caused
| | |by subsidence after rain. It would
| | |be necessary to clear a track for
| | |guns or transport for the next 1¼
| | |miles, after which the path
| | |improves and the going is sounder.
| | |
_Shag el | 3¼ | 61½ |Here there are two large rocks;
Hagar_ | | |the higher, about 50 feet in
| | |height, commands a good view; the
| | |lower, about 12 feet high,
| | |contains a large supply of water
| | |in four large and several small
| | |natural tanks, three of these are
| | |each about 60 feet long and 6 feet
| | |to 10 feet wide, and vary in depth
| | |from 2 feet to 4 feet. The fourth
| | |is 150 feet long and 9 feet wide,
| | |and from 4 feet to 6 feet deep.
| | |The water is excellent; 550 men
| | |and 420 horses were watered twice
| | |in 36 hours at these tanks and
| | |made little apparent difference in
| | |the supply. As there is no
| | |catchment area, except the surface
| | |of the rock, it looks as if the
| | |tanks were fed by springs. Should
| | |the source of supply be capable of
| | |giving more water, the amount
| | |retained could be easily increased
| | |by building a small dam across the
| | |end of the large tank, which would
| | |increase the depth to 9 feet. One
| | |of the other tanks could be
| | |similarly treated, but the result
| | |would not be so great. Horses must
| | |be watered from buckets.
| | |
| | |Country around is covered with
| | |fairly open forest of good-sized
| | |trees, with a little undergrowth.
| | |No bamboos were noticed after
| | |this.
| | |
| | |For about 3 miles the track
| | |continues through forest. At 19
| | |miles it reaches a large open
| | |glade about 2 miles wide, with
| | |very few trees, and with grass 3½
| | |feet high. It is apparently a
| | |clearing made at some time by
| | |fire. Track then continues through
| | |open forest of very fine trees,
| | |many of which are tabeldi
| | |(Adansonia).
| | |
Khor Goz El | 7¼ | 68¾ |On this occasion, owing to the
Tabeldi | | |recent rain, there was sufficient
| | |water in this khor to water the
| | |men and horses, but water cannot
| | |be counted on. Country remains
| | |open; trees scattered, but
| | |sufficient for shade. Grass 5 feet
| | |to 8 feet high.
| | |
Khor El Waja | 4¾ | 73½ |This is a grassy khor, about ¼
| | |mile wide, quite dry, but said to
| | |hold water during rains. It is
| | |intersected by narrow water
| | |channels, 3 feet to 6 feet deep.
| | |The khor, whose soil is black
| | |clay, would be a serious obstacle
| | |to troops in the rainy season, and
| | |would, I think, be impassable for
| | |guns and transport while in flood.
| | |
Khor Melisa | 1 | 74½ |This is a sandy khor about 17
| | |yards wide, with steep banks 10
| | |feet to 14 feet deep, said to come
| | |from J. Girada. In the rains it
| | |must be a considerable obstacle.
| | |The country continues open, but
| | |with grass from 6 feet to 8 feet
| | |high, to within 2¾ miles of Gedir,
| | |when a belt of thick acacia and
| | |kittr scrub, 1¾ miles in width, is
| | |crossed. For guns or pack animals,
| | |it would be necessary to clear a
| | |path through this belt.
| | |
| | |About 1½ miles from Gedir, the
| | |sandy khor, Gedad, 8 feet wide and
| | |6 feet to 8 feet deep, said to
| | |come from J. Girada, is crossed.
| | |The last ¾ mile to Gedir is open
| | |ground with few scattered trees.
| | |
_J. Gedir_ | 7¾ | 82¼ |A rocky horseshoe-shaped hill,
| | |estimated altitude above the plain
| | |600 feet. The village is on the
| | |re-entrant. Near the gorge are two
| | |wells about 80 feet deep, with a
| | |little water. No other water was
| | |seen. There are about 500
| | |inhabitants. Many of the men have
| | |rifles. They are not naked like
| | |those of Kau, and appear to be a
| | |cross between Arabs and Nubas.
| | |
| | |The Mahdi’s Stone is a large
| | |boulder up the slope of the hill,
| | |outside of, and about ½ a mile
| | |from the northern heel of the
| | |horseshoe, and on the way to
| | |Girada, of the same colour as the
| | |surrounding rocks, and shaded by a
| | |heglig tree, which may account for
| | |the Mahdi’s partiality for it. No
| | |cultivation was seen, but the
| | |inhabitants said they had some
| | |dura fields ripening.
| | |
| | |Jebel Girada appears to be 5 to 7
| | |miles distant. It is said to have
| | |a plentiful water supply.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
101.—EL OBEID TO DAR EL JANGE.
BY MAJOR E. B. WILKINSON, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, 1902.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
El Obeid | — | — |Leaving the Mudiria, the road runs
| | |in a S.S.W. direction, and at 1½
| | |miles distance further on reaches
| | |the southern edge of the El Obeid
| | |basin, and low acacia bush and an
| | |occasional baobab tree take the
| | |place of dukhn cultivation.
| | |
Track to _El | 5 | 5 |At 5 miles distance from El Obeid,
Atshan Wells_ | | |a broad track runs in a S.W.
| | |direction to El Atshan wells,
| | |which are situated in Khor
| | |Fertangul, 22 miles from El Obeid.
| | |
| | |The road to El Merekib continues
| | |in the same direction, viz.,
| | |S.S.W., and one passes through the
| | |same kind of bush with sandy soil
| | |until the village is reached. The
| | |inhabitants consist of Bederia and
| | |Ghodiat Arabs.
| | |
_El Merekib_ | 5 | 10 |There is a well here, but the
| | |supply of water is very small.
| | |Dukhn is cultivated around the
| | |village.
| | |
| | |The road continues in a S.W. by S.
| | |direction until J. Fertangul is
J. Fertangul | 6½ | 16½ |reached. There are two small hills
| | |of the same name; one E. of the
| | |road, and 6½ miles distant from
| 1½ | 18 |Merekib, and the other on the W.
| | |of the road, and 8 miles distant
| | |from Merekib. The crest of latter
| | |is crowned with white limestone.
| | |
_Khor | 1 | 19 |One mile from the hill, Khor
Fertangul_ | | |Fertangul with wells in its bed is
| | |reached.
| | |
| 5 | 24 |Khor.
| | |
Khor Kashgil | 1½ | 25½ |Khor Kashgil with good shade and
| | |grazing.
| | |
| | |Here road changes direction to
| | |S.S.E., and runs through thick
| | |bush for 9¾ miles until khor
_El Edeidat_ | 9¾ | 35½ |crosses road; this place is known
| | |as El Edeidat. There are two wells
| | |in khor. (Plenty of water March,
| | |1904.)
| | |
Hella Abdel | 5 | 40¼ |Road runs S. from here, and 5
Samad | | |miles on a track runs S.E. to
| | |Hella Abdel Samad, which is about
| | |1 mile off the main road.
| | |
_El Birket_ | 2¾ | 43 |One and three-quarter miles on
| | |road turns due W., and 1 mile on
| | |brings one to El Birket; there are
| | |two villages here consisting of
| | |Bederia Arabs who have a good deal
| | |of land under cultivation. Here
| | |there is a large lake or
| | |reservoir, which I am informed
| | |contains much water for eight
| | |months in the year, but owing to
| | |this year being exceptionally dry
| | |there was no water (February,
| | |1902), and wells sunk in the
| | |centre 24 feet deep were also dry.
| | |The area of this reservoir is
| | |probably 2 square miles. Good
| | |timber and shade on the southern
| | |edge of the lake.
| | |
| | |From here the road runs S.W.
| | |through thick bush, and the soil
| | |changes to black cotton soil.
| | |
El Edaiya Faki| 7 | 50 |The district known as El Edaiya
Yasin | | |commences, and Hella Beni Fadl is
| | |reached.
| | |
Um Seneina | 2¾ | 52¾ |Hella Um Seneina.
| | |
Abu Habl | 3¼ | 56 |Khor Abu Habl is reached at
| | |Sessaban. This district is
_Um Sessaban_ | | |inhabited by Bederia Arabs; each
| | |village has a certain amount of
| | |land cleared and under cultivation
| | |(dukhn). Khor Abu Habl is here
| | |about 15 to 20 yards broad, with
| | |high banks varying from 15 to 20
| | |feet with good timber growing
| | |along them. A few wells are sunk
| | |at Sessaban, but the supply of
| | |water was not sufficient to allow
| | |of animals being watered (8.1.02).
| | |
H. El Daruta | 3½ | 59½ |H. El Daruta (Bederia), J.
| | |Belgulti and Fainar visible from
| | |here.
| | |
| 2 | 61½ |Track runs W., and
| | |
H. Balamat | 1 | 62½ |Hella Balamat is reached.
| | |
_Kururra_ | 2½ | 65 |Khor Abu Habl is again struck at
| | |Kururra well, which is situated
| | |under a very fine gemmeiza tree,
| | |and gives a large quantity of
| | |water.
| | |
| | |Well, 80 feet to water, and there
| | |was 20 feet of water in it.
| | |Kururra village ½ mile E. of well,
| | |Bederia, also water at this well.
| | |Hawazma Arabs.
| | |
_Sungikai_ | 3 | 68 |Wells of Sungikai—four in number,
| | |72 feet deep in khor; banks of
| | |khor 10 to 15 feet high. Large
| | |population of Hawazma Arabs.
| | |
| | |Sungikai village 1½ miles N.W.
| | |
| | |From Sungikai village a much used
| | |road runs N.N.W. to El Obeid,
| | |passing through El Atshan wells in
| | |Khor Fertangul, distance 48 miles.
| | |
Zeriba El Aguz| 2½ | 70½ |Leaving Sungukai wells, one enters
or H. El | | |a very rich district. Road runs
Birgid | | |S.W., and 2½ miles H. El Birgid
| | |(Bederia) is reached, and villages
| | |occur almost every mile till El
| | |Nila is reached. There is much
| | |cultivation in this district; the
| | |inhabitants (Hawazma) possess many
| | |cattle, and N. of Nila there is
| | |excellent timber.
| | |
_El Nila_ | 5½ | 76 |At _El Nila_ there are six wells,
| | |average 42 feet deep, giving
| | |excellent supply of water, and
| | |many hundreds of cattle, sheep and
| | |goats water there daily. Fine
| | |gemmeiza, sunt, haraz, and heglig
| | |trees. Four to five Arab (Ferikgs)
| | |or settlements. Khor 20 yards
| | |between banks, which in places are
| | |22 to 25 feet broad. All along
| | |bank there is very good timber.
| | |
| | |Leaving El Nila wells in a S.S.E.
| | |direction, there is an excellent
| | |and much used road to J. Watta,
| | |distant 30 miles, first 10 miles
| | |good shade, after that none.
| | |
_J. | 15 | 91 |Leaving El Nila, road runs S.W.
Dilling_[32] | | |and after 13 miles through forest
| | |of heglig and talh, and over
| | |cotton soils bring one to J.
| | |Dilling, consisting of a group of
| | |hills; thickly populated by Nubas
| | |who build their little conical
| | |huts in groups in suitable
| | |recesses among the boulders high
| | |up in the hills.
| | |
| ½ | 91½ |Half a mile S.W. wells in khor;
| | |khor 25 to 30 yards broad; good
| | |shade and grazing; good camp
| | |ground.
| | |
_J. Abu Sebah_| 4 | 95½ |Four miles S.W. is J. Abu Sebah, a
| | |small rocky hill ½ mile from khor
| | |along which there is a small
| | |population of Hawazma Arabs, who
| | |have dug wells, four in number, in
| | |khor, depth 21 feet to water.
| | |Deleib palms were first seen
| | |between Dilling and this, and the
| | |country intervening is cleared and
| | |cultivated.
| | |
| | |From J. Abu Sebah road to Gulfan
| | |runs S.E. over cotton soil for
| | |first four miles. Open bush and
| | |then talh, heglig bush, &c.
| | |
J. Samasen | 15 | 110½ |J. Samasen is passed, and
| | |
| 4 | 114½ |Four miles on, one reaches the
| | |foot of hills where soil becomes
| | |more gravelly, and contains a lot
| | |of detritus and broken rock, which
| | |makes going harder for camels. The
| | |road trends S. and then W.,
| | |winding over spurs from the main
_J. Gulfan_ | 3 | 117½ |hills and passing over large areas
| | |which are cultivated with dura,
| | |eventually entering between the
| | |hills crowned with many Nuba
| | |villages and Gulfan is reached.
| | |
| | |Here there was very little water.
| | |Wells mere holes 6 feet to 8 feet,
| | |and having a very slow yield.
| | |Hills are here terraced to the
| | |top, and dura grown in large
| | |quantities. The terraces are most
| | |carefully made and walls of stone
| | |are built.
| | |
| | |From Gulfan the road runs W. over
| | |rock, and going is bad, as one is
| | |continually ascending and
| | |descending spurs.
| | |
| 2 | 119½ |Two miles after leaving, wells
| | |(mere holes in the ground, about 6
J. Tarda | 1 | 120½ |feet deep) are passed, the road
| | |now running between two ranges of
| ½ | 121 |hills, and there is an Arab
| | |settlement. J. Tarda is left on
| | |the N. and J. Watta 4 miles N.E.,
| | |and road turns S. and S.W.,
| | |following the contour of the
| | |southern range of hills, and ½
| | |mile on a road branches, running
| | |N.E. to J. Watta, which is
| | |inhabited by Nubas and Arabs.
| | |
| | |The road to J. Watta runs N.E.
| | |through thick bush for 4½ miles,
| | |and crosses a khor close to the
| | |hill. There are many wells, but
| | |most give very little water which,
| | |however, is of good quality. The
| | |road to Kadaro and El Obeid from
| | |S. passes through here; and also
| | |there is an excellent road to
| | |Nila, running N.N.W. through talh
| | |and jungle. This road is greatly
| | |used by Hawazma Arabs, who migrate
| | |N. annually. Six miles after
| | |leaving J. Watta, J. Tungul is
| | |left on E., 3 miles off road, and
| | |at 16 miles J. Dilling el Khulla
| | |is passed, 1 mile W. of road. No
| | |shade for 20 miles, then good
| | |shade and grazing; total distance
| | |to Nila 30 miles.
| | |
_Katta_ | 2½ | 123½ |Nuba village Katta is passed, and
| | |there is an Arab settlement close
| | |by. Much dura is cultivated. J.
| | |Sheibun and Um Heitan is visible.
| | |
| 2 | 125½ |A large rocky hill with jagged
| | |crest; low bush, no shade. Here
| | |road runs S.S.W., and 2¼ miles on
| | |khor is passed which had water in
| | |a hole under S. bank on 21.2.02.
| | |Road continues in same direction
| 2¼ | 127¾ |and the country is very much the
| | |same as before, talh and heglig,
| 9½ | 137¼ |only the soil is more gravelly
| | |until Khor Debri and Debri wells,
| | |6 feet deep, are reached. Leaving
| | |Debri wells, where there is a
| | |small hill, road runs S.W. for 2
| | |miles, and ¾ mile further S.
| | |
_J. Debri_ | 2¾ | 140 |J. Debri, with village (Nuba) of
| | |the same name is passed. Here much
| | |land is cleared and dura
| | |cultivated at the foot of hills.
| | |
_J. Kega_ | 2 | 142 |Two miles south of Debri road
| | |bends to W., skirting the foot of
| | |the hills, and J. Kega Tummero is
| | |reached. This is a large conical
| | |hill, part of W. chain of other
| | |features, and up the sides of
| | |which the Nubas have built their
| | |huts, some situated right on the
| | |top, at the foot of which and in
| | |the re-enterants are also many
| | |huts belonging to them and also
| | |Arabs. There is a well here but
| | |the water is very bad.
| | |
_Khor Kega_ | 2 | 144 |Two miles on Khor Kega is reached,
| | |which flows from J. Kega el Abiad
| | |and Kega Libu. There are six wells
| | |in bed of khor, which is 20 yards
| | |wide, 6 to 8 feet deep; water good
| | |and abundant, good shade and
| | |grazing. Much dura is cultivated
| | |in the plain, and there is an Arab
| | |(Hawazma) settlement. Crossing
| | |Khor Kega road runs roughly S.
| | |over cotton soil with talh and
| | |heglig forest, and at 3½ miles
Khor El Kuek | 3½ | 147½ |Khor El Kuek is crossed.
| | |
_Hella Daud_ | 12 | 159½ |Eleven miles on Hella Daud, 35 to
| | |40 huts belonging to Hawazmas, who
| | |cultivate dura and have much
| | |ground cleared. From here to S.W.
| | |the Miri range and J. Demik and
| | |Kega Heg El Kheil are visible.
| | |Water is transported from wells in
| | |a khor E. of village at the foot
| | |of J. Tesein Dhanat.
| | |
| | |After continuing S. through the
| | |same kind of forest and crossing
| | |many small watercourses which flow
| | |W. from the hills, the road skirts
| | |the foot of J. Musta, and Kadugli
_J. Kadugli_ | 7 | 166½ |is reached. Here there is a
| | |population of Nubas and Hawazma
| | |Arabs. The Mek of the Nubas is
| | |named Rehal, and he exercises
| | |power over all the surrounding
| | |hills. The whole of this range of
| | |high hills containing J. Tesem
| | |Dhanab, J. Musta and J. Kadugli,
| | |is known by the name of El Goghub.
| | |J. Sabori, to the W., is also
| | |inhabited.
| | |
| | | FROM KADUGLI TO KEILAK.
| | |
_Khor Kadugli_| ½ | 167 |Leaving the camp at the foot of J.
| | |Kadugli one proceeds W. and ½ mile
| | |on brings one to the khor of the
| | |same name. Here there are three
| | |groups of wells. (1) ¾ mile W. of
| | |Arab village there are a group of
| | |some half a dozen wells,
| | |principally used by Arabs. (2)
| | |Central group, live wells 6 feet
| | |deep, used by Nubas. (3) 1 mile
| | |down stream and S., two wells 6
| | |feet deep, used by the Mek’s
| | |immediate household; all give a
| | |good supply of water. There is
| | |very good grazing all along the
| | |khor. Much dura cultivated.
| | |
J. Kaffari | 2 | 169 |J. Kaffari is passed S. of road
| | |which runs W. through much dura
| 1 | 170 |cultivation and along the banks of
| | |Khor Kadugli, which rises in Miri
| | |range. Road passes now between low
| | |range of hills, and continues W.
| | |by S. for 5 miles through level
| | |plain covered with heglig, talh,
| 5 | 175 |and haraz forest, with clearings
| | |for dura cultivation, with the
| | |hills close in on either side
| | |forming a narrow gorge scarcely
| | |200 yards wide, down which runs a
| | |khor some 10 to 15 yards broad.
| | |The ground being rocky it is very
| ¾ | 175¾ |bad going for camels and bulls.
| | |
| | |Gorge turns abruptly S., and road
| | |continues on through pretty
| | |scenery in a W. direction over a
| | |rocky saddle-back, and then one
| | |gradually descends into a valley
| | |in which a large and important
| | |khor rises which feeds Lake
| | |Keilak, and enters the Bahr El
| | |Arab. Water here obtained by
| | |digging in the sand in bed of
| | |khor.
| | |
| | |Plain surrounded by green
| | |vegetation; good timber, and there
| | |is much land cleared for dura
| | |cultivation. The hills are
| | |terraced to the tops and dura
| | |grown on them.
| | |
_Tuluk_ | 5 | 180 |Tuluk, the abode of Mek Hamed Abu
| | |Sekin, is reached, and there are
| | |many groups of villages in the
| | |surrounding hills; some low down
| | |near the foot, others perched high
| | |up near the crests. Here,
| | |surrounded on all sides by hills,
| | |is a large open area of ground
| | |with water within 2 feet of the
| | |surface, probably 1½ square miles
| | |of rich soil, which, if only
| | |tilled, would grow almost
| | |everything. The Nubas only require
| | |dura, however.
| | |
J. Kufa | 3 | 183 |Leaving Tuluk the track runs along
| | |side of khor, which now runs S.W.,
| | |and 3 miles on J. Kufa, with
| | |several large villages, is passed.
| | |Here roads divide; one, following
| | |khor, passes through plain much
| | |cultivated with dura by the Nubas
| | |of J. Kufa, Lima, and Kania. The
| | |khor here is walled across at
| | |intervals with large stones to
| | |hold back the water in the rains.
| | |Khor emerges from the hills at J.
| | |Kania.
| | |
_J. Abu Sinun_| 2 | 185 |The second road runs S.S.W. to J.
| | |Abu Sinun, where there are two
| | |Nuba villages under Mek Zakharia,
| | |and a Homr (Felaita) village.
| | |Water obtained from khor.
| | |
_J. Kanga_ | 3 | 188 |Three miles W. is J. Kanga, the
| | |southern side of which hill is
| | |fortified by a 6-feet stone wall,
| | |crowned by a zeriba to guard the
| | |Nubas from raids by the Homr
| | |Arabs. The huts are high up the
| | |hill. Khor emerges here between
| | |two hills, and is now 20 to 25
| | |yards broad; well 4 to 6 feet in
| | |khor; water good. Looking S. about
| | |20 miles off are two hills, and
| | |beyond as far as the eye can reach
| | |to the S. and W. is a dead level
| | |plain covered with forest. From J.
| | |Kanga, road runs W. and S.W., and
| | |for 1½ miles there is dura
| | |cultivation.
| | |
| 1 | 189 |Khor crosses road, and cotton soil
| | |takes the place of rocky
| | |decomposed gravel. The forest is
| | |of larger growth—talh and heglig,
| | |and the tracks of animals which
| | |have struggled through the deep
| | |mud that exists in the rains
| | |become visible.
| | |
| 3½ | 192½ |Road again crosses khor, and long
| | |grass hinders any view.
| | |
| 2½ | 195 |Road crosses outlet from Lake
| | |Keilak, which now becomes visible,
| | |and then goes due W. for two miles
| | |when Keilak is reached.
| | |
_Keilak_ | 2 | 197 |Keilak is a series of groups of
| | |tukls badly built and inhabited by
| | |Homr Arabs who possess few flocks,
| | |a few horses, and appear to live
| | |on the Nubas.
| | |
| | |The limits of the lake are very
| | |difficult to determine, as for 2
| | |miles on N.E. and N. sides long
| | |grass 8 feet high hides all view,
| | |but from what can be observed by
| | |riding round the length was
| | |computed to be 4 miles and the
| | |breadth 2 miles. On 22.1.02, there
| | |was a very large expanse of open
| | |water, and the natives reported it
| | |to be considerably over a man’s
| | |height in depth. In order to reach
| | |the open water one has to wade
| | |through a broad fringe of green
| | |grass and lilies. Soil surrounding
| | |lake excellent, rich soil and
| | |water could be found a mile from
| | |edge, 6 feet below surface. The
| | |forest on S. and W. sides very
| | |good, and there are some really
| | |fine timber trees.
| | |
| | |
| 2 | 199 |Leaving Keilak road runs N. for 2
| | |miles then S.S.E., and numerous
| | |Arab settlements are passed
| | |situated along the outlet of the
| | |lake.
| | |
_El Geref_ | 4½ | 203½ |4½ miles El Geref; Homr
| | |settlement; here there is water in
| | |any quantity, 8 paces broad with
| | |grass and water-lilies covering
| | |the surface. Water 1 to 2 feet
| | |deep in places. Current very
| | |slight; Arabs clear spaces and
| | |fence them round for fish to
| | |collect in.
| | |
| 1¼ | 204¾ |Road then goes S.W. for 1¼ miles,
| | |then S.S.E. for 2½ miles over a
| | |broad swamp, dry at date of
| | |crossing (25.1.02), but covered
| | |with long grass and pitted with
| | |elephant tracks, which were
| 2½ | 207¼ |terrible pitfalls for the baggage
| | |animals. After crossing this bit
| | |of country, track runs S.W., along
| | |edge of bed of river, which was
| | |dry, and going became better, and
| | |when track ran on the slightly
| | |elevated edge of forest; the soil
_El Yoi_ | 20¾ | 228 |was sandy and going good until El
| | |Yoi was reached. Along immediate
| | |edge of river, forest very good.
| | |To the E. and W. away from river,
| | |talh and heglig forest and cotton
| | |soil.
| | |
| | |At El Yoi two pools were found,
| | |containing good water sufficient
| | |for our wants, but likely only to
| | |last for a few days. Ground here
| | |much cut up and intersected by
| | |small water channels, while soil
| | |was baked hard and cracked in all
| | |directions, making it most
| | |difficult for bulls and donkeys to
| | |travel. At El Yoi itself, good
| | |shade and fine trees; forest in
| | |neighbourhood and to S. consists
| | |of talh, and ground covered with
| | |long grass.
| | |
_El Dirkoei_ | 7¾ | 235¾ |Road continues S.W., and after 7¾
| | |miles, El Dirkoei is reached; this
| | |place merely a reach of the river,
| | |which at the time contained a
| | |little water.
| | |
_El Debekir_ | 3½ | 239¼ |Three and a-half miles S.W., El
| | |Debekir was reached. Here there
| | |was an Arab (Homr) settlement;
| | |water in bed of river, 8 feet deep
| | |in places and covered with grass
| | |(27.1.02), but dry on 11.2.02.
| | |
| | |From Debekir road runs over black
| | |cotton soil very much fissured. W.
| 13¾ | 253 |by S. for 13¾ miles, then S.S.W.
| | |for 3 miles when heglig forest is
_El Anga_ | 3 | 256 |entered and El Anga on river is
| | |reached. Here there is an Arab
| | |settlement, and there was a little
| | |water (28.1.02).
| | |
_Kuek_ | 5½ | 261½ |Road now runs 1¾ miles S.W., and
| | |S. for 3¾ miles when Kuek is
| | |reached. Here the river is 50
| | |yards broad, and the water was
| | |from 2 feet 6 inches to 4 feet
| | |deep, but covered with grass.
| | |Large Arab settlement and many
| | |cattle.
| | |
_H. Debib_ | 6 | 267½ |Road runs S.W. for 6 miles, when
| | |H. Debib is passed; a few Homr
| | |Arabs living here; but in the
| | |rains there are many wells; one
| | |well 6 feet deep, water good.
| | |
| | |General run of road now S.S.W. to
| | |S.
| | |
Fula Hamadai | 3½ | 271 |Fula Hamadai with a little water
| | |sufficient to water animals on
| | |30.1.02; but dry on 9.2.02. Small
| | |villages—mere collection of three
| | |or four huts passed at El Jaart
| | |and Um Geren.
| | |
Fut | 11¾ | 282¾ |Eleven and three quarter miles
| | |from Fula Hamadai, village named
| | |Fut was passed. Country here more
| | |open and lower bush; going better,
| | |and road crosses river bed; dry
| | |and long grass.
| | |
_Fauwel_ | 4 | 286¾ |Fauwel is reached. Large Arab
| | |settlement; much water in river,
| | |and an open expanse 1¾ miles
| | |surrounded by reeds. Geese and
| | |waterfowl. Homr Arabs here very
| | |wild, but possess many cattle,
| | |goats and sheep.
| | |
| 8¾ | 295½ |Road now runs 1 mile S.W. and 5¾
| | |miles S.S.E. and strikes the
| | |river, then continues to run
| | |alongside of it for 2 miles, when
| | |the river takes a bend N.E. The
| | |river here is very broad, 300
| | |yards in places and the water is 3
| | |feet 6 inches deep, generally the
| | |surface is covered with grass and
| | |weeds, and very little open water
| | |is seen. The trees on bank are
| | |also much bigger.
| | |
Bahr El Arab | 5 | 300½ |The Bahr El Arab here has to be
| | |crossed, and this was done at a
| | |point where it was 120 yards
| | |broad, with water 3 to 3 feet 6
| | |inches deep, the baggage bulls
| | |being unloaded and the baggage
| | |being carried across by hand. Bed
| | |of river very muddy.
| | |
| | |From this point, which is known to
| | |the Arabs, as the district of
| | |Bara, the river flows S.S.E. as
| | |far as could be judged.
| | |
| | |Track now runs S., and at 5 miles
| | |divides one running S.S.W. to the
| | |country of a Dinka chief called
| | |Rueng, the other S.S.W. leads over
| | |a wide plain covered with long
| | |grass and a few bushes; surface of
| | |ground much fissured and soil much
| | |cut up.
| | |
| | |Country changes to forest after
| | |some miles.
| | |
Bongo | 14¾ | 315¼ |The first Dinka village of Bombo
| | |is reached. This district is now
| 3 | 318¼ |known as Bongo, and 3 miles on,
| | |S.W., is one of the villages of
Tehak | 2½ | 320¾ |Tehak, another of the same name
| | |being met 2½ miles on.
| | |
| | |These villages, neatly built, are
| | |used by the Dinkas in the rains
| | |and as long as the water lasts. At
| | |the present date, 2.2.02., all the
| | |inhabitants had left and were
| | |grazing their herds of cattle
| | |where grass and water were to be
| | |found.
| | |
_Etai_ | 2 | 322¾ |Reached Etai, where the first
| | |Dinkas were met. Here there were
| | |large settlements, and the people
| | |were most friendly. A chief named
| | |Lor has his headquarters here. A
| | |large watercourse flows in from
| | |N.E. and meets another
| | |watercourse, the Regabet El Lau,
| | |which comes from N.W., and then
| | |joining runs into the Kir, or Bahr
| | |El Jange, in a southerly
| | |direction.
| | |
_Kir, or Bahr | 5½ | 328¼ |Road continues for 3 miles through
El Jange_ | | |forest S.W., then runs W. for 2½,
| | |miles, and the Kir River, or Bahr
| | |El Jange, is struck, as one
| | |reaches the settlements of Sultan
| | |Rob.
| | |
| | |The river here is a most pleasant
| | |sight after the monotonous red
| | |talh forest and long grass, and is
| | |80 yards broad now, 3.2.02., 12 to
| | |15 feet deep, current 1½ miles an
| | |hour. Banks low but firm, with
| | |green rushes and grass along the
| | |edges. In the rains the banks are
| | |flooded and the river widens to
| | |200 to 400 yards. There are a few
| | |dugouts here; the natives say that
| | |canoes can go in open water to the
| | |Bahr El Ghazal. Fish are
| | |plentiful, as are also crocodiles
| | |and hippos.
| | |
| | |The district on N. bank is called
| | |Mareg. The district on S. bank is
| | |called Masian, and the Sultan Rob
| | |lives in the latter. Much dura is
| | |cultivated.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
102.—RIVER KIR TO FAUWEL.
BY MAJOR E. B. WILKINSON, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, 1902.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
| 2¼ | — |Leaving Sultan Rob’s settlement
| | |the road runs N.W., and the river
| | |is left on the left, but is struck
| | |again 2¼ miles on, and the path
| | |keeps along the left bank. The
| | |country here is all open, and much
| | |dura cultivated. Dinka dwellings
| | |are dotted about, and the country
| | |presents a most prosperous aspect.
| | |
_Gohea_ | 2¾ | 5 |Village of Gohea on river bank,
| | |which here has become overgrown
| | |with reeds, grass, &c. River here
| | |turns to N.W., and road now runs
| 2¾ | 7¾ |N.E. for 2¾ miles, then E. by N.
| | |
| 1 | 8¾ |One mile on Regabet El Lau, coming
| | |in from N. and running S.
| | |
_El Niat_ | 1¼ | 10 |The commencement of a large swamp,
| | |now dry, called El Niat, but
| | |covered with long grass, and going
| | |is very bad.
| | |
| 4½ | 14½ |End of El Niat.
| | |
| 1½ | 16 |Direction of road changes to N.
| | |
Gulmaia | 9¼ | 25¼ |Gulmaia, a pool containing very
| | |bad water; almost dried up.
| | |
_Abu Kareit_ | 4 | 29¼ |Abu Kareit, on Bahr El Arab. Homr
| | |settlement. River here 100 yards
| | |broad, with water 2 feet 6 inches
| | |deep covered with grass; river
| | |here flows E. and W.
| | |
Mellum | 4¾ | 34 |Track follows river bank.
| | |
| | |Mellum, an Arab settlement, with
| | |Khor Famai running in from N.
| | |
_Regabet El | 6½ | 40½ |River now flows W. by N., and 6½
Shaib_ | | |miles on Regabet El Shaib; flows
| | |in the N. from river; now bends
| | |S.W., and enters district called
| | |Bara. Immediately at this point
| | |flows in Keilak El Yoi; and Fauwel
| | |flows in from N.E.
| | |
Fauwel | 3¼ | 43¾ |From Regabet El Shaib road runs
| | |N.E., and another 3¼ miles N.
| | |brings one to Fauwel.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF BAHR EL ARAB AND DAR EL HOMR.
Immediately one emerges from the hilly country of the Nubas a vast
level plain meets the eye, absolutely devoid of landmarks: the soil
changes abruptly to rich black cotton soil with fissures, some so
broad and deep that it is dangerous for bulls and donkeys, owing to
their getting their legs jammed in the cracks. The surface of the
land is uniformly covered with talh and heglig trees; occasionally
tamarind and kau trees are met. Only two india-rubber trees were
seen. The natives do not appear to know the use of these. The Bahr El
Arab in section is very shallow, with no defined banks, and at this
time of year water is more or less in pools. All the confluents are
the same shallow watercourses, and the country appears to be one vast
swamp in the rains. Only in a few places, Fauwel, Keilak, and Kuek,
do the Homr Arabs remain throughout the year, as they say that the
flies and mosquitoes torment men and beasts to such an extent as to
make life unbearable.
103.—EL OBEID TO SUNGIKAI, _viâ_ EL ATSHAN AND EL HAMADI.
BY DEPUTY INSPECTOR C. E. LYALL.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
El Obeid | 5 | 5 |After leaving El Obeid in a
| | |southerly direction, road divides,
| | |going S. to Mereikab and S.S.W. to
| | |El Atshan.
| | |
| | |Road continues in S.S.W.
| | |direction, and thorn bush does not
| | |impede travelling; going generally
| | |good.
| | |
El Atshan | 17 | 22 |El Atshan wells are reached, 22
| | |miles from El Obeid; quite
| | |dry—20.4.03.
| | |
| | |Leaving El Atshan, road divides
| | |S.S.E. to Kadero, S.W. to El
| | |Hamadi; country generally open
| | |bush and good going. Two khors
| | |with fine timber are crossed.
| | |
El Hamadi | 18 | 40 |El Hamadi is reached 18 miles from
| | |El Atshan. On 20.4.03 there was a
| | |little water in shallow wells in
| | |khor; it took about 2 hours to get
| | |two burmas. On 5.6.03 there was no
| | |water.
| | |
El Nebag | 7 | 47 |Leaving El Hamadi, road goes S.W.;
| | |at first a good deal of thorn
| | |bush, till passing El Nebag, which
| | |is a depression with many
| | |magnificent trees and in which
| | |there is water in the rains. After
| | |passing El Nebag the road opens
| | |out, and the going is good and
| | |hard. After travelling 18 miles
| | |from El Hamadi, El Hagiz, a
Khor El Haigiz| 11 | 58 |shallow khor with some good shade,
| | |is reached. Half a mile before
| | |reaching El Hagiz road is joined
| | |by road from Um (Girban) Durban.
| | |
Sungikai, H. | 12 | 70 |Road continues in a S.W. direction
Gaghgagh | | |till Sungikai is reached. The
| | |hella is 2 miles from the wells.
| | |Unlimited water.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
N.B.—On El Obeid, Hamadi Sungikai road, except in rains, there is
very little shade, except at El Atshan, Hamadi, El Nebag and Umhagiz.
104.—DILLING TO EL OBEID, _viâ_ SUNGIKAI, UM DURBAN AND UM RAMAD.
BY DEPUTY INSPECTOR C. E. LYALL, JUNE 1903 AND MARCH, 1904.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
_Dilling | — | — |The road from Dilling to Sungikai
(Nuba)_ | | |soon after passing Jebel Dilling
| | |separates from the Dilling-Nila
| | |road and keeps W. of it. The
| | |general direction is N.E., the
| | |road is good going and fairly free
Gad El Kerim | 16 | 16 |from thorns. There are a few
(Hawazma) | | |patches of black cotton soil;
| | |after 10 miles the road crosses
| | |the Khor Abu Habl,[33] and
| | |continues N.E. till Hellet Gad el
| | |Kerim is reached.
| | |
| | |The inhabitants of this village
| | |drink from the wells at Nila,
| | |except during the rains, when they
| | |drink from pools in Khor Abu Habl.
_Sungikai | 6 | 22 |The road keeps up on the rising
(Zeriba El | | |ground, passing numerous villages
Aguz)_ | | |till the largest village in the
| | |immediate neighbourhood of
| | |Sungikai, Zeriba el Aguz, is
| | |reached.
| | |
_Sungikai_ (H.| 2 | 24 |Leaving this village the road from
Gaghgagh) | | |Sungikai after being joined by
| | |roads from the numerous
| | |surrounding villages continues in
| | |a N.E. direction till El Hagiz is
| | |reached, ½ mile after passing
| | |which the road divides N.N.E. to
| | |Um Durban. The road, after passing
| | |to the W. of Zeriba el Aguz, goes
| | |H. Gaghgagh and thence to El
| | |Hagiz, where it divides W. to Um
| | |Durban and E. to El Hamadi.
| | |
_Um Durban_ | 24 | 48 |The road is at first very winding
(Kenana) | | |with a good deal of shok, after
| | |about 6 miles it opens out, and
| | |continues fair till Um Durban is
| | |reached; where on 5.6.03, there
| | |was a little water from wells in
| | |khor; in March 1904, the water had
| | |dried up.
| | |
| | |Leaving Um Durban the road goes
| | |N.E., after about 6 miles Hellet
| | |Kafawa is passed some 4 miles to
| | |the W. of the road.
| | |
| | |The road continues in the same
| | |direction N.E., the going being
| | |uniformly good and free from shok,
| | |except in a few depressions and
| | |khors till after some 24 miles,
| | |when the soil becomes heavy red
_Um Ramad_ | 30 | 78 |sand, which continues till Um
(Bederia) | | |Ramad is reached. At this village
| | |there are numerous shallow wells
| | |and water holes, but they were
| | |quite dry on 6.6.03, but plenty of
| | |water 1.5.04. The people drink
| | |from Abu Haraz and Obeid. The road
| | |from Um Durban joins the Abu Haraz
| | |road ½ mile from Um Ramad.
| | |
| | |After passing Um Ramad the road
| | |broadens out into a track about 15
| | |feet wide, and continues in a N.E.
| | |direction till El Obeid is
| | |reached.
| | |
_El Gika_ | 5 | 83 |Five miles after leaving Um Ramad,
| | |the first El Gika village is
| | |passed ½ mile to the left of the
| | |road. Plenty of water 1.5.04.
| | |
| | |There are five villages at El
| | |Gika, each about a mile from the
| | |other; the road to El Obeid from
El Obeid | 11 | 94 |El Gika runs parallel to the Abu
| | |Haraz-El Obeid road until it joins
| | |it about 3 miles from El Obeid. On
| | |this road from Sungikai there is
| | |very little shade, except at the
| | |villages.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
105.—ROUTES IN DAR NUBA—SOUTHERN KORDOFAN.
BY CAPTAIN C. H. LEVESON, 18TH (P.W.) HUSSARS, DECEMBER, 1903-MARCH,
1904.
(i.) Jebel Tendik to Lukka.
--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Tendik | — | — |Large Nuba village of 1,200
| | |people. Most of the village is
| | |built in a hollow about 600 feet
| | |up the jebel and on a ridge above
| | |it. Good water up on the mountain,
| | |also good below, where there is a
| | |garrison of half company 12th
| | |Sudanese. Quiet, peaceable people;
| | |much cultivation; sheep and goats,
| | |but not many cattle. A big khor
| | |runs along E. and S. of jebel,
| | |through dense deleib palms. The
| | |road runs nearly due S., and
| | |crosses the big khor at 2
| | |miles—re-crossing it again almost
| | |at once.
| | |
| — | 5 |A jebel about 30 feet high on W.
| | |Cross a ridge and a khor a mile
| 1 | 6 |further on. All good going over
| | |gravel.
| | |
| 1 | 7 |
| | |
| 1 | 8 |Cross another khor, when road runs
| | |between parallel ridges of stony
| 2¼ | 10¼ |hills for 2¼ miles, when the Khor
| | |Sesaban is reached.
| | |
J. Odam | 1¼ | 11½ |A small hill, 400 feet on right.
| | |Cross Khor Ardeib, 8 feet deep.
| | |
Khor Ardeib | 1½ | 13 |
| | |
| | |For 5½ miles there is a range of
| | |low hills on right of road and for
| | |the next 5½ a low range on left of
| | |road.
| | |
| 11 | 24 |Cross a khor.
| | |
_Khor Nueila_ | 1 | 25 |A mile further on, and the Khor
| | |Nueila is reached. The main
| | |channel about 15 feet deep and 30
| | |yards wide. Beyond is a swampy
| | |track 600 yards across, with pools
| | |of water (December, 1903), biggest
| | |100 yards long and 3 feet deep.
| | |Good clear water. Much game;
| | |tracks of lion and leopard.
| | |Hartebeeste and wart-hog seen.
| | |Elephants live about here in
| | |rains. After crossing swamp, track
| | |leads up on to higher ground,
| | |crossing a small khor, and at 1½
| 1½ | 26½ |miles and further another khor.
| | |
| 1½ | 28 |
| | |
| ½ | 28½ |A small hill on right.
| | |
| ½ | 29 |Cross khor.
| | |
| ½ | 29½ |A hill on right, cross the Khor Id
| | |El Simoa, 6 feet deep, 30 yards
| | |wide.
| | |
| 1¼ | 30¾ |Small hill on right.
| | |
| 1 | 31¾ |Cross Khor Jogham, 6 feet deep, 20
| | |yards wide.
| | |
| 1 | 32¾ |Small hill, J. Gelabi, on right.
| | |
Khor Hash | 3¼ | 36 |A little water still standing in
Hashi | | |marshy ground behind main channel,
| | |which is 12 yards broad and 10
| | |feet deep. Cross khor, and for 2½
| | |miles there are low hills on left
| | |of road.
| | |
J. Thaba | 4 | 40 |J. Thaba on right of road, cone-
| | |shaped hill, with bald, smooth
| | |top, about 70 feet. A good
| | |landmark.
| | |
_Khor Um | 3 | 43 |Khor Um Idara, plenty of water
Idara_ | | |here now. Tracks of lion. As
| | |usual, swarms of guinea fowl. Main
| | |channel 20 yards wide, 8 feet
| | |deep.
| | |
| 3½ | 46½ |Khor Um Aleik, shallow, broad,
| | |sandy khor.
| | |
J. Obni | 1¼ | 47¾ |J. Obni, half a mile away on right
| | |of road.
| | |
| ¾ | 48½ |Khor Dabdub—small.
| | |
J. Doga | ½ | 49 |J. Doga, 1 mile away on right of
| | |road—jagged top.
| | |
J. Lukka | 3¾ | 52¾ |Road curves round to right in a
| | |wide sweep and enters valley at
| | |foot of mountain. (Described in
| | |Kologi-Lukka road.)
(ii.) J. Lukka to J. Errio.
J. Lukka | — | — |Road leads N. out of valley for ½
| | |mile, then curves to left along
| | |high ground on northern spurs of
| | |J. Lukka. Good going over gravelly
| | |ridges; by making short detours to
| | |right, at khors, all dismounting
| | |may be avoided. Much cultivation
| | |on right.
| | |
Khor Tuffa | — | 6 |The Khor Tuffa 20 yards broad, 12
| | |feet deep; must dismount
| | |here—quite dry. Road becomes stony
| | |after khor.
| | |
_Errio_ | 2 | 8 |Village of Errio is reached after
| | |bending round sharp to left and
| | |crossing a “nek,” or “col.” Many
| | |cattle. Population, Kawahla Arabs
| | |crossed with Nubas. Population
| | |about 700, under Sheiks Badei Bakr
| | |and Abballa Adam. No rifles seen.
| | |Quiet people; do not raid. Plenty
| | |of dura.
| | |
| | |Water plentiful but dirty. Best
| | |camp ½ mile beyond village to
| | |S.W., on Tira El Akhdar road.
(iii.) Route J. Errio to J. Talodi, _viâ_ Tosi and J. Meselli.
J. Errio | — | — |Road runs S.W. through thorn bush
| | |over cotton soil. Open country
| | |both sides; also cultivation.
| | |
| 0 | 5½ |Pass small hill on right.
| | |
| 3 | 8½ |Hillock ¼ mile away on left.
| | |
| ½ | 9 |Cross khor, 12 feet deep, 12 yards
| | |broad.
| | |
_Tosi_ | ½ | 9½ |Tosi village of about 500 Kawahla
| | |Arabs crossed with Nubas, under
| | |Sheikh El Fadl Didigair, lying at
| | |south end of small stony hill 400
| | |or 500 feet high. Water supply
| | |poor. Supplies poor.
| | |
| 4½ | 14 |Road now passes between hills and
| | |drops down about 100 feet over an
| | |“agaba,” and leads through cotton
| | |soil for 1 mile to
| | |
Khor Kagala | 2¾ | 16¾ |A broad shallow khor in thick
| | |bush. A hill about 300 feet high
| | |on right of crossing. Good going.
| | |
K. El Kirki | 2¼ | 19 |Khor El Kirki—small.
| | |
J. Meselli | 2 | 21 |J. Meselli—on right.
| | |
K. Um Sinin | 2 | 23 |Khor Um Sinin; forest land.
| | |
K. Joghan | 5 | 28 |Khor Joghan; forest land.
| | |
| ½ | 28½ |Crosses ridge and drops down about
| | |100 feet to
| | |
_Amuti_ | 1½ | 30 |300 yards on left of road several
| | |big pools of clear good water.
| | |Best watering place; better than
| | |Tosi and Talodi after February.
| | |Good going to
| | |
_Um Dual_ | 5½ | 35½ |A small hillock and (in January,
| | |1904) a pool of clear water 120
| | |yards long, 40 yards wide, 4 feet
| | |deep. No shade.
| | |
| | |Cultivation by people of Talodi.
| | |About 1½ or 2 miles south is an
| | |odd needle-shaped rock some 200
| | |feet high, visible for 20 miles
| | |round.
| | |
| | |Road now leads through thick
| | |forest for 4 miles. Roan antelope
| | |seen.
| | |
| 4 | 39½ |Cotton soil and light bush.
| | |
K. Abu Um | 1 | 40½ |The Khor Abd Um Jamad no obstacle
Jamad | | |in dry weather. Cultivation begins
| | |again.
| | |
_Talodi_ | 3 | 43½ |The village of Tebeldia, at E.N.E.
(Tebeldia) | | |corner of Talodi, is passed. It
| | |lies a mile away in valley to
| | |right.
| | |
_Talodi_ | 1 | 44½ |Village of Felaita and barracks of
(Felaita) | | |half company 12th Sudanese.
| | |
| | |J. Talodi is a rugged precipitous
| | |mountain, about 1,300 feet high
| | |and 28 miles in circumference. On
| | |its eastern face is a valley
| | |running a short way into mountain
| | |(village of Felaita in opening),
| | |which is said to communicate by a
| | |rough path, known as “Darb El
| | |Haramia,” with a corresponding
| | |valley on the western face.
| | |
| | |There are three villages, all
| | |nominally under the head sheikh,
| | |an old man called Sherif Wad Abu
| | |Omo:—
| | |
| | |Tebeldia, population 800, Sheikh
| | |Mamun.
| | |
| | |Felaita, „ 2,200, „ Abdalla
| | |Shamsham.
| | |
| | |Ageira, „ 800, „ Shanna Wad El
| | |Aris.
| | |
| | |The last named village lies some 7
| | |miles away to the S.W. of the
| | |mountain. The inhabitants are
| | |descendants of freed and escaped
| | |slaves of the Homr. There is a
| | |small colony of true Nubas at the
| | |south end of the mountain.
| | |
| | |They used to be notorious for
| | |their success in raiding. They
| | |possess about 300 or 400 rifles.
| | |Cultivation insufficient for their
| | |own needs. Water supply poor. They
| | |begin to trade for grain in
| | |February with the Nubas of J.
| | |Moro, at Kororak.
| | |
| | |Half company 12th Sudanese and
| | |Mamuria at Felaita.
(iv.) J. Errio to J. Talodi, _viâ_ Tira El Akhdar, Tira Mandi and
Kindirma (February, 1904).
J. Errio | | — |Road leads out S.W. for ½ mile,
| | |then west and through cultivation.
| | |Good going.
| | |
| 2½ | 2½ |A khor—rough broken ground.
| | |
| 1¾ | 4¼ |A broad shallow kohr.
| | |
| 2¾ | 7 |Khor 11 feet deep. Had to
| | |dismount.
| | |
| ¼ | 7¼ |Khor 10 feet deep. Dom palms.
| | |
| 3¾ | 11 |Slight descent to deep broad kohr,
| | |travel along it for 400 yards, and
| | |then climb out.
| | |
| ½ | 11½ |Beginning to ascend a ridge among
| | |rough rocky hills.
| | |
| 1¼ | 12¾ |Track leads over a smooth gravelly
| | |plateau for 1 mile.
| | |
| 1 | 13¾ |Road descends to cultivation;
| | |rough stony going.
| | |
| 1 | 14¾ |Track leads sharp to right down
| | |rocky side of hill into a grassy
| | |valley about 3 miles long.
| | |
| ½ | 15¼ |Cross broad sandy khor, with
| | |rivulet a yard wide in centre
| | |(February, 1904). Water disappears
| | |a mile further down. Dom palms.
| | |
_Tira El | ½ | 15¾ |Good camping place under shady
Akhdar_ | | |trees by stream. The Nuba village
| | |is situated on the hills to the
| | |west of the valley, which is only
| | |½ mile wide.
| | |
| | |They possess few rifles, but many
| | |spears and clubs. Population about
| | |1,200, under Meks
| | |
| | |(1) Shega.
| | |
| | |(2) Amiri.
| | |
| | |(3) Atuira.
| | |
| | |(4) El Gamal.
| | |
| | |(5) Ti.
| | |
| | |They are greatly feared and hated
| | |by surrounding Jebels, owing to
| | |their raids. They are true Nuban,
| | |and wear no clothing. They own a
| | |lot of cattle and goats.
| | |
| | |The track, rough and stony, leads
| | |S. along the edge of Western hills
| | |of the valley, and turns to the
| 4 | 19¾ |right (W.) over a slight rise, a
| | |“nek” or ridge, and runs through
| | |forest land. Going better. Gravel.
| | |
| 2½ | 22¼ |Track turns slightly N., and
| | |passes by a khor, banks 20 feet,
| | |breadth of all channels 100 yards,
| | |and then runs through thick
| | |forest. Good going.
| | |
| 7 | 29¼ |Crosses a broad sandy khor 50 to
| | |90 yards wide, and runs along W.
_Tiramandi_ | ½ | 29¾ |bank half mile to Tiramandi camp.
| | |Village is two miles away to the
| | |S.W., on a spur of the hill.
| | |
| | |Mek Nuwai; population, 700 Nubas.
| | |Very poor, and had been lately
| | |raided, very few cattle, but are
| | |clearing forest along W. bank of
| | |khor for cultivation. No rifles
| | |seen.
| | |
| 2 | 31¾ |Track leads S.W. from camp, one
| | |mile to village, and then passes
| | |over low spur below village round
| | |S. of hill, direction S.W. Rough
| | |and stony, much cut up by small
| | |khors.
| | |
| 2 | 33¾ |Gold is found here in the rainy
| | |season, the rain displacing rocks
| | |and stones on the ridge to the N.
| | |side of the road. The people
| | |search for it among the debris.
| | |They state that by hard work a man
| | |can get sufficient to pay his
| | |tribute (apparently not worth
| | |working).
| | |
| 1¼ | 35 |Road crosses a broad khor, and the
| | |hills on right of road trend away
| | |to the N.W.
| | |
| | |Many small khors are crossed. Road
| | |bends round Southern end of a
| | |ridge at right angle to road.
| | |
| 4 | 39 |Road crosses a broad sandy khor.
| | |Spur from J. Kindirma runs down on
| | |right to the khor. After crossing,
| | |road bends round to left (S.),
| | |along Eastern face of Kindirma.
| | |
_Kindirma_ | 1¾ | 40¾ |A valley in the Eastern face of a
| | |mountain down which a stream forms
| | |a succession of waterfalls and
| | |deep pools. 20 to 30 feet across,
| | |and six feet deep. A rough path
| | |leads up along the waterfall to
| | |the top of the ridge, some 400 or
| | |500 feet, and on either side the
| | |mountain rises nearly sheer to a
| | |height of 110 feet. The Nubas live
| | |on top of the right or Northern
| | |side, and their village is
| | |approached by a precipitous path
| | |winding up the face of the cliff,
| | |and at times disappearing in
| | |clefts in the rocks, reappearing
| | |again 10 feet higher up.
| | |
| | |On reaching the top of the ridge
| | |one finds oneself in a valley
| | |formed by the mountains which
| | |curve back outwards from either
| | |side of the waterfall and unite
| | |again three miles from the ridge,
| | |forming a bowl-shaped hollow, the
| | |stream flows along the bottom of
| | |this basin and falls over the
| | |ridge to the level of the main
| | |road outside Kindirma.
| | |
| | |The Mek’s name is Gandal. The
| | |population is about 800 or 1,000.
| | |They have about 20 or 30 rifles.
| | |Lots of cultivation, both in the
| | |valley, inside the mountain, and
| | |down by the road below, but few
| | |cattle. Have suffered a good deal
| | |from raids.
| | |
| | |Road leads due S. through thick
| | |bush towards small jebel, in
| | |direction of E. corner of Talodi.
| | |Good going.
| | |
| 1 | 41¾ |Light forest.
| | |
| 2 | 43¾ |Cross broad sandy khor.
| | |
J. Mavlul | 2 | 45¾ |A small jebel, known as J. Mavlul,
| | |about a mile long, is passed.
| 6¼ | 52 |Close to road on left a small
| | |village on the N.E. spur of
| | |Talodi. Good view of J. Eliri and
| | |all surrounding country.
| | |
_Talodi_ | 1¼ | 53¼ |Corner of main jebel and village
| | |of Tebeldia on right in valley.
| | |
| 2¼ | 55½ |Felaita village entrance to
| | |valley. Mamuria and military post.
| | |Wells and water three feet from
| | |surface (February, 1904).
(v.) J. Talodi to J. Eliri.
| | |The track leads straight out from
| | |the village of Felaita towards the
| | |centre of J. Eliri. First three
| | |miles good going through light
| | |bush.
| | |
| 3 | 3 |Bush gets thicker. Cotton soil,
| | |bad going.
| | |
A hillock | 4½ | 7½ |A small hill on the left is
| | |passed.
| | |
J. Abu Ghor | 3 | 10½ |Track leads S.E. round Jebel Abu
| | |Ghor, a small hill; better going.
| | |
| 4¼ | 14¾ |Thick bamboo clumps obstructing
| | |track for four miles.
| | |
| 7 | 21¾ |Bad going. Cotton soil.
| | |
| 1½ | 23¼ |Good going. Light bush.
| | |
_Tebeldia | 1¼ | 24½ |Two small wells in depression in
wells_ | | |the ground, water two feet from
| | |surface, only sufficient for a
| | |dozen camels. Takes an hour to
| | |fill again.
| | |
_El Egheibish_| 3½ | 28 |A string of five or six wells;
| | |sufficient water for 200 men and
| | |animals. Road hence much cut up by
| | |small khors. Lots of deleib palms.
| | |
_Taira | 4 | 32 |Small village at foot of mountain;
village_ (J. | | |population, about 800 revolted
Eliri) | | |slaves of the Rowauga tribe of the
| | |Hawazma Arabs; much water and
| | |cultivation; Sheikh Rizkalla, 20
| | |rifles. Few cattle. Plenty of
| | |sheep and goats.
| | |
| | |Road good from Taira through dura
| | |cultivation and light thorn bush.
| | |
_Tanguru_ | 4 | 36 |A large village, population about
| | |1,100 revolted slaves of the
| | |Rowauga tribe of the Hawazma
| | |Arabs. Sheikhs Mohammed Geiga and
| | |Ismail Wad Umbaga. About 50
| | |rifles.
| | |
| | |Much water and cultivation, a
| | |stream falls from the cultivated
| | |plateau 700 feet above in the
| | |mountains and there are many wells
| | |besides. There is a rough track
| | |leading up the glen alongside the
| | |waterfall to the Nuba village on
| | |top (Sultan Bilula); population,
| | |1,000 pure Nubas. No clothes at
| | |all, very few rifles, all spears
| | |and knobkerries, lots of dura,
| | |cattle and sheep. They hold little
| | |or no communication with the
| | |villages below; able to hold their
| | |own in case of raids.
| | |
| | |Supplies sufficient for 500 men
| | |for 3 days. Road hence to Kurondo,
| | |a jebel to the S. Good road round
| | |jebel to Dallass.
| | |
_Dallass_ | 4½ | 40½ |Small village; population, about
| | |600 revolted slaves of Abdul Ali
| | |tribe of the Hawazma Arabs. Sheikh
| | |Rizgalla Mursul. Twenty rifles,
| | |sufficient cultivation and water
| | |for own needs.
| | |
_Lakolo_ | 2 | 42½ |Good road round jebel, but stony;
| | |could be easily improved. Large
| | |village; population, about 1,200
| | |revolted slaves of the Khalifa
| | |tribe of Hawazma Arabs. Sheikhs
| | |Zaid Barsham and Abdalla Kaki.
| | |
| | |Lots of water and cultivation.
| | |Road hence up spur of mountain to
| | |Nuba village on top. A solitary
| | |hill ½ mile S.E. of village. Was
| | |told the river was 1½ days’
| | |journey due S., and that the
| | |people took 4 or 5 days more from
| | |there to Kodok by boats. Many
| | |cattle and goats. About 50 rifles.
(vi.) J. Eliri (Lakolo) to J. El Amira.
J. Eliri | — | ½ |Pass hill on right.
| | |
| 1 | 1½ |Cross khor.
| | |
| 2½ | 4 |Cotton soil and thick thorn
| | |trees—very bad going.
| | |
_Village_ | 2 | 6 |Good going; road curves round
| | |jebel by rocks, and reaches
| 2¼ | 8¼ |village among deleib palms and
| | |tebeldi trees. Little cultivation
| | |and poor water supply; population,
| | |about 200, no arms; very poor.
| | |Remains of Nuba village on top.
| | |Was told the Nubas left the jebel
| | |and went S. to river to live in
| | |Dinka country a year ago. River
| | |said to be 1½ days’ journey due S.
| | |A few sheep and goats.
| | |
| | |Road hence to J. Kuronde, about 5
| | |miles S.W.
(vii.) J. Eliri (Lakolo) to J. Werna.
Lakolo | — | — |
| | |
| — | ½ |Road runs E., cross khor which
| | |runs along right of road.
| | |
| ½ | 1 |Cross khor. Road runs between low
| | |parallel ridges of hills named
| | |Lohno. Rough and stony.
| | |
| 1 | 2 |Road bends sharp to left.
| | |
_Lohno_ | ½ | 2½ |Village of Lohno, small,
| | |population about 200. Very little
| | |cultivation, bad water supply.
| | |Road now bends to right, crossing
| | |rocky ridge.
| | |
| ½ | 3 |Cross khor, bad going.
| | |
| ¼ | 3¼ |Cross big deep khor, and turn
| | |sharp to right.
| | |
| ¼ | 3½ |Recross big khor, road turns sharp
| | |to left.
| | |
| ½ | 4 |Cross another khor.
| | |
| ½ | 4½ |Going becomes better, road runs
| | |through forest land.
| | |
| 3¼ | 7¾ |Cross khor.
| | |
| ¼ | 8 |Cross khor.
| | |
| 1 | 9 |Going becomes rough.
| | |
| 3½ | 12½ |Turns sharp to left to Nuba
| | |village of
| | |
_Tekeim_ | ½ | 13 |Tekeim, small village; population
| | |about 400; good water supply;
| | |little cultivation, very few
| | |cattle, but lots of goats.
| | |
| 1½ | 14½ |A cross road leads to the Tekeim
| | |dura fields.
| | |
| ½ | 15 |An “agaba.” Camels had to be led
| | |up; cross a khor other side of
| | |“agaba.”
| | |
| 1 | 16 |Cross another khor, going becomes
| | |better.
| | |
| 1¾ | 17¾ |Cross a khor, track leaves hills,
| | |good going.
| | |
El Girid | 1¼ | 19 |A cone-shaped peak amongst hills
| | |to right known as El Girid, about
| | |3 miles off. Bush very open.
| | |
| 4 | 23 |Bad going, cotton soil begins, a
| | |most dreary view.
| | |
| 4 | 27 |Going better.
| | |
| 1 | 28 |Small hill ½ mile to right.
| | |
| 2 | 30 |Low hills ½ mile on left.
| | |
| 4 | 34 |Cross khor.
| | |
_Werna_ | 1 | 35 |Enter Werna hills, a group of five
| | |or six rocky hills about 300 to
| | |400 feet high on smooth open
| | |ground.
| | |
| | |Population about 1,100, mainly
| | |revolted slaves of the Khalifa
| | |tribe of Hawazma Arabs under
| | |Sheikh Abdul Naim. The original
| | |population was Nuba, but are now
| | |very much in the back ground. The
| | |real “Mek” is Abu Gabr Azaz. They
| | |have about 40 rifles.
| | |
| | |Plenty of water and cultivation,
| | |few cattle, many goats. People
| | |trade to river at Kodok.
(viii.) J. Werna to Lukka, _viâ_ J. Morung, J. Gedir and J. Kologi.
Werna | — | — |
| | |
| | |Road takes a wide curve out N. (to
| | |right) to avoid a swamp which
| | |exists all the year round. Good
| | |going until cotton soil, then bad
| — | 2 |going. Very open country.
| | |
Swamp | 2¼ | 4¼ |Cross 100 yards of marshy ground
| | |(end of the swamp).
| | |
| ¾ | 5 |Cultivation for ½ mile, huge crops
| | |of dura.
| | |
| ½ | 5½ |Road turns to left over very bad
| | |cotton soil and through dense
| | |thorn trees.
| | |
| 3 | 8½ |A big khor, water standing in
| | |pools 100 yards long and 4 feet
| | |deep. Duck of two kinds and lots
| | |of game. Roan antelope and tetel.
| | |
| 1½ | 10 |Firm ground; good going.
| | |
| 1 | 11 |Cultivation as far as Morung.
| | |
_Morung_ | 2 | 13 |Village on conical hill;
| | |population: Kawahla tribe of
| | |Hawazma Arabs, much mixed with
| | |Nubas. Sheikh: Hassan Wad Tieb.
| | |
| | |Population about 1,000; 30 rifles.
| | |A fula supplies village with water
| | |until end of January; they then
| | |open wells. Good water supply.
| | |Plenty of cattle, sheep, goats and
| | |donkeys.
| | |
| | |After leaving Morung for first 13½
| | |miles going very good, through
| | |light bush and forest, perfectly
| | |flat; no hills.
| | |
| 13½ | 26½ |A khor, cotton soil and thorn bush
| | |begins.
| | |
| 1 | 27½ |Good going again.
| | |
| 1½ | 29 |Cotton soil, and a big khor with
| | |pools of water, dry by end of
| | |February.
| | |
| 1½ | 30½ |A khor, bad going.
| | |
| 1 | 31½ |Good going.
| | |
| 1 | 32½ |Road bends to right, towards S.E.
| | |corner of Gedir, and runs along
| | |base to corner.
| | |
| 4 | 36½ |Track runs round corner and bends
| | |sharp to left to village of Mek
_Gedir_ | ½ | 37 |Bosh, of Gedir. Population about
| | |1,200, about 60 rifles; fair water
| | |supply 10 feet from surface. Much
| | |dura cultivation. Population:
| | |Nubas. Plenty of cattle and sheep.
| | |
| | |Two other villages, Semat and
| | |Gheibish, described on road to
| | |Kologi.
| | |
| | |Road leaves Mek Bosh’s village and
| | |runs round another spur at E. end
| | |of jebel, passing the Mahdi’s rock
| | |where he used to preach to the
| | |people, and follows North-eastern
| | |face.
| | |
_Semat_ | 1 | 38 |Small village of Semat, about 200
| | |people.
| | |
| 1½ | 39½ |Track enters gorge, rough, stony
| | |going—between main jebel and a
| | |ridge of rocky hills running out
| | |N. to J. Girada, 4 miles off.
| | |
| | |Road clears N. end of the
| | |mountain, and at the end of a spur
_El Gheibish_ | 1 | 40½ |is El Gheibish, a small village of
| | |about 400 population, 40 rifles;
| | |fair water supply, lying among dom
| | |palms. Road hence straight to J.
| | |Lukka.
| | |
| 1¼ | 41¾ |Another road leads over very bad
| | |cotton soil to a khor, light thorn
| | |bush, bad going, cotton soil.
| | |
| 2½ | 44¼ |Firm ground and good going through
| | |light forest, passing one village
| 4¾ | 49 |at 11 miles, and reach main
| | |village of Kologi, lying among dom
| | |palms under the hill.
| | |
_Kologi | — | — |Population of the two villages,
villages_ | | |about 1,500. They are sedentary
| | |Arabs (much crossed by Nubas) of
| | |the Kawahla tribe of the Hawazma
| | |Arabs. Sheikhs Gadum Hassib El
| | |Nebi and Akhman Fadlalla.
| | |
| | |No arms to speak of; quiet people;
| | |do not raid. Fair water supply
| | |from wells; water eight feet from
| | |surface. Much dura cultivation.
| | |Many cattle, sheep and goats.
| | |
| | |Road leads out due N. towards J.
| | |Lukka.
| | |
K. Harrug | ¾ | 49¾ |The khor Harrug; no obstacle.
| | |
| ½ | 50¼ |Cross a ridge; rough stony going.
| | |Road leads straight towards Lukka
| | |between small rocky hills.
| | |
| 3¾ | 54 |Road turns to right to get round
| | |Eastern spurs of J. Lukka, through
| | |thick thorn bush, and across
| | |broken stony ground and small
| | |khors and ridges, and bending
| | |round to left enters a valley and
| | |the village of Lukka.
| | |
_Lukka_ | 2¼ | 56¼ |Kawahla Arabs, with a cross of
| | |Nuba; Sheikh Janga Rahma. A large
| | |village of 1,000 people; no rifles
| | |to speak of. Quiet people; do not
| | |raid. Much dura cultivation. Water
| | |supply bad at camping place and
| | |insufficient for 50 men and
| | |animals. Good clear water is
| | |obtained about 600 feet up the
| | |mountain, where the Nuba colony
| | |get their water. Good camping
| | |ground. Shade. Plenty of supplies,
| | |cattle, sheep, and goats.
(ix.) J. Talodi to J. Kadugli, _viâ_ Kororak, Um Dorein
(in J. Moro), Homra and Sema.
Talodi | — | — |Road leads S.W. along face of
(Felaita) | | |mountain, through the villages of
| | |Felaita, and turns W., following
| — | 2 |Southern and South-western face
| | |along the base of the hills.
| | |
| | |J. Burham is seen 8 or 10 miles
| | |off to the W., and J. Krongo a
| | |long way off to the W.S.W.
| | |
| 5 | 7 |Here the road leaves the mountain
| | |and strikes off across the plain
_Swamp_ | ½ | 7½ |in a W.N.W. direction over cotton
| | |soil to a swamp, water one foot
| | |from surface (February, 1904).
| | |
| 2 | 9½ |Firm, good going.
| | |
| 5 | 14½ |A small rocky wooded hillock on
| | |right of road.
| | |
Kororak | 6 | 20½ |The road, skirting N.E. corner of
| | |Durham, leads straight to Kororak,
| | |a Nuba village in J. Moro. The
| | |village is high up on the face of
| | |the cliff. Population, about
| | |1,500. The various Meks’ names
| | |are:—
| | |
| | |(1) Tambura.
| | |
| | |(2) Toto El Azrak.
| | |
| | |(3) Toto Agari.
| | |
| | |Plenty of dura, very few cattle or
| | |sheep; no rifles.
| | |
| | |People of Talodi come here to buy
| | |grain.
| | |
| | |Mountains of Digig and Masakin to
| | |south. Road follows base of hills
| | |at Kororak for 1 mile, and then
| | |strikes off West across rough
| | |gravelly soil and thorn bush.
| | |
| 2 | 22½ |Cotton soil and thick thorn bush.
| | |
| 1 | 23½ |Firm ground and light bush.
| | |
_Dorein_ | 3½ | 27 |Road strikes the hills again at Um
| | |Dorein. Very small Nuba village on
| | |spur on left of road; small hill
| | |on right. Meks’ names are:—
| | |
| | |(1) Toto El Ahmah;
| | |
| | |(2) Abu Falang.
| | |
| | |Road passes over ridge, still
| | |going West over a small cultivated
| | |plain, with hills ½ mile away to
| | |left and ¾ mile on right.
| | |
| ½ | 27½ |Small rocky ridge in front. Best
| | |road leads to the left and then
| | |turns sharp to right round the
| | |ridge and over broken rocky
| | |ground.
| | |
| 1 | 28½ |Track descends on to very bad
| | |broken cotton soil. Impassable
| | |swamp in rains for animals.
| | |
_Well_ | 1¼ | 29¾ |Track strikes mountain again. Well
| | |(water 2 feet from surface) on
| | |side of road after leaving the
| | |swamp.
| | |
| 2 | 31¾ |Road runs West along south face of
| | |hill and at 2 miles turns half
| | |right. Good going.
| | |
| 1 | 32¾ |Road leaves J. Moro and strikes
| | |off W.N.W. across plain through
| | |light bush; very good going to
| | |
_Homra_ | 4½ | 37¼ |Large Arab village, population
| | |1,200. Great number of cattle,
| | |sheep, and goats. Wells, water 8
| | |feet from surface.
| | |
K. Meshisha | 1½ | 38¾ |Cross big Khor Meshisha, 40 yards
| | |across, 5 feet deep.
| | |
| 1½ | 40¼ |More Arab encampments, inhabited
| | |in rainy season, but deserted now
| | |(March, 1904).
| | |
| 1 | 41¼ |Cross deep khor, 8 feet, 8 yards
| | |wide. Alternate cotton soil and
| | |fair going through thick thorn
| | |bush to
| | |
| 3½ | 44¾ |A khor known at Sema and Kadugli
| | |as the “Wadi.” A small hill on
| | |right; cotton soil.
| | |
| 5 | 49¾ |Alternate good and bad going
| | |through thorn bush.
| | |
| ½ | 50¼ |A shallow khor; light bush.
| | |
Sema | 1½ | 51¾ |Village of Sema, open stony
| | |country at foot of hills;
| | |population about 300. Mek Guru.
| | |
| | |Three or four wells. Water 15
| | |feet; bad supply; only sufficient
| | |for five or six men and animals at
| | |a time.
| | |
| | |From here road turns N.W. and
| | |follows base of hills over stony
| | |ground.
| | |
| 1 | 52¾ |Rough going; pass small rocky hill
| | |on right; a good deal of thorn
| | |bush.
| | |
| 2 | 54¾ |Track becomes clearer and leads
| | |over cotton soil past the wells in
| | |a khor to
| | |
_Kadugli_ | 1 | 55¾ |Kadugli (Arab encampment), a few
| | |tukls against the S.W. end of a
| | |ridge of small hills. Kadugli Nuba
| | |village is 1 mile due E. on the
| | |main range called Ghuhub.
| | |
| | |The Mek is Rahal Andal, an
| | |energetic and trustworthy man. Has
| | |great influence for 50 miles
| | |round.
| | |
| | |The Sudanese infantry barracks, ½
| | |company, are just beyond the
| | |encampment, and the garrison has
| | |opened several wells of excellent
| | |clear water 6 feet from surface.
| | |
| | |Supplies unlimited from Kadugli.
| | |Population of village about 1,200.
| | |They have about 50 rifles.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
[Footnote 28: Between J. Kon and Taiara there is now a more direct
road, _viâ_ Yasin (W. Lloyd, 1903), but water is said to be very
scarce (More, 1904).]
[Footnote 29: It is better to go to Bir El Wuz, N. of J. Um
Durrag.—H. H. S. M.]
[Footnote 30: There is.—H. H. S. M.]
[Footnote 31: In October 1900 Captain W. Lloyd found several pools
of water from 20 to 30 feet in diameter and 4 feet deep; probably
rain-water.]
[Footnote 32: There is a more direct road from Dilling to J. Gulfan,
26 miles.]
[Footnote 33: There is an upper road which does not cross Khor Abu
Habl at all. Distance by it much the same and it is more practicable
in the rains. It passes W. of H. Gad El Kerim.]