CHAPTER VI.
(SOUTH-EASTERN SUDAN.)
* * * * *
48.—NASSER TO URYONG.[24]
BY MAJOR GWYNN, C.M.G., D.S.O., FEBRUARY, 1901.
There is a good road in the dry season from Nasser down the Sobat.
Practically no supplies can be obtained from natives, but guinea fowl are common and gazelle can generally be shot. There are generally plenty of trees and bush as far as Nyakwoik, but after entering the Dinka country the only trees which are seen are a few grown in the villages for shade. The Dinkas carry charcoal long distances for fuel.
--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Right bank, | — | — |Starting on right bank, opposite opposite | | |Nasser, the following villages Nasser | | |were passed on the north bank:— | | | Tawba | 9 | 9 | } | | | } Nyakwoik | 3 | 12 | } Small Nuer villages. | | | } Gau | 3 | 15 | } | | | Shillup (1st | 1½ | 16½ |From this point a waterless road camp) | | |strikes straight to Fashoda, 3 | | |days’ march for natives. | | | Ford Kofiat | 2 | 18½ |At Kofiat the river was forded. (Sheikh Akol) | | |About 3 feet deep and 200 yards | | |wide. Exit on south bank bad, but | | |bottom firm and good. The road on | | |the north bank was said to be | | |overgrown, and there was little | | |sign of inhabitants on the south Nyanlang | 3½ | 22 |bank; cutting across a large | | |bend, came to Nyanlang, Fauwel, Fauwel | ½ | 22½ |and Nyandeng; the latter is a | | |small village near a dry shallow Nyandeng (2nd | 3 | 25½ |drainage khor. Thick bush and bad camp) | | |mosquitoes. | | | Minchom | 2¼ | 27¾ |Thence cutting another bend | | |through Minchom, striking the Twednyang | 2¾ | 30½ |river again at Twednyang. | | | Ashol | ½ | 31 |Thence striking across bend | | |through Ashol, to Abong, thence to Abong | 1½ | 32½ |Patiyam, which is the last Nuer | | |village; now enter the Nyuak | | |district of Amol. | | | Patiyam | 1½ | 34 | | | | Gehinyar | 3 | 37 |The first Nyuak village, on the | | |river bank. | | | Reitsum | 2¾ | 39¾ |Thence following the river through | | |dry marsh, strike across bend Malwal (3rd | 3¼ | 43 |through Fedwil. camp) | | | | | | Fedwil | 1¼ | 44¼ |Sheikh Gwat’s. | | | Bwoilbang | ¾ | 45 |To Bwoilbang. | | | Wegin | 2 | 47 |At Wegin reach river again | | |opposite marshy island and keep | | |along bank. | | | Shwai | 2 | 49 |Leave river again at Shwai, and | | |thence to Fatiwanyang, the Fatiwanyang | 3¾ | 52¾ |residence of Sheik Aiwel, who is | | |very friendly to the Government. | | |There are a number of elephant | | |near his village. Leave the river | | |and skirt a swampy district. Some | | |cattle. | | | Yakwoik | 5½ | 58¼ |Yakwoik is a few miles up stream | | |of Major Austin’s base camp, which 4th camp | 1¼ | 59½ |however was not seen. From here | | |strike across a big bend; no water | | |obtainable till river is reached | | |again, after a march of 12 miles. Wangnait (5th | 17 | 76½ | All trees cease near Wangnait, camp), Sheikh | | |which is the 1st Dinka village, Bang | | |and is one of a large group of | | |villages. | | | Gobtoing | 3 | 79½ |Thence cutting across a series of | | |small bends to Gobtoing; thence to | | | Tubu | 3 | 82½ |Tubu, Sheikh Lual’s; thence to | | | Adong | 3½ | 86 |Adong, | | | Dud | 1½ | 87½ |Dud, and | | | Uryong | 2½ | 90 |Uryong. Awut, an old woman, is | | |Sheikha of Uryong. | | | Ford (6th | 1½ | 91½ |There is a ford 1 mile below here. camp) | | |Village at the head of the island, | | |crossing 4 feet deep. | | | Uryong | ½ | 92 |On the opposite bank is the 2nd | | |village of Uryong, from which runs | | |the direct road to Kodok (48 | | |miles), _vide_ Route 47. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
49.—GOKJAK TO KEIK.
BY CAPTAIN H. H. WILSON, APRIL AND MAY, 1902.
--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Gokjak | — | — |Small compact village on left bank | | |of Sobat, good dry banks, few | | |trees. Track from Gokjak runs over | | |open plain, very bad going, black | | |cotton soil; large cracks in | | |ground, making it difficult for | 1½ | 1½ |transport animals. Khor 100 yards | | |wide, running parallel to river, | | |dry in April; track continuous | | |over open grass plain, mostly | | |burnt in dry season, and no trees | | |except one or two solitary ones to | | | _Shol Ajik_ | 7 | 8½ |Small Dinka village on right bank | | |of Khor Filus, which runs from | | |here to its mouth (10 miles from | | |mouth of Sobat); khor dried up | | |into pools, water muddy; few trees | | |in village, also Sheikh’s tomb | | |with huge elephant tusk. The | | |tracks run on to M’Yolga; inland | | |track the better, alternative | | |track follows and passes under | | |large trees for 3 miles; track bad | | |to | | | M’Yolga | 8½ | 17 |Long straggling Dinka villages on | | |Khor Filus, water in pools, fair; | | |many water-fowl. Sheikhs Ayung Yor | | |and Agweir Owawe. Track now winds | | |about the end of M’Yolga district. | | |Two small villages on khor, and 2 | 4 | 21 |miles further on enters bush of | | |red talh, which leaves and crosses | | |grass plain after 1½ miles, and | | |rejoins khor 3 miles further on. | | |_Water available_, banks of khor | | |thickly wooded with thorn bush; a | | |few good trees. | | | | 7 | 28 |Small ferik, or cattle village, in | | |dry season. These feriks are all | | |same type, dome-shaped grass | | |tukls, with open spaces with pegs | | |for picketing cattle, &c. Some | | |have zeribas. | | | _Gekrek_ | 3 | 31 |Name of locality; good camping | | |ground on left of khor, which is | | |easily crossed in dry season; 2 | | |feet of water covered with matted | | |weeds, water fair; ground | | |gradually becoming more wooded; | | |heglig and gemmeiza. | | | Adodit | 2¼ | 33¼ |Name of locality; khor twists | | |about considerably; track cuts | | |across a corner here, and joins | | |khor again after 2 miles, and | | |continues to | | | Biar | 6½ | 39¾ |Name of locality; country between | | |M’Yolga and Nerol uninhabited, | | |being a “no man’s land” between | | |Dinkas and Nuers; men of one tribe | | |crossing to territory of other | | |tribe do not return as a rule. | | | | 4 | 43¾ |Small khor, merely draining few | | |miles of lowlying land in rains. | | | _Fan Yanglwel_| 2¼ | 46 |Name of locality; thickly wooded, | | |with high knolls, good camping | | |ground, water muddy. From here run | | |two tracks; one to Nerol, along | | |the khor; a second across country | | |to Riul. Latter track crosses khor | 1 | 47 |Fanyanglwel and runs along left | | |bank of khor for 3 miles, passing | | |one ferik at 47th mile, and then | | |cuts across an open plain with few | | |scattered trees, and meets Khor | | |Filus at Riul. | | | | | |The former track runs through | | |beautiful country along bank of | | |Khor Filus; thickly wooded, | | |waterfowl in abundance, also | | |harte-beest (Tiang) and Oribi; a | | |little water in places, in the | | |khor, under matted reeds. Khor | | |very winding to Nerol (9 miles). | | |Cattle feriks on R. bank of khor; | | |fine sheet of water (some 2 miles | | |long in places) 50 to 60 yards | | |wide, and in places deep; good | | |colour and taste. Village of Nerol | | |about 6 miles due south, according | | |to guides; at bend of Khor Filus, | | |at mile 10, Khor Chirol or Nerol | | |flows in, said to flow from Nyang | | |Deng on Sobat, near Nasser, 30 to | | |40 yards wide, nearly dry (April). | | |Track now runs along khor straight | | |to Riul, 5½ miles further on. | | | Riul | 6¾ | 53¾ |A cattle ferik on right bank of | | |khor, village proper lies two | | |miles inland due south, behind | | |thick belt of trees. | | | Tut | 2¼ | 56 |Cattle ferik under good shady | | |trees, village proper inland | 2¼ | 58¼ |behind trees; good camping ground; | | |thick thorn bush ¼ mile on left of | | |track; good pool of water in khor, | | |400 yards from camp, which is on | | |rising ground, no trees for shade. | | | Meinom | 2¼ | 60½ |Cattle ferik, and village inland | | |is visible. | | | | 1 | 61½ |Another large cattle ferik, also | | |rest of Meinom village proper | | |visible inland; track now runs | 7 | 68½ |straight for 7 miles, passing | | |feriks of Riang and Reir on the | | |way to small khor; country thickly | | |wooded on left of track, thinly on | | |right. | | | _Fading_ | 3½ | 72 |Important scattered Nuer village | | |in trees on right of khor; large | | |pool of water, surrounded towards | | |its northern end by ambach swamp, | | |many and varied waterfowl; a track | 1½ | 73½ |runs from here to large village of | | |Falliu, distant 7 miles S.W. in | | |forest; water fair at Fading; | | |cattle ferik and pool, with ambach | | |fringe round edge, water bad. | | | _Fatowel_ | 4 | 77½ |Three cattle feriks of this name | | |on khor; several pools of stagnant | | |water; track crosses open plain 1 | | |mile wide, and then for 7 miles | | |runs through forest of Inderab, | | |along bed of khor, crossing and | | |re-crossing it, forest then thins | | |out, and next 4 miles is over | | |grass plain to | | | _Shit_ | 12½ | 90 |Large cattle feriks, village | | |proper 2 miles away S.W. on left | | |bank of khor; large pool of very | | |foul stagnant water. No other | | |water nearer than 3 miles fit to | | |drink. Ambach swamp round water, | | |waterfowl plentiful. | | | | 3 | 93 |Track runs 3 miles across open | | |grass plain, over good sandy | | |track, and enters this red talh | | |bush, which gives place shortly to | | |thin forest of heglig; large | | |trees. | | | Fulnob | 3 | 96 |Long straggling village on left of | | |track, fair amount of dura | | |cultivation. | | | Dwok | 4½ | 100½ |A very large scattered village, | | |well built tukls; cattle tukls | | |being particularly fine; most of | | |these Nuer villages are built in | | |thin forest, making it impossible | | |to estimate their full extent | | |without penetrating long distances | | |into the woods. | | | _Amwot-el- | 4½ | 105 |Beginning of Little Amwot. Two or Sogheir_ | | |three shallow muddy wells; few | | |trees; track now runs across Amwot | | |plain, thickly populated; tukls in | | |groups; probably homesteads every | | |few hundred yards for 4 miles to | | |the wells. | | | _Wells of | 4 | 109 |Dug on sandy bank of a large Amwot-el- | | |shallow khor; khor dry in April. Sogheir_ | | |Banks lined with um suf; cattle | | |ferik on edge of khor; wells 12 in | | |number, 20 feet to 25 feet deep, 2 | | |feet 6 inches in diameter; fairly | | |thick forest of abu hemeira and | | |trees called soba and leun. | | |Leaving Amwot wells, track enters | | |thick forest, which extends for 2 | | |miles, then continues over plain | | |for another 2 miles, finally runs | | |through very thin forest to | | | Keik | 6½ | 115½ |Residence of Nuer Sheikh Denkur; | | |in centre of village is a cone, | | |built of mud, 50 to 60 feet high, | | |seen at least 3 miles off, | | |surmounted with elephants’ tusks, | | |and a huge spike like a lightning | | |conductor; base of cone on east | | |sides planted with elephants’ | | |tusks, with points turned | | |outwards. | | | | | |Fair amount of dura cultivation; | | |beyond village of Keik, to N.E. | | |and S., is a vast open plain with | | |no trees; no wells or other water | | |found; ground is fairly high and | | |presumably healthy. | | | Shit | — | 90 |From Shit, which is 90 miles from | | |Gokjak, a track runs almost due | | |south, crossing Khor Filus; good | | |going. | | | | 1½ | 91½ |Village proper of Shit about 1 | | |mile away on left bank of khor in | | |thick trees. | | | | 1½ | 93 |Group of 6 _wells_ dug in bed of | | |khor; cattle ferik on right bank | | |of khor; cattle watered from these | | |wells; water when drawn up poured | | |into shallow circular troughs of | 1 | 94 |puddled sand and mud, to enable | | |cattle to drink. Another similar | 1 | 95 |_group of wells_; track branches | | |off to right, to small village, | | |part of Amwot-el-Kebir, 2½ miles | | |distant. Track now runs along bed | | |of khor. | | | _Amwot-el- | 3¼ | 98½ |Filus, to beginning of Amwot-el- Kebir_ | | |Kebir, in line of trees running | | |north and south; track now | | |descends across plain and crosses | | |khor to main portion of village. | 3½ | 101½ |Villages of great extent, part | | |built in plain, but greater part | | |(impossible to estimate) built in | | |woods; tukls well built and very | | |numerous; much dura cultivation; | | |_group of wells_. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
NOTE.—No local Nuer guides can be obtained for any of the above country from M’Yolga to Keik, owing to the active hostility of Nuers. The only men who know the general lie of the country are Dinkas who have been slaves of Nuers, or who lived in this country before Nuers seized it. They can be obtained at M’Yolga, but, at the best, are not reliable as regards water or distances.
50.—ITINERARY UP THE BAHR EL ZERAF.
BY MAJOR STANTON, OCTOBER, 1898—ADDITIONS BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL SPARKES, C.M.G., MARCH, 1899.
--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- | — | — |On entering the Bahr el Zeraf, the | | |current is strong[25]—3 miles an | | |hour—the depth 20 feet, and | | |channel narrow at first; opens out | | |from 30 yards to 80 yards a couple | | |of miles up. Water is clear, and | | |of a dark brown tinge. Jebel el | | |Zeraf lies away to the south-east | | |on R. bank 5 miles off; there are | | |four distinct hills, all of | | |volcanic rock, covered with bush. | | |A broad open plain, marsh near the | | |river, extends to the foot of | | |these hills R., while L. is wooded | | |and scrub—open plain behind; here | | |hippopotami, elephant, giraffe, | | |water-buck, and reed-buck have | | |been seen. | | | | 5½ | 5½ |Grass plain both banks, with a | | |little low scrub L. From here on | | |to 30, flat marshy plain both | | |banks. | | | | 24½ | 30 |Wood obtainable; some large trees | | |L. bank, dry marsh R. | | | | 5 | 35 |Bush commences both banks; river | | |bends backwards and forwards, | | |banks wet and marshy, and landing | | |difficult. This continues till 60. | | | | 10 | 45 |Dry place L. | | | | 15 | 60 |Large open maya L. Water runs | | |inland some distance. River | | |continues to make loops and bends; | | |channel 80 to 100 yards broad. | | | | 10 | 70 |Scrub ceases both banks, boundless | | |marsh extending to horizon opens | | |up; several large sheets of open | | |water are passed. | | | | 8 | 78 |Farthest point reached by Major | | |Peake, 5.10.98. Egyptian flag | | |hoisted L. 14¾ hours’ steam from | | |mouth of river. River 80 yards | | |wide; current 2 miles per hour. | | | Kuchuk Ali (?)| 2 | 80 |River bends about a great deal; | | |some of the curves are very sharp; | | |patches of open water each side at | | |intervals; open marsh both sides | | |with 3 to 4 feet of water. Twenty | | |hours’ steam from mouth. | | | | 2 | 82 |Solitary small Dom palm passed on | | |R. | | | | 3 | 85 |Clump of thick small trees R. in 3 | | |feet of water close to channel; | | |thousands of divers build in these | | |trees (October, 1898). Wood for | | |steamers could be cut here, but | | |with some difficulty, unless the | | |water falls; scrub begins first | | |beyond here on L. bank. R. | | |continues open. | | | | 12 | 97 |Large sheet of open water or maya | | |about 1 mile away R.; bush on | | |horizon beyond. | | | | 3 | 100 |Low scrub ½ mile away R. Big trees | | |on horizon west L. | | | Gauer (?) | 10 | 110 |Scattered Nuer houses seen on | | |horizon 6 miles away L.; village 2 | | |miles farther on under trees | | |believed to be village of Gauer. | | |Open plain R. Small clump of trees | | |in water at 107, where wood could | | |be obtained if necessary. Shallows | | |sometimes to 4 feet; generally 10 | | |feet. | | | | 10 | 120 |Trees close to channel L.; open | | |patches of water. | | | | 2 | 122 |Maya and stream comes in L.; this | | |leaves the proper channel at 130 | | |higher up, and cuts across a | | |corner direct. | | | | 5 | 127 |Thick trees L. and clump of trees | | |R., all in water (October); sharp | | |turn west. | | | | 3 | 130 |Channel turns again S. Maya and | | |stream come in L. Solitary palm | | |visible S. R. bank open marsh, | | |bush ends L. | | | | 5 | 135 |Solitary Dom palm passed on edge | | |of channel L., marsh both banks, | | |trees and scrub begin again L. | | | | 5 | 140 |River bends west. Dom palms | | |visible west. | | | | 4 | 144 |Sparkes’ farthest point in | | |steamer: aground. | | | Kuchuk Ali | 4 | 148 |“Lotus” River comes in R.; channel | | |50 yards, covered with large | | |“Lotus Nymphæ.” Good wood station | | |here just inside the mouth of | | |“Lotus” River, where dry land can | | |be reached by steamer. Wood | | |extends back in water for 2 or 3 | | |miles, but sufficient can be cut | | |on dry ground. This is the last | | |place where steamers can wood, as | | |all other wood seen, being either | | |Dom or Deleib palm, is useless for | | |fuel. “Lotus” River dried up in | | |March. | | | | | |Zeraf turns west towards thick Dom | | |palms; open water seen N.W. From | | |here on the channel goes through | | |numerous lagoons; the water | | |appears slightly discoloured by | | |mud; the stream increases in | | |strength, and the channel in | | |width. | | | | 3 | 151 |Sharp bend S.; large volume of | | |water flows out of channel into | | |marsh N., and makes open mayas | | |seen about 1 to 1½ miles away. Dom | | |palms, close to river, dry ground | | |1 mile farther on L., thick Dom | | |palms; channel 100 to 150 yards | | |broad, numerous lagoons. Scrub and | | |wood 1 mile away R. | | | Kuek | 8 | 159 |Small village on edge of lagoons, | | |larger one behind under Dom palms, | | |known as Kuek; natives Dinkas, and | | |friendly. Egyptian flag left here | | |with them; natives frightened by | | |steamer, but reassured afterwards. | | |After passing their village the | | |regular channel gets lost as it | | |flows to the west of clump of Dom | | |behind Kuek, where it gets blocked | | |by sudd, the water finding its way | | |through the marsh and lagoons. The | | |“Abu Klea” continued (October, | | |1898) in a southerly direction, | | |and after crossing a lagoon 11 | | |feet deep, which shallowed down to | | |4 feet, the main channel again | | |struck, 18 feet deep. | | | Wayo | — | — |Wayo village, Nuers, Sheikh Atar, | | |close by. No Dinkas round this | | |way. Left here by a narrow passage | | |through the reeds, and joined what | | |is evidently the main river, 80 to | | |100 yards broad and very deep | | |channel. It comes in from other | | |side of villages, and natives say | | |it is blocked by sudd lower down. | | |This channel through which neither | | |steamer or gyassa could get is | | |evidently that mentioned by Peake, | | |between 150 and 160 miles, which | | |he went through, and which was | | |only 5 feet deep. It is now just | | |over 2 feet deep. | | | Mogren el | 3 | 161 |Junction of the rivers Zeraf. One Buhur Zeraf | | |channel comes in from S.E., which | | |ends 6 miles up in a large open | | |lake 9 feet deep, and with | | |numerous villages scattered about | | |on bits of dry ground surrounded | | |by a sea of marsh and sudd. | | | | | |The Bahr el Jebel is stated to be | | |only a few hours in a canoe (about | | |6) through the reeds in westerly | | |direction. It is stated to be | | |blocked N. of this point. | | | | | |The second channel comes in from a | | |southerly direction going up- | | |stream, after bending a good deal, | | |passes an old tree like an English | | |elm near two small villages, and | | |flows close by large village of | | |Ajiung. Nuer tribe here; Sultan | | |Diu, the head of the Nuers in this | | |locality, resides here. Large | | |clump of Deleib palms, 500 yards | | |from channel. | | | Ajiung Lake | 14 | 175 |Ajiung village R. Large village | | |under Deleib palms. Lat. 7° 48′ N. | | |(approximate). Large straggling | | |lake; sudd S., S.W., and S.E. | | | | 13 | 188 |Channel goes on another 13 miles, | | [26] |then ends in 3 feet of water on | | |large sudd-covered lake. A large | | |maya goes off N.E., which is | | |declared closed about 5 miles up; | | |this water probably forms the | | |River “Lotus” farther down. If it | | |is intended to go from the Bahr el | | |Zeraf to the Bahr el Jebel, | | |natives should be got from Ajiung | | |to direct the course, which lies | | |entirely through patches of sudd | | |and open water. The direction | | |marked on the map should be | | |somewhat more towards the north. | | |The channel at Ajiung, which is | | |broad and deep, soon narrows, and | | |current becomes less as the head | | |is reached, clearly showing that a | | |great deal of the water in the | | |channel at Ajiung flows through | | |the reeds and sudd, where the | | |depth appears to be about 4 feet. | | |The whole country S. and S.W. of | | |Ajiung appears to be one vast | | |sudd-covered lagoon through which | | |the waters forming the Bahr el | | |Zeraf flow until the main channel | | |is formed; pieces of sudd | | |measuring 40 yards by 30 were met | | |after a severe storm in the | | |western branch. Such pieces of | | |sudd are liable at any time to | | |block the present channel and | | |cause a fresh one to open out. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
[Footnote 24: _Vide_ also Route 134, Goré to Abwong, Appendix.]
[Footnote 25: Even in March.]
[Footnote 26: Major G. E. Matthews steamed up about 30 miles beyond this point in August, 1904, but was then stopped by sudd.]