Chapter 14 of 14 · 52581 words · ~263 min read

CHAPTER IX.

(NORTH-WESTERN SUDAN.)

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106.—SELIMA TO NILE OPPOSITE KOSHA.

BY CAPTAIN H. HODGSON, FEBRUARY, 1903.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Selima | — | — |Track to river bears at first at | | |152°, and after ascending out of | | |valley turns, and, bearing to | | |point on road 3 miles away, where | | |the trees of Selima are last | | |sighted, is 118° (Magnetic). On | | |top of rise, 6 miles out from | | |well, a pair of hills are sighted | | |on horizon, at bearing of 124° | | |(Magnetic), which are close to the | | |track and about half way to river. | | |These twin hills of conical shape | | |must not be confused with another | | |pair lying about 80° or 90°. Track | | |diverges northwards slightly, and | | |runs at bearing of 119° to a | | |conspicuous and isolated peak; | | |best route lies close to the N. of | | |this peak. Country flat; a sandy | | |plain, with few land marks. | | | First halt | 38½ | 38½ |Halted after going 2 miles past | | |twin peaks. | | | | | |The regular track to the river | | |goes to Sagiet El Abd, and runs to | | |S. of a mass of black rocky hills | | |lying in the centre of a sandy | | |plain. These hills are spoken of River Nile, | 41 | 79½ |as Jebel El Tult. I marched to the opposite to | | |N. of these hills, and struck the Kosha | | |river opposite to Ginnis, the land | | |mark being the hill marked Jebel | | |Hamra on Kosha sheet. General | | |direction 112°. Jebel Abri is, I | | |am told, the mountain to march on | | |when going to Sagiet El Abd. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

107.—DONGOLA TO LAGIA EL KEBIR (ARBAIN ROAD).

BY CAPTAIN H. HODGSON, DECEMBER 16 TO DECEMBER 31, 1901.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Dongola | — | — |From Dongola the route lies nearly | | |due W. to Um Hellal; the chief | | |landmark is Jebel Nosab. After | | |leaving Nosab there is a bad bit | | |of going, entailing about ½ hour’s | | |walking, descending into valley | | |containing the wells. Camels can | | |trot the rest of the way. | | | _Um Hellal | 20 | 20 |Is good sweet water; the water Well_ | | |lies about 9 feet from the | | |surface; plenty of grazing for | | |camels. About seven families live | | |here through the winter, and it is | | |possible to get goat’s milk and a | | |few eggs and dates. A ruined | | |fort, probably 100 years old, | | |with a well in the yard (water 12 | | |feet from surface) is about ¾ mile | | |away; it is called El Gab, and | | |the whole oasis seems to take its | | |name from it. Um Hellal is also | | |called Gab El Tahtani. | | | _El Sawani_ | 3 | 23 |El Sawani has three wells close | | |together. A number of sunt trees | | |give very good shade. There are | | |more date palms and it is a better | | |camping-ground than either Shemsi | | |or Um Hellal. Water is good, and | | |about 10 feet from the surface; | | |the wells are in constant use. | | |About eleven families live here | | |through the winter, considerably | | |more during the summer. | | | _Gawit_ | — | — |Water reported near surface and | | |easily obtained; good browsing, | | |very little shade; all dom palms | | |burnt by dervishes. | | | _Shemsi_ | 10 | 33 |Water near surface, in clay soil | | |and plentiful; one pan sufficient | | |for my party (twenty camels and | | |eighteen men) taking water for 4 | | |days. Two or three good shady | | |clumps of trees and plenty of | | |browsing for camels. It would be | | |difficult to pitch tents owing to | | |deep sand. The landmark for Shemsi | | |is Jebel Bowarib, which is a | | |double hill of two small peaks of | | |black volcanic rock, standing | | |solitary about 3 miles N.W. | | | _Butta_ | — | — |I did not visit the well, as all | | |the guides agreed the water was | | |brackish and bad; the landmark | | |from Shemsi is a low round hill, | | |thus, nearly covered with yellow | | |sand, distinctive, as surrounding | | |hills are peaked and black rocky | | |hills. There are apparently about | | |five hills surrounding the water | | |pans, each called Jebel Butta. | | | Jebel Fantoria| 9 | 42 |About 12 miles N.W. from Shemsi; | | |stands out well, and can be seen | | |at a long distance. Charles | | |Neufeld was captured by the | | |dervishes close to this hill. | | | | | |Between Selem (18½ miles from | | |Shemsi), where there are some | | |bushes, and Lagia there is nothing | | |for camels to feed on, and forage | | |must be carried. I did not see the | | |track of any living thing, either | | |when going or on return. There are Jebel Abiad | 56 | 98 |no special names for any hills | | |except Jebel Abiad, the N. end of | | |a chalk range, which ends in an | | |abrupt cliff and can be seen at a | | |long distance. | | | El Gir | 36 | 134 |There was reported to be water | | |last year. We dug a well to depth | | |of 7 feet, without result. The | | |Arabs state the country is more | | |dried up this year than it has | | |been since the date of the battle | | |of Toski. | | | _Lagia Amran_ | 19½ | 153½ |Lagia the Less, also called Lagia | | |Amran, from the colour of the | | |ground, lies in a plain about 8 | | |miles long by 5 miles wide, | | |surrounded entirely by rocky | | |hills; there are only two | | |entrances through encircling hills | | |that are easy marching. Water lies | | |within a foot of the surface, and | | |is very plentiful. Ground consists | | |of red clay with drifts of sand; | | |the Arabs say there was formerly | | |no sand, and that during last few | | |years it is gradually covering | | |ground, probably owing to dry | | |seasons. | | | | | |My party dug a water pan out of | | |the clay (3½ feet deep and 12 feet | | |circumference). It was quite full | | |of good water, with a certain | | |amount of clay in solution, which | | |settled on standing, on our return | | |2 days later. Without this pan | | |there was a plentiful supply of | | |water from older diggings which | | |the camel-men cleared of sand. | | |There are some bushes and small | | |trees, about ½ mile from the | | |water, which afford feeding for | | |camels. We also found water about | | |½ mile to S.W. of old water holes. | | | _Lagia Kebir_ | 12½ | 166 |Or Lagia Agar. Some five or six | | |pans of water; good and near the | | |surface, springing from similar | | |soil to Lagia the Less, but not so | | |abundant. We dug for water in | | |three likely places, about ¼ mile | | |to the W., without result. The | | |wells lie in an open plain; no | | |vegetation near, except about six | | |to ten small trees about 3½ miles | | |to W. giving a little feeding for | | |camels. To the N. the plain is | | |shut in by a steep rocky ridge of | | |hills, and the road to Selima | | |Wells lies across it; on reaching | | |summit of ridge there is only a | | |stretch of rock and stones to be | | |seen. Arabs state it is the road | | |to Selima, and there is no | | |grazing. To the S., the road to | | |Sultan Well (the place where | | |Natron is found) lies across an | | |open plain, and is easy going. The | | |tracks spread considerably and | | |extend across a width of over a | | |mile. | | | | | |An oasis, called Tura, is reported | | |to lie 4 days’ journey in a S.W. | | |direction, containing date trees, | | |which is visited at date harvest | | |time by the Bedai tribe. Sheikh | | |Fadl El Mula is the only one of | | |the party who had been there, and | | |he said the water is very bad. | | |Except for the above, the guides | | |say they have no knowledge of any | | |water to the W. of Lagia, and that | | |there is no road with a direction | | |of N. and S. lying to the W. of | | |Lagia. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

108.—DONGOLA TO BIR SULTAN (ARBAIN ROAD).

BY CAPTAIN H. HODGSON, FEBRUARY, 1903.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Dongola, or | — | — |After half an hour’s marching, Gharbi Dongola| | |reached buildings of former | | |District, which stand 1 mile from | | |mosque on E. bank by range-finder, | | |and at an angle of 78° (magnetic). | | |Left at 9 a.m. Going easy over | | |hard sand. Marched parallel with | | |river until near Kheleiwa as | | |marked on map (Debba Sheet 45, | | |E.), then turned W. and marched | | |about 2 hours to well. | | | | | |At Kheleiwa on river there are old | | |ruins. A legend has it that there | | |is an underground passage from | | |these ruins to the well in the | | |desert to the W. | | | _Kheleiwa | 19¾ | 19¾ |Kheleiwa well stands in the centre Well_ (1st | | |of a mound covered with broken halt) | | |burnt bricks; the first 6 or 8 | | |feet from the surface is built | | |with stone, then it is dug into | | |solid rock; on lowering a candle | | |to within 6 feet of the water, the | | |sides disappear from view, and | | |apparently there is a wide chamber | | |at bottom of well; candle burnt | | |freely, water 2½ feet deep, depth | | |of well to water 96 feet. | | | _Bir El | 32¼ | 52 |Marched at 2.30 a.m. The track is Marghum_ (2nd | | |well defined, being the main road halt) | | |from Debba to Wad El Gab, and is | | |easy going the whole way, | | |direction about 330° (magnetic). | | |About 24 miles from Kheleiwa Well | | |ground begins to fall, and the | | |Wadi El Gab may be said to begin. | | | | | |El Marghum is the most southern | | |well in El Gab and one of the | | |deepest, being about 20 feet deep | | |before reaching water, and is | | |stone lined, water good, cool, and | | |pleasant to drink, depth of water | | |3½ feet, and reported always | | |plentiful. This well is said to be | | |6 hours from Khandak with an easy | | |road. Near well are one or two | | |good sayal trees and selem bushes, | | |but no date palms. | | | _Awene_ | — | — |Marched at 7.30 a.m., track from | | |El Marghum to Um Hagar, direction | | |330°. After 1½ miles a track | | |branches to Shoki at direction | | |295°. Sheikh Mohammed Awadalla, | | |the head of the Gunganab, one of | | |the largest of the Kababish sub- | | |tribes, lives at Awene. The water | | |of this well is about 8 feet from | | |surface and luke warm, it lies | | |about 6 miles from Marghum; there | | |are a number of fine sayal trees | | |about, as well as date and dom | | |palms; good shade. | | | _El Agari_ | — | — |This is a small well without stone | | |facing, water cooler and | | |pleasanter to drink than Awene, | | |lies 1½ miles from latter. | | |Surrounded by selem bushes. | | | Id Wad Medawi | — | — |Dwelling of the former Sheikh of | | |Gunganab, an old man, reported age | | |115 years, very feeble; a number | | |of date trees near here, and track | | |to Millan passes a number of tukls | | |used during date harvest season. | | | _Bir Millan_ | 14 | 66 |This well, about 14 miles from | | |Marghum, is surrounded by about 20 | | |big sayal trees giving good shade, | | |there is also a lot of littel | | |shrub on dunes near; it is | | |impossible to approach well from | | |S., owing to the shifting sand | | |dunes; this well is practically | | |the limit of the Wadi El Gab. | | |Water good and plentiful. | | | | | |From Millan track runs nearly due | | |W., crossing a district called | | |Imsinni, where a number of goats | | |are grazed, being watered every | | |third day at Millan. | | | Um Hagar (3rd | 6½ | 72½ |A stone-lined well, at present Halt) | | |filled with sand to within 6 feet | | |of the mouth. Sand is damp and | | |might easily be cleared. The | | |Kababish do not use well for fear | | |of the Bedaiat, who raided this | | |well and Matassi in 1902. Good | | |grazing for camels. | | | _Matassi_ (4th| 9 | 81½ |From Um Hagar track runs nearly halt) | | |due W., the going is indifferent; | | |a little grazing on hadr on the | | |way. Matassi lies in a plain some | | |5 or 6 square miles in extent; | | |water is very plentiful and about | | |3 feet from surface; watered 70 or | | |80 camels from the four or five | | |pans that were open with ease; the | | |water is cool, pleasant to drink, | | |and seems to have the property of | | |cooling very rapidly after | | |boiling. Kababish captured camels | | |from Bedaiat here two years ago. A | | |few wild date palms, but | | |practically no shelter from sun or | | |wind. | | | __Murrat_ | 5 | 86½ |General direction W. Murrat, about | | |5 miles from Mutassi, is a low- | | |lying plain, containing a few | | |selem bushes, and three or four | | |groups of date and dom palms; | | |water easily found, but it is | | |bitter and undrinkable; going | | |fair; black rock predominates. | | | El Hofra | 4½ | 91 |A plain encircled on E. and S. by | | |a ridge, and on the N. by high | | |sand dunes, some littel shrub, and | | |a few dom palms. One dom palm | | |which formerly had a well next it | | |is now buried in a sand dune which | | |has moved a ¼ of a mile in last 10 | | |years. No shelter from N. wind or | | |sun. | | | Sixth halt | 23½ | 114½ |General direction 230° to 240°, | | |going easy; about 12th or 13th | | |mile from El Hofra found a few | | |patches of grass, indicating rain | | |here last season. About 17th mile | | |going becomes more difficult and | | |ground rises. At 20th mile a high | | |conical (?) is reached, from which | | |plateau of Jebel Abiad is to be | | |seen; erected a pile of stones at | | |this point. Ground then slopes | | |down, and track lies through a | | |depression until at 23rd mile a | | |plain is reached, extending 17 | | |miles to bluff of Jebel Abiad. | | |Here there is some hadr grass, | | |affording some grazing. The plain | | |is scattered with lava-like | | |stones. | | | Seventh halt | 32½ | 147 |General direction due W. to a (on plateau of| | |ravine in Jebel Abiad. The J. J. Abiad) | | |Abiad is a steep bluff of gypsum, | | |running from N. to S.; it is the | | |same range as is skirted by track | | |from Dongola to Lagia Wells. After | | |ascending bluff direction is | | |W.S.W., across a plateau with a | | |very gentle slope down towards the | | |W.; surface is shingle scattered | | |with agates and flints. Could | | |obtain no shelter to halt near. | | | Tundubi (8th | 24 | 171 |About 1 hour after leaving last halt) | | |halt passed a rocky patch of | | |ground, where the track is well | | |defined, the only place where old | | |lines of tracks are seen, being | | |about 18 miles from bluff. About | | |28 miles from bluff crossed a | | |valley containing gottab grass and | | |some other grazing. At Tundubi a | | |well had been opened recently, and | | |my party, after deepening it to | | |nearly 30 feet, were able to water | | |about six camels and fill up | | |skins. Latest report is that the | | |well has been filled in | | |maliciously. There is abundance of | | |gottab, hadr, and akol, giving | | |good grazing, also some fine | | |tundub trees and selem bushes. A | | |quantity of senna also grows here. | | | Ninth halt | 27 | 198 |General direction W.S.W. (at 250° | | |by P. compass), very easy | | |undulating country. | | | Tenth halt | 12½ | 210½ |About 31 miles from Tundubi met a | | |caravan, on descending into a | | |valley, along which the track | | |lies. Easy going. No shelter. Saw | | |ostrich tracks. | | | Eleventh halt | 28½ | 239 |Easy going all day; general | | |direction W. Jebel Raya is seen | | |some 10 miles away to the S.; it | | |lies on the road from El Ain to | | |Bir Sultan. Found a good place to | | |halt, with a few tundub trees and | | |some hadr scrub. | | | Twelfth halt | 23 | 262 |Same general direction W. After 3 | | |miles descended into a deep sandy | | |khor, containing some hadr scrub | | |(difficult going), marched along | | |it for an hour in direction 250°; | | |then crossed a rocky ridge for 10 | | |miles, then an open plain of | | |shingle for 5 miles, and down | | |another khor of deep sand with | | |clumps of hadr scrub in it, | | |direction 260°. Then direction | | |changed constantly to avoid | | |conical hills. Halted on rocky | | |ground. | | | _Milani_ | — | — |Two hours’ easy marching and then | | |2 hours across an exposed plateau | | |of rocky ground, before reaching a | | |steep descent down to Milani; a | | |thick clump of selem trees in the | | |Natron valley. At Milani water is | | |apparently very plentiful, the | | |sand between the dunes being wet | | |and brown. Did not try to obtain | | |water, as, though drinkable, it is | | |reported not to be so good as the | | |water found at Sultan, 3 miles | | |away. | | | _Bir Sultan_ | — | — |Sultan, a low-lying area of about | | |a ¼ mile square of uneven ground | | |covered with tussocks of halfa | | |grass. Water easily obtained and | | |plentiful. I found two or three | | |pans open, at which animals can | | |get to the water themselves. There | | |are five or six date palms, also | | |grasses such as tamam, halfa, | | |taklis, but no shrubs, at Sultan. | | |It lies nearly due S. of J. | | |Kashaf. | | | _Natron | 21 | 283 |The best natron bed lies about 2 diggings (13th| | |miles away from the water at halt) | | |Sultan by the shortest and most | | |direct route to the river, it is | | |probably not more than 250 miles | | |instead of the 283 I travelled. | | |The diggings have the appearance | | |of a sandy salt pan, from which | | |sea water has run off, the sand | | |being encrusted with a white salt- | | |like substance. To obtain the | | |natron the upper surface of sand, | | |about 2 inches to 4 inches, is | | |cleared away, until the natron, a | | |substance resembling rock salt, is | | |reached. The top part is usually | | |bad, being half sand; then there | | |is a seam of ½ inch to 2 inches of | | |good natron, again below a little | | |bad natron, and below all sand | | |again. Sometimes all the natron is | | |spoilt by being mixed with sand. | | |The whole place is scattered with | | |scores and scores of oryx and | | |addax horns, which seem to have | | |been the tool, since time | | |immemorial, with which to dig out | | |the natron. | | | Jebel Kashaf | — | — |Jebel Kashaf lies 2,400 yards from | | |the natron diggings, and E. of | | |them at direction 133°; it is a | | |high conical hill centrally | | |situated in the northern part of | | |the valley, and from its summit | | |the whole valley and various | | |halting places are overlooked. To | | |the S. and S.W. is a level plain, | | |reaching to the horizon without | | |landmarks. | | | | | |The Arbain road runs S.S.W. | | |apparently, to a place called Domi | | |(1 day), where there are a few dom | | |palms, and then from there | | |branches to Meidob and to Zaghawa, | | |which latter is reported to be 5 | | |or 6 days from Natron valley in a | | |S.W. direction. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

109.—DEBBA TO EL OBEID.

(ROUTE DURING RAINS).

COMPILED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES, APRIL, 1903.

(_Distances only roughly approximate_).

N.B.—During the dry season, merchants do not travel _viâ_ Hobagi, as the hofra there is then dry. A considerable détour is made from El Amra to Elai, thence to Habisa, where there many wells, and thence to Bagbag Wells and Kajmar.

110.—DEBBA TO OMDURMAN.

MAJOR H. V. RAVENSCROFT, JANUARY, 1900.

NOTE.—There are only four places on this road which can be relied on for water at all times of the year, viz., Wabri, Abu Inderab, Gumr, and Gabra.

111.—DEBBA TO OMDURMAN, _viâ_ ELAI.

COMPILED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES, APRIL, 1903.

N.B. This is not the direct road, but water is obtainable more frequently. Distances only roughly approximate.

112.—AMBUGOL OR KORTI TO METEMMA.

FROM REPORTS BY MR. FOWLER, 1871, AND NUMEROUS OFFICERS OF THE NILE EXPEDITION, 1885.

----------------+--------------------+-------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| ----------------+-------------+------+-------------------------------- Ambugol | — | — |Possesses abundant indications, | | |in the remains of an ancient | | |masonry pier and in the | | |considerable ruins in the town, | | |of having been formerly of much | | |greater importance. It was | | |selected as the point at which | | |the projected Sudan railway | | |should leave the Nile, and | | |strike across the Bayuda Desert. | | | _Korti_ | — | 4 |From Ambugol the caravan route | | |follows the bank of the river | | |for a few miles to Korti, and | | |then branches off into the | | |desert in a westerly direction. | | | | | |After about 25 miles, it strikes | | |the Wadi Abu Gir and continues | | |along it for many miles. Mr. | | |Fowler states that the water is | | |to be procured by sinking wells | | |along the course of this wadi, | | |and that its bed for its entire | | |length is filled with all the | | |vegetation of the Bayuda Desert— | | |shrubs and grass, which are | | |invaluable both as fuel, and as | | |food for flocks. | | | | | |Water reservoirs, in tins, were | | |established in March, 1885, at | | |hills 12 and 30 miles | | |respectively from Korti, as the | | |wells at Hambok and Haweiyat | | |showed signs of giving out. | | | _Hambok_ | 47 | 51 |Wells. | | | _El Haweiyat_ | 8 | 59 |Wells. Yielding in February, | | |1885, 310 gallons daily, but | | |decreasing. Three wells, 6 feet | | |deep, open in February, 1897. | | | | | |Near the mountain of El | | |Mesalima, situated a little to | | |the right of the track, there is | | |an abundance of small timber. | | | | | |In December, 1871, and January, | | |1872, water in pools was found | | |in many of the ravines issuing | | |from the Jebel Gilif range. The | | |plain S. of this range has a | | |good deal of scrub upon it, and | | |is said to be flooded | | |occasionaly during the rains to | | |a depth of 3 feet to 4 feet. | | | Miljik | — | — |Five miles E.S.E. of Haweiyat | | |and 1½ miles from the track; | | |reported to have a good supply | | |of rainwater like Jakdul. Found | | |to be dry, February, 1885. | | | _Abu Alik_ | — | — |Four miles E.S.E. of Miljik. | | |Good supply of water in wells 6 | | |to 8 feet deep. Too far from | | |track for practical use. | | | _Zobrik El Kelb_| 14 | 73 |A plainly defined hill of (Miglig) | | |curious shape. One mile N. of it | | |are the wells of Miglig (Megaga, | | |or El Kelb). Natural reservoirs | | |of rainwater. These are two | | |pools situated up a narrow | | |ravine. The lowest, containing | | |5,000 gallons, is fit for camels | | |and horses. The upper pool, 100 | | |yards beyond, contains over | | |100,000 gallons of pure clear | | |water. Tanks full, February, | | |1897, but water unclean; tastes | | |stagnant. | | | | | |These estimates (14th February, | | |1885, by Colonel Todd, R.E.) | | |were taken when the upper pool | | |was 4 feet, and the lower 7 | | |feet, below its high water | | |level. | | | _Abu Halfa_ | 17 | 90 |The wells of Abu Halfa, situated | | |about 3½ miles N. of the camel | | |track, consist of holes made in | | |dry river bed. They vary in | | |depth from 5 feet to 10 feet, | | |and in diameter from 3 feet to 4 | | |feet. | | | | | |Some distance further up the | | |Wadi Abu Halfa there is a large | | |pool surrounded by dom palms, | | |which is said never to be dry. | | |Close by this pool is a conical | | |black hill, surmounted by a | | |natural breastwork; excellent | | |landmark. | | | | | |Water is to be found nearly | | |everywhere in this wadi, a foot | | |or two below the surface, and is | | |visible in several places at the | | |foot of rocks. | | | | | |To a breadth of ½ mile on each | | |side of river bed, acacia trees | | |abound, and there is beautiful | | |tabas grass; this, with the | | |trees, forms the principal food | | |of the flocks and herds—goats, | | |camels, and cattle—belonging to | | |the desert Arabs. | | | | | |For about 6 miles after leaving | | |Abu Halfa, the ground falls | | |slightly, about half this | | |distance being over a sandy | | |desert, with sandstone rocks | | |cropping up all round. | | | | | |The ground then rises gently, | | |and enters country wooded | | |thickly with acacia, and covered | | |with coarse grass. | | | | | |On the W. stand isolated rocks | | |of sandstone, and on the E. is | | |seen the extension of the range | | |from Abu Halfa, which vanishes | | |with an abrupt turn eastward. | | | _Jakdul_ | 10 | 100 |The wells of Jakdul, situated in | | |one of the torrent gorges of | | |Jebel Gilif, about 3 miles from | | |the camel track, consist of | | |three large water-worn cavities, | | |each at a different level, and | | |shut in by precipitous cliffs. | | |The lowest of the pools forms an | | |irregular oval in plan, about | | |120 feet long by 60 feet broad, | | |and for three-fourths of its | | |length it is enclosed between | | |perpendicular rocks. Whether any | | |labour has been expended in | | |making these excavations it is | | |impossible to say, but it is | | |evident that the cavities have | | |been mainly produced by the | | |torrents rushing through a small | | |passage about 8 feet above the | | |highest water level, and thus | | |wearing away the softer portions | | |of the rock to a considerable | | |depth below the ground level. | | | | | |These reservoirs contain always | | |sufficient water for two years’ | | |supply of the existing demand, | | |and are never dry. The lowest | | |well is daily visited by large | | |numbers of animals, and the | | |water is consequently unfit for | | |any other use. The second pool, | | |about 10 feet above the first | | |one, lies in the bottom of an | | |almost inaccessible channel, the | | |sides of the gorge rising in | | |some places nearly | | |perpendicularly to a height of | | |about 80 feet from the water. | | | | | |The approximate length of this | | |pool is 200 feet, and its width | | |is 40 feet. The quality of the | | |water is excellent, and from | | |this and the upper pool the | | |skins used to carry drinking | | |water are filled, a cord and | | |bucket being employed to raise | | |the water. The third pool is | | |about 5 feet higher than the | | |second, and lies in a direction | | |at right angles to it. Its size | | |is about 80 feet by 15 feet. | | | | | |A very tortuous and contracted | | |channel, about 20 feet long, and | | |3 feet wide at the bottom, forms | | |the connection between the | | |second and the lowest pool. | | |Above this the gorge widens out, | | |and by the construction of a | | |dam, a fine reservoir and ample | | |water supply might be obtained. | | | | | |These wells, forming the chief | | |water supply on the | | |Korti—Metemma route, were found | | |ample for the requirements of | | |the Desert Column, 2nd January | | |to 15th March, 1885, but would | | |not have lasted another | | |fortnight. | | | | | |About 1 mile up the ravine, | | |above the wells, are two more | | |reservoirs, each holding | | |(January, 1885) about the same | | |as the middle Jakdul reservoir. | | |They were not used in 1885. | | |Numerous gazelle. | | | | | |After leaving Jakdul, the | | |country for a few miles is | | |entirely devoid of vegetation, | | |but further on it is for the | | |most part covered with a sandy | | |deposit, producing tabas grass | | |and acacia. | | | _El Fura_ | — | — |Eight or nine miles east of the | | |wells of Jakdul, and some miles | | |from the caravan track, are the | | |wells El Fura. They consist of a | | |number of holes, 3 or 4 feet in | | |diameter, and a few feet in | | |depth, and are sunk in the usual | | |manner in the channel of a large | | |river bed—Fura. They are rudely | | |excavated and are unlined, their | | |falling in, therefore, is a | | |matter of frequent occurrence, | | |and these accidents are repaired | | |by the excavation of new holes. | | |A basin with puddled sides is | | |formed on the surface for the | | |use of animals. During the rainy | | |season the holes are rapidly | | |filled with deposit, and they | | |have then to be re-made. On the | | |other hand, in the dry season, | | |the wells are gradually | | |deepened, as the water level | | |falls through use, absorption, | | |and evaporation. Cattle, sheep, | | |and goats are driven here in | | |large numbers. It is the custom | | |during the hot season to water | | |the sheep and goats once every | | |four days, and the cattle every | | |other day. In the winter season | | |they are driven to the wells | | |every sixth and fourth day | | |respectively. The water at these | | |wells is good, and the supply | | |generally plentiful. Only once | | |within the 30 years preceding | | |1872[34] had they dried up, and | | |then only after a continued | | |drought of two years. | | | | | |These wells, being off the | | |track, were not used by the | | |Desert Column, 1885. | | | | | |Before reaching Jebel-el-Nus, a | | |tract where much drift sand | | |prevails is reached. This drift | | |sand usually travels from the E. | | |to the W., under the influence | | |of the prevailing winds, in the | | |form of low mounds, in plan | | |somewhat of a crescent form, | | |with the convex side turned | | |towards the wind. This slope of | | |the mound is about 6 in 1, up | | |which the sand constantly | | |travels to the summit of the | | |ridge, and then rolls down the | | |sheltered side where the slope | | |is 1 in 1, every sandhill having | | |in windy weather a slow but | | |constantly progressive action. | | |As all traces of the beaten | | |camel tracks are often | | |obliterated, the Jebel-el-Nus is | | |an invaluable landmark. Bad, | | |soft going here. | | | Jebel el-Nus | 22 | 122 |It is a remarkable conical rock | | |of sandstone, and stands out | | |prominently in the landscape. | | | | | |After this a valley is | | |approached in which the drift | | |sand becomes heavier, but where | | |trees and grass grow abundantly. | | | | | |On either side, however, the | | |aspect of the ground is most | | |forbidding, the rocks | | |surrounding the valley, seen | | |from an elevation, having the | | |appearance of a troubled stormy | | |sea. | | | | | |The drift sand continues in the | | |valley only for a distance of | | |about 3 miles. | | | Jebel-el-Sergein| 10 | 132 |After crossing a grass-grown | | |wady that partially drains a | | |range of hills on the W., Jebel- | | |el-Sergein (or Saddle Hill), | | |another remarkable desert | | |beacon, is passed. | | | | | |The valley round Jebel-el- | | |Sergein is fertile and contains | | |much grass, and many groups of | | |trees. As it affords good | | |pasturage for camels, it is | | |always selected for a resting- | | |place when the traveller cannot | | |reach the nearest wells. | | | | | |Beyond this another wadi is | | |crossed. It is about a mile in | | |width, and well covered with | | |trees and grass. | | | | | |For the next 12 or 13 miles the | | |route runs through the district | | |of Ummat Handal. | | | | | |The first part of it is covered | | |with much broken sandstone and | | |loose rock. This is followed for | | |3 or 4 miles by a stretch of | | |sand, which further on gives way | | |to a more agreeable country in | | |which grass and trees are | | |plentiful. | | | | 15½ | 147½ |The scene of the battle (17th | | |January ’85) was 2½ miles | | |further on, ½ mile S. of the | | |usual track. | | | _Abu Klea (Abu | 4½ | 152 |Some more wadis and low Tleh)_ | | |intervening hills are crossed | | |till the wells of Abu Tleh are | | |reached. | | | | | |These wells are sunk in the same | | |manner as those of El Fura, but, | | |as the soil does not stand so | | |well, they are constantly | | |falling in, and have, therefore, | | |very frequently to be | | |reconstructed. The water is | | |excellent for drinking, and the | | |supply is good, having failed | | |only once within the 30 years | | |preceding 1872. These wells are | | |directly on the camel track to | | |Metemma and are constantly | | |visited by caravans. They also | | |form a favourite watering place | | |for the flocks and herds of the | | |Arabs. | | | | | |The route now enters a valley | | |with grass and trees, and after | | |following it for some distance | | |across a plain covered with sand | | |and black boulders, succeeded by | | |a more favourable district, | | |capable of cultivation during | | |the rains. | | | _Shebakat_ | 16 | 168 |A little further on occurs the | | |well of Shebakat. | | | | | |This well is also directly on | | |the caravan route. It is 12 feet | | |in diameter and 50 feet in | | |depth, excavated through the | | |sandstone rock to a bed of sandy | | |shingle. It is situate on an | | |extensive plain amongst thick | | |scrub and coarse grass, and as | | |there is no water channel in its | | |vicinity, the supply must be | | |obtained from low-level springs. | | |The water being brackish, it is | | |unfit for drinking purposes, and | | |it is thick and clouded. The | | |supply is abundant and never | | |failing in the driest seasons. | | |Small puddled basins are formed, | | |as at other wells, on the ground | | |surface for the use of cattle. | | | | | |An acacia forest, traversed by | | |the Desert Column on the night | | |of 18th January, 1885, lies a | | |mile or two S. of the ordinary | | |track hereabouts. | | | | | |The track to Metemma now leads | | |over light scrub and tussocky | | |gravel; that to Abu Khru or | | |Khrug and Gubat is similar, but | | |with less scrub. | | | | | |The caravan route ends at | | |Metemma, which is situated near | | |the W. bank of the Nile, and is | | |separated from the desert by a | | |low line of hills. | | | Metemma | 8 | 176 |A considerable tract of fertile | | |land, about 1,200 yards broad, | | |dividing the town from the | | |river, is occasionally inundated | | |during the season of the floods. | | | | | |Metemma contained (1885) about | | |3,000 inhabitants, and was in | | |1897 and 1898 the headquarters | | |of Mahmud and his men. It now | | |(1903) contains 2,500 | | |inhabitants who are chiefly | | |women. | | | | | |This town in 1885 consisted of | | |mud houses with straw roofs, | | |with one or two earthworks W. of | | |the town; two or more mosques. | | |Bombardment with small 7-lb. | | |guns produced no effect on the | | |houses, the shells passing | | |through without damaging them. | | |Setting roofs on fire of no use, | | |as it did not destroy the | | |houses. It is now (1903) only | | |just beginning to recover from | | |the effects of Mahmud’s | | |occupation and massacre.

SUMMARY OF WATER SUPPLY.

113.—KORTI TO BAYUDA AND SEDEIRI.

BY CAPTAIN V. BUNBURY AND VISCOUNT SUDLEY, MARCH, 1897.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Korti | — | — |Road indifferent going for | | |infantry; suitable for cavalry. | | | _Um Tub_ | 35 | 35 |One permanent well here, 10 feet | | |in diameter, sides faced with | | |stone. Water, 125 feet below | | |ground level, good; constant | | |supply. Fourteen hods at the | | |well’s mouth in good order. | | |Country open, good grazing. Well | | |in the middle of a gravelly rise, | | |easy for defence. It took 5 hours | | |to water 115 camels. | | | | | |For the first 3½ hours (10 miles) | | |after leaving this the route is | | |very bad going, especially for | | |cavalry, and lies along a broken | | |wadi and many stony bits. Ground | | |on either side rocky, hilly; | | |efficient scouting impossible. | | |After the broken ground the route | | |lies over open country, and is | | |good for cavalry. | | | _Um Sunt | 30 | 65 |The wells here are in a khor which Bayuda_ | | |runs from S. to N. at this point. | | |Only two wells were open to any | | |depth (about 10 feet), but were | | |quite dry. Dug in both of them, | | |but had to desist in one after a | | |short time, as it was too narrow | | |for a man to work in. In the | | |other, reached water after 3 | | |hours’ digging at a depth of 23 | | |feet below the ground level. Water | | |flowed freely, and was good. | | | | | |The wells are commanded from E. | | |and W. by high ground immediately | | |above the river bed, and from N. | | |and S. by hills from 100 to 150 | | |feet high at a distance of 200 | | |yards, and from N.E. by a range of | | |hills about 800 feet high at a | | |distance of 1 mile. | | | | | |Ten days later this well was | | |revisited and found to be dry. | | | | | |The next 4 miles are through the | | |Wadi Bayuda defile. Road very bad | | |here; flanked on either side by | | |rocky hills, which appear to run | | |far inland on both flanks. All | | |scouting on flanks impossible. | | |After heavy rains a flood of 9 | | |feet deep is said to pour | | |northwards through this defile. | | | | | |Two miles further on lies | | | _Monasieb_ | 6 | 71 |or Um-el-Nasaib. Two wide-mouthed | | |wells; water in one of them 8 feet | | |down. A few hods. Trees and bushes | | |growing close around; unsuitable | | |place for watering beasts, and | | |unfavourable for defence. | | | | | |Road good to | | | _Um Sedeiri_ | 3 | 74 |Many wells here, mostly unused. | | |Three wide-mouthed wells and one | | |narrow well, newly opened in the | | |sand, had water in them about 6 | | |feet below ground level. The water | | |in the former was unfit for human | | |consumption, but the camels drank | | |it freely; the water in the latter | | |was good. After clearing away some | | |of the mud and slime from the | | |large wells water came fairly | | |freely. Also obtained a constant | | |supply of very good clear water by | | |digging 2 feet in one of the | | |unused wells; the hods at these | | |wells are not numerous, and | | |require repairing. I consider that | | |any amount of water can be | | |obtained here by a little digging; | | |it is of good quality, and appears | | |to be about 6 feet below ground | | |level. I was informed that there | | |is water here all the year round. | | | | | |A great quantity of long coarse | | |grass grows round the wells and on | | |each side of the river bed. The | | |wells are commanded from N. to | | |S.E. by high ground from 60 to 30 | | |feet high, at distances of 500 to | | |150 yards from N. to S.E.; also | | |from W. by ground about 30 feet | | |high, at distances from 80 to 100 | | |yards from S. to N. Some large | | |trees and the long grass above- | | |mentioned would afford cover near | | |to the wells. | | | | | |The road back to Um Tub (35 miles) | | |is good and open, with the | | |exception of the 10 miles | | |mentioned above. | | | | | |The direct road Um Sedeiri to | | |Korti (70 miles) is good going, | | |but no water. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

114.—MEROWE TO JAKDUL.

BY MAJOR HON. M. G. TALBOT, AUGUST, 1898.

[Sidenote: General Remarks.]

Except for patches of sand, heavy for infantry and horses, the road is good throughout, with the exception of the Magaga defile. Though the road frequently changes from one bank to the other of the Khor Abu Dom, up whose valley it generally proceeds till it crosses the watershed into the Magaga basin, none of the crossings present any difficulty; but there is always the danger in the summer months of a spate caused by rain near the head.

Firewood and camel grazing are plentiful throughout, but there is practically no grass for horses.

As far as, and including, Kalas the road may be considered as having been traversed at the driest time of year.

N.B.—Party consisted of 1 Squadron (Cavalry), and 1 Company (Camel Corps).

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Merowe | — | — | | | | Ghazali | 8¼ | 8¼ |General direction from Merowe, a | | |little S. of E. No definite track. | | |Troops can take shortest line | | |across open plain, dotted with | | |bushes and tabas grass. At 4 miles | | |the Khor Abu Dom, whose very sandy | | |bed is 100 yards wide, is struck, | | |and the right bank ascended. At 6 | | |miles the low rocky hills close in | | |to form a short, and very easy, | | |defile; the hills soon recede and | | |allow the valley to expand, and at | | |7¼ miles the _first well_ is | | |reached, at the foot of a low hill | | |on right bank. A mile further on | | |is _another well_ from which a | | |small garden is supplied. There | | |are one or _two water holes_ in | | |between. Water good, plentiful, | | |and near surface. No good camping | | |ground. | | | _Hannek | 22¼ | 30½ |Road keeps up right bank of khor; (Upper)_ | | |Geren hill at 3¾ miles marks site | | |of well. At 5¾ miles road crosses | | |to left bank at _Um Sayala wells_, | | |and after 4 miles of good going | | |through thickish scrub, Beida is | | |reached. Both Geren and Um Sayala | | |were said to have water, but were | | |not visited. _Beida well_ is about | | |20 feet deep. After a few minutes | | |clearing out, it supplied a drink | | |for all the horses. Good shade. At | | |10¼ miles the road leaves the main | | |khor, and keeps up an affluent | | |called Ab Jowalis, which it leaves | | |by a very low and easy saddle at | | |14¼ miles, and after crossing the | | |heads of many minor tributaries | | |eventually returns to, and crosses | | |the main bed of, the Khor Abu Dom | | |at 20¼ miles. At ¼ to ½ mile below | | |the point of crossing is the | | |_Lower Hannek well_, which was not | | |visited. After crossing, the track | | |keeps up the right bank to _Hannek | | |(Upper) well_ at 22¼ miles. The | | |two wells here required clearing | | |out, and then gave sufficient | | |water of rather indifferent | | |quality. Plenty of shade. | | | _Kalas_ | 32½ | 63 |The khor is crossed at ½ mile, and | | |road then passes over an open | | |plain, affording good going, until | | |it strikes the khor again at _Um | | |Jueiri well_ at 8½ miles. After | | |this a few stony bits, and one or | | |two stony ridges are crossed, with | | |which exceptions road is excellent | | |to _well at El Tawila_ at 14½ | | |miles. Water good; and well, after | | |being a little cleaned out, | | |afforded a drink for all horses, | | |and some of the camels. Road | | |continues good, and follows left | | |bank of khor, except for a few | | |hundred yards at 18½ miles, when | | |the hills close in and drive it | | |into the bed of the khor, under J. | | |Lebarug. At 23½ miles it crosses a | | |considerable branch of the khor, | | |and at 26½ it crosses a low rocky | | |saddle, and returns to basin of | | |main khor Abu Dom, in bed of which | | |at 28 miles is situated the _well | | |of El Tueina_, lying about ⅓ mile | | |to left of direct road to Kalas. | | |From here to Kalas, 32½ miles, the | | |road keeps crossing bed of khor, | | |60 to 100 yards wide, and the | | |narrow basin is enclosed by low | | |irregular-shaped hills. _Two lots | | |of wells at Kalas_, about 300 | | |yards apart. Water bad. Even after | | |cleaning out, the horses and | | |camels were watered with great | | |difficulty. Little shade. | | | Abu Halfa | 25½ | 88½ |Road keeps up left bank over some | | |stony ground, and crosses khor at | | |2 miles and recrosses at 2½. After | | |5 more miles of good going on the | | |whole, the very low and easy | | |saddle forming the watershed is | | |reached at 7½ miles, and on | | |crossing it the basin of the Wadi | | |Magaga is entered. The road for | | |the next 7 miles is down a | | |gradually widening, but always | | |stony, defile, along which it is | | |preferable to lead horses almost | | |the whole way. The path is mostly | | |down the actual watercourse, which | | |has all the characteristics of a | | |mountain torrent. A dry water hole | | |was passed at 10 miles, and some | | |_pools of water_ at 13½ miles. At | | |14½ miles the road emerges from | | |the stony bed and crosses a low | | |saddle at 15 miles, from which the | | |first view of the plains to the S. | | |is obtained. At 15¾, another low | | |saddle is crossed, and the track | | |then descends to the plain and | | |keeps along the feet of the hills, | | |crossing patches of stony ground | | |alternating with flat khors, | | |covered with scattered bush and | | |thick tabas grass, to 25 miles, | | |when it turns to left up Wadi Abu | | |Halfa, and strikes the wells at 26 | | |miles, close to the junction of a | | |tributary with the main khor, and | | |at the foot of a low—but | | |conspicuous—rocky hillock.[35] | | |There is a _large pool_, said | | |never to get dry, about ½ mile up | | |the khor. Good camping ground. | | |Some shade. Water plentiful. | | | _Jakdul_ | 10½ | 99 |Road crosses khor at once, and | | |keeps straight along foot of | | |higher hills, leaving some very | | |low ones on its right. At 8 miles | | |track turns to left up Wadi | | |Jakdul, and reaches lower pool at | | |10½ miles. | | | | | |The former descriptions of Jakdul | | |still hold good, so it need not be | | |described here. _Vide_ Route 112. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

115.—MEROWE TO BERBER, _viâ_ SANI.

BY CAPTAIN N. M. SMYTH (1897) AND COLONEL FRIEND (1902).

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Merowe | — | — | | | | El Dughayet | 14 | 14 |On left bank of Nile. Shaigia | | |Arabs. Mud huts, and palms to | | |shade one battalion in vicinity. | | |Thorn bush and grazing for 1,000 | | |camels. | | | | | |A well-defined but narrow track, | | |passable only in single or double | | |file, leads across some rocky | | |hills about 150 feet above level | | |of High Nile, till at 6 miles it | | |strikes the Khor Shingawi, which | | |is broad and sandy, with a few | | |scattered bushes. | | | Jebel El Dega | 8 | 22 |Is passed on the right of the | | |road. From 6 to 8 miles the ground | | |is firm, and admits usually of | | |marching camels four abreast. | | | El Nus | 8 | 30 |El Nus is merely the name of a | | |locality where the track crosses a | | |spur from the north, whence Jebel | | |El Ghanam is visible 10 miles | | |north and Jebel El Khullal 5 miles | | |south; no shade. Drainage, after | | |Jebel El Dega crossed, flows | | |south-west. | | | | | |The track generally continues | | |good, mostly over hard shingle or | | |firm sand. In many places several | | |parallel tracks. | | | Jebel El | 10 | 40 |A rounded hill about 100 feet Mgarfur (?) | | |high, is passed on the right. This | | |is the first place where shade is | | |to be got from thorn bushes. There | | |is enough for about one battalion | | |if scattered over about 2 square | | |miles. | | | Um Geren | 5 | 45 |The well-known Arab camping | | |ground, Um Geren, marked by a tall | | |tree, is left ½ mile to the north | | |of track in the wooded Khor Abu | | |Siba. | | | _El Kua_ | 1½ | 46½ |The well El Kua is passed ½ mile | | |north of track in the Khor Abu | | |Siba. This well is 25 feet deep, | | |and, though liable to run dry in | | |winter, generally contains about 3 | | |feet of water from July to | | |September. | | | _El Bar_ | 1½ | 48 |A similar well, El Bar, is passed | | |½ mile to the north of track in | | |the Khor Abu Siba, which all along | | |here is well wooded with dom | | |palms, sunt trees and bushes for | | |camel grazing. Both these wells | | |belong to the Hawawir sub-tribe of | | |Monasir. | | | _Sani_ | 2 | 50 |Sani is a pool of rain-water with | | |rock, sand, and shingle banks. It | | |is said that the water is | | |perennial, and if drunk dry, it | | |refills to three-quarters former | | |depth; more than 6 feet deep in | | |centre. Water good; contained at | | |time of visit about 26,000 | | |gallons. Thirty animals can drink | | |at once; if buckets are used 60 | | |could drink. Sagias and | | |cultivation. | | | _Abu Koreit_ | 14 | 64 |Many old wells, but disused, and | | |water supply very small. | | | _Kurbai_ | 62 | 126 |Water, but supply bad. | | | _Abu Haraz_ | 19 | 145 |Well; good water. | | | Berber | 4 | 149 | --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

116.—SANI TO EL ZUMA (NILE) _viâ_ JURA.

BY CAPTAIN ST. G. HENRY, AUGUST, 1897.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Sani Pool | — | — |Going good; in some places over | | |rough, tussocky grass, but | | |generally over firm sand. Features | | |of country very indefinite, and | | |drainage lines hard to trace; | | |there is, however, no doubt that | | |they all cross the track from | | |right to left. | | | J. Sergein | 7 | 7 |From 6 to 8 miles the track | | |crosses some rocky undulating | | |ground. At 7 miles, J Sergein, or J. El Hueish | 4 | 11 |Sargit, is left to the S., and the | | |road passes N. of J. El Hueish, an | | |isolated rocky hill with a patch | | |of yellow sand halfway up. | | | | 21 | 32 |A branch of Wadi Argu or Argubi is | | |now crossed. From this point J. | | |Gormuli lay due N., and J. Ibnali | | |(the mass of hills S. of Jura | | |Well), lay due E. | | | | 15 | 47 |At 3 miles from Jura the track | | |joins, in a branch of the Wadi | | |Argu, the track from Kirbekan. At | | |this point the direction of Sani | | |bears 250 degrees magnetic | | |(Tudway). For the next 3 miles the | | |track winds in a south-easterly | | |direction through low undulating | | |hills, between the mass of the | | |Jura range (J. Ibnali) on the | | |right, and some sharp-pointed | | |hills of considerable height on | | |the left. | | | _Jura_ | 3 | 50 |The well at Jura is situated in a | | |small rocky plain surrounded by | | |hills N. of eastern end of J. | | |Ibnali. It has been cut out of the | | |solid rock and is about 2 feet in | | |diameter. The water was about 6 | | |feet below the surface; it is good | | |and sweet, and tastes like rain- | | |water. One hundred camels were | | |watered from it without emptying | | |it. It is said never to dry up. | | |There were formerly six other | | |wells, equally good, close by, of | | |which the marks are still visible. | | |The natives say they only want | | |cleaning out. Water can sometimes | | |be got by scraping at the mouth of | | |the khor about 110 yards distant. | | |Near the well stands the ruin of a | | |house, built at the time it was | | |proposed to take the telegraph | | |line to Berber by this route. | | | | | |It is a bad and confined camping | | |ground, with very little shade, | | |though there are a few dom palms | | |and thorn bushes along the khor. | | |Heat and dust very great. | | | | | |A flood is said to come down the | | |khor once almost every year. The | | |drainage appears to go to Wadi | | |Argu. | | | El Zuma | 35 | 85 |On left bank Nile, opposite El | | |Shereik. Government Rest House and | | |ferry. There is also Rest House at | | |Shereik. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

117.—JURA TO KIRBEKAN (ABOUT 1 MILE S.W. OF SITE OF BATTLE).

BY MAJOR TUDWAY AND CAPTAIN ST. G. HENRY, AUGUST, 1897.

118.—OMDURMAN TO GABRA.

BY COLONEL HON. M. G. TALBOT, R.E., NOVEMBER, 1903.

[Sidenote: General remarks.]

The only obstacles to taking a bee line for Gabra are the Abu Meru or Merkhait hills, which have to be skirted either on the N. or on the S., and the Goz Abu Delua which has to be crossed. The latter is a belt of undulating ground, covered lightly with sand in some places, and perhaps heavily in others, running generally in N.N.E. by S.S.W. direction and probably varying in width. The best place to cross it is at the Hanakat El Goz, where a khor cuts its way through it. This may be looked on as an obligatory point, and it is here and round the northern and southern sides of the Merkhiat hills only that one sees signs of a definite path until within a few miles of the wells. After rain, water is said to stand in a place called Shegeig or Mushgeig near the Goz, otherwise there is no water on the road. After passing the Merkhait hills firewood abounds and grass was plentiful at the time of this journey. Trees are chiefly “samr” with a few “kittr,” “heglig,” and other bushes. There is no “hashab” as stated on Khartoum Sheet. A great deal of spear grass is met with, and the guide informed me that, but for his skilful leading, I should have met much more.

Owing to the absence of any track and the tussocky nature of the “tabas” grass, the going is not good, except in the neighbourhood of the Id Ennala.

The distances given in this route report are obtained by assuming the camels to have marched at about 2½ miles an hour, checked by measuring wheel; but the route taken was far from straight.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Omdurman | — | — |Left old steamer workshops, turned | | |N. at corner of Sur wall and, when | | |clear of houses, made straight for | | |Abu Meru hills; halted N. of them; | | |a little grass; no firewood. Abu Meru | 8½ | 8½ |Distance from Khartoum Sheet. | | | | | |On clearing hills track | | |disappeared. “Tabas” grass and | | |“samr.” | | | _Stony ridge_ | 14 | 22½ |Crossed by stony ridge. | | | | | |Crossed by another stony ridge. | | | | | |Crossed Khor Um Muherib (?) said | | |to flow into Id Ennala; not a very | | |apparent drainage line. | | | Id Ennala | 14¼ | 36¾ |After passing one or two very | | |minor khors, crossed Id Ennala; | | |much “tabas” and “spear” grass. | | |Many “samr” and a few “heglig” and | | |“kittr” trees. Good grazing. | | |Ground rather broken in a very | | |small way, but difficult for | | |camels at night. | | | _Shegeig_ | 8¼ | 45 |Passed a place on right called | | |Shegeig or Mushgeig, where water | | |stands after rain, and crossed to | | |further side of Goz Abu Delua | | |which had long been visible on | | |left, parallel to route we | | |followed. About a mile wide. The | | |Hanakat is about 40 yards to 60 | | |yards wide and full of “marakh” | | |bushes. It is said the old | | |Government tried to find water | | |here, but failed. It is said to | | |join the Shegeig, which is joined | | |by the Id Ennala and falls into | | |Nile at Wadi Bishara. | | | | | |From up stream end of Hanak, Gabra | | |is not visible, but the guide | | |pointed it out as on 300° | | |magnetic. | | | | | |The Hanakat seems to have but a | | |small basin W. of Goz. | | | | | |Continued over slightly undulating | | |plain with grass and scattered | | |bushes. | | | | | |Passed some dura cultivation on | | |left. Seemed a poor crop. | | | Wadi Mogaddam | 10 | 55 |Turned more to N.N.E. and dropped | | |over low stony ridge into the | | |valley of the Wadi Mogaddam. Well | | |but not densely wooded. Marched on _Gabra wells_ | 3½ | 58½ |bearing 330° magnetic to wells. | | | | | |There are at least 15 wells of 60 | | |to 70 feet depth. They water a | | |very large number of animals | | |daily. Level of water fluctuates | | |with rain, after which the whole | | |of the ground round the wells is | | |said to be underwater. Remains of | | |Dervish mud fort, circular, 12 | | |yards diameter, loop-holed towards | | |north, bears about 150° from | | |wells, which are 400 yards | | |distant; short shelter trench E. | | |of wells. No remains of zeriba. | | | | | |Many Kababish with large flocks | | |and herds. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

119.—GABRA TO KORTI.

BY COLONEL HON. M. G. TALBOT, DECEMBER, 1903.

[Sidenote: General remarks.]

Till within a few miles of Korti the Wadi Mogaddam was practically followed throughout. It seems not to be used at all as a caravan road, as there is no track and no caravans were met. At the same time it seems an easy road to Omdurman, and very straight as far as Gabra.

The country passed through is flat and uninteresting. No hills of any remarkable height were seen, the highest being to the W. and N.W. of Gabra.

None of those near the route exceed 200 feet to 250 feet, relative height.

The Wadi Mogaddam consists of a depression marked by a belt of trees or grass, without any water channel whatever. Evidently there is never any flow of water on the surface of the wadi.

The belt of trees varies in width and character. At Gabra it must be nearly ¾ mile wide, and thick though not dense. There are some good “sayal,” “heglig,” “tundub,” and “samr” trees; lower down the trees diminish in size, the “sayal” is rarely met, and with the exception of a little “arak” and “kurmet” there is hardly anything but “samr” to be seen, with “tundub” in places. From Gaerin “selem” begins to be seen, and soon it becomes the principal growth.

Below Um Harot no grass was seen except burnt-up “tabas,” but that must depend on the year. On the whole, grazing for camels was very fair, but practically none for horses.

The line taken presented no difficulties whatever in the way of rocks or gradients. From a camel point of view there is no heavy sand, but it is not recommended as a route for motor-cars.

No supplies to be obtained except sheep and milk. Firewood is plentiful everywhere. Water seemed good everywhere except at Um Harot, where it was a little salt. The wells are all about 120 to 140 feet deep, except at Gabra, where they were 60 feet to 70 feet.

A guide is indispensable. With a guide there is no difficulty in marching by moonlight.

120.—KORTI TO BAYUDA WELLS.

BY COLONEL HON. M. G. TALBOT, DECEMBER, 1903.

[Sidenote: General remarks.]

The road ascends generally the wadi by which the drainage of the Khor Bayuda descends. Though, possibly, people living on the river or at a distance call the whole wadi by the name of Bayuda, the local Arabs give each part of it a different name.

From the source to a little below the wells appears to be called Khor Bayuda. Up to this point it has a defined bed, in which water flows after rain. After passing J. Barkol it becomes Wadi Barkol, being now, and remaining, a broad wadi with no water channel. Soon after it becomes Wadi El Zein, till it is joined by the large Wadi Abu Gia, whose name it retains till near Korti. It is not quite clear whether it keeps it to the end or adopts the name Abu Gidean after its junction with that wadi.

The going is extremely good, there being no difficulty whatever.

Though a good deal used, there is no marked track till near the wells. The numerous small isolated hills act as efficient landmarks, so that everyone takes his own line.

Except for the short and uncertain period when green grass can be obtained, “selem” is the best camel grazing in all this country. It is found almost all the way in the wadi.

No supplies were obtainable of any sort on the road or at Bayuda wells in December, 1903.

A little shade is to be got in winter, but practically none in summer.

The distances were measured by wheel and adjusted to the astronomical positions. The hours are those actually marched by light hamla.

121.—BAYUDA WELLS TO TANGASI MARKET.

BY COLONEL HON. M. G. TALBOT, DECEMBER, 1903.

[Sidenote: General Remarks.]

From Bayuda wells to Wadi Abu Gia there is an extremely well marked track, profusely beaconed in the Arab manner. Further N. the stream of traffic divides according to the part of the Merowe district for which the traveller is bound or from which he starts.

The going is excellent throughout; no difficulties whatever.

The route appears to be of recent origin.

Formerly the produce of the Province used to make its way to Berber _via_ Sani, and this new trade route, sometimes called the Hawashawi route, from a hill of that name, seems to have been established to meet the new conditions in the Sudan.

From Bayuda the route keeps straight on, crossing the Goz Abu Delua just before reaching Hanboti, and strikes the Nile near the Shabluka. Between Bayuda and Merowe there are considerable stretches without any camel grazing, and there is no shade of any value in hot weather. The distances were measured by wheel and adjusted to the astronomical positions.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Bayuda Wells | — | — |On leaving the wells for the first | | |mile the Korti track is followed. | | |On issuing from the hills, the | | |track, which is well marked, | | |gradually separates from the Korti | | |route, making for higher ground, | | |and keeps on in a practically | | |straight line, crossing the heads | | |of some of the small wadis that | | |join the main one from Bayuda, and | | |passing over a number of | | |infinitesimal saddles that | | |separate them. | | | | | |There is nothing of interest along | | |the road. | | | | | |A number of small hills, each too | | |small to show properly on the | | |scale, but sometimes forming a J. Hawashawi | 26 | 26 |mass of considerable area, are | | |passed; but the only one worth | | |noticing is J. Hawashawi, which is | | |said to give a name to the route. | | | | | |There is very little camel grazing | | |on the route generally, and after Wadi Abu Gia | 7½ | 33½ |this none is met with till the | | |Wadi Abu Gia is reached, where | | |there are some “selem” and other | | |trees. | | | | | |The Wadi Abu Gia is the route used | | |by the Camel Corps in 1885, and is | | |still known as Sikkat El Ingliz. | | |The country now becomes still more | | |bare; the tussocks of burnt up | | |“tabas” grass, that have been | | |hitherto seen occasionally, no Birgat El | 9 | 42½ |longer appear, and with the Seleim | | |exception of some “selem” bushes | | |in the neighbourhood of Birgat El Birgat Wadi | 14 | 56½ |Seleim, a low hill, no green thing Kurei | | |is seen till the Wadi Kurei is | | |reached in the neighbourhood of | | |the Birgat Wadi Kurei, from the | | |top of which there is a good view. | | | Tangasi | 7 | 63½ |From here into Tangasi Market the | | |route (there is no track) is over | | |a low gravel ridge and then across | | |a level plain. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

[Footnote 34: It was in this year that the surveys for the railway were made.]

[Footnote 35: _See_ page 175.]

APPENDIX.

(ROUTES PARTLY OUTSIDE THE SUDAN.)

* * * * *

122.—THE ARBAÏN ROAD.

(_Compiled by the Editor._)

The “forty days” road leads S.S.W. across the desert from Assiut, in Upper Egypt, _viâ_ the oases of Kharga, Beris, Sheb, Selima, Lagia, and Bir El Sultan to El Fasher capital of Darfur. It was formerly in considerable use for bringing slave caravans, &c., from the Sudan, and is still used in parts to a limited extent by natron caravans, occasional smugglers, and others. It is, however, now practically deserted.

In the summer of 1884 a reconnaissance was made by Lt.-Col. Colvile and Lieut. Stuart-Wortley from Assiut to Lagia, in order to find out whether the forces of the Mahdi could penetrate into Egypt by this road. The result of the patrol was satisfactory, and demonstrated that, owing to the paucity of water on the road, it would be quite impossible for a force of any size to traverse it.

The total length of the Darb El Arbaïn, from Assiut to El Fasher, is certainly not less than one thousand (1,000) miles. To cover this stretch in forty days would appear to necessitate particularly excellent camels, but the following is the normal time taken, according to native report:—

-------------------------+---------+-------+------------- Place. |Marching | Rest |Total No. of | Days. | Days. | Days. -------------------------+---------+-------+------------- Assiut | — | — | — | | | El Kharga | 4 | 1 | 5 | | | Beris | 1½ | 1 | 2½ | | | El Murra | 3 | — | 3 | | | El Kassaba | 1½ | 1 | 2½ | | | Sheb | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | Selima | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | El Lagia | 4 | 1 | 5 | | | Natron Wells, Bir Sultan | 5 | 1 | 6 | | | J. Anka or Meidob | 7 | — | 7 | | | El Fasher | 3 | — | 3 +---------+-------+------------- Total | 32 | 8 | 40 -------------------------+---------+-------+-------------

A day’s journey in summer lasts from El Asr (two hours before sunset) till one hour after sunrise; and in winter from sunrise till three hours after sunset.

DESCRIPTION.

The only points south of Kharga which have been astronomically fixed in modern times are Kassaba and Sheb (Talbot, 1903), and therefore the distances between the main points given below must be considered more or less approximate. The road is hardly defined at all throughout its length, and variations occur at different points. A road also joins the Arbaïn from Mut (Dakhla Oasis) at Terfawi (five days).

On no account should an intending traveller move without reliable guides, who may usually be obtained, or heard of, at Assiut.

(_a._)—ASSIUT, _viâ_ KHARGA, TO BERIS AND MAKS.

(“Kharga Oasis: its topography and Geology,” by John Ball, 1899, Public Works Department, Cairo, pp. 20, 44-60, &c.; Captain Lyons, R.E., February, 1894, &c.)

(_b._)—MAKS, _viâ_ MURRA, KASSABA AND SHEB, TO SELIMA.

(Lieut.-Col. Colvile, July, 1884; Captain Lyons, February, 1894; Officers Egyptian Army, Spring of 1894, &c.)

----------+----------------+---------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | | +--------+-------+ Hours | Place. | Inter- | Total | (Inter- | Description. |mediate.| from |mediate).| | |Assiut.| | ----------+--------+-------+---------+---------------------------------- | | | H. M. | | | | | Maks, from| — | 189 | — | Assiut | | | | | | | | Kasr Argi | 2 | 191 | 0 35 |A small rocky mound, with a ruin; or Ein El | | | |near it is a good spring. Another Kasr | | | |mound, with spring and ruin, also | | | |bears the same name. | | | | Garid Abu | 11 | 202 | 3 17 |A rocky granite hill, about 150 Baian | | | |feet high, on E. of road. The | | | |road, which up to this point has | | | |been along a broad, shallow | | | |valley, with a bed of firm gravel, | | | |now enters for a few miles hills | | | |of very deep sand, across which | | | |there is no track. | | | | J. Wagif | 26½ | 228½ | 9 0 |Meaning “stopping place.” A (J. Harif)| | | |solitary mound of rock 80 feet | | | |high. It appears to have been used | | | |as a signal station, there being | | | |remains of a fire on the summit. | | | |Stone roadmarks and several | | | |graves. One day trotting from here | | | |to either Beris or Bir Murr. | | | | Jebel | 8 | 236½ | — |Shersha = Xerxes. Ancient Persian Mishersha | | | |outpost, possibly water. Long, low (Um | | | |cliff on E. of road. Small Shersha) | | | |hillocks 4 miles further on, close | | | |to road and opposite S. end of | | | |Shersha, are called Gara El | | | |Maghatia. | | | | Jebel El | 11 | 247½ | — |Hillock on road where merchandise Magazan | | | |used to be left. | | | | El Garun | 11½ | 259 | — |Two little knolls; a road to S.W. | | | |branches off to Darfur, according | | | |to Arabs. | | | | | | | |Three miles further on begins a | | | |low limestone plateau, which | | | |extends up to and beyond Bir | | | |Murra. This limestone is the only | | | |landmark for the wells, as no high | | | |hills are visible near. | | | | _Bir | 7 | 266 | 16 15 |Two large holes, each 3 to 4 feet Murra_ | | | |deep. Plenty of water, rather | | | |salt, but camels will drink it. | | | |Jebel el Murra is a narrow, ridge- | | | |shaped hill, 80 feet high, | | | |overlooking the wells. Colvile | | | |says:—“It is a promontory 3 miles | | | |N. of the wells, and running out | | | |of the low range of hills on the | | | |E. of the road. It is easily to be | | | |recognised by a conical rock, | | | |balanced on its apex, on the top | | | |of a small mound.” | | | | _Kassaba_ | 67 | 333 | 25 10 |A group of dom palms, water 7 feet | | | |down, bitter and nitrous. Approach | | | |from N. by a narrow gorge down the | | | |sandstone cliff (120 feet high), | | | |which bounds the wells also on the | | | |W.; E, and S. the ground is open. | | | | | | | |From Kassaba a road leads in a | | | |S.E. direction over ridges for 25 | | | |miles to the wells of Nakhla, | | | |whence the road continues for a | | | |further 79 miles to the Nile, | | | |opposite Halfa. | | | | _(Nakhla)_| — | — | — |Nakhla or Saafi, is so termed from | | | |a palm tree on a small, sandy, | | | |grass knoll which overlooks the | | | |wells. Surrounding this knoll is a | | | |narrow valley, about 80 yards | | | |broad, to the E. and S. Throughout | | | |this valley water can be obtained | | | |by digging at a depth of from 3½ | | | |to 5 feet. The water does not run | | | |in very rapidly, but the earth is | | | |so light that the well can be dug | | | |very rapidly, filling to about 9 | | | |inches in six hours; water good | | | |and abundant (February). In the S. | | | |there is rising ground with a | | | |slight command. To the E. the | | | |ground rises slightly, but is | | | |lower than the date palm hill. To | | | |the N.E. there is a lofty sand | | | |hill, at a distance from the date | | | |palm hill of over 1,200 yards. | | | | | | | |Blockhouse, built 1894 (now | | | |unoccupied). | | | | (The Sheb | — | — | — |Kassaba forms the apex of the District) | | | |triangular Sheb district, which | | | |holds numerous wells, the names of | | | |which are often confused. The | | | |western side of the triangle is | | | |formed by a range of sandstone | | | |cliffs, running S.W., along the | | | |base of which the Arbaïn road | | | |continues from Kassaba to Sheb. | | | |The base of the triangle is the | | | |road from Sheb to Nakhla, and the | | | |centre is an open plain. | | | | Shebba[36]| 15 | 348 | 6 5 |A district covered with low sand (or Abu | | | |hills, and studded with dom palms. Dom?) | | | |Water is said to be obtainable by | | | |digging in most parts of it; that | | | |at the N. end is bad. A well at | | | |the southern end gives a good and | | | |plentiful supply. There are three | | | |patches of camel grazing in the | | | |district, each patch being about | | | |sufficient for 400 camels for one | | | |day. From here a road branches off | | | |gradually to the S.W. to the wells | | | |of Terfawi (Id Koraim, or Abu _Terfawi_ | — | — | — |Taraf), 8 miles on, lying in a | | | |broad valley, under the cliff | | | |above mentioned. Good water 3 feet | | | |below the surface. Forty old palms | | | |and numerous smaller ones, and two | | | |dom palms, no grazing. This | | | |Terfawi road is often used as an | | | |alternative branch of the Arbaïn | | | |road, and rejoins it further S. | | | |Terfawi to Beris is reckoned at | | | |five days. There appears to be a | | | |direct road from Terfawi to Lagia, | | | |five days over level ground | | | |covered with stones. | | | | _Sheb_ | 10 | 358 | — |A blockhouse was built here in | | | |1894 to guard against raids by the | | | |Dervishes, and was attacked on | | | |Jan. 8, 1895. Water slightly | | | |brackish, but plenty of it; a | | | |little grazing. Road from here | | | |N.W. to Terfawi, 5½ miles. Road E. | | | |to Nakhla, 40 miles, contains | | | |wells or underground water at El | | | |Haad, 5, Sederi, 5, Bir Suleiman, | | | |13, and Bir Hasab el Gabu, 9 miles | | | |intermediate. From Sheb the roads | | | |lead S., over easy ground for the | | | |most part, to the oasis of Selima. | | | | _Selima_ | 82 | 440 | 27 45 |Named after a legendary Amazon | | | |Princess (?). A small oasis, | | | |commanded on all sides by rocky | | | |hills, those on the N. being | | | |considerably higher and steeper. | | | |The water, obtained from numerous | | | |wells about 2 feet deep, is | | | |sufficient for a force of 1,000 | | | |men. It has a strong sulphurous | | | |taste and smell. The oasis is | | | |uninhabited, but is occasionally | | | |visited by the neighbouring tribes | | | |for the sake of the salt and dates | | | |which are found there. The salt | | | |lies in beds covered by 1 to 3 | | | |feet of sand, and has to be broken | | | |out. | | | | | | | |There are some 2,000 fruit-bearing | | | |date palms, but these are at | | | |present choked in a thick | | | |undergrowth. Dates very good. | | | | | | | |There is plenty of grazing. | | | | | | | |From Selima a road leads in a S.E. | | | |direction for 80 miles to Sagiet | | | |El Abd, on the Nile. No water on | | | |the way. | | | | | | | |For further description of this | | | |oasis, _vide_ Part I., Chap. IX., | | | |pp. 202-3. ----------+--------+-------+---------+----------------------------------

(_c._)—SELIMA TO LAGIA.

(Lieut. Stuart Wortley, July, 1884; Captain H. Hodgson, 1901, 1903, &c.)

-------------+---------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | +-------------+-------+ Place. | | Total | Description. |Intermediate.| from | | |Assiut.| -------------+-------------+-------+---------------------------------- _Selima_, | — | 440 |On leaving Selima the track, well from Assiut | | |defined by camel skeletons, goes | | |in a westerly direction for 6 | | |miles over hard sand, after which | | |it turns S.W.; small conical hills | | |to W. for 30 miles. Occasional | | |camel skeletons, but no track. | | |Succession of rocky ridges. | | | | 33 | 473 |High conical hill to W. Extensive | | |view. All hills crossed are steep | | |on the N. side, and slope | | |gradually to the S. (This is | | |reversed at Selima and Lagia.) | | |Going rocky and bad. | | | J. Hadada and| 24 | 497 |Pass between these two hills, J. J. Hamadia | | |Hadada to the E. Low ranges of | | |hills, running S.E. and N.W. | | | | 40 | 537 |Descend into hard sandy plain, | | |extending for 20 miles. Country | | |then becomes very rocky and | | |difficult for camels; no track | | |discernible. Range of sand hills | | |to W. called J. Ruhilat. | | | | | |J. Gabra, a round-topped hill, | | |rising out of valley called Lagia, | | |seen from a distance of 35 miles. | | |Road descends by a gorge of deep | | |sand into the valley 10 miles long | | |and 1 mile broad, running E. and | | |W. | | | _Lagia | 43 | 580 |Water about 4 miles from the (Kebir)_ | | [37] |gorge. Three wells filled with | | |sand water, water has to be | | |cleared, or fresh well opened, | | |otherwise it gets bad. Water good | | |in itself. No vegetation; water 6 | | |feet below surface; country | | |barren; petrified wood abundant. | | |Several tracks cross here. | | | | | |Captain Hodgson states:— | | | | | | | | |At Lagia Kebir, or Agar, are five | | |or six pans of water, good and | | |near the surface, springing from | | |similar soil to Lagia the Less, | | |but not so abundant. The wells lie | | |in an open plain, no vegetation | | |near except about six or ten small | | |trees about 3½ miles to W., giving | | |a little feeding for camels. To | | |the N. the plain is shut in by a | | |steep rocky ridge of hills, and | | |the road to Selima Wells lies | | |across it. On reaching summit of | | |ridge there is only a stretch of | | |rock and stones to be seen. Arabs | | |state it is the road to Selima and | | |there is no grazing. | | | | | |In the event of not finding a | | |water pan open, the water lies | | |some 20 yards S. of a low clump of | | |date seedlings, the only ones in | | |the valley. There are some black | | |rocks in the plain, on the track | | |from Bir Sultan, which lie 2,700 | | |yards (by range-finder) from the | | |abovementioned dates, and at an | | |angle of 228° from them. | | | _(Lagia | — | — |Lagia the Less, lying 12½ miles Amran)_ | | |E.S.E. of Lagia Kebir, also called | | |Amran from the colour of the | | |ground, lies in a plain about 5 | | |miles wide, surrounded entirely by | | |rocky hills; there are only two | | |entrances through encircling hills | | |that are easy marching. Water lies | | |within a foot of the surface and | | |is very plentiful; ground consists | | |of red clay with drifts of sand, | | |the Arabs say there was formerly | | |no sand, and that during the last | | |few years it is gradually covering | | |the ground, probably owing to dry | | |seasons. | | | _(Lagia bil | — | — |Some bushes half a mile from the Hêt)_ | | |water. At a distance of one day’s | | |journey to the E. of Lagia there | | |is said to be a well, called Lagia | | |bil Hêt, on account of a Roman | | |wall built close by (?) (Omar et | | |Tunsi). | | | | | |To the S. the road to Bir Sultan | | |lies across an open plain and is | | |easy going. The tracks spread | | |considerably. | | | | | |An oasis is reported to lie 4 | | |days’ journey in a S.W. direction, | | |containing date trees, which is | | |visited at date harvest time by | | |the Bedai tribe. The water is said | | |to be bad. Except for the above, | | |the guides say they have no | | |knowledge of any water to the W. | | |of Lagia, and that there is no | | |road with a direction of N. and S. | | |lying to the W. of Lagia. The road | | |Lagia Kebir to Dongola is 166 | | |miles in a S.E. direction: 7 days’ | | |march. -------------+-------------+-------+----------------------------------

(_d._) LAGIA, _viâ_ BIR SULTAN, TO EL FASHER.

Captain H. Hodgson, Browne, and Natives.

Very little is known of this, the southern half of the Arbaïn road, and no European (since Browne, 1793, who left no record of any value) seems ever to have traversed it south of Bir Sultan.

From Lagia to Bir Sultan is 5[38] days’ going over easy country.

Bir Sultan, otherwise known as Wadi Natrun (the Natron Valley), Bir el Melha, or Bir Zaghawa, lies in the centre of a plain, bounded by hills to the N.W., N., and E. Three or four pans of good water; ground below the sand being white clay. A little N.W. lie the natron diggings, the natron being in a seam 2 inches deep, a few inches below the sandy surface. One and a half miles E. of the natron is J. Kashaf. Plenty of scrub and grazing. At Melani, under the eastern slope, the soil is quite damp.

Bir Sultan lies 10 days due W. of Old Dongola.

Zaghawa, which is marked on some maps as a definite place, is the name of the district inhabited by the nomad Arab tribe of that name. It is full of khors and wells, and is stated to be 4 days to S.W. of Bir Sultan. There is a little-used track from Lagia which passes through Zaghawa district and proceeds towards El Fasher, but it is not the Arbaïn Road. The Zaghawa people often come to the Bir Sultan.

From Bir Sultan to El Fasher the accounts of the road are contradictory. One account states that it is 10 days hard travelling, without water on the road, and that camels have to be specially trained for the journey. Other accounts say that from Bir Sultan to J. Meidob,[39] or to Bir Maharia (water at either place), the journey takes 4 to 5 days; on to Toma, in the midst of a cultivated populous district, 3 days; and on to El Fasher 1 day more. Another road appears to lead _viâ_ Anka, 7 days from Fasher, and is said to take 15 days altogether; this is the one said to be generally used.

(Browne, in 1793, went from Bir El Melha (Sultan), _viâ_ Medwa (?), S.W. to Wadi Mazruk and then S.E. to Kobe, but left a very meagre description of the actual journey.)

RECAPITULATION, showing approximate distances and days’ journey.

--------------------------+-------+--------- Place. | Miles.| Days. --------------------------+-------+--------- Assiut | — | — | | Kharga | 126| 5 | | Bulak | 15| ½ | | Beris | 38| 1½ | | Maks | 9| } | | } 3 Bir Murra | 78| } | | Kassaba | 67| 2½ | | Sheb | 25| 1 | | Selima | 82| 3 | | Lagia | 140| 5 | | Bir Sultan | 157| 6 | | J. Meidob (J. Anka 270) | 190| 7 | | El Fasher (El Fasher 110) | 140| 5½ +-------+--------- | 1,067| 40 --------------------------+-------+---------

123.—ASWAN TO DERAHEIB.

COMPILED FROM A REPORT BY MR. JENNINGS-BRAMLY (1902).

_N.B.—Distances only approximate, and may be underestimated._

124.—KASSALA TO MASSAUA.

BY LIEUTENANT H. H. S. MORANT (1898); COMPLETED WITH MATERIAL TAKEN FROM REPORTS BY COLONEL HON. M. G. TALBOT (1900) AND MR. F. B. HOHLER (1901).

[Sidenote: General Description. The road.]

The general direction of Massaua from Kassala is almost due E. From Sabderat to Keren the Italians have cleared a roadway about 50 feet in width, from which most of the stones and all vegetation, except an occasional large baobab tree, have been cleared. It is so clearly marked that a stranger could march by it even on a dark night. The only point of any difficulty is the low saddle at Bisha, where there was still room for a good deal of work (1900). In its long straight lines it reminds one strongly of the old Roman roads; it crosses ravines and water-courses at whatever angle it happens to strike them, but at many of the steeper ascents and descents narrow ramps have been cut. In several places along it the Italians have made new masonry wells.

The accompanying road report was made before the construction of this newly cleared road—which from Sabderat to Daura Obel passes N. of the old route, _viâ_ Algeden and Eladal—and there is no detailed information at hand as to the water supply along that portion of the route, though there is said to be no difficulty in this respect for the ordinary traveller.

From Keren to Asmara, and thence after many zig-zags to Saati, there is an excellent driving road about 14 feet wide, with the exception of a length of about 6 miles before reaching Azteklezan, which had not (April, 1900) been completed to the full width, but was then practicable for wheeled vehicles. Throughout the length of this metalled road the gradients are occasionally of necessity rather steep; the kilometers are marked throughout.

[Sidenote: Country.]

From Kassala to Keren the general character of the country strongly resembles much of that between Kassala and Suakin, and consists as a rule of level waterless plains of firm soil, at times sandy or gravelly, covered with fine short grass and scattered bushes of the acacia tribe, and intersected here and there by shallow sandy khors, which during the rainy season carry off the drainage from the rocky volcanic hills and granite koppies, which are so characteristic of this particular part of Africa.

From Keren to Massaua the character of the country entirely changes and the waterless plains and thorny acacias of the Kassala-Keren route are replaced by running streams and precipitous mountains, overgrown with euphorbia and wild olives, both on the ascent to the Asmara plateau, as well as in the descent to the maritime plain of Massaua.

[Sidenote: Transport animals.]

For the entire journey mules are most suitable, but as far as Keren camels answer admirably. From Keren to Massaua, _viâ_ Asmara, wheeled vehicles, mules or horses. If the direct desert route from Keren to Massaua be taken, camels are desirable, if not indispensable.

[Sidenote: Supplies.]

Milk, goats, cattle, &c., are found, as elsewhere in the Sudan, throughout the route.

There are occasional small canteens at intervals, and fair stores at Keren, and some good shops at Asmara and Massaua, where most ordinary requirements are obtainable.

[Sidenote: Water.]

If desired to move a force larger than a company along this route, enquiries as to state of water supply should be made, as it varies considerably according to the time of year.

[Sidenote: Inhabitants.]

Speaking generally, the inhabitants between Kassala-Keren are Beni-Amer; after that a bastard type of Abyssinian, &c.

[Sidenote: Climate.]

The climate along this route is on the whole good. Between Kassala-Keren and Ginda-Massaua it is decidedly hot in March, April, and May—probably in other months also. These are also the more feverish portions of the route, though probably no part of it is so unhealthy as Kassala. Between the sea and Agordat there occur in April what the Italians call the “little rains,” which mean very heavy thunder-storms; these cease before the end of the month, and the rainy season proper begins towards the end of May.

The climate on the Asmara plateau is said to be delightful, though perhaps the rains are excessive.

[Sidenote: Game.]

There is little or no game along this route, except between Kassala and Keren, where ariel, gazelle, dig-dig, and guinea fowl may be met with.

ROUTE (JANUARY TO MARCH).

125.—TAKARASHORIT OR AMBARAB ON THE KHOR GASH _viâ_ SOGADA AND KHOR MAIETIB TO UMBREGA ON THE RIVER SETIT.

BY CAPTAIN H. H. S. MORANT, MARCH, 1900.

[Sidenote: General remarks.]

From Ambarab to Sogada the road is good enough for camels, and is kept open by frequent small caravans. There was also said to be a route from Todluk to Sogada, which was however described as “bad,” probably hilly.

Beyond Sogada the road itself presents no great difficulties, but the absence of traffic[40] has allowed the thorny bushes to close in on it to such an extent as to very seriously interfere with loaded or riding camels almost the whole way to Gira.

Once the Setit is reached, there is no real difficulty about water, but after the first 15 miles or so below Maietib the water is only accessible at certain places. The further you descend the river, the broader the strip of broken ground becomes on each side of the stream, the further the road keeps from it, and the wider apart are the watering places.

Probably the best plan when marching along the valley is to spend the heat of the day on the river, and the night on the plateau above.

Water should be carried in fantasses, as skins get cut to pieces by the thorns.

Cutting tools are desirable.

No supplies are obtainable nearer than Gedaref on the Setit. There are no settled inhabitants east of the village of Wad Heleiwa, 11½ miles E. of Sofi on the Atbara.

---------------+--------------------+--------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| ---------------+-------------+------+--------------------------------- _Takarashorit_ | — | — |This appears to be the name of | | |some wells in the bed of the | | |Gash, about 45 miles above | | |Kassala. If not constantly used, | | |these wells are quickly filled in | | |by the sand; but as the water is | | |not more than 6 feet to 10 feet | | |below the surface, they are | | |easily opened out again. The bed | | |here is sandy and about 120 yards Ambarab | — | — |wide. Ambarab is the name given | | |to a grassy, and in the rains | | |marshy, place about 1½ miles | | |further up stream on the left | | |bank. | | | | | |There is a road from here to | | |Agordat. The road to Sogada leads | | |generally in a S. direction for | | |the most part over level ground | | |covered with more or less thick | | |bush, which offers no serious | | |obstacle to camels in single | | |file. | | | | | |There are several tracks, used | | |probably at different times of | | |the year. There are a few slight | | |ascents and descents, but nothing | | |at all serious. | | | _Sogada_ | 18 | 18 |The road passes through some low | | |stony hills partially covered | | |with thorny bush, and at 18 miles | | |it leaves the village of Sogada | | |about ¾ mile on the left high up | | |on the S.W. slopes of J. Argoji, | | |the highest hill in the immediate | | |neighbourhood. The village did | | |not appear to contain more than | | |25 tukls. | | | | | |There is a large and deep well at | | |the foot of the hill, but the | | |water was reported to be bad. | | | Khor Angaleib | 1 | 19 |Track now crosses a level plain | | |enclosed on all sides by hills, | | |with openings to the W. After | | |crossing the khor, signs of | | |recent dura cultivation were seen | | |at intervals on both sides of the | | |road. | | | _Khor Gersat_ | 3 | 22 |Here there is a large well on the | | |N. side of the khor, which gives | | |a plentiful supply of good water. | | |There are no tukls actually at | | |the well, as the inhabitants | | |prefer to build their houses on | | |the hill sides, but there are | | |several settlements in the | | |immediate neighbourhood, all of | | |which are included under the | | |district name of Sogada. | | | | | |The inhabitants are Baza, or | | |Badein, or Kunama. They are very | | |much afraid of the Bazas of the | | |Setit, who raid them | | |occasionally, they say, under | | |Abyssinian leadership, but they | | |seem to be friendly with the Beni | | |Amer, whose merchants purchase | | |dura from them. The Sheikh’s name | | |is Haidar Wad Ibrahim. | | | Dinti | 2¼ | 24¼ |From here the track proceeds | | |nearly due S., but winds about a | | |good deal amongst low hills and | | |through thick bush, which, with | | |one or two steep-banked khors, | | |greatly impede the march of | | |loaded camels. | | | | | |The hamlet of Dinti is passed | | |about 1½ miles to the left on the | | |slopes of J. Dinti. The | | |inhabitants of Lakatakura were | | |camped in this neighbourhood, but | | |whether they had left their home | | |on account of the failure of | | |their water supply, or from fear | | |of the Abyssinians, it was | | |difficult to make out. | | | | 3¼ | 27½ |After some more tedious windings | | |the track descends into a level | | |plain, bounded by the Atbara on | | |the W., and Setit on the S., and | | |on the E. by an apparently | | |continuous range of hills, at the | | |foot of which lies the Baza | | |village of Lakatakura. | | | Khor Gullui | 2½ | 30 |This khor is a considerable | | |obstacle, being at least 15 feet | | |deep and perhaps 30 yards wide. | | |The sides are steep at regular | | |crossing places. A few miles to | | |the W., near J. Hamid, the water | | |stands for a long time in the | | |khor after the rains. That place | | |is often referred to by natives | | |as Gullui, and it seems to be on | | |the old frontier of Hamrans, Beni | | |Amer and Bazas. | | | | | |There is some Baza cultivation | | |near the Khor Gullui. | | | J. Sabun | 5 | 35 |From here on to J. Sabun, a small | | |isolated hill said to be on the | | |frontier between Hamrans and | | |Bazas, the track passes through | | |very thick thorn bush, which | | |greatly impedes loaded camels. | | | Khor Sanasaba | 3¼ | 38¼ |The track leaves J. Sabun just on | | |its right and turns more to the | | |E. The thorns are less | | |troublesome, and patches of | | |cultivation and open spaces with | | |high grass are passed. | | | Khor Lakisaba | 3 | 41¼ |Track continues through the same | | |class of country nearly due E., | | |and after ascending the Khor | | |Lakisaba for about 3 miles, it | | |leaves it and ascends its left | | |bank, making straight for the _Halting-place_| 5¾ | 47 |hills. Eventually it enters the | | |valley of the Lakisaba, and a | | |halt was made in its bed in a | | |spot enclosed between the hills | | |of J. Komkom and J. Agachina. | | | | | |There was no better reason for | | |the selection of this halting- | | |place, which was at least a mile | | |off our road, than that it was | | |perhaps the nearest point to the | | |water at the head of the Khor | | |Lakisaba, to which loaded camels | | |could go without considerable | | |difficulty. This water, the only | | |water within about 20 miles in | | |any direction, is said to be | | |contained in a large cleft in the | | |rock about 1 hour’s camel march | | |beyond the halting-place. The | | |cleft is high up in the rocks, | | |and all the water has to be | | |carried down by hand. | | | | | |There were a few Baza families | | |there, who assisted in the | | |watering of our animals and | | |filling our fantasses, but the | | |delay was very great. | | | | | |_Lakatakura_ lies about 3½ to 4 | | |miles N. of the Khor Lakisaba. It | | |was deserted, and the _well_ was | | |said to be dry. | | | | | |After retracing our steps for a | | |mile we struck off in a S. | | |direction, and followed a track | | |made by an Italian hunting party | | |a few days before. This track had | | |evidently not been used for many | | |years, as it was all overgrown | | |with thorns, and was very | | |indistinct in places. Fortunately | | |the hunting party had been | | |obliged to partially clear it for | | |their camels, and after | | |considerable difficulties we | | |emerged from the hills after | | |going about 12 miles, and reached | | |the Khor Maichhi. Here there are | | |many hashab, baobab, and sunt | | |trees. Soon after the Khor | | |Maietib is crossed, and places | | |were seen where it is said water | | |used formerly to remain even _R. Setit_ | 21 | 68 |during the hot weather. After a | | |few more miles through undulating | | |wooded country the track leads | | |suddenly on to the bank of the | | |Setit opposite a large pool about | | |1 mile below its junction with | | |the Khor Maietib, which is said | | |to be the old boundary between | | |the Hamran and Baza tribes. There | | |was some tobacco growing in this | | |khor which was said to have been | | |planted by the Abyssinian Baza. | | | | | |About here the Setit averages 100 | | |to 150 yards wide, with a good | | |deal of running water in it, | | |though frequently fordable at | | |this season (March). Banks 20 to | | |30 feet high with a good deal of | | |tamarisk. | | | K. Debebi | 1 | 69 |Following river, down right bank | | |K. Debebi and Abu Osher are K. Abu Osher | 2½ | 71½ |crossed. | | | J. Mudassir | 4½ | 76 |J. Mudassir is left ¾ mile on | | |right and after crossing K. _K. Meshra El | 1½ | 77½ |Meshra El Gedad J. Elaklei is Gedad_ | | |also left same distance on right | | |place on right bank named Darfit J. Elaklei | 1 | 78½ |is passed, and Khor Um Hagar | | |reached, the jebel of same name Darfit | 1 | 79½ |being 1 mile on right. Soon after | | |crossing this khor, a track leads _Um Hagar_ | 1 | 80½ |N. to Abu Gamal. Broken ground | | |now begins. | | | _Helegim_ | 1 | 81½ |After crossing the island of | | |Helegim and marching down bed of Halt | 1½ | 83 |river, good shade is reached on | | |left bank. | | | | | |From here, leaving the river | | |which was running S.W., owing to | | |impossibility of marching along | | |it on account of ravines and J. Um Hagar | 2 | 85 |thick bush, a N. direction was | | |taken to foot of J. Um Hagar, | | |then, turning W., marched over | | |bad cotton soil chiefly along Ridge | 6¼ | 91¼ |elephant tracks at foot of low | | |ridge of hills left on right | | |till, reaching a shorter detached Hafeira | 7 | 98¼ |ridge, we turned S., passing | | |Hafeira, an old burial ground of | | |Hamrans, and descended to the | | |river at Umbrega, where the Setit _Umbrega_[41] | 2 | 100¼ |flows between white cliffs, Geif | | |El Hamam, on left bank, and | | |precipitous ground on right bank. | | |The last 17 miles had been nearly | | |all bad going, and game paths | | |were the only tracks met. Game | | |between Maietib and Umbrega | | |plentiful. Lion, abu ma’arif | | |(Roan Antelope), kudu, water- | | |buck, tétel (tora hartebeeste), | | |bushbuck, ariel, gazelle, oribi, | | |dig-dig, wart-hog, hippo. Numbers | | |of giraffe and elephant tracks | | |were seen, but buffalo tracks | | |only twice. ---------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------

126.—GALLABAT TO CHELGA.

BY CAPTAIN A. C. PARKER, JANUARY, 1904.

[Sidenote: General.]

From Gallabat to where the track crosses the Gandoa, ground is undulating and track continually crosses khors which drain into the Gandoa or the Atbara. Country bushed and rocky, but stretches of cotton soil in places; from the Gandoa on to Chelga track gets worse and gradients more severe and valleys running down from the Escarp more deeply cut.

[Sidenote: Water.]

Is in plenty all along the road, there is not an interval of 10 miles without good water.

[Sidenote: Supplies.]

Perhaps a little dura can be obtained at Wahni (up to an ardeb or two) otherwise non-existent.

[Sidenote: Inhabitants.]

Belata Dasta’s village is at Wahni, otherwise no inhabitants except roving bands of hunters, usually Tigréans.

[Sidenote: Transport.]

Mule, donkey and pony pack-transport only suitable, though camels said to have been used as far as Wahni.

[Sidenote: Passes.]

The Emperor’s pass is a necessity.

[Sidenote: Game.]

Plentiful on Atbara and Gandoa.

[Sidenote: Escort.]

An escort of 8 to 10 men is necessary in case of bandits.

N.B.—W = Wauz = Khor. T = Tarara = Jebel.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Gallabat | — | — |Leaving Gallabat, path crosses | | |Khor Abnakheir; ground rises from | | |khor rough and stony; about 300 | | |yards from it, a track leads in a | | |more southerly direction to Kwara; | | |track, running a little S. of E., Tarara Mariam | 2 | 2 |passes round S. end of Tarara Waha | | |Mariam Waha (200 feet); skirting | | |S. of this hill and its | | |continuations, path is rough, cut | | |up by small khors running S. from | | |them; at mile 3, low hills begin | | |on S. of track and continue for a | | |mile, track rough, winding, and | | |cut up by small khors running N. | 2 | 4 |From here country becomes more | | |open, cotton soil, and low trees | | |until a small khor fringed with | | |big trees is reached, and a few _Khor Chincha_| 1 | 5 |hundred yards on, Khor Chincha, a | | |rocky khor, water plentiful. Track | | |meanders on through rocky ground, | | |rough going, for a mile, when | | |cotton soil and more or less open | | |country is reached; another 1½ | | |miles, and a rocky khor is | | |reached. | | | | | |(Khor Sababa.) A few hundred yards | | |on is the halting-place Wahsha, | | |steep cliff on N. of khor making | | |waterfall when water sufficient, | | |still rough going, cotton soil and _Khor Sababa_ | 2½ | 7½ |rocky alternately; ¾ mile on, | | |cross Khor Abd El Rizak Gowari (12 | | |yards wide), cotton soil thickly | | |wooded at mile 10. A small khor is | | |crossed and ¼ mile on Khor Goghan; _Khor Koki_ | 3 | 10½ |at mile 10½, Khor Koki, or Shatta, | | |is crossed; this is a very | | |winding, deep khor, banks 10 feet, | | |bed shingly, 15 yards wide, water | | |very plentiful, good shade. Track | | |crosses this khor twice more | | |before leaving it, when country | | |becomes fairly open, with small | | |trees, and after 2 miles reaches | | |and passes to S. of a small hill Tarara | 2 | 12½ |(120 feet), Tarara Jingandibba (or Jingandibba | | |J. Wad Manna). Path now | | |continually crosses small khors | | |running N.; at mile 16 Khor | | |Ardeiba is passed, and 2 miles on _Khor | 5½ | 18 |Khor Wandoferi is crossed (7 yards Wandoferi_ | | |wide, banks 6 feet high, not much | | |water, good shade); ¾ mile good | | |going, and track begins to | | |descend, and ½ mile on reaches _Khor Aftit_ | 1¼ | 19¼ |Khor Aftit (12 yards wide, banks | | |10 feet high, good water and | | |shade). ½ mile on crosses small | | |khor, country much cut up. 1½ _Khor Shahadi_| 2 | 21¼ |miles on Khor Shahadi (16 yards | | |wide, deep pools, general | | |direction N.) is crossed; ¾ mile | | |on path skirts edge of cliff 50 | | |feet high, at bottom of which is | | |Khor Shahadi; at mile 23¾ track | | |descends rapidly, and ¼ mile on | | |crosses small khor; ½ mile further | | |on small khor of flowing water, _Khor Gandoa_ | 4 | 25¼ |and at mile 25¼ Khor Gandoa (50 | | |yards wide in deep pools). From | | |this point road to Dagussa leads | | |off up left bank of Gandoa. | | |Crossing Gandoa, track runs almost | | |parallel with it, low hills 1,000 | | |yards off to N. and also on other | | |side of Gandoa; at mile 27 track | | |crosses Ofing Gandoa W. (small, | 2¼ | 27½ |with water), and at mile 27½ | | |passes close S. of a hill (200 | | |feet). Bamboos now first observed | | |in abundance; ¼ mile on path | | |crosses Jirar W. (15 yards wide, | ½ | 28 |pools of water). At mile 28 path | | |passes close N. of a low hill | | |running down towards the Gandoa, | 2½ | 30½ |and at mile 30½ close S. of | | |another hill, low hills still to _Agam W._ | 2¼ | 32¾ |N.; 2¼ miles on reach Agam W., | | |flowing water (named from the | | |lilac-like flowering bush growing | | |there). At mile 33¼ cross small | | |khor, and another khor 2 miles | | |from Agam W., low hills now only | | |250 yards off to N.; ½ mile on | | |pass close to S. of another hill. | 3¼ | 36 |At mile 36 track crosses a small | | |stony khor with a thick fringe of | | |bamboos, and ¾ mile on close round | | |the S. of a bluff; ¾ mile small _Abai W._ | 2 | 38 |khor, and at mile 38 reaches Abai | | |W., a running stream coming from | | |among some hills about 600 feet | | |high and 1,500 yards off N. of | | |road. Track now leads up the | | |valley of a small khor with low | | |hills on both sides quite close, | | |dense jungle of bamboo, high | | |grass, etc., but after 1¼ miles | | |begins to ascend a spur rapidly, | | |and in course of the next half | | |mile rises about 200 feet, then | | |across a flat with amphitheatre of | | |precipitous flat-topped hills (600 | | |feet) to N., about 2,000 yards _Tarara | 3 | 41 |off, to southern end of Tarara Kamachela_ | | |Kamachela (700 to 800 feet). Track | | |passes round S. of Kamachela, and | | |close under it, running at right | | |angles to its former direction; | | |still under hill crosses khor of | | |water, and a mile on reaches site Wahni Suk | 3½ | 44½ |of Wahni Suk (no buildings). From | | |the Suk there is very steep path | | |leading up to the village of Wahni | | |(uninhabited when seen); this is | | |situated on the top of Kamachela, | | |a plateau sloping away to the N. | | |There is a little cultivation | | |below (dura and cotton), but grain | | |can only be bought in very limited | | |quantities. From Wahni Suk track | 1 | 45½ |resumes its old course; after 1 | | |mile a khor (10 yards wide) full | | |of water is crossed, and ½ mile on | | |track passes through two or three | 1 | 46½ |low hills. ½ mile on a small khor | | |of water is crossed. Here the | | |“Candelabra cactus” makes its | | |first appearance. Path now | | |descends rapidly, and reaches khor | 1 | 47½ |in bottom of valley about 250 feet | | |below Wahni Suk. Since crossing | 1 | 48½ |the Gandoa, khors have all been | | |running more or less W., but from | | |here, after ascending out of | | |valley, another water system is | | |encountered, the water running N. | | |Path ascends and crosses spurs, | | |running N. from a square | | |precipitous hill, Tarara | | |Angedibba. | | | | 1¼ | 49¾ |At mile 49¾ saddle N. of Tarara | | |Angedibba is passed over, and path | | |at once descends rapidly into the | | |jungley valley of the Baloha W., | | |some small khors are crossed, and | 2 | 51¾ |2 miles from saddle there is a | | |small hill on left of path; ¾ mile | | |on track crosses Baloha W., a | | |babbling stream 12 yards wide, two | | |or three times, and at mile 53¼ | | |begins to ascend rapidly, and in ¼ | | |mile reaches saddle under Tarara | 1¾ | 53½ |Baloha. Striking along the hill | | |for ¾ mile track crosses a spur, | | |and descends into the valley of _Sunkwa W._ | 2 | 55½ |Sunkwa W., flowing water, reaching | | |latter after another 1¼ miles. | | |Path now ascends rapidly out of | | |khor, and after 1 mile passes | | |close N. of a hill (some 250 feet | | |high); two or three small khors | | |are crossed running N., and 2¼ | | |miles from the Sunkwa path reaches | | |a saddle, hills visible N. and S.; | | |path now ascends and runs along | | |the N. side of a range of hills | | |for 4 miles, when track skirts to | | |N. of a knobby hill on top of the | | |range; there is a little water in | | |a khor running down the hill | | |northwards here, but not enough | | |for baggage animals; track now | | |changes to S. side of range and | | |skirts along, winding in and out | | |between gullies and spurs until a | | |small pool of water is reached in _Savinki W._ | 3¾ | 66½ |Savinki W. | | | _Gint W._ | 2 | 68½ |From here track runs a few hundred | | |yards almost due south, then | | |changes to south-east, ground more | | |level as nearer base of hills; now | | |reaches Gint W., close under | | |Tarara Wahamba, a jagged basaltic | | |remnant. Track now winds for about | | |a mile, turning continually at | | |right angles, as ground is very | | |rough and cut up by khors. Path | | |finally crosses to south of Gint | | |W., a running stream, and ascends | | |a spur of Wali Deva range, | | |rounding spurs and crossing khors; | 3¾ | 72¼ |at mile 72¼ track, which is close | | |down to khor, rises sharply up a | 3½ | 75¾ |spur for 300 yards, and skirts | | |along higher up. At mile 75¾ path | | |again rises rapidly up a spur, and | | |after a pretty hard climb of some | | |1,600 feet passes up a cleft and Top of | — | — |reaches top of escarpment at head Escarpment | | |of valley of Gint W. Country is | | |now open and rolling, track | 2½ | 81¼ |ascends gradually for 2½ miles, | | |when it crosses the watershed. | | |Here a view of Lake Tsana is | | |obtained. Path now descends, easy | | |gradients, into the Goang valley, Chelga | 3½ | 84¾ |and reaches Chelga at mile 84¾. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

127.—LAKE TSANA (GOJA) TO GANDOA.

BY CAPTAIN A. C. PARKER, ROYAL SUSSEX REGIMENT, MARCH, 1904.

[Sidenote: General.]

Goja to Gallabat fair path, better than Chelga to Gallabat Road, but after descent of Escarp there are several bad places.

[Sidenote: Water.]

Is plentiful, nowhere more than 10 miles interval without it.

[Sidenote: Supplies.]

Obtainable nil.

[Sidenote: Inhabitants.]

Abyssinian villages from Lake Tsana up to watershed. A monastry at Mabra Solasi near Bamba. Stray hunting parties in the country adjoining the frontier.

[Sidenote: Transport.]

Mule, donkey, and pony pack-transport only suitable.

[Sidenote: Passes, game, escort.]

_See_ route Gallabat—Chelga.

N.B.—W = Wauz = Khor = dry watercourse. T = Tarara = Jebel = mountain.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- | 1 | 1 |Path leaves Goja in a northerly | | |direction through high grass, and | | |crosses a small khor almost at | | |once. After 1 mile passes round | | |west side of a low hill; 1½ miles | | |on cross Anfordibba W. Full of | | |running water; ground rises | | |slowly; open country; path crosses _Ariko_ | 1¾ | 2¾ |Ariko W., full of water, and, | | |still ascending, leaves small hill | | |on left, and at mile 4 passes a | | |big tree marking spot where market | | |used to be held. | | | Amusgebaia | 1¼ | 4 |“Amusgebaia”—legend says tree was | | |used for hanging people. Cross | | |four small khors, and, still | | |gradually ascending, reach Goanderat | ¾ | 4¾ |Goanderat village. Track crosses | | |two small khors and gradually runs | 2¾ | 7½ |up side of a small valley on to | | |watershed; now descends slowly, | | |and reaches camping ground at _Barbaria | 1 | 8½ |Barbaria Kora (small amount of Kora_ | | |water). Ground slopes away for | | |another 1½ miles, when track | 2¼ | 10¾ |descends rapidly down north side | | |of a gully and, striking down a | | |spur, reaches a saddle; now skirts | | |north side of spur, path | 1¾ | 12½ |descending rapidly. At mile 12½ | | |track passes along edge of a sheer | | |precipice; shortly after path runs | | |sharply down a spur in a more | | |northerly direction; at mile 14 it | | |leaves spur and leads down steep | | |rocky descent across small khor Diloa W. | 1¾ | 14¼ |and reaches camping place, “Diloa | | |W.”; said to be water in khor, but | | |I did not see it. Track now very | | |much shut in, thick bush and rough | | |stony descents, an especially bad | | |one at mile 16¾. At mile 17 track | | |follows bed of small khor, | | |crossing it continually, track | | |bad, thick bush, shut in both | | |sides by hills; at mile 19 this | | |khor joins Ganbilo W.; juncture is _Girad Mwat_ | 4¾ | 19 |called Girad Mwat, there is | | |abundant water. Follows Ganbilo | | |W., a khor 20 yards wide with | | |pools, crossing it six times in | 4 | 23 |the next 2¾ miles; track now | | |passes between two hills, that on | | |N. being very steep and probably | | |end of a ridge which runs down | | |from Tankal. Path now descends | | |slowly, bamboo jungle, and 1½ | | |miles on reaches junction of two _Goandera W._ | 1½ | 24½ |khors, Goandera W., water | | |plentiful. 1¾ miles on path | | |crosses khor (Tukur Waha W.); path | | |now along right bank of Jira W., | | |25 yards wide with large pools, _Ambo_ | 2¼ | 26¾ |then cross Ambo W. This comes from | | |a spring about ½ mile further back | | |in hill, where it bubbles up quite | | |warm; a couple of hundred yards | | |off on the other side of the Jira _Mwat Abba | 1¼ | 28 |lie the hot baths Mwat Abba Mariam_ | | |Mariam. 2½ miles on pass to N. of | | |low hill; hills on N. of path | 2½ | 30½ |about 400 yards off, Jira W. still | | |lying parallel with road but some | 1¼ | 31¾ |way off to S.; at mile 31¾ track | | |runs close to the Jira, here deep | | |water but narrow for 500 yards, | | |when a deep khor coming from N. is | | |crossed; track now leaves Jira and | | |leads up a defile down which a | | |khor, a tributary of Jira runs; | 1¼ | 33 |cross this khor for first time at | | |mile 33, steep precipitous hills | | |on both sides, path ascending | | |dense bamboo thickets, reach water | 4¼ | 37¼ |at mile 37¼. Ascent from Jira has | | |been 300 or 400 feet; path now | | |descends rapidly 350 feet, and | | |leads down north side of a flat | | |valley, path good, and reaches _Wanenta_ | 4½ | 41¾ |Wanenta, water sufficient for | | |party of 30 or so; now along north | | |side of valley close under low | | |hills; on south side of valley is | | |a very prominent cone-shaped hill. _Shimel Waha | 3¼ | 45 |Cross Shimel Waha W., water W._ | | |abundant, and 1 mile on cross | | |small khor, halting-place under a Bamba | 1 | 46 |gemmeiza tree, called Bamba, track | | |level and good; cross Jineta _Jineta | 2¼ | 48¼ |Mariam W., running water, and 1¼ Mariam_ | | |miles on another running stream, | | |called Mariam Waha W.; ¼ mile | 1½ | 49¾ |further track passes close north | | |of a hill; ground now broken up by | | |spurs running northwards; path now _Nefoing | 1¾ | 51½ |descends and crosses Nefoing Gandoa_ | | |Gandoa W. just at the junction | | |with the Gandoa; another 1½ miles Jigebit | 1½ | 53 |on and Jigebit camping ground on | | |the Gandoa is reached. 2¼ miles on | 2¼ | 55¼ |cross khor of running water, and | | |at mile 57 cross Barkurkur W., a _Barkurkur_ | 1¾ | 57 |small khor of flowing water; 2 | | |miles on track passes south of | | |Tarara Bisaurkudat, and ½ mile on _Malkam Waha | 2½ | 59½ |reaches Malkam Waha W., a small W._ | | |khor of flowing water. At mile 60¾ | | |crosses a khor of running water | | |and another one 500 or 600 yards | 1¾ | 62½ |on; at mile 62½ pass close to a | | |bend of the Gandoa, and 1 mile on Wahsha W. | 1 | 63½ |across the Wahsha W.; after | | |another mile cross a big khor, and | | |700 yards on a small khor with | | |water; another deep khor without | | |water is crossed, and then the Gandoa | 2½ | 66 |Gandoa is reached. Path skirts it | | |for some hundreds of yards till it | | |reaches point where Wahni road | | |crosses. | | | | | |Measurements by pacing, pace | | |reckoned 32½ inches. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

128.—ADDIS ABBABA, _viâ_ GOJJAM AND LAKE TSANA, TO GALLABAT.[42]

BY MR. J. BAIRD, MAY, 1901.

------------+---------------+-------------+----------------------------- | Miles. | | Place. +--------+------+Hours’ march.| Description. | Inter- |Total.| | |mediate.| | | ------------+--------+------+-------------+----------------------------- | | | H. M. | | | | | Addis Abbaba| — | — | — |The road from Addis Abbaba is | | | |rough and hilly. Three | | | |nullahs are crossed, two of | | | |them with steep sides. No | | | |fuel. Barley can be bought. | | | |Excellent grazing. Two good | | | |streams 50 yards from camp | | | |(S.). | | | | _Sallulta_ | 4 | 4 | 1 50 |Excellent going over | | | |undulating grass country. Six | | | |streams crossed, all easy and | | | |containing a fair supply of | | | |water. Many villages and much | | | |ploughed land _en route_. | | | |Cattle and horses numerous; | | | |fuel plentiful. Last hour’s | | | |march through acacia scrub. | | | |Good stream. Supplies as | | | |before. | | | | Muggur-Affaf| 21½ | 25½ | 8 35 |The descent into the Muggur, | | | |commencement of which is | | | |reached 2 hours after leaving | | | |camp, is precipitous and | | | |unrideable. Loaded mules get | | | |down with difficulty. Muggur | | | |reached 4 hours from start. | | | |Ascent to other (N.) side of | | | |valley is easier, but also | | | |mostly unrideable. Camp at | | | |edge of S. plateau. No water | | | |between camps, except Muggur. _Yaïya_ | 16½ | 42 | 7 5 |Two villages passed in | | | |valley, one on either side of | | | |river. Some cotton and barley | | | |grown. Monkeys and florican | | | |on hills. Each side of River | | | |Muggur 2,800 feet below | | | |either plateau. Grazing bad; | | | |barley and sheep in small | | | |quantities. A fair stream 100 | | | |yards N. of camp. Wood | | | |plentiful in Muggur valley, | | | |but scarce immediately round | | | |camp. | | | | | | | |Easy marching over undulating | | | |grass country; for the last | | | |1½ hours through occasional | | | |chavaha trees. Fuel scarce. | | | |The hills, which are a mile _Kessi_ | 17½ | 59½ | 6 45 |E. and N.E. of camp, are | | | |wooded, but plains are | | | |treeless. Excellent grazing; | | | |fair supplies of barley and | | | |sheep. A small stream 100 | | | |yards N. of camp. | | | | | | | |Excellent going over gently | | | |undulating grass plateau. Few | | | |streams crossed, and water | | | |usually scarce and bad. No _Jarso_ | 21½ | 81 | 8 35 |trees. A few villages. Few | | | |cattle. A large market at | | | |Jarso on Saturdays; barley, | | | |sheep, and fuel to be bought. | | | |Fair stream 50 yards W. of | | | |camp. | | | | _Blue Nile_ | 14 | 95 | 7 0 |This camp is a very bad one. (right bank)| | | |Tents have to be pitched on | | | |the track, which runs along | | | |the steep N. bank of the | | | |Nile. Any amount of fuel. The | | | |descent is unrideable, and | | | |mules have to be unloaded | | | |once to get through narrow | | | |pass. River 4,680 feet below | | | |S. plateau. Few mosquitoes. | | | |Many crocodiles and good fish | | | |can be caught in Nile. No | | | |water between Jarso and | | | |river. No grazing and no | | | |supplies. Wood abundant. | | | | | | | |The first part of ascent is | | | |most trying for mules. At one | | | |part they have to be unloaded | | | |and load carried up steps for | | | |40 feet (1 hour 13 minutes | | | |after start); the remainder | | | |of the road runs over _Dejen_ | 13½ | 108½ | 7 0 |successive plateaux, | | | |connected by steep ascents. | | | |Village of Mere (friendly | | | |chief, Balambaras Nagau) near | | | |top of ascent, and | | | |considerable amount of | | | |cultivation around it. | | | |Excellent grazing; plentiful | | | |supplies from neighbouring | | | |village. Water bad and little | | | |from stream 100 yards E. of | | | |camp. Wood scarce. | | | | _Abukerk_ | 14½ | 123 | 6 0 |A good camping-place in | | | |sheltered cup. Wood plentiful | | | |on surrounding hills. A fair | | | |number of villages in | | | |neighbourhood, and some | | | |cultivation. Excellent going, | | | |mostly over undulating grass; | | | |treeless plain from Dejen. A | | | |few streams _en route_. | | | |Latter part along wooded | | | |western slope of ridge. | | | |Excellent grazing; supplies | | | |plentiful. Water, good supply | | | |from stream 50 yards W. of | | | |camp. Wood abundant. | | | | _Askatta_ | 7½ | 130½ | 3 15 |Camp on treeless slope of | | | |undulating plain, over which | | | |road led from Abukerk. | | | |Several streams crossed, all | | | |easy, and going excellent all | | | |the way. Little cultivation; | | | |good grazing. Supplies | | | |plentiful at neighbouring | | | |village. Water, fair supply | | | |from stream 100 yards below | | | |camp. Wood scarce. | | | | _Debra | 10½ | 141 | 4 30 |The track is hilly, and in Markos_ | | | |some places the descents are | | | |steep and slippery after | | | |rain. Much of the road lies | | | |through thick acacia scrub, | | | |almost impassable except by | | | |the main mule track. Water | | | |plentiful. Track narrow in | | | |places. Large market. | | | | _Delma_ | 18½ | 159½ | 7 0 |Small camping ground on a | | | |slope running from N.N.W. to | | | |a fair stream running W. | | | |Excellent going, alternately | | | |through cultivation, bush and | | | |plain. Many rivers _en | | | |route_, all easily crossed. | | | |Grazing bad. Villages in | | | |neighbourhood numerous. | | | |Barley plentiful and cheap. | | | |Wood and water abundant. | | | | | | | |A steep descent 5 minutes | | | |after starting, and fairly | | | |steep descent and ascent into | | | |and out of Tumcha river; the | | | |track, except for the last | | | |hour, leads through scrub and _Dembecha_ | 9½ | 169 | 2 40 |thick wood; the crossing of | | | |the Gadlar is easy, low | | | |banks. Excellent camping | | | |ground on the E. side of | | | |Dembecha, ½ mile from Gadlar; | | | |first rate grazing. Barley, | | | |rif. Market on Mondays. Water | | | |abundant; wood on surrounding | | | |hills, and can be bought. | | | | | | | |Passing through Dembecha the | | | |road ascends gradually for | | | |the first ½ hour some 200 | | | |feet over open grass country; | | | |it then drops into a thick | | | |forest, where the track is so | | | |narrow and deep that two | | | |mules could not pass in some | | | |places; thick undergrowth. | | | |After three-quarters of an | | | |hour’s march, the Cherika | | | |stream is crossed 350 feet | | | |below the Dembecha; from here | | | |onwards the trees and the | | | |undergrowth are far less | | | |thick, and the track no | | | |longer runs in a deep rut. | | | |During the next three- | | | |quarters of an hour the road | | | |drops gradually 250 feet, and | | | |then falls 500 feet in 20 | | | |minutes down to the Kacham | | | |river. The descent is easy. | | | |The river in May is some 15 | | | |yards wide, from 1 to 2 feet | | | |deep, with a swift current; | | | |flat, wooded banks. Large, | | | |flat, slippery stones make | | | |the crossing rather | | | |troublesome. The valley of | | | |this river is about ¾ mile | | | |wide. The road now rises 290 | | | |feet, crossing a spur which | | | |juts out from the hills | | | |bounding Kacham’s valley on | | | |the W. and dropping again to | | | |10 feet below the Kacham’s | | | |level, crosses the Birr river | | | |50 minutes later. The bed of | | | |the Birr at the crossing is | | | |some 80 yards wide, the left | | | |bank 15 to 20 feet high and | | | |the right bank lower; the | | | |water (7th May) runs with a | | | |swift current, about 1 foot | | | |deep, over a rocky bed in two | | | |channels, separated by a mass | | | |of black rock. 200 yards | | | |below the crossing there is a | | | |fall of some 30 feet, below | | | |which the river runs in a | | | |narrow gorge enclosed by | | | |black rocks; 300 yards below | | | |this it is crossed by a rough | | | |log bridge. The road from | | | |here runs over an undulating | | | |grass-covered plain, bare at | | | |first, but during the last 2 | | | |hours’ march, wooded. The | | | |Rivers Sarinwaha, Tamim, Lach | | | |and Bakkalla are crossed, as | | | |well as two unnamed streams; | | | |in May they none of them | | | |present any difficulty. The | | | |camp is a small and bad one | | | |on the sloping N. bank of the _River | 19 | 188 | 6 45 |Bakkalla river. Wood and Bakkalla_ | | | |water plentiful, also barley. | | | | | | | |As far as Monkussa the track | | | |winds N.W. and W. over | | | |undulating grass country | | | |dotted with acacia trees. | | | |Parallel to the road, on the | | | |S. side of it, and apparently | | | |about 5 miles off, runs a | | | |chain of hills. The river | | | |Birr flows past the southern | | | |end, and the Lach the | | | |northern of this range; they | | | |join on the far side and flow | | | |into the Blue Nile. One small | | | |stream is crossed before | | | |reaching Monkussa, and one | | | |immediately after leaving _Burre_ | 9½ | 197½ | 4 0 |that village, the Dawuna by | | | |name, 20 yards wide; water | | | |knee-deep in May, with a | | | |strong current. The crossing | | | |is troublesome on account of | | | |very slippery, flat stones. | | | |After leaving Monkussa, the | | | |track winds through more | | | |thickly-wooded country, and | | | |eventually runs over a | | | |treeless plain, out of which | | | |rises the knoll where Burre | | | |is built. There is ample | | | |space for a good camp No wood | | | |at the town, but easily | | | |procured close by. Water | | | |supply not seen, but must be | | | |fairly copious. Large | | | |supplies. | | | | | | | |This is the capital of Damot, | | | |the seat of Ras Warke, the | | | |governor, and the centre of a | | | |populous, fertile, and | | | |cultivated district. | | | | | | | |The villages of Waan and | | | |Zoava are passed between | | | |Monkussa and Burre. | | | | | | | |An easy march through a | | | |populous, well cultivated, | | | |undulating country. Good _Chara_ | 6½ | 204 | 2 30 |camping ground on the edge of | | | |a stream; villages all | | | |around. Supplies, wood and | | | |water plentiful. | | | | | | | |Eight miles through | | | |undulating cultivation; cross | | | |Fattom river, tributary of | | | |Blue Nile, 40 yards wide and | | | |3 feet deep at crossing; | | | |stream sluggish. Then 2½ _Anjavera_ | 18 | 222 | 7 20 |miles through dense forest, | | | |after which track twists | | | |through wooded hills into a | | | |fairly populous and | | | |cultivated plain. Rise of 600 | | | |feet during march. | | | |Inhabitants not very | | | |friendly. Supplies as before, | | | |and some cattle. | | | | | | | |Rise rapidly 300 feet. Cross | | | |thickly-wooded ridge forming | | | |water-parting between Tsana | | | |and Blue Nile systems, then | | | |drop by narrow winding track | | | |through dense forest into | | | |rich, undulating, well- | | | |watered country, with patches | | | |of cultivation. Track in | | | |places very narrow, and worn | | | |deep into the clay. Four | | | |hundred yards N.W. of point _Dangalla_ | 20½ | 242½ | 8 0 |where track emerges from | | | |wooded ridge, rises a sugar- | | | |loaf hill, called Zurachi, | | | |about 1,000 feet, forming a | | | |conspicuous landmark. E. of | | | |track are several isolated | | | |hills, among which is Saatma, | | | |visible for some distance on | | | |either side of Anjavera. Last | | | |8 miles through populous and | | | |fertile district of Achaffer. | | | |Camp in centre of four | | | |scattered villages. After | | | |crossing ridge excellent | | | |going. Wood and water scarce. | | | | _Ismaila_ | 7 | 249½ | 2 30 |Good camp. Fair water and | | | |supplies. | | | | | | | |Cross River Barati, tributary | | | |of Blue Nile; easy crossing; | | | |thence up gentle slope past | | | |Libtan, a large village with | | | |considerable amount of _Nefassa_ | 16 | 265½ | 6 30 |cultivation; skirt foot of | | | |hills bounding valley of Blue | | | |Nile on W. to Nefassa. Poor, | | | |thinly populated district. | | | |Supplies scarce; no sheep or | | | |cattle. Water and wood | | | |scarce. | | | | _Liven_ | 6 | 271½ | 2 25 |A good camping ground. Open | | | |country. Good road from | | | |Ismaila. Barley can be | | | |bought, but no sheep; a few | | | |cattle in the neighbourhood. | | | |Wood plentiful; small water | | | |supply. | | | | _Forehe_ | 9½ | 281 | 3 45 |Good camp. A good road from | | | |Liven. Natives unfriendly. | | | |Supplies and water scarce. | | | | _Konsuli_ | 5½ | 286½ | 2 0 |A small camping ground 100 (Lake Tsana)| | | |yards from the lake; a good | | | |road from Forehe. Natives | | | |unfriendly. Wood, water and | | | |barley plentiful. | | | | _Goja_ (Lake| 19 | 305½ | 7 30 |A rough road through the Tsana) | | | |hills which border the lake; | | | |no water _en route_; a bad | | | |damp camping ground on the | | | |foreshore of the lake. | | | |Another road follows the | | | |water’s edge from Konsuli. | | | |This is longer, but said to | | | |be better. | | | | _Dumgi_ | 11 | 316½ | 3 0 |A good road, and a good | | | |camping ground. Poor grazing. | | | |Water from lake. | | | | _Berbera | 5 | 321½ | 1 50 |A good camping ground in a Kora_ | | | |hollow; excellent grazing. | | | |Water supply fair. Plenty of | | | |wood. No supplies. | | | | _Ghimfyva | 9½ | 331 | 5 0 |A very rough march, and a River_ | | | |very bad camp in a narrow, | | | |rocky, thickly-wooded valley. | | | |Cross water-parting between | | | |Tsana and Atbara systems, 600 | | | |feet above Lake. Track | | | |narrow, twisting, and in | | | |places very steep, only | | | |practicable for mule or | | | |donkey transport; descent of | | | |3,500 feet in last 5 hours. | | | |Practically no grazing. Wood, | | | |but little water in rocks. | | | | _River Jera_| 12½ | 343½ | 4 50 |Another very rough march. A | | | |fair little camping ground | | | |with good shade; a little | | | |grazing. Plenty of wood and | | | |water. | | | | _Camp near | 10½ | 354 | 4 10 |A good camping ground. The water holes_| | | |first part of the road is | | | |rough, but after crossing a | | | |ridge nearly 1,000 feet above | | | |the Jera river it becomes | | | |considerably easier; thick | | | |clumps of bamboo are | | | |difficult for loaded mules to | | | |get through in places. Hardly | | | |any grazing. Fair amount of | | | |water. Plenty of wood. | | | | _Ghindoa | 21½ | 375½ | 8 50 |A good camp; fair going, (Gandoa) | | | |except for the thick clumps River_ | | | |of bamboo, which are a little | | | |difficult for loaded mules to | | | |get through in places. A halt | | | |can be made at some water | | | |passed 6 hours 5 minutes | | | |after starting. Hardly any | | | |grazing. No supplies. Wood | | | |and water plentiful. | | | | _Chincha | 22 | 397½ | 8 20 |Good going and a good camping River_ | | | |ground. Very little grazing. | | | |Wood and water as before. | | | | Matemma | 5½ | 403 | 2 0 |An easy march over a good (Gallabat) | | | |road. ------------+--------+------+-------------+-----------------------------

This road from the lake is the one followed by the Emperor John when he went down to Matemma with some 20,000 (?) men in 1889 and was killed by the Dervishes. The rains had barely commenced during the present journey, therefore there was hardly any grass, and water was scarce during the first 3 days’ march from the lake. Both water and grass must be abundant after the rains, and while these are falling the mountain torrents are said to make the road impassable; it could be greatly improved by clearing the bamboos and other trees which in places almost conceal the track.

129.—ADDIS ABBABA TO FAMAKA (S. OF BLUE NILE).

BY LIEUTENANT GWYNN, D.S.O., 1900.

NOTE—

G. = Gara, mountain range. J. = Jebel.

T. = Tulu, mountain peak. K. = Khor.

L. = Laga, stream.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Addis Abbaba | — | — | | | | British | — | — |The British Residency is situated Residency | | |at the foot of a spur running S. | | |from the Entotto range, and | | |bounding the Addis Abbaba valley | | |on the E. It lies just clear of | | |the most easterly native huts. | | |About 600 yards immediately N. of | | |it is the Russian Agency, and | | |about the same distance to the | | |W.N.W. of the latter, on the | | |opposite side of the stream, is | | |the Russian doctor’s enclosure | | |formerly occupied by the Rodd | | |Mission. For position of other | | |European missions, &c., _see_ | | |Count Gleichen’s map of Addis | | |Abbaba (I.D.W.O., 1897). | | | | | |The water supply of the British | | |Residency is drawn from a spring | | |on the slopes at the back of the | | |compound, and a surface channel | | |from the spring supplies a small | | |tank in the compound for watering | | |horses, &c. | | | | | |The compound is surrounded with a | | |solid mud wall, surmounted by a | | |continuous hurdle work fence. | | | Gibe (King’s | 1½ | 1½ |Lies pretty well in the centre of Enclosure) | | |the town, on a long flat spur | | |running down from Entotto. The | | |enclosure is formed by a high | | |wooden palisade, and at the | | |present time an outer wall, | | |solidly built in stone, is being | | |constructed. Inside the palisade | | |the enclosure is divided by | | |numerous stone walls and wooden | | |fences; the buildings are strongly | | |built, but there are many thatched | | |buildings and a lot of woodwork. | | | | | |Water supply is laid on in iron | | |mains from Entotto, and there is | | |an artificial surface channel just | | |outside the enclosure. | | | | | |The town of Addis Abbaba extends | | |about 3 miles from E. to W., but | | |the houses are scattered haphazard | | |and there are no streets; the | | |tracks running between the houses | | |are very rough, and the crossings | | |of the streams are bad, in | | |particular in the rains. A few | | |rough narrow bridges exist, but | | |are not used in the dry season. | | | | | |After clearing the town there is a | | |wide flat spur before the Akaki | | |(Western) is reached, which would | | |form a fine camping ground. | | | _Akaki_ (1st | 4½ | 6 |Small stream in deep gully. branch) | | | | | | _Akaki_ (2nd | 1 | 7 |Stream, 15 feet wide, 1 foot deep, branch) | | |rapid, in a deep gully; very steep | | |on W. side. The col connecting the | | |Entotto with the Managasha Hills | | |is a fine manœuvring ground for | | |troops of all arms, and is, on the | | |whole, flat and open, though it is | | |intersected by a few narrow | | |valleys draining to the Akaki. | | |Almost all these contain water. | | |The whole mass of mountains S. of | | |the road is generally called | | |Managasha, but this name strictly | | |applies to the steep round-topped | | |hill just S. of the road at the | | |watershed. The main mountain is | | |called Wochochu by the indigenous | | |Gallas. | | | T. Managasha | 6 | 13 | | | | | | |Fitaurari Hapto Gorgis’s house | | |lies a little N. of the road just | | |where the descent into the Walata | | |valley commences, and his | | |territory stretches S.W. from this | | |point. | | | | | |T. Managasha is well wooded, as | | |are the steep slopes forming the | | |escarp connecting G. Managasha and | | |G. Foweita. | | | | | |The road descends this escarp by a | | |fairly well graded, though steep, | | |line, crossing several small | | |streams. | | | Kaffa road | 1 | 14 |About 1 mile after commencing the | | |descent, the road to Kaffa and | | |Limmu branches off S.W. towards | | |the sharp cone to Wata Dalecho; to | | |the left of the road, near the | | |bottom of the escarp, is the | | |Abunas house, situated among thick | | |trees. | | | _L. Walata_ | 8 | 22 |At the foot of the escarp the | | |woody road stops and then enters a | | |flat grass valley, in the middle | | |of which is the Walata, a stream | | |about 20 feet wide and 1 foot | | |deep. | | | _L. Dalota_ | 5 | 27 |Between Walata and Dalota flat | | |grassland, with a few Galla farms. | | |L. Dalota, rapid, 20 feet wide, 1 | | |foot deep. | | | _Addis Alem_ | 1½ | 28½ |The road rises steeply from the (British | | |stream to the wooded spur on which Location) | | |Addis Alem is being built. To the | | |N. of the road the escarp | | |commences which marks the | | |watershed between the Nile and | | |Hawash, and extends without break Addis Alem | ½ | 29 |from this point to the River Gude. Gibe | | |The escarp and spurs running from | | |it are well wooded and well | | |watered, the main spurs being | | |broken up into minor features. The | | |British and Italian locations are | | |side by side to the S. of the | | |stream which runs through the | | |town; the ground to the S. of them | | |is flat for 800 yards or so, and | | |at present fairly thickly wooded. | | |On the N. it drops very steeply to | | |the stream about 40 feet. | | | | | |No building has yet been commenced | | |on the British location, but Major | | |Ciccodicola has built several | | |large houses of the ordinary Tukl | | |pattern, and has laid out and | | |commenced another house of more | | |European design, the lower story | | |of which is stone. | | | | | |The Gibe is built on a knoll | | |between two streams, the drop | | |towards the southern one being | | |very steep. The main buildings | | |will be on the N. shoulder of the | | |knoll. On the northern slope of | | |the knoll is a sort of park | | |enclosed by a ditch and palisade. | | |This is evidently intended for a | | |defensible camp, as the enclosure | | |on the top of the knoll is too | | |small for any considerable force. | | | | | |Water supply is not very good for | | |the town, but a main for the | | |supply of the Gibe is being laid | | |from the spur to the N.E. | | | _L. Barga_ | 5 | 34 |Road W. of Addis Alem, though not | | |so well worn as between Addis Alem | | |and Addis Abbaba, is, on the | | |whole, well defined and good, | | |being much used by the traders | | |from Leka, Lekempti Walega, and | | |Kelina (Chelim), and the soldiers | | |of Dejaj Damasi, Dejaj Gumsa | | |(Gabri Xiavrihir), and Dejaj Goti | | |(Joti). | | | | | |At first it runs along a well- | | |wooded spur, then crosses the | | |Barga, which runs in a deep, | | |steep-sided valley, 20 feet by 1 | | |foot; rapid. | | | _L. Jemjem_ | 6 | 40 |Between the Barga and Jemjem are | | |several small streams with fair | | |water. The Jemjem is 12 feet wide | | |and 6 inches deep; rapid. Road | | |runs at the foot of the spurs in | | |open country; the escarp to the N. | | |is steeper and the spurs are | | |shorter; to the S. is the flat | | |open grass land of the Hawash | | |Valley, which would probably be | | |very swampy during the rains; the | | |road practically is the boundary | | |between Ras Mangasha Atakem’s | | |territory on the N., and Fitaurari | | |Hapto Giorgis on the S. It | | |actually lies, however, in Ras | | |Mangasha’s country. | | | _Hawash River_| 6½ | 48½ |Between Jemjem and Hawash the | | |country is quite open. Three small | | |muddy streams are crossed. Hawash, | | |20 feet by 6 inches; rapid, | | |beautiful water. | | | _L. Bagaga_ | 8½ | 57 |A very small stream, draining to | | |the Gude. No water between it and | | |the Hawash on the road crossing | | |the watershed. To the S. are the | | |Chavo Mountains, and to the N. the | | |escarp rises to a high shoulder at | | |G. Ilfata. From this point the | | |road traverses a succession of | | |open spurs running N. to the L. | | |Dabis, a tributary of the Gude. On | | |the N. of the Dabis the escarp | | |rises in huge terraced cliffs. | | | _L. Meiti or | 3½ | 60½ |Small stream, with good water; Sellen_ | | |before reaching it a dry | | |watercourse and two small streams | | |are crossed. | | | | | |W. of the Laga Meiti the country | | |is everywhere more or less wooded, | | |though the trees are small, except | | |by the streams or on the mountain | | |slopes. This is due to constant | | |grass fires. | | | _L. Hulogka_ | 7 | 67½ |L. Hulogka, 30 feet by 1 foot; | | |rapid; is a fine stream. About 3 | | |miles N. of the road is a church | | |and a hot spring. Between the L. | | |Meiti and L. Hulogka, the L. Awaru | | |drains a marshy valley. | | | _Tulu Dintu_ | 4½ | 72 |Road passes over rather a hilly | | |bit of country, crossing the | | |Taltale and Birbissu streams at 2½ | | |and 3½ miles respectively; both | | |small, with good water. | | | | | |Tulu Dintu was formerly residence | | |of Dejaj Hailo Hariam, brother of | | |Ras Makunnen. Now few huts are | | |occupied. | | | _River Gude_ | 3½ | 75½ |Flat country between Tula Dintu Bridge | | |and Gude, thickly wooded near the | | |latter; two tributaries of the | | |Gude have to be crossed, both | | |small streams with good water. | | | | | |The Gude is a beautiful stream, | | |running from one deep rock pool to | | |another at the bottom of sheer- | | |sided channel, 30 feet deep. | | | | | |A good wooden bridge, 6 feet wide, | | |on stone abutments, has been | | |built, evidently under M. Ilg’s | | |direction. | | | | | |The ground near the stream is too | | |thickly wooded and confined to be | | |a good camping place. | | | | | |The Gude flows N. to the Abai, | | |cutting through the escarp in a | | |wonderful canon about a mile wide, | | |with sheer sides some 2,000 feet | | |high. Beautiful scenery. | | | _L. Kili_ | 10 | 85½ |From the Gude the road rises | | |steeply and runs round the | | |northern spurs of the mountain | | |group which culminates in G. | | |Ragge. The first ascent is very | | |steep, but road is fully well | | |graded, and the conical peak of T. | | |Befti is left to the right. | | | | | |Small streams are crossed at 4, | | |4½, 7½, and 9 miles. About 4 miles | | |N. of the road is a deep valley, | | |running from W. to E. to the Gude, | | |and on the N. side of it the | | |escarp rises precipitously. The | | |spurs of G. Ragge are thickly | | |wooded, and are divided by steep | | |valleys. | | | | | |L. Kili, a good stream, 15 feet | | |wide and 6 inches deep, in a | | |narrow valley. | | | _L. Aresu_ | 4½ | 90 |Road rises very steeply from the | | |Kili over the shoulder of T. Boke, | | |and descends steeply into the | | |Humbolsha Valley (stream dries up) | | |at 2½ miles, then a slight rise | | |and another steep descent to the | | |Aresu, a small stream, but with | | |good water and a good open camping | | |ground on its W. bank. | | | Chelia | 10 | 100 |From the Aresu the road winds District | | |round the south-western end of the (Gedda | | |Rafisokili Valley, passing over village) | | |_numerous_ spurs and _small | | |streams_. L. Mata Arba, at the | | |third mile, is western boundary of | | |Ras Mangasha’s territory, and the | | |eastern boundary of _Chelia_, | | |which belongs to Queen Taitu. | | |Country much broken, and fairly | | |thickly wooded. | | | | | |The village of Gedda, formerly the | | |residence of Dejaj Desta (Ras | | |Darge’s son, now dead), is on the | | |narrow water partly between the | | |Gude (Blue Nile) and Gibbe (Omo) | | |basins; there is a considerable | | |population and a church here. | | | _L. Garsa_ | 12 | 112 |After crossing the watershed the | | |road drops at first very steeply, | | |and then more gradually, into the | | |Gibbe Valley; the surface of the | | |road is good, and level ground is | | |reached at the end of the third | | |mile. At 1½ miles a road branches | | |off to S.W., probably that shown | | |on the map illustrating movement | | |of Bonchamps’ mission. | | | | | |The L. Ambo, which combines with | | |other streams to form the Alengo, | | |is crossed, and the road skirts | | |along N. of, and parallel to, the | | |Alengo. | | | | | |Several streams are crossed before | | |reaching the Garan, and the | | |country is rough. | | | | | |From Gedda the escarp trends off | | |N.W., leaving a wide plain, | | |bounded on the S. and W. by G. | | |Kwunchu Sodu and Tuka. | | | | | |The Garsa is a sluggish, muddy | | |stream, running between steep clay | | |banks. Good camping ground W. of | | |it. | | | _L. Alengo_ | 5 | 117 |Road, after passing a few low | | |spurs, runs over a flat, clay | | |valley. The Alengo, 30 feet wide | | |by 6 inches deep. | | | _River Gibbe_ | 6 | 123 |Road continues over flat, open | | |country, passing close to the low, | | |rocky hillock, T. Bertuma. The | | |Gibbe, 45 feet wide, 2 feet deep, | | |fairly rapid; clay bank, thickly | | |lined with willow, bottom gravel. | | |It is a tributary of the Omo, and | | |the eastern limit of the Queen’s | | |district of Chelia. Between the | | |Gibbe and the Wama the country is | | |Dejaj Damasi’s. | | | _Bilo_ | 13 | 136 |After crossing the Gibbe the road | | |skirts round the northern spurs of | | |G. Kwunchu, crossing several small | | |streams and rather rough ground. | | |Bilo is a considerable market and | | |Customs post, situated on the W. | | |side of the L. Tarli, a good-sized | | |stream running N. to the Gibbe | | |between clay banks. | | | | | |From Bilo the main road to Leka | | |branches off S.W. between T. Sodu | | |and J. Soksaw. | | | _J. Sodu Pass_| 5 | 141 |The Lekempti road keeps almost due | | |W., passing just S. of the summit | | |of Sodu. The ascent is not as bad | | |as it appears, as the road is well | | |graded. | | | | | |There is a wide open spur just | | |before the final rise to the pass | | |begins, which would form a good | | |camping place. Several small | | |streams are crossed in the ascent. | | | _River Wama_ | 12 | 153 |From the pass, which is a very | | |narrow saddle, the descent is | | |steep for 2½ miles; small camping | | |ground, with limited water supply | | |at this point. Then road follows a | | |long spur, falling gradually | | |towards the Wama. Wooded slopes | | |and no cultivation. The Wama is a | | |considerable stream, flowing in | | |rather marshy ground between clay | | |banks, but with gravelly bottom, | | |30 feet wide, 2 feet deep; rapid. | | |Shown on Michel’s and other maps | | |as a tributary of the Didessa. | | |Cattle and sheep plentiful and | | |good grazing; the river is eastern | | |limit of Dejaj Kumsa’s country. | | | _Nekempti_ | 24 | 177 |After crossing the Wama, the road | | |runs up a long narrow spur coming | | |from W. shoulder of G. Tuka. G. | | |Tuka is thickly wooded and | | |precipitous, though round-topped. | | |At 5 miles, a road to Leka | | |branches W. up a broad valley | | |formed by another branch of the | | |Wama. The Leka plateau at the E. | | |end appears steep-sided and | | |thickly wooded. Leka is the head- | | |quarters of Dejaj Damasi, and is | | |said to be extremely fertile, | | |producing much coffee. From the | | |Leka road the track ascends more | | |steeply; country well cultivated | | |and thickly inhabited. Long, | | |narrow, steep-sided spurs run S. | | |from the water parting formed by | | |the western end of G. Tuka. Water | | |is plentiful. At 15 miles is a | | |small village and church. Between | | |this and Nekempti many small | | |streams are crossed and ground is | | |much broken. Nekempti is the | | |residence of Dejaj Kumsa (called | | |by Abyssinians Gabra Xiavrihir). | | |He is a young Galla, a Christian, | | |and has built himself a church. | | |His ideas are advanced, and he has | | |a garden for European plants, and | | |is trying to improve the native | | |coffee and cotton. His gibe is new | | |and well built. There are several | | |Arab merchants established here. | | |The chief market is on Thursday, | | |but there is a daily market. | | | | | |Nekempti is on the watershed | | |between the Wama and Angur, and to | | |the N. the ground drops steeply to | | |the wide flat Angur valley. | | | _Sasiga_ | 13 | 190 |From Nekempti the road runs W., | | |keeping near the watershed, which | | |connects with the N. end of the | | |Leka plateau. After about 5 miles | | |it turns N.W., and several streams | | |flowing N. are crossed. At the | | |Sasiga market place on (Friday) G. | | |Jimata there is a splendid view | | |looking down into the Didessa | | |valley, and across the Angur | | |valley, towards the Limu hills; | | |the Didessa and Angur valleys | | |proper were, till recently, great | | |elephant grounds up to the Abai. | | |The elephants are now practically | | |exterminated, and the ground is | | |being brought under cultivation, | | |though, as it is unhealthy, the | | |people continue to live on the | | |high ground. | | | _Didessa R._ | 24 | 214 |From Sasiga there is a very steep | | |descent of 1,200 feet. Then the | | |road is generally level, and | | |crosses several streams before the | | |L. Arso, where there is a fine | | |camping ground at the 13th mile; | | |thence there is a slight rise to | | |the Tankara ridge, which is the | | |eastern boundary of the Didessa | | |ravine. | | | | | |From this ridge the descent is | | |very steep, winding, and rough to | | |the Didessa, slopes thickly | | |wooded. The Didessa is 150 yards | | |(?) wide, 2 feet deep; current 2½ | | |miles, stony bottom, beautiful | | |water. Good camping place for a | | |small party in dry season on W. | | |bank. | | | _Merechi_ | 8 | 222 |From the river the ascent of the | | |W. side of the ravine begins at | | |once. The road is very rough and | | |bad, and ground on each side is | | |covered with bamboo. The ascent is | | |in three distinct stages, the last | | |being much the worst, no attempt | | |being made to grade it. Between | | |the first and second stage the L. | | |Jirma is crossed, and a small | | |tributary of it is passed before | | |the final stage. | | | | | |Merechi, a small village, Saturday | | |market, and Customs observation | | |post. It is situated on the top of | | |a ridge about 2½ miles behind the | | |edge of the ravine. Between runs | | |the Laga Jirma, and the valley is | | |a good camping ground. This is the | | |beginning of Walega. | | | _Gimbi_ | 12 | 234 |The N. end of the Merechi ridge | | |runs up to the escarp, which now | | |begins to trend N.W. The plateau | | |is very undulating and broken by | | |confused narrow valleys. There is | | |a considerable population, and the | | |country is very fertile. At the | | |10th mile the Garsa ridge, running | | |N. and S., is fairly well defined; | | |otherwise the features are very | | |confused. The Gallel stream, at | | |9th mile, is a good size, but | | |water is everywhere plentiful. T. | | |Jerko, a very sharp cone 30 miles | | |to the S., is very conspicuous, | | |and the road to Dejaj Goti’s | | |country runs N. of it, through the | | |Siva district. Gimbi is the | | |residence of Fitaurari Amenti, | | |uncle of Dejaj Kumsa. | | | _Dungoro, L. | 13 | 247 |From Gimbi the general direction Fincha_ | | |of the road alters and strikes | | |N.N.W. towards Beni Shangul. The | | |country continues well watered, | | |cultivated, and populated, with | | |the same confusion of narrow | | |valleys. It passes through the | | |small districts or townships of | | |Siban (where Fitaurari Debaba, | | |another uncle of Dejaj Kumsa, has | | |a house), Aroji, and Dungoro. This | | |latter is bounded on the S. by the | | |L. Fincha, a considerable rocky | | |stream, which is the last | | |tributary of the Didessa crossed. | | | T. Eriwani | 11 | 258 |Five miles beyond L. Fincha, | | |skirting the western slopes of T. | | |Ghinghi, the track is rough and | | |hilly. Several small streams rise | | |in this hill and, after uniting, | | |flow away S. between T. Jerko and | | |T. Wallel, becoming, lower down, | | |the Birbiri, which joins the Baro | | |near Gore. T. Wallel is now very | | |clearly seen to the S.W. T. | | |Eriwani forms the watershed | | |between the head waters of the | | |Birbiri and the tributaries of the | | |Yabus. Water is rather scarce | | |between T. Ghinghi and Eriwani. | | |Fitaurari Debaba’s second house is | | |in a very conspicuous position on | | |the watershed, W. of the road. | | | _Najo_ | 10 | 268 |To Najo the road is easy, and | | |country open. The Lagas, Henna, | | |and Dilla are crossed, the latter | | |a considerable stream, in which a | | |certain amount of gold washing is | | |done. The sides of its valley are | | |very steep. | | | | | |About 2 miles S. of Najo and 1½ | | |miles E. of the road is M. | | |Camboul’s house in the midst of | | |his trial shafts. This is the most | | |promising part of M. Ilg’s | | |concession. | | | | | |Najo is only a small village, but | | |Dejaj Kumsa is building a new | | |house there to be his hunting | | |head-quarters. | | | Guti Mudema | 7 | 275 |Passing Najo the country begins to | | |fall perceptibly, and is much more | | |open. The undulations are broader, | | |lower, and flatter. There is less | | |cultivation, but many more cattle. | | |The inhabitants are few, and are | | |mainly engaged, it is said, in the | | |gold-washing on the Yabus. | | | | | |Guti Mudema is simply a post on | | |the watershed between the Lagas | | |Alatu and Genasi and the L. Deivo, | | |which commands a very extensive | | |view into Beni Shangul and the | | |Lega Galla country. The two former | | |streams flow between clay banks. | | |All this country was traversed | | |after a considerable amount of | | |rain had fallen, so all the | | |streams were flowing strongly. As | | |a rule, they would be quite | | |shallow. | | | _L. Deivo_ | 2½ | 277½ |Flows in a deep valley, with very | | |steep sides. | | | _Gori_ | 7 | 284½ |A small village, the residence of | | |Fitaurari Densa. Road is over an | | |open plateau with a strongly- | | |marked escarp falling to the W.; | | |to the E. a range of low | | |mountains, running N., marks the | | |great escarp from the western side | | |of the Didessa and southern side | | |of the Abai valley. | | | _L. Komiso_ | 3½ | 288 |The ground falls very rapidly into | | |the Komiso valley, which is bound | | |by a very steep, high escarp on | | |the S. Between the Komiso and | | |Mendi there is a wide broken | | |valley, with the L. Sache flowing | | |past T. Wandi, a well-marked hill | | |2 miles W. of the road. This hill | | |is the northern limit of Dejaj | | |Goti’s country, which appears to | | |extend up in a narrow strip along | | |the E. side of the Yabus. | | | _Mendi_ | 19 | 307 |Mendi lies just S. of the last | | |rise before the road makes its | | |final descent into the Yabus. Here | | |the promontory between the | | |Didessa, Abai, and Yabus breaks | | |into two ranges of hills, one | | |running due N. by Gumbi and one | | |N.W. towards the Beni Shangul | | |hills through G. Gunfi. The road | | |descends by the W. side of the | | |valley in the fork, and is very | | |steep and rough, the side of the | | |valley being, as well, cumbered | | |with with dense bamboo. | | | | | |Mendi is the last Galla village, | | |and from there to the Yabus water | | |cannot be counted on. | | | _L. Badeisa_ | 12 | 319 |Halfway down the descent there is | | |generally water in small | | |quantities, but the camping ground | | |is uneven, confined, and with no | | |good feeding when bamboo is out of | | |leaf. | | | | | |W. of the road near Mendi the | | |ground falls gradually, with | | |slight undulation, to the Yabus. | | |There is thick wooding, and till | | |quite lately the valley was quite | | |full of elephants, but these are | | |rapidly being exterminated. | | | | | |Buffalo, waterbuck, hartebeest, | | |and probably greater kudu are | | |abundant. | | | K. Dabeisa | 7 | 326 |This practically marks the end of | | |the descent, and the road from | | |here to the Yabus is easy. Black | | |population (very thin) begins. | | |Bertas. | | | _K. Yabus or | 9 | 335 |Yabus is the Arabic, and Dabus the L. Dabus_ | | |Galla variant of the name; was | | |slightly in flood when crossed, | | |and was then about 100 feet wide | | |and 3 feet deep at the ford. There | | |is another crossing further S., | | |near where the river breaks | | |through the connection between the | | |Gunfi and Beni Shangul mountains. | | | | | |N. of the crossing is a wide, flat | | |valley with some scattered hills. | | | _K. Sheira_ | 5 | 340 |Crossing the river the ground soon | | |begins to rise. There is a little | | |water in K. Sheira. | | | J. Aside | 7 | 347 |A pass over J. Aside leads into | | |the sub-district of Afodu, which Afodu | 2 | 349 |is under a woman called Zem Zem. | | |The village of Afodu is the head- | | |quarters of a Kanyazmach, the | | |Abyssinian commandant in Beni | | |Shangul. Water is drawn from the _K. Tumat_ | 2 | 351 |Tumat, in which there are always | | |pools. | | | K. Mange | 7 | 358 |Through Beni Shangul there are no | | |difficulties on the road, though | | |the going is bad, owing to the | | |amount of small quartz stones | | |everywhere. The K. Mange is dry. | | |N. of it and W. of the road is J. | | |Fadamo, which is very steep, | | |rocky, and thickly wooded. Here | | |Abd el Rahman’s people made their | | |last stand against the | | |Abyssinians, and it took 12 days’ | | |fighting to clear the hill, both | | |sides losing heavily. The final | | |surrender was only induced by | | |hunger. | | | _Bomo_ | 7 | 365 |At Bomo there is a small village, | | |but like all those seen in Beni | | |Shangul, it is half deserted. It | | |is very difficult to form an idea | | |of how thickly the country is | | |inhabited, as the bush completely | | |shuts in all the villages. A good | | |many were seen from the top of J. | | |Fadamo, but it was a very misty | | |day and it was hard to make them | | |out distinctly. | | | _Belfodio | 5 | 370 |This is the head-quarters of Khamis_ | | |Fitaurari Mohammed Wad Hojali, | | |brother of Abd el Rahman (Tur el | | |Guri), and is generally called | | |Khamis by the Abyssinians. | | | _Famaka_ (Blue| 60 | 430 |Remainder of route in Sudan. Nile) | | | --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

130.—ROSEIRES TO ABU RAMLA AND DUNKUR.

BY MAJOR C. W. GWYNN, C.M.G., D.S.O., JUNE, 1901.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Roseires | — | — |The road to Abu Ramla is a very (Abramat) | | |narrow track much shut in by thick | | |bush and grass. After rain the | | |heavy clay soil produces a | | |particularly heavy and sticky mud. | | | | | |For 5 miles from the river the | | |bush is very thick and soil very | | |heavy. From the 5th to 10th mile | | |the soil becomes more sandy and | | |the bush is thinner. At 12th mile | | |3 large adansonias are passed; | | |soil heavy clay but bush still | | |open. | | | | | |At the 16th mile the road reaches | | |the El Geri hills and turns | | |sharply north-east skirting their | | |foot. These hills are not more | | |than 200 feet high and are covered | | |with low trees. They form a | | |continuous mass though much broken | | |and rocky. Along the northern | | |slopes there is a quantity of | | |bamboo, and road is stony. | | |Skirting round north and _El Geri | 23 | 23 |north-east foot of the hills, (Sheikh’s | | |road comes to a small Hameg Village)_ | | |village. Water (the first since | | |Roseires) is obtained up a steep | | |valley 1 mile south of the | | |village. Road skirts the hills to | | |this point, and then strikes off | | |east again to J. Migin. Ground is | | |nearly flat and clay very heavy, | | |bush thick except at the 31st mile | | |where there is a slight rise and | | |open ground. Number of giraffe | | |along the road. | | | _J. Migin_ | 14 | 37 |J. Migin is a small rocky hill. At | | |its northern end is a water hole | | |in the rocks, which seldom is | | |emptied, but which does not appear | | |to be fed by a spring, so should | | |not be depended on. There are said | | |to be other water holes on the | | |hills. | | | | | |No water from this to Abu Ramla | | |except after rain. Khor Madar, | | |which flows to Khor Zagoli, | | |crossed first branch at 44th mile, | | |and second ½ mile further on. Road J. Abu Ramla | 17 | 54 |passes 1 mile south of J. Withwith | | |and strikes the Abu Ramla mountain | | |half-way along its west side, | | |crossing the large dry Khor Aluk a | | |mile before. Road then turns north | | |and skirts round the northern foot | | |of the mountain. | | | _Mek’s | 4 | 58 |Mek Adam Wad Dafeir’s Village is Village_ | | |at the foot of the north-east | | |corner of the mountain. Several | | |other small villages are passed | | |before reaching. Water is obtained | | |from wells in Khor Ramla, a mile | | |east of the mountain, quality not | | |good, but 100 animals were easily | | |kept in water. | | | | | |Mek is of Fung origin, but the | | |inhabitants chiefly Gumz. | | | | | |From Abu Ramla, the trade road to | | |Dunkur passes through Abu Mendi my | | |party left the main track however | | |at the first point where Dinder is | | |met, and after that no well | | |defined track was found till a | | |couple miles before the Khor | | |Adabiba. | | | | | |Leaving Abu Ramla, road strikes | | |almost due east. The soil is much _Khor Ramla_ | 1 | 59 |more sandy, and even in wet | | |weather fairly good going. Bush | | |generally very thick, principally | | |low trees. | | | _Khor | 9 | 68 |Large pool in Khor Babeheir; a Babeheir_ | | |khor about 10 yards wide, rising | | |in the Bongo Hills and flowing to _J. Abu Nesag_| 1½ | 69½ |the Dinder. Road skirts north of | | |J. Abu Nesag, a low rocky hill. | | |Road stony, and several small dry | | |khors to cross. | | | _Khor Abujar_ | 5 | 74½ |Khor Abujar, sandy bottom, was in (Abu Holgar) | | |flood when crossed, but would | | |probably always contain water in | | |pools or in wells, 50 yards wide, | | |banks easy. | | | _Khor Ainki_ | 4 | 78½ |Khor Ainki was in flood, only just | | |fordable, gravelly bed, 50 yards | | |wide; water always obtainable. | | |Good camping ground, east bank. | | |Just east of the khor there is a | | |slight gravelly rise, but bush | | |still very thick; no view | | |obtainable. Road turns north-east | | |to the Dinder. | | | _Khor | 5½ | 84 |Khor Barageili. Fair camping Barageili_ | | |ground; water in pools. | | | _Dinder R._ | 1½ | 85½ |Dinder is reached at the foot of | | |small rocky hill, J. Mogumbi. Main | | |road to Dunkur appears to skirt | | |along the bank, but the ground is | | |very broken and path is almost | | |invisible. With a view to taking | | |the most direct road, the | | |expedition crossed the river—about | | |100 yards wide, stony, and rocky. | | |Rapid flow of water, 2 feet deep. | | |Guides missed the track, which was | | |said to exist, but of which there | | |was little or no sign, and when | | |the Dinder was met again it was | | |above the ford the guides had been | | |making for. River was followed to | | |the mouth of the Khor Abu Gemmeiz, | | |where it was just fordable. Bush | | |traversed was very thick; | | |quantities of water buck, roan | | |antelope, and other game. | | | _Dinder_ and | 14 | 99½ |River forded just above the Khor | | |junction—100 yards wide. River in | | |partial flood, 3 feet deep. | | |Skirted along left bank of Dinder | | |along a disused track. | | | Khor Damu | 5½ | 105 |Khor Damu, 20 yards wide, rocky | | |with steep banks. Left river and 1st Terrace | 2 | 107 |reached 1st Terrace which marked | | |the beginning of the foot hills. | | |Path came in from south apparently | | |from Abu Mendi. | | | _Khor Adabiba_| 1½ | 108½ |Khor Adabiba, small khor with | | |large pools; water always found. | | | _Dunkur_ | 9½ | 118 |The road touches the Dinder at (Sheikh | | |55th mile, and then turns towards Nasser’s) | | |the chief village of the Dunkur | | |district, which lies in undulating | | |ground about 2½ miles south of the | | |Dinder. There is a considerable | | |amount of cotton grown, and | | |tribute to Kwara is paid in | | |cotton. The natives are of a mixed | | |Hamag and Gumz stock. Many of them | | |can speak Amharic as well as | | |Arabic. A few Abyssinians are | | |generally to be found here. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

131.—DUNKUR TO GALLABAT.

BY MAJOR C. W. GWYNN, JUNE, 1901.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Dunkur | — | — | | | | _Dinder_ | 2½ | 2½ |About 100 yards wide, 3 feet deep; | | |stream 3 miles an hour (but this | | |was after rain). Banks easy, bed | | |stony; a good deal of limestone in | | |the river bed. | | | _Khor Ajban_ | 3½ | 6 |Country on north bank fairly open. | | |Pool of good water in Khor Ajban. | | | _Sheikh | 1½ | 7½ |Sheikh Hassan’s Village small, and Hassan’s_ | | |many of inhabitants have moved to | | |Gallabat. At the first village, ½ | | |mile beyond Khor Ajban, road | | |branches east to Kwara. | | | Dardakara | 6½ | 14 |Road stony, and crosses a number | | |of khors—some dry, but most with | | |good pools—before reaching the | | |practically deserted village of | | |Dardakara. | | | Adzko | 1 | 15 |Adzko also deserted. | | | _Khor Adzko_ | 1½ | 16½ |Large pool of good water in khor: | | |road, very rough, skirting north | | |side of J. Wadrabah. | | | | | |Site of old Dunkur village in | | |hills to east of road. | | | _Khor Gelagu_ | 4 | 20½ |Village of Gelagu, on south side | | |of khor, only contains 3 or 4 | | |families. Khor is 20 yards wide; | | |unlimited water supply, though | | |little stream is apparent. | | | | | |From Gelagu there is a road round | | |the Umzenidi hill, but the more | | |direct road is over the pass N.E. | | |of the village—this is stony but | | |fairly easy. | | | El Gulut | 6½ | 27 |El Gulut is a considerable Kunjara (_Khor Afar_) | | |village on the Khor Afar (a good | | |sized khor with water in pools). | | |From Gulut there is a road to | | |Kwara. A good deal of cotton is | | |grown in neighbourhood. There is a | | |direct route from El Gulut to the | | |Khor Dibaba, near J. Bayisa, but a | | |more easterly route through Magumbal | 5 | 32 |Magumbal (a deserted village) | | |avoids the cotton soil. | | | _Khor Dibaba_ | 6½ | 38½ |Khor Dibaba, 30 yards wide with | | |large pools, is crossed about 1 | | |mile west of J. Bayisa. A very | | |large wild fig tree at the | | |crossing. | | | _Seraf | 9½ | 48 |Up to this point water is Ardeiba_ | | |plentiful, but none is met with | | |crossing the watershed between | | |Rahad and Dinder. Road is well | | |marked and good. Very little water | | |in the Seraf Ardeiba. Road | | |skirting this khor is rough. | | | _Rahad R._ | 5 | 53 |Rahad about 50 yards wide, very | | |slight flow of water between large | | |pools. Bed stony. Many crocodiles | | |in pools. Good camping grounds | | |either bank. | | | Khor Andeiogo | 4 | 57 |On north bank of Rahad there is | | |cotton soil, trees not so thick | | |but more grass. Khor Andeiogo | | |would generally be dry but there | | |is a small pool east of the road. | | |J. Dagarish, a low wooded hill, | | |lies on the road at 59th mile. Khor Tair | 6½ | 63½ |Khor Teir is a large dry khor. | | | | | |No water obtainable. | | | | | |Shortly after crossing Khor Teir, | | |ascent of the escarp, extending | | |from J. Madbura to J. Belula, and | | |forming the watershed between | | |Rahad and Atbara, begins. | | | | | |The ascent of the lower spurs of | | |J. Belula is pretty steep. | | | New Shangal | 9½ | 73 |New Shangal is on the watershed | | |and has only recently been built. | | | _Shangal_ | 1½ | 74½ |Shangal Khor is the first place | | |after passing the Rahad that water | | |can be relied on. | | | Gallabat | 4½ | 79 |On the top of the escarp, | | |cultivation begins and extends at | | |intervals to Gedaref. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

132.—FAZOGLI TO KIRIN.

BY LIEUTENANT JACKSON, R.E., JANUARY, 1900.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Fazogli | — | — |Follow Kukuru road for ½ mile, | | |then keep to right and follow road | | |leading about N.N.W. in the | | |direction of Famaka. Gradual | | |ascent to crest of ridge forming | | |watershed parallel to Fazogli | | |ridge, along which road runs. | | |Numerous small khors run down on | | |either side to join the river on | | |the N., or the K. Akluli on the S. | | | | | |Some tukls forming part of the | | |village of Fazogli. | | | Khor Mogo | ¼ | 1¼ |Road descends abruptly and crosses | | |the Khor Mogo, and shortly Khor Kulili | ¼ | 1½ |afterwards the Khor Kulili. Both | | |these khors about 15 feet wide | | |with steep rocky banks. | | | | | |Road now rises and crosses the | | |outlying spurs of J. Fazogli. | | |Extremely rough going and ground | | |covered with large boulders and | | |rocks. River only about 200 yards | | |off in places, with Famaka plainly | | |visible on opposite bank. Left | | |bank of river here consists of | | |perpendicular rock from 10 to 30 | | |feet high. | | | (Forked Roads)| 1½ | 3 |Road continues extremely hilly and | | |difficult until third mile, where | | |road divides, that on the right | | |leading to Deshalu and Abu | | |Shaneina. | | | | | |The road now takes a S.W. | | |direction and descends gradually | | |into a flat bush. Road good, and | | |level except where it crosses | | |khors. | | | Khor Annis | ¾ | 3¾ |Fifteen yards broad, high banks. Sanganni | | |On the further side cultivation | | |begins and continues with a few | | |intervals of bush the whole way to | | |Masarkum. Dura is the chief | | |product and is of all three kinds. | | |The crop appears to be a very fine | | |one. | | | Ainyet (not | 1¼ | 5 |Road on right leading to Ainyet visited) | | |(not visited). Said to be a large | | |village. | | | Khor (?) | 1 | 6 |Small khor, 5 yards wide, low | | |banks. | | | | | |For the next mile the cultivation | | |appears to be particularly good | | |and the bush begins and continues | | |almost without interruption until Ragreig | 3¾ | 9¾ |within ½ mile of Ragreig—small Village | | |village—scattered tukls. | | | Khor (?) | ¼ | 10 |Much cultivation. Small khor with | | |sandy bottom. Road follows bed for | | |250 yards. | | | Ragreig | 1½ | 11½ |Straggling village on low ridge Village | | |running N. and S., at present | | |uninhabited, Tukls in a bad state | | |of repair, and the whole place | | |overgrown with grass. | | | Abu Gara | ¾ | 12¼ |Compact and well kept. The | | |residence of the brother of the | | |Mek of Fazogli. | | | Khor Tumat | ½ | 12¾ |Quarter mile further on through | | |the dura fields the Khor Tumat is | | |reached. About 200 or 300 yards | | |broad here. Very shallow level | | |bed, sandy. Road goes straight on, | | |crossing it diagonally to where it | | |is joined by the Khor Masarkum. | | |Some pools of very dirty stagnant _Khor | ¼ | 13 |water here. Better water to be Masarkum_ | | |obtained about ¼ mile up the Khor | | |Masarkum from the holes dug in the | | |bed of the khor by the inhabitants | | |of this place. The water also is | | |very bad however and full of mud. | | | _Masarkum | ¼ | 13¼ |A fair sized village, surrounded (Sheikh | | |by dura fields. Rest house. Sheep, Bikori)_ | | |eggs, and milk (cows) readily | | |obtained. There is (1900) only one | | |cow however in the town, the | | |remainder having been looted by | | |Dervishes. | | | | | |Leaving Masarkum the road runs | | |south-west along a ridge or | | |plateau on the left bank of the | | |Khor Masarkum. The ground on this | | |side of the khor is much smoother, | | |and there is little thorn as far | | |as J. Burgan. On the opposite side | | |the bush appears to be thick. | | |There is a quantity of | | |cultivation; dura grown to a great | | |height and producing fine ears. | | |All soil appears good. Several | | |villages are visible on the north | | |side of the road. All go by the | | |name of Ragreig which is probably | | |the word for the class of slaves | | |or serfs that inhabit them. Road | | |very good. | | | J. Burgan | 4¾ | 18 |A low hill south of road marks the | | |limit of cultivation, and from | | |this the bush is thicker, though | | |there is little thorn, chiefly low | | |large leaved trees, like young | | |oaks, and thin grass. | | | _Khor | 1¼ | 19¼ |Khor Masarkum is crossed four Masarkum_ (1st| | |times. It is here known as Khor crossing) | | |Timsah. At the first crossing | | |water still in natural pools, and _3rd crossing_| 2¼ | 21½ |at third crossing obtainable by | | |digging. It is about 20 feet wide, | | |with sandy bottom, and vertical | | |banks 12 feet high. Probably | | |unfordable in flood. | | | | | |After fourth crossing a dry and | | |waterless country is entered. | | |Hardly any khors, and these | | |extremely small. One patch of | | |cultivation surrounded by a zeriba | | |about ½ mile beyond last crossing. | | |Otherwise thin bush and grass. | | |Road good on the whole, but there | | |is a good deal of loose stone. | | | J. Farfira | 4 | 25½ |Road runs along foot of this jebel (Pass) | | |for some distance, and then | | |crosses it by a pass about 200 | | |feet high. Ascent and descent | | |rough and stony, but not very | | |difficult for donkeys. Rest house | | |here. | | | | | |Road now keeps close to the foot | | |of J. Farfira, and keeping its | | |original direction, leaves J. | | |Gamella on the right. | | | | | |South of J. Gamella there are more | | |traces of water, and the khors | | |become more frequent and larger. | | |Country undulating. | | | _Khor El | 8¾ | 34¼ |Khor with hard shingle bed about Hassan_ | | |30 yards broad. High steep banks. | | |Rest house here. Water good and | | |plentiful, but only by digging. | | |Tributary of the Khor Tumat | | |flowing northwards. | | | | | |After crossing khor, country again | | |flat and waterless, and covered | | |with thin bush and grass. | | | J. Gami | 3½ | 37¾ |Road skirts northern spur and then | | |runs in a south easterly direction | | |towards centre of J. Ragreig. | | |Ground now becomes uneven and much | | |intersected by small khors flowing | | |from the neighbouring hills to | | |join Khor Shikatar. This khor | | |rises in J. Ragreig and is at this | | |point about 10 yards broad. Rocks | | |and gravel in bed. Low banks. | | | | | |The hills comprising J. Ragreig | | |form a horseshoe, up the central | | |valley between the horns of which | | |the road runs. After crossing the | | |Khor Shikatar for the first time, | | |the road gradually ascends a spur | | |running down from the main or | | |western ridge of J. Ragreig. About | | |¼ mile further on it gradually | | |returns to the valley, and | | |crossing the Khor Shikatar it | | |rises to the pass between the main | | |peak of Ragreig and the conical | | |peak immediately east of it. | | | | | |Road follows course of Khor | | |Shikatar roughly. Ascent nowhere | | |very steep, but rough and stony. | | |Thick bush and trees in the | | |valley. | | | J. Ragreig | 4½ | 42¼ |The pass over which the road runs | | |is roughly 250 feet high. Nothing | | |can be seen to the north without | | |ascending one of the two peaks on | | |either side, owing to trees; to | | |the south a good view of the | | |country can be seen, especially J. | | |Keili, distant about 7 miles. This | | |pass forms the boundary between | | |Fazogli and Keili. Guides state | | |that ridge west of road belonged | | |to Fazogli, and that east of road | | |to Keili. Jebel was originally | | |inhabited, but is now deserted. | | |Inhabitants have gone, some to | | |Fazogli, some to Keili, forming | | |the various Ragreig villages which | | |are scattered about. Descent from | | |pass on south side much steeper | | |than ascent on north. Road zigzags | | |at first, and then runs straight | | |down, passing between two small | | |jebels. Very rough and stony. | | |Jebel on right inhabited by | | |Ragreig people, no name | | |obtainable. | | | | | |Country now very level again with | | |slope downwards towards J. Keili. | | |Thin bush and grass. Road good. | | | Khor Magansor | 2½ | 44¾ |Thirty yards wide. Rocky bed. High | | |banks. No water at present. | | | _Khor Ofat_ | ½ | 45¼ |Twenty yards wide. Bed here full | | |of rocks. Water plentiful. Pools | | |still remaining, but water | | |stagnant, and it is necessary to | | |dig to obtain good water (Jan. | | |1900). | | | | ½ | 45¾ |Cultivation now begins opposite | | |northern extremity of J. Keili, | | |but only in patches, which are | | |enclosed in thorn zaribas. Chiefly | | |dura. | | | | | |Road runs through centre of level | | |ground lying between J. Keili on | | |the right and Jebels Anguba and | | |Fashola on the left. | | | | 1½ | 47¼ |Cultivation becomes continuous, | | |extending to foot of jebels on | | |either side of road. Large trees | | |scattered about, especially near _Keili_ (camp | 1 | 48¼ |jebels. Mek’s house lies at the under J. | | |foot of J. Keili, opposite J. Fashola) | | |Fashola. | | | | | |There is no regular village, as | | |the tukls are scattered round at | | |the foot of the hills. All the | | |centre part of the valley is more | | |or less under water during the | | |rains. | | | | | |Rest house here. Supplies of all | | |kinds except vegetables and fruit | | |are plentiful. I counted one herd | | |of 20 fine cows on first entering | | |valley. Natives will take Egyptian | | |money, but seem to prefer empty | | |bottles or necklaces, soap would | | |probably go well. Donkeys are | | |scarce, and it is difficult to | | |hire or buy. | | | | | |Road on leaving valley skirts J. | | |Fashola closely, and then heads | | |nearly due south for J. Kamye. | | | | | |Towards south and west there is a | | |stretch of apparently unbroken | | |flat bush to the horizon. | | |Cultivation ceases almost | | |directly. | | | Khor Gulbis | 1½ | 49¾ |Ten yards wide, said to flow into | | |Blue Nile near Abu Shaneina. | | | | | |At 2 miles from Keili there is a | | |knoll on some high ground, with a | | |large and prominent tree, which | | |forms a good landmark when | | |approaching from the north. | | | J. Kamye | — | — |A low lying range of round-topped | | |hills. No rock showing, grass | | |right up to summit. Road passes | | |through outlying spurs and knolls | | |of this jebel on the western side. | | |Come cultivation on northern | | |slopes, and a great deal (chiefly | | |dura) on the south-west. | | | | | |Leaving J. Kange on right, road | | |passes through some low ground Khor Dunga | 4 | 53¾ |covered with bamboo, probably | | |swampy in rainy season, crossing | | |Khor Dunga, 10 yards wide. | | | | | |Road now crosses a succession of | | |small khors, all running west to | | |join the Khor Timsah. Low ridges | | |between khors. | | | Khor Umburri | 3¾ | 57 |Ten yards wide, steep banks, sandy | | |bed, bush becomes thicker beyond | | |this khor. | | | Khor Ahemir | 1¾ | 58¾ |Five yards wide, low banks where | | |road crosses; joins Khor Timsah | | |about ¾ mile further west. | | | _Khor Timsah_ | ¼ | 59 |Twenty yards wide, very rocky bed, | | |steep banks; flows about due west | | |where crossed by road, but turns | | |north about ¼ mile further down | | |stream. Probably joins Khor | | |Gulbis. | | | | | |One large and deep pool of water | | |at present, where road crosses, | | |supply considerable, and fish can | | |be caught in it; very muddy water, | | |but appears to be good. | | | | | |Road becomes more level now, and | | |fewer small khors to cross. | | | J (?) | 2¼ | 61¼ |Low hills, thickly covered with | | |grass and bush. | | | | | |Road runs up a central spur. | | |Ascent gradual and road fairly | | |good. Descent on north side also | | |along spur, but steeper; road not | | |so good, and covered with loose | | |stones. | | | Khor Gummi | 2¾ | 64 |Twelve yards wide; stones in bed. | | | Khor Mingil | ½ | 64½ |A small shall khor. Hills (J. | | |Mingil) now begin on either side. | | |Road good, no steep gradients. | | |Bush all over the hills, very | | |thick in the valleys, but thinner, | | |and long grass on top. | | | J. Kurmuk | 3¾ | 68¼ |Gradual descent to foot of J. | | |Kurmuk. Tukls scattered round | | |jebel, but probably not very many | | |inhabitants. | | | | | |Latter all fled at our approach, | | |and very little information could | | |be obtained. No water near road, | | |but a little is said to be | | |procurable further round jebel. | | |Apparently nothing for sale. | | | | | |Road to Dul now turns off in a | | |more easterly direction, and takes | | |a straight course towards the | | |jebel, which is plainly visible. | | |Country quite flat and shallow | | |until Khor El Dahab is reached. | | |Bush thick. Probably wet and boggy | | |during rains. | | | Khor Wirta | ½ | 68¾ |Five yards wide, sandy bed. Just | | |after this khor a road branches | | |off to right, which, according to | | |the guides, is used as an | | |alternative road to Dul in wet | | |weather, it rejoins the main road | | |further on. | | | _Khor el | 3½ | 72¼ |Twenty yards wide, banks steep, Dahab_ | | |about 20 feet high, sandy bed. | | |Winds very much in and out amongst | | |these bends for some distance | | |before actually crossing it. Good | | |water obtainable here at present, | | |also at a place about 200 yards | | |before that, at which the road | | |crosses khor. Gold found here | | |about ¼ mile before crossing khor; | | |there are a number of circular | | |shaft about 3 feet in diameter, | | |and some about as much as 20 feet | | |deep, from which the earth is | | |taken. This is the first important | | |khor in the basin of the White | | |Nile. | | | Khor Goshindo | 2¾ | 75 |Small khor with steep banks. | | | | | |Road now becomes hilly, and | | |follows edge of high ground, the | | |ground on the left falling away | | |rapidly to khor in valley below. | | | Dul | 2¼ | 77¼ |No actual town, but a number of | | |tukls scattered about outlying | | |spurs of Dul, also on north side | | |of valley, and khor, which runs | | |down in a north-westerly direction | | |from the hills. | | | | | |The natives depend entirely upon | | |the gold which they find, and | | |import all supplies from Gomasha. | | |Nothing seems to be grown in this | | |country. They are an idle and very | | |unintelligent people, and are | | |unwilling to be of any assistance. | | |They seem to be genuinely afraid | | |of the Abyssinians. Water | | |plentiful and fairly good obtained | | |in khor. | | | | | |Road now takes a southerly | | |direction and skirts the eastern | | |slopes of J. Dul, winding in and | | |out amongst its spurs. Road rough | | |in places and stony, but on the | | |whole good. Tukls on all the high | | |ground. | | | Khor Biberis | 1½ | 78¾ |Small khor with rocky bed. | | | Khor Adunga | ½ | 79¼ |Small shallow khor. Gold pits | | |along banks. | | | Arakuba | ¼ | 79½ |A collection of a few tukls on the | | |main jebel. | | | Khor Udanduk | 1¼ | 80¾ |Actual channel 5 yards wide, it | | |has low banks, and evidently | | |overflows its banks. Road crosses | | |it just beyond the south-western | | |spur of J. Dul, and heads direct | | |for J. Mindon. | | | Khor Gensogala| ¼ | 81 |Five yards wide, sandy bed. | | | (Forked roads)| ¼ | 81¼ |Road divides; that on right going | | |to Kirin _viâ_ Kumfo, and Jebels | | |Beldoesu and Fana Gamenta; that on | | |the left _viâ_ Goha, Asosa, and | | |Fadasi. | | | | | |The former is a direct road, and | | |could easily be made fairly good | | |by clearing bamboo and levelling. | | |It is very little used, however, | | |and there are no villages along | | |it. Water is somewhat scarce. The | | |latter, as far as we went, is a | | |very bad hilly road; but a great | | |trade route and very much used. | | |Probably good when once the | | |watershed is crossed. | | | | — | 81¼ |Take right hand road at fork (left | | |to Gomasha). Road crosses a number | | |of small khors. Ground between | | |low-lying, and would probably be | | |mostly under water during rains. A | | |great deal of bamboo. Road | | |difficult to find. | | | _Khor Ageheni_| ¾ | 82 |Broad shallow khor with low banks | | |and sandy bed. Road followed by us | | |did not cross khor at this point, | | |but took us some distance more to | | |the west before doing so. We were | | |without guides, however, and the | | |road is difficult to follow. | | |Probably we made an unnecessary | | |detour. Plenty of water just below | | |the surface. Natives were washing | | |gold just below where we crossed; | 1¼ | 83¼ |their tukls are scattered all | | |about here. | | | J. Kumfo | 1¾ | 85 |Small jebels with tukls on them; a | | |little cultivation; road passes | | |west of them. | | | Khor (?) | 1 | 86 |Road passes between jebels, | | |crossing small khor, very rough | | |and rocky, and sides of khor | | |steep. Road runs now along eastern | | |slopes of hills. Very rough and | | |covered with bamboo, which brings | | |rate of progress of caravan down | | |to about 2 miles per hour. From | | |here to the camp by the small khor | | |S. of Khor Delligi. | | | Khor Belligi | 1¼ | 87¼ |Twenty five yards broad, very | | |shallow, sandy bed. No water. | | | _Khor_ (?) | 1 | 88¼ |Small khor with very rocky bed and | | |difficult crossing for Hamla. Two | | |large pools of very good water | | |(Jan. 1900). | | | | | |Road continues in a south-easterly | | |direction. Bush on both sides, but | | |a small patch of cultivation on | | |the right at one place. | | | (Forked roads)| 1 | 89¼ |Road divides; take right hand | | |branch, leading straight towards | | |J. Beldoesu. | | | | 1 | 90¼ |Two small shallow khors, 15 yards | | |wide, sandy. | | | _Khor_ (?) | 1¼ | 91½ |Khor 20 yards wide, a little water | | |on digging. | | | J. Beldoesu | — | — |Road now keeps along western | | |slopes of J. Beldoesu. Numerous | | |small deep khors to cross, and | | |ground exceedingly rough and | | |difficult for Hamla. On leaving J. | | |Beldoesu road improves and runs up | | |and across valley between J. | | |Fanaoge and J. Fanagamenta. | | | _K. Zalan_ | 5¼ | 96¾ |A large quantity of excellent | | |water in pools in the rock. Best | | |place for Hamla to cross is by a | | |sandbank, just above the rock. | | | | | |Beyond Khor Zalan the road is | | |fairly good, but progress of Hamla | | |is very much hampered by the | | |bamboo. | | | (Pass) | 6¼ | 103 |Road gradually ascends, and | | |finally runs over a low and easy | | |pass between J. Fanaoge and J. | | |Fanagamenta. Pass about 200 feet | | |high. Descent on south side along | | |eastern slopes of valley. Khors | | |are numerous and very deep, but no | | |water. Road extremely rough and | | |hilly. | | | _Khor Ahrakad_| 5¼ | 108¼ |Small khor with stony bed. A | | |little water on digging, but | | |supply salty and very limited. | | |This khor is not actually crossed | | |by the road at the point where | | |best water is found, but lies a | | |short distance to the east. | | | J. Taza | — | — |A fair sized jebel with two peaks | | |and extremely steep sides. Road | | |passes west of it. | | | Khor Lashe | ¾ | 109 |Small khor with steep banks. | | | | ¾ | 109¾ |Road forks; keep to right. | | | Khor Turus(or | ½ | 110¼ |Broad khor with stony bed. Yander) | | | | | | J. Belsuri | — | — |Road now passes between J. Belsuri | | |on left and J. Hode on right. | | |Rather hilly and rough. | | | J. Hode | — | — |These hills are inhabited, and | | |there is some cultivation. | | | | 1¼ | 111½ |Forked roads in open space; keep | | |to left. | | | | | |In the valley, through which road | | |now runs, there is a great deal of | | |cultivation. Flat bush as far as | | |the eye can reach towards south | | |and south-west. | | | _Khor Gaduk_ | 3 | 114½ |Small khor with steep banks, a | | |little muddy water still left | | |above ground (Jan. 1900). | | | Agani | 1½ | 116 |A few tukls; a considerable | | |quantity of cultivation, chiefly | | |dura. | | | (Forked roads)| 1 | 117 |Forked roads; keep to right. | | | (Forked roads)| 1½ | 118½ |Forked roads—keep to left. | | | Khor (?) | ¼ | 118¾ |Small khor 10 yards wide—south | | |bank steep. | | | Ashuli | ¼ | 119 |A few tukls surrounded by | | |cultivation. Road turns to left | | |and then bears round to right, and | | |skirts the southern slopes of J. J. Gushu | — | — |Gushu; rough in places, but good | | |on the whole. | | | _Khor Shugalu_| ¾ | 119¾ |Large khor with high steep banks, (Khor Befar) | | |sandy bed. Good water plentiful; | | |much cultivation along banks, | | |including onions, water-melons, | | |&c. | | | | | |After crossing khor, ground rather | | |uneven and grass and bush rather | | |thick, until you get close to J. | | |Kirin. Open ground along its base. | | | _Kirin_ | 1½ | 121¼ |Tukls scattered all round the (Sheikh | | |jebel, but most of the big men Hamed’s House)| | |seem to live close to this place. | | | | | |Open ground at base of hill, and | | |very good place for camp at | | |present, but might be wet during | | |rainy season. Water taken from | | |wells in sand about ¼ mile away, | | |rather muddy, and of a thick white | | |colour like milk. Supply scanty at | | |present, and our party finally | | |took their water from Khor | | |Shugalu. Inhabitants most | | |friendly. Sheep, pigs, chickens, | | |eggs, and dura in overwhelming | | |quantities, were sent as presents. | | |Onions and milk (goats) can be | | |obtained, but supply is limited. | | | | | |People are ready to sell for gold | | |(native, in rings), beads, soap, | | |old bottles, tins, &c. Beads (blue | | |or red) seem to be the chief thing | | |required. Salt is also good. We | | |got rid of a few fasses, but iron | | |does not seem to be in request. | | |Spear heads are no good. Cloth of | | |the most brilliant colours | | |possible would probably also go | | |well. Sheikh Hamed has large | | |stores of dura in tukls on the | | |hill, and sold it to us at 3 gold | | |rings (each worth about 45 | | |piastres) the ardeb. There is a | | |small quantity of semsem (5 rings | | |the ardeb) and lubia. | | | | | |From Kirin the road runs straight | | |on nearly due south. Some bad | | |rocky places, until the spurs of | | |the mountain are all left behind, | | |the road then level and fairly | | |good, passing through bush of | | |varying thickness, but with very | | |little thorn in it, and patches of | | |bamboo along the banks of the | | |khors. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

133.—KIRIN TO KODOK.

BY MAJOR C. W. GWYNN, APRIL, 1903.

A mixed Hamla—mules, donkeys and camels—was taken from Kirin to Kodok, April, 1903.

No rain had fallen, but more water was found in the neighbouring country than in previous years, so that conditions of water may be assumed normal for middle of dry season, but more favourable than usual for extreme end of dry season.

There was no recognised track, and no guides could be obtained from Kirin, nor would it have been possible to obtain Dinka guides to make the journey in the reverse direction.

The route followed is not necessarily the best, as probably deflections were made by guides owing to inter-village fighting or for other reasons.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Kirin | — | — |From Kirin there are several | | |tracks leading west to the farm | | |village belonging to Ahmed Wad | | |Yimr. | | | _Khor Yabus_ | 13 | 13 |Water is obtainable at several at junction | | |places, _vide_ Map. with Khor | | | Serekoli | | | | | | | | |The Khor Yabus known to the Gallas | | |as Ayaya, and to the Khomas as | | |Kizi, is a strong flowing stream | | |40 feet wide and 1 foot deep, | | |rocky bottom and wooded banks. | | |Soil in neighbourhood mostly sandy | | |and firm. Stream full of fish, | | |which many Kirin people come to | | |catch and dry. Fishing places do | | |not extend more than 20 miles west | | |of Kirin. | | | | | |As I had been told the Khor Yabus | | |took a sharp bend S. after | | |clearing the hills I chose the | | |left bank, so as to avoid missing | | |the turn. The ground near the khor | | |was stony and broken by side | | |khors, so marched well clear of | | |stream. Ground firm and bush not | | |thick enough to be an obstacle. If | | |grass had not been burnt going | | |would have been difficult. | | | _Khor Mia_ | 13 | 26 |Went to Yabus for water at its | | |junction with a large khor | | |(probably Khor Mia), coming from | | |the Khoma mountains. The character | | |of the Yabus had changed, and now | | |ran over a level sandy bed, water | | |6 inches deep, banks cotton soil, | | |marshy and high grass jungle. | | |Country on either side almost | | |entirely open, but large trees by | | |the khor. Country from this point | | |to the beginning of Burun villages | | |swarms with game—buffalo and | | |elephant. Hunting parties from | | |Kirin, with rifles, constantly | | |about. | | | Khor | 5 | 31 |Kept clear of banks of khor again, | | |which were swampy and had thick | | |jungle in places. Country away | | |from river open and slightly | | |undulating. | | | _J. Belshingi_| 1 | 32 |Cotton soil, but fair going. Khor and Jebel | | |passes between Jebel Belshingi on Belatoma | | |N. bank and J. Belatoma on S. A | | |rocky outlying knoll of latter | | |close to stream gives a fair | | |camping ground at its base. A wide | | |marshy khor comes from the south | | |just before reaching this knoll. | | | | | |The Yabus winds round the south | | |end of J. Belshingi and spreads | | |out into two marshy lakes, a small _Knoll_ | 3 | 35 |rocky knoll forming the extreme | | |south end of J. Belshingi (though | | |on opposite side of khor) lying | | |between the lakes. | | | | | |The north bank of Yabus is wooded, | | |but country to south is open. Bed | | |of stream winds through wide | | |marshy belt. Skirting the marsh, | | |game tracks gave good going. | | | Village | 4 | 39 |First Burun village was deserted. (deserted) (?)| | |Found it had been raided by Kirin Mago | | |people two months before, and | | |Sheikh Digga had been killed. | | |Village had evidently been | | |occupied since. From this village | | |found a good track, and, after 3 | | |miles, bush became thick; many dom | | |palms. | | | _N’yunka_ | 4 | 43 |N’yunka, a collection of villages | | |among dom thickets. No men at | | |first to be seen, but surprised | | |some women who shortly induced men | | |to appear. Latter very frightened | | |at first. All armed with long | | |bows, wooden pointed featherless | | |arrows and generally a spear, and | | |quite naked. | | | | | |A good track ran through wooded | | |country S. of the Yabus, passing | | |the villages of Toma, N’dinga, | | |Bane Bugga, Ote, Onka and the | | |villages of Sheikh Washa. At these | | |latter crossed the Yabus, which _Yabus | 9 | 52 |from this point turns S.W. The crossing_ | | |Buruns could not give me any clear | | |account of where it went to, but | | |thought it discharged into Sobat. | | |I believe it opens out into a | | |swampy lake which also receives | | |the Sonka, and part of the water | | |from this may make its way to the | | |Sobat near Nasser and part into | | |the Khor Adar. When last seen | | |there was a good flow of water. | | |The country to S.W. appeared to be | | |thickly wooded, and I could not | | |ascertain to what extent it was | | |inhabited. | | | | | |Track continued to be good, and | | |passed through villages of Kanje | | |and Loma, almost deserted owing to | | |distance from Walu to Bangaia. | | | _Bangaia_ | 7 | 59 |Hafirs. The village is small and | | |the hafirs are in a marshy | | |overflow from a khor ½ mile S.E. | | |of village. These Burun hafirs are | | |generally dug in marshy spots, and | | |sometimes are merely reservoirs, | | |sometimes really gammams. They are | | |carefully covered in with sticks, | | |and grass and water is generally | | |clean and good. At Bangaia very | | |good and plentiful. | | | _Tuer_ | 3 | 62 |Small village with hafir—several | | |deserted villages between it and | | |Bangaia. | | | Beio | 5½ | 67½ |Track good, country fairly open. | | |Small village. | | | Hillock | 1 | 68½ |Very small hillock with few huts. | | | Kyela | 2½ | 71 |Kyela is a group of several | | |villages with wide track of | | |cultivation. Inhabitants gone away | | |for water. | | | | | |After 4 miles track ceases, and | | |guides took us N.W., avoiding a | | |piece of badly broken cotton soil. | | | _K. Yungen_ | 9 | 80 |Lot of giraffe and ostrich. A | | |gammam with some very bad water in | | |Khor Yungen. | | | _Nyeda_ | 3 | 83 |Nyeda, a village with 300 to 400 | | |people on Khor Murga (probably the | | |same as Khor Yungen). Poor water | | |in gammams in khor. These are 6 | | |feet deep and fill slowly; barely | | |gave water enough for 50 animals | | |and 50 men. | | | | | |From here a good number of people | | |know a little Arabic or Dinka. The | | |Sheikh is Dar El Sagia, and he has | | |been fighting with the surrounding | | |villages. | | | | | |The whole district is called Dar | | |El Imam and was under a Sheikh | | |called Wad Regab Wad Ali. This man | | |was murdered some four years ago, | | |and Dar El Sagia claims to be his | | |successor, but is not recognised | | |by most of the villages. This is | | |about the limit of the raiding of | | |the Beni Shangul people. | | | | | |Khor Murga is said to be a branch | | |of the big khor which formed from | | |the khors between Jebel Kurmuk and | | |Jebel Fanagamenta, passes close to | | |J. Jumjum under the name of Khor | | |Tumbakh. | | | | | |J. Jumjum lies south of J. Mofwa | | |and is the southern limit of Idris | | |Wad Regab’s influence at present. | | |Khor Tumbakh appears to split up | | |into branches, and one probably | | |reaches Khor Adar near Rengachuk. | | | _Hafirs_ | 4 | 87 |Two good hafirs. Track bad over | | |broken cotton soil. | | | Nyeda (Sh. | 8 | 95 |After passing hafirs track becomes Tukani) camp | | |very good and goes through a | | |number of villages whose | | |inhabitants had gone to water. | | |About two miles short of camp | | |entered on a wide stretch of | | |cultivation, cotton soil. | | |Scattered villages. No defined | | |khor, but probably the whole under | | |water in the rains from overflow | | |of Khor Tumbakh. There were many | | |gammams, but water very bad and | | |muddy. | | | _Dinko Wad | 7 | 102 |Bad going over cotton soil. Dinko Dageig_ | | |Wad Dageig was last Burun village. | | |It is situated in a grove of dom | | |palms, dry sandy soil. Water from | | |gammam 10 feet deep, plentiful and | | |good. This village is in about 10° | | |10′ and 30° 10′ E. | | | Tibn | 13 | 115 |There is no defined track west of | | |this, but hunting parties | | |frequently go to El Tame. Passed | | |over open country; cotton soil, | | |rather rough going. Passed the | | |Debba of Tibn lying ¼ mile to | | |right just before entering a track | | |of park land; heglig trees. | | | | | |Tibn was the most outlying of the | | |Dinka villages, but had been | | |deserted since the beginning of | | |the Mahdia. Water used to be | | |stored in hafirs, but now none. | | | | | |A second debba was seen about four | | |miles further W. | | | _El Tame_ | 10 | 125 |Heglig trees last for eight miles, | | |and cotton soil is bad. El Tame is | | |a marshy lake, or rather two large | | |pools in a khor, which, however, | | |does not appear to connect to | | |anything. | | | | | |Water is plentiful, but muddy and | | |fouled by game. There are no trees | | |or anything to mark the position | | |of the water except flocks of | | |birds. Game very abundant, and | | |both Buruns and Dinkas come to | | |hunt. The latter are very much | | |afraid of the Buruns. | | | Khor Adar | 15 | 140 |Kept S.W. for 15 miles. Cotton | | |soil and fairly good going; | | |country generally open with a few | | |clumps of heglig. Struck Khor Adar | | |at some feriks belonging to Sheikh | | |Wal Awal at about the point where | | |Captain Wilson’s reconnaissance | | |ended. This point is about 40 | | |miles due east of Kodok. The | | |Dinkas, however, in going to Kodok | | |always follow the Khor Adar to | | |Rengachuk and thence across to the | | |Nile at Mialek, which makes a | | |journey at least 20 miles longer Kodok | 60 (?) | 200 |and involves several crossings of | | (?) |the Khor Adar. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

134.—KHOR BOSUK[43], _viâ_ KHOR EINE TO GOHA.

BY MAJOR G. DE H. SMITH, FEBRUARY, 1904.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Camp (Khor | — | — | Bosuk) | | | | | | Cavalry Camp | 12 | 12 |The road runs along the foot of (Khor Bosuk) | | |the N. slopes of J. Beldoesu; a | | |new road now made along other side | | |of valley and along course of | | |stream which is much better going. | | | | | |From Cavalry Camp, where there is | | |a lot of water (running in khor), | | |the road goes up a slope up the | | |Shanendo valley, also called | | |Fanishuman (name of old village). | | |The ascent up the valley is easy | | |at first, but afterwards up steep | | |slopes with rocks. Water is met | | |with twice on way up—at one place | | |a running stream. There is a bad | | |bit of road just at this stream, | | |difficult even to make it safe for | | |horses and mules. For camels the | | |road would require zigzaging and | | |grading. There are flat places on | | |the tops of the spurs where halts | | |can be made. | | | _Khor Eine_ | 7 | 19 |From top of pass the road goes | | |along the plateau in an easterly | | |direction till Khor Eine is | | |reached, where there is a flowing | | |stream, good shade and grazing, | | |and camping ground. | | | Camp at Goha | 3 | 22 |From Khor Eine good road round | | |spur leads into Goha, about 2 | | |miles before reaching which road | | |branches off to Asosa, going in a | | |southerly direction. The tukls are | | |on the foot of slope of J. Goha | | |and also all over the top of the | | |hill. J. Goha is a series of | | |broken, rocky hills, and is in | | |reality a spur projecting from the | | |higher plateau. | | | | | |There is a fair amount of | | |cultivation in patches in the open | | |valley. There is a running stream | | |at foot of Goha Hill on N. side, | | |which is fed by many tributaries, | | |most of which contain running | | |water. There is a good camping | | |ground across this stream on low | | |hills facing the lower N. slopes | | |of J. Goha, water and grazing | | |plentiful. Supplies of dura | | |apparently got from Asosa. There | | |were only about 20 cattle to be | | |seen, and no sign of any trade | | |going on or Gallabas about. This | | |may be due to the disturbed state | | |of the country and the roads being | | |closed. | | | | | | | | |(NOTE.—A small party of cavalry | | |marched along this road at the | | |rate of 3 to 4 miles per hour.) --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

135.—GOHA, _viâ_ K. BARSU TO BOSUK.

BY MAJOR G. DE H. SMITH, FEBRUARY, 1904.

136.—CAMP ON KHOR BOSUK[44] TO ASOSA.

BY MAJOR G. DE H. SMITH, MARCH, 1904.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- _Camp Khor | — | — |The road runs along the foot of Bosuk_ | | |the N. slopes of J. Beldoesu. A | | |new road has now been made along | | |the other side of valley and along | | |course of stream, which is much | | |better going. | | | _Cavalry Camp | 12 | 12 |From Cavalry Camp, where there is (Khor Bosuk)_ | | |a lot of water (running in khor). | | |The road goes up a slope up the | | |Shanendo valley, also called | | |Fanishuman (name of old villages). | | |The ascent up the valley is easy | | |at first, afterwards up steep | | |slopes with rocks. Water is met | | |with twice on way up, at one place | | |a running stream. There is a bad | | |bit of road just at this stream, | | |difficult even to make it safe for | | |horses and mules. For camels the | | |road would require zigzaging and | | |grading. There are flat places on | | |the top of the spurs where halts | | |can be made. | | | _Khor Eine_ | 7 | 19 |From top of pass the road goes | | |along the plateau in an easterly | | |direction till Khor Eine is | | |reached, where there is a flowing | | |stream, good shade, grazing and | | |camping ground. | | | | | |From Khor Eine good road round | | |spur into Goha. About 2 miles out | | |on this road Goha-Asosa track | | |strikes it in a southerly | | |direction, goes up parallel to N. | | |slopes of Goha hills, crossing | | |pass on to top of plateau; water- | | |course on N. side of road, water | | |also. Nearly at once cross a khor | | |on top of plateau with water which | | |flows down in direction Khor