Chapter XXIII: Section 3: Gallabat and District

[Sidenote: General.]

The comparatively small area (about 1,200 square miles) bounded on the west by the River Rahad, on the north by Khor Seraf Said, the southern boundary of Gedaref Province, and on the east and south by the Abyssinian frontier, comprises the district of Gallabat. Practically the whole of this region is thickly wooded with talh, soffar, ebony, silag, ardeib, hashab, baobab, bamboo, and other trees, of which some attain considerable size; the central and south eastern portions are hilly, as is Gadabi and some of the country to the east of the Atbara.[65] In the vicinity of the town of Gallabat there are perennial streams of running water, but the greater part of the province is dependent on wells for its water supply.

[Sidenote: Town.]

Gallabat town, called by the Abyssinians Matemma, is situated at the foot of a steep slope on the left bank of the Khor Abnaheir, which here constitutes the boundary with Abyssinia, and is about 5 miles from the Atbara which flows to the north and north-east.

[Sidenote: Historical.]

The town has for a very long time been considered as forming an important trade centre on the Sudan-Abyssinian frontier, and the latter people used to lay claim to it. It was in consequence an almost constant source of feuds and fighting during the greater part of the last century between the Abyssinians and the Turks, and later with the Dervishes. It was formerly celebrated for its slave mart, and drove a prosperous trade. (_Vide_ “Cradle of the Blue Nile,” vol. 2, p. 168.)

It was attacked by the Dervishes under Zeki Tumal in 1886, and sacked. Three years later King John of Abyssinia, burning with fury at the sack of Gondar by the Mahdists, collected his warriors and fought a tremendous battle here, with, it is asserted, 80,000 to 100,000 on either side, on 9th March, 1889. The Abyssinians, who outnumbered the Dervishes, at first were successful, but just as the Dervishes, on the following day, were giving way on all sides a stray shot wounded and subsequently killed King John. This completely reversed the situation, and the Abyssinians turned and fled (_vide_ p. 258.)

Its occupation by the Dervishes naturally resulted in the ruin of its trade, and this is only now beginning to revive. Robbers are, however, rife inside the Abyssinian frontier, and owing to that and other reasons, the revival is slow. The Anglo-Egyptian flags were hoisted at Gallabat on 7th December, 1898, by Colonel Collinson, C.B. The Abyssinian flag was then already flying on the fort.

Gallabat is said, before the Mahdia, to have been a comparatively large and busy trade centre. Looking at it now, it is difficult to believe that it can ever regain its pristine wealth and importance. The town, such as it is, with the exception of the Zabtia, etc., is built entirely of grass tukls. On the top of the slope overlooking the town there still remains the old Dervish fort built by Zeki Tumal. From here a very fine view is obtained away to the hills beyond the Atbara, and on a clear day one can see the mountains surrounding Lake Tsana. The hill pointed out as that on which King John was wounded lies 3 miles south-east, and that near which his body was captured is visible 10 miles further off.

[Sidenote: Inhabitants. Takruri.]

The inhabitants are almost entirely Takruris,[66] originally from Darfur. The ancestors of these people, on arrival at Gallabat on their way back to Darfur after visiting Mecca in the 18th century, realised they had found a better land and settled here, where they have remained ever since. They possess curious jagged throwing-knives, which their ancestors are said to have brought from the Upper Congo.

In 1899 the population of the province, which was carefully assessed, numbered 2,200 souls, of which about 700 were living in the town itself. In 1901, it was estimated to be 2,670, and it has since increased to 3,800 in 1904.

These Takruris are as a rule poor, but industrious and fairly good cultivators. They also collect a good deal of honey. This they find with great dexterity by means of a bird, whose note they are exceedingly quick at detecting. Honey and water is always proffered to the thirsty traveller, though a liquor called “Asalia,” a kind of “Um Bilbil” or “Merissa,” is the drink they prefer themselves.

[Sidenote: Trade.]

Neither the import nor export trade with Abyssinia has as yet attained much importance. Coffee is one of the chief imports; this is about PT.70 per 100 lbs., and is of very good quality. The remainder are mostly unimportant native requirements, such as bees-wax, shatta (red pepper), tobacco, etc., which are brought in in small quantities; also a good many cattle, horses, mules and donkeys. This import of live-stock constitutes the bulk of the trade.

There is a growing export trade both in raw locally-grown cotton as well as in Manchester goods.

Half the customs receipts go to Abyssinia. In 1902 the total amounted to £E.720 and in 1903 to £E.805.

[Sidenote: Cultivation.]

Most of this district is fertile, but there is little land cultivated around the town of Gallabat, as the natives have discovered other spots in the forest where, owing to the particular kind of grass that grows, less labour is necessary to prepare the land for sowing.

Most of the cultivation lies about 15 miles north-west of Gallabat, where there are a good many villages, chief of which are Wallak and Basunda. Though, as a rule, the grass is almost everywhere burnt as soon as dry (November and December), yet the grass on a piece of land which it is intended to cultivate is most carefully preserved until the arrival of the ensuing rains. Then, and not till then, when the young grass has sprouted, the dry grass is fired, and the old and new are destroyed together; the ground is now clear and ready for sowing without further trouble, and thus cultivation is carried on with a minimum of labour. As the country is mostly forest, of course clearings have occasionally to be made. Two crops of dura are raised—“Naggad” and “Kurgi”—also a good deal of dukhn, which is ready for harvesting by the middle of October. Cotton is said to grow well, and in 1901 there were 800 acres of it under cultivation; this was four times as much as in the preceding year. It is expected that several thousand acres will be under cotton cultivation in 1905-6.

A few lime trees are now all that remain of the beautiful gardens which existed formerly on the banks of the Khor Abnaheir. The Dervishes are said to have ruthlessly cut down the fruit trees for building wood.

[Sidenote: Garrison.]

The garrison is usually a detachment furnished by the company of the Sudanese or Arab Battalion at Kassala. There are also the usual civil police.

[Sidenote: Rains.]

The rains begin here earlier and are much heavier[67] than at either Gedaref or Kassala. After the end of April heavy rain storms become pretty frequent and last till September or October. During this season the roads are very bad for travelling. The serut fly appears when the new vegetation has sprung up.

[Sidenote: Climate.]

The same as Gedaref. Healthy, December to June; unhealthy, during the remainder of the year.

[Sidenote: Water supply.]

The main water supply is from the Khor Abnaheir, which averages 5 yards wide and 2 feet deep, but varies considerably according to the time of year, and becomes stagnant and foul towards the end of the dry season. There are also some small springs near the fort, the water from which, at this season, is more wholesome.

[Sidenote: Trade routes]

Roads lead from here to Chelga and Gondar, Kwara, Dunkur, Roseires, Rahad, and Gadabi. (_Vide_ Vol. 2).

[Sidenote: Telegraph offices.]

There is a telegraph and post office at Gallabat.

[Sidenote: Transport animals.]

Camels are the most suitable transport animals, unless the Abyssinian frontier is crossed, when mules or donkeys become desirable; for the journey to either Gondar or Kwara they are indeed indispensable.

When the Dervishes sacked Gondar, their transport consisted chiefly of camels, but very few are said to have survived or even to have reached there.

Camels are hardly ever procurable at Gallabat. No number of mules, donkeys and horses can be relied on unless plenty of notice is given, when the Abyssinians would probably readily supply a limited number.

[Sidenote: Currency.]

British, Egyptian, or Turkish money is not as a rule accepted by the Abyssinians, who require to be paid in Maria Theresa dollars, which they value at PT.10½, but the Sudan Government at not more than PT.9½.

[Sidenote: Game.]

From El Damer to the line Roseires-Gallabat all the game mentioned under “Kassala” is found, with the exception of ibex, oryx, wild sheep, and klipspringer, and in addition rhinoceros and tiang (_Damaliscus Senegalensis_); bohor, or reedbuck, and _Gazella rufifrons_ are common in places.