Chapter III: (north-Eastern Sudan.) (3)

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| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Kassala | — | — |On leaving Kassala, a N. by W.
| | |direction is taken over flat,
| | |sandy ground, intersected by small
| | |khors running into the Khor El
| | |Gash; many low trees of the acacia
| | |tribe and the green-leafed kurmet
| | |bush, but passage among them easy
| | |in any direction.
| | |
Khor Debeloeid| 5½ | 5½ |A shallow khor, flowing from
| | |S.S.W. to N.N.E. two miles on;
| | |this khor is recrossed, flowing
| | |westward; here the trees are
| | |thicker and taller.
| | |
Khor Gamam | 3½ | 9 |A branch of the Khor El Gash, 20
| | |feet deep, 15 to 20 yards wide;
| | |proceeding down the khor for ½
| | |mile the wells are reached. Banks
| | |thickly fringed with high
| | |tamarisks; bush very close.
| | |
_Bir Gamam_ | ½ | 9½ |Two wells; now 12 feet deep, 3
| | |feet diameter; water plentiful.
| | |Many wells exist now in this khor
| | |for about 2 miles N. from this
| | |point. After winding about in the
| | |bush for a mile, country again
| | |becomes open; many open spaces
| | |half-a-mile to a mile in breadth.
| | |Direction N. A good deal of
| | |cultivation here.
| | |
Gamam | 5½ | 15 |Formerly a large Hadendoa hamlet;
| | |its site now marked by a stony
| | |mound to the E. known as Habuba. A
| | |mile on one passes many skulls and
| | |human bones scattered all over the
| | |ground for some distance. This
| | |spot was the scene of the first
| | |encounter of the Kassala garrison
| | |and the Dervishes in the winter of
| | |1883-4. Later on Osman Digna had a
| | |large standing camp of Hadendoa at
| | |the same place. Arabs say “20,000
| | |young men” were collected there
| | |and guarded by Baggara horsemen,
| | |who, when food failed, refused to
| | |let them leave; so many hundreds
| | |died of starvation.
| | |
Hageror | 9 | 24 |The name of the district. At this
| | |point, 1 mile W. of our route, is
| | |the site of the old telegraph
| | |maintenance post of the old
| | |Suakin—Kassala telegraph line,
| | |close to a branch of the Khor El
| | |Gash (Khor Herbub). Arabs say
| | |water can be found 10 to 15 feet
| | |below the surface anywhere in this
| | |khor; fringed with high trees.
| | |Direction now is E.N.E.; country
| | |as before, but cotton soil.
| | |
Khor Bahr | 3½ | 27½ |A shallow depression, 200 to 300
Shamil | | |yards broad, no defined banks,
| | |thickly grown over by laot trees.
| | |
Khor Delai | 3 | 30½ |Twenty yards broad, 4 feet deep,
| | |flowing W. High trees along banks.
| | |At the 33rd mile the trees
| | |disappear; country is cotton soil
| | |with tussocks of grass, full of
| | |holes and breaks away at every
| | |step. Very bad going for men and
| | |animals. As the Khor Herbub is
| | |approached, grass, 3 feet high,
| | |becomes thicker.
| | |
Khor Herbub | 10¾ | 41¼ |A branch of the Gash, 20 feet
| | |broad, 20 feet deep. Proceed due
| | |W. for 1¼ miles through high
| | |trees.
| | |
_Bir Tokar_ | 1¼ | 42½ |One well,[7] 20 feet deep, 3 feet
| | |diameter, 1 foot of water at
| | |bottom of well. After drawing 400
| | |gallons supply was exhausted and
| | |water came in very slowly. Water
| | |good. Good grazing for horses and
| | |camels, and plenty of shade.
| | |Retracing one’s steps back across
| | |the Khor Herbub, a direction 72°
| | |(true) was taken and followed as
| | |far as Khor Togan. Bad cotton soil
| | |and tussocks of grass as before.
| | |
_Filik_ | 2½ | 45 |Formerly the largest and most
| | |important collection of hamlets of
| | |the Hadendoa of the Gash. Now no
| | |traces, with the exception of
| | |three charred dom palm trees,
| | |which supported the roof of the
| | |old telegraph maintenance post.
| | |Many wells, and water plentiful in
| | |Khor Tokar ½ mile W.
| | |
| | |Going very bad; at the 49th mile
| | |belts of laot trees are passed
| | |through. At the 53rd mile surface
| | |of ground improves; more sandy,
| | |with patches of small stones or
| | |pebbles.
| | |
J. Tisheiga | 11 | 56 |One mile to right. Ground now
| | |descends gently; several small
| | |khors are crossed, running
| | |westward; trees in khors and along
| | |banks, kittr and samr. Ground
| | |sandy, with occasional patches of
| | |stones; excellent going.
| | |
Khor Yelkuk | 5 | 61 |Also called Telkuk. One hundred
| | |yards broad, flowing westwards.
| | |Ten miles up this khor are wells
| | |and an Arab settlement. Many
| | |trees; good grazing for camels.
| | |Two miles to the north are low
| | |black hills called J. Kadabu.
| | |Country as before.
| | |
Khor Taugon | 5½ | 66½ |One hundred yards broad, banks 4
| | |feet high. One well here not yet
| | |reopened, in bed of khor; high
| | |trees and dom palms in bed and
| | |along banks. Two and half miles E.
| | |is J. Taugon. General direction
| | |62°.
| | |
Khor Shamfeid | 2½ | 69 |A small khor running into Khor
| | |Maman. Same direction being
| | |followed, J. Maman with its four
| | |peaks straight ahead. Ground rises
| | |gently and then descends towards
| | |the Khor Maman; with stones in
| | |places.
| | |
Khor Maman | 6 | 75 |One hundred yards broad, banks 4
| | |feet high; many high trees and
| | |doms; excellent grazing for
| | |camels. Crossing the khor and
| | |following up its right bank for 1½
| | |miles the wells are reached. Under
| | |J. Maman are seen many hundreds of
| | |stone huts, which, according to
| | |the Arabs, were built many
| | |centuries ago; also many large
| | |stone graves.
| | |
_Bir Maman_ | 1½ | 76½ |Two wells, 40 feet deep, 3 feet
| | |diameter, water good and plentiful
| | |at all seasons.
| | |
| | |On leaving the wells, the track,
| | |very faint, over stony ground,
| | |made by the party constructing the
| | |new telegraph line, was followed
| | |for the next 40 miles. The
| | |telegraph line itself is within
| | |sight of the track on one side or
| | |the other. Track proceeds up khor
| | |for ¾ mile, then passes round S.E.
| | |corner of J. Maman, and turns due
| | |N. J. Maman on the W. and J. Tudab
| | |on the E. form a pass, 1½ to 2
| | |miles broad; ground sandy, with
| | |patches of stones; flat, good
| | |going; several small khors are
| | |crossed.
| | |
Khor Hashaneid| 6 | 82½ |One hundred yards broad, 3 feet
| | |banks. Dom palms and trees.
| | |
Khor Tudab | 2 | 84½ |
| | |
Khor Fagada | 2 | 86½ |
| | |
Khor Toteb | 1 | 87½ |Eighty yards broad, 5 feet banks.
| | |Runs into the Khor Kudameieb. Dom
| | |palms, kittr, samr, and the
| | |thornless kurmet trees. One and a
| | |half miles E. is J. Yaied, some
| | |1,500 feet high, and 6 to 7 miles
| | |long, a mass of black basaltic
| | |rock, steeply escarped on its
| | |western side.
| | |
| | |For the next 12 miles, ground
| | |traversed is hard sand, sloping
| | |from hills on the E., and covered
| | |with stones; very bad going; in
| | |the small watercourses (during
| | |rains) are belts of samr and kittr
| | |trees.
| | |
Khor Gedamaieb| 4½ | 92 |Fifty yards broad, 6 feet banks.
| | |Trees; 2 miles on, a similar khor
| | |is crossed, bearing the same name.
| | |
| | |At 96½ miles the top of a
| | |watershed is reached, and J.
| | |Kureib comes in sight, E.N.E. J.
| | |Bakutneb is some 3 or 4 miles to
| | |the N.
| | |
Khor Abuladein| 7½ | 99½ |Twenty yards broad, 6 feet banks.
| | |Ground now sandy, and more trees.
| | |
Khor Serera | 4 | 103½ |One hundred yards broad, 6 feet
| | |banks. Dom palms. Runs into the
| | |Khor Abu Ledein.
| | |
Khor Togul | 3¼ | 106¾ |Thirty yards broad, 3 feet banks.
| | |Follow the khor 1 mile down
| | |stream.
| | |
_Bir Ali | 1 | 107¾ |One well 40 feet deep, 2 feet 6
Kalai_ | | |inches diameter; water good, but
| | |supply only 300 gallons at date,
| | |and refilled very slowly. Khor
| | |Weidab joins Khor Togul from the
| | |S. lower down.
| | |
| | |Returning up the khor 1 mile, a
| | |N.E. direction is taken. Ground
| | |very stony and undulating, and
| | |intersected by several large
| | |khors. Trees in watercourses and
| | |along banks of khor. The track
| | |runs more or less parallel with J.
| | |Kureib, 4 or 5 miles distant to
| | |the E.; a range some 8 miles long,
| | |2,300 feet (approximate) above the
| | |general level, very precipitous on
| | |western side; black basaltic
| | |rocks.
| | |
Watershed | 9¼ | 117 |Up to this point all khors crossed
| | |run into the Khor El Gash;
| | |northwards of this watershed,
| | |khors run into the Khor Langeb.
| | |
Khor Arideib | 4 | 121 |The direction of the new telegraph
| | |line is left 3 miles before
| | |reaching this khor. Direction
| | |N.N.W. Low ground sandy, with
| | |trees and grass; high ground stony
| | |and rocky.
| | |
Khor Kei-Eiteb| 5 | 126 |
| | |
Khor Gambeleib| 1½ | 127½ |The downward course of this khor,
| | |trending W. and S.W., is now
| | |followed for 4½ miles; several
| | |subsidiary khors join it from
| | |either side. Water could probably
| | |be found anywhere here, as trees
| | |are finer and creepers are
| | |festooned along the trees; many
| | |kurmet bushes, marakh, and tundub;
| | |good grazing for camels.
| | |
_Bir | 4 | 132 |Also called Bir Akrat. One well 50
Hamashaueb_ | | |feet deep, 3 feet diameter; water
| | |good and plentiful.
| | |
| | |Returning up the khor for 2 miles
| | |to where Khor Gambeleib joins Khor
| | |Homashaueb, the upward course of
| | |the latter khor is followed for 2
| | |miles, and then a N.N.E. direction
| | |taken. Ground very stony and
| | |rising; intersected by small khors
| | |running from hills to the east.
| | |
Khor Omli | 12 | 144 |No defined banks; its course
| | |marked by the trees.
| | |
_Khor | 4 | 148 |Also called Khor Kubri. One well
Yaskalab_ | | |here 45 feet deep, 3 feet
| | |diameter; water good, but supply
| | |uncertain; it is generally dry at
| | |this time of the year.
| | |
Khor Hedaweb | 5 | 153 |Similar to Khor Gambeleib. One and
| | |half miles down the khor is Bir
_Bir Hadaueb_ | 1 | 154 |Hedaweb. One well 9 feet deep, 3
| | |feet 6 inches diameter; water good
| | |and plentiful; there is said to be
| | |a better well 1 to 2 miles further
| | |down the khor.
| | |
| | |On the south side of the khor,
| | |close to the well, are the remains
| | |of the old telegraph line
| | |maintenance post.
| | |
| | |Returning up the khor ½ mile, a
| | |branch khor coming in from the N.
| | |is followed up past a large
| | |graveyard. At the 156th mile this
| | |khor is left, and the neck between
| | |two rocky hills is crossed. Going
| | |very bad; rough and stony.
| | |
Khor Belag | 6½ | 160½ |Two hundred yards broad, 2 feet
| | |banks. Excellent grazing for
| | |camels in this khor. For 7 miles
| | |its downward course is followed.
| | |Arabs say that it flows into Khor
| | |Windi, but at 167½ miles the khor
| | |appears dammed up with sand dunes
| | |8 to 10 feet high, and its level
| | |is the same as that of the
| | |surrounding country.
| | |
Khor Hegadab | 8¼ | 168¾ |Flows towards the E. Ground
| | |ascends, and a mile on a stony
| | |pass between the hills is reached.
| | |J. Adarabab now comes in sight,
| | |noticeable from several chimney-
| | |like rocks which stand up above
| | |the general level of the top of
| | |the range. A short descent, then a
| | |sandy plain with patches of stones
| | |in places.
| | |
Khor Windi | 4 | 172¾ |This khor is entered, and its
| | |down-stream course followed for
| | |the next 8 miles. No water now
| | |obtainable in this khor; trees are
| | |more stunted, and their leaves
| | |more yellow and dried up than in
| | |the preceding khors. At 177½ miles
| | |is the site of the old telegraph
| | |maintenance post and well, now
| | |filled in many years ago.
| | |
| | |At 180 miles the khor is left, and
| | |a plain traversed, alternately
| | |sandy with tufts of grass and
| | |stony; several narrow deep khors
| | |are crossed. At 188¼ miles the
| | |level of the country suddenly
| | |drops some 20 feet.
| | |
| | |Tamarisk bushes and trees
| | |commence.
| | |
Khor Langeb | 19¼ | 192 |One hundred and fifty to three
| | |hundred yards broad, banks 15 to
| | |20 feet high. Banks on either side
| | |thickly fringed with tamarisk
| | |trees; excellent grazing for
| | |camels. Arabs are restarting
| | |breeding camels in the vicinity of
| | |this khor; one drove of nearly 300
| | |young camels were seen. One day
| | |S.W. up this khor, Khor Odeib is
| | |said to enter it; all the khors
| | |already enumerated, from Khor
| | |Areideb to Hedaweb inclusive, run
| | |into Khor Odeib. Half a day to the
| | |E. Khor Windi joins it.
| | |
_Bir | 1½ | 193½ |One and a quarter miles up this
Tamashnauer_ | | |khor is the well; 25 feet deep, 3
| | |feet diameter; water plentiful,
| | |but very smelly and brackish.
| | |Arabs state that at present there
| | |are no wells open further up the
| | |khor; lower down are more wells
| | |and a few pools.
| | |
| | |Returning ¾ mile down the khor, a
| | |direction N. by E. is taken;
| | |several small tributary khors are
| | |crossed, and then ground ascends
| | |gently and becomes stony.
| | |
| | |The next 45 miles is known as the
| | |Wadi Ossir. J. Adarabab and Shaba
| | |on the E., and a series of ranges
| | |of hills on the W. form the sides,
| | |8 to 10 miles apart. These hills
| | |form a funnel through which the
| | |wind blows steadily during the
| | |winter months; sand storms very
| | |frequent.
| | |
J. Karamriba | 4½ | 198 |Two black stony hills, 200 feet
| | |high; ½ mile to W.
| | |
Eilogwa | 3 | 201 |In the hills to the E., 3 to 4
| | |miles from the track, are said to
| | |be rock _cisterns with water_;
| | |supply said to last from rains to
| | |rains.
| | |
Khor Ossir | 5 | 206 |Flowing S.W. Runs into Khor
| | |Langeb.
| | |
El Fogani | 2½ | 208½ |The same khor is recrossed,
| | |flowing S.E. Good grazing along
| | |and in this khor.
| | |
| | |Direction N.N.E. Ground still
| | |rising gently; sandy, with
| | |tamarisks bushes and samr trees,
| | |very stunted, 4 to 5 feet high.
| | |Some marakh and araag trees.
| | |Occasional belts of stony ground.
| | |
Watershed | 16 | 224½ |Top of the watershed is reached; ½
| | |mile to W. is a low stony mound,
| | |50 feet. Ground now falls from J.
| | |Shaba range towards the western
| | |hills.
| | |
Khor Shenkerat| 5 | 229½ |Three to four miles to E.; in the
| | |hills are said to be _rock
| | |cisterns_. The old telegraph
| | |maintenance post is under the
| | |hills. Ground now becomes very
| | |stony, falling towards the W. and
| | |N.; in the shallow depression
| | |between the flat spurs are
| | |Abyssinian aloes. Three miles on
| | |ground becomes more sandy, and
| | |samr, marakh, and some laurel-like
| | |bushes are passed through,
| | |becoming thicker as the khor is
| | |approached.
| | |
Khor Ossir El | 9 | 238½ |Fifty to one hundred yards broad,
Tahtani | | |5 feet banks; flows N.E. The range
| | |of hills on the E. now terminates.
| | |A sandy plain is now crossed;
| | |scattered samr, etc.
| | |
J. Meiz | 5 | 243½ |A low conical hill is passed close
| | |to the track to the E. 3 to 4
| | |miles to the W. in the range of
| | |hills Arabs point out J. Maiz,
| | |where _water_ is said to be
| | |plentiful.
| | |
| | |For 2 miles stony ground, then
| | |sandy again; track passes through
| | |several groups of low detached
| | |hills. At 254½ miles ground
| | |becomes more cut up with khors,
| | |and gradually ascends and becomes
| | |very stony; the last mile into
| | |Khor Siterab is a stony defile;
| | |going very bad and in single file.
| | |A sharp ascent into the khor.
| | |
_Khor Sitarab_| 16½ | 260 |A rocky khor 20 to 50 yards wide;
| | |bounded by hills 40 to 60 feet
| | |high on either side. In the bed of
| | |the khor are great blocks of
| | |granite, through the interstices
| | |of which percolates water, which
| | |collects in the clay bed of the
| | |khor and forms small pools at
| | |close intervals all down the khor,
| | |averaging 15 to 20 feet long, 2 to
| | |4 feet broad, and 6 inches deep.
| | |Water very brackish, osher bushes,
| | |a few tamarisks, shush grass and
| | |reeds grow in the bed of the khor.
| | |
| | |From the khor a well defined track
| | |runs all the way to Suakin. For 4
| | |miles ground is very stony and
| | |broken; few sammur trees.
| | |
Khor Alifeyeit| 4 | 264 |Two hundred yards broad, 10 feet
| | |banks, sandy bed. Ground now
| | |becomes sandy, and trees thicker;
| | |samr, araag, heglig, labakh and
| | |tundub trees. Gow grass during and
| | |after rains; good sheep grazing
| | |ground.
| | |
Khors Sedayat,| 5 | 269 |These four khors are all crossed
Ashat, Erim, | | |in 1½ miles; no defined tracks;
and Shadat | | |trees and bush in bed and
| | |alongside the khors. A few miles
| 1½ | 270½ |eastwards these khors open out
| | |into the plain. For the next 3½
| | |miles ground is stony.
| | |
Khor Issi or | 1½ | 272 |Fifty yards broad, 2 feet banks.
Issei | | |
| | |
Khor Sarobai | 2 | 274 |No defined tracks; sandy; trees
| | |and bush.
| | |
Khor Wintri | 4¼ | 278¼ |A point of crossing; this khor has
| | |commenced to divide up into
| | |branches.
| | |
| | |Four miles on J. Gumberit is
| | |passed 1 mile to the W. Country
| | |more open; eastward a clear view
| | |down to the sea.
| | |
Khor Gwob | 10¾ | 289 |One hundred to two hundred broad,
| | |shallow, no defined banks. Ground
| | |descends gently, and on reaching
| | |the ridge, ¾ mile distant, the
| | |town of Suakin comes in sight.
| | |Trees become fewer and bushes
Suakin | 8 | 297 |lower.
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9.—TOKAR TO KASSALA, _viâ_ KHOR BARAKA.

(VARIOUS.)

[Sidenote: Grazing.]

Plenty for camels, &c., all along the route.

[Sidenote: Water.]

Anywhere for the digging, except between Khor Lokweb and Khor Ali Gebrat, 28 miles, and between the latter and Kassala, 18 miles.

[Sidenote: Camping ground.]

Good anywhere along the route.

[Sidenote: Wood.]

Plenty for fuel and for making rough shelters.

[Sidenote: Going.]

On the whole excellent for camels, horses, &c. Convoys should not take more than 14 days to do the journey from Suakin.

Parties without heavy baggage should do it easily in 9 days.

N.B.—As the major portion of this route leads through Italian territory, it is not now generally used south of Khor Langeb (_vide_ note to Khor Langeb, 51st mile).

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Tokar | — | — |Leaving Tokar, the track runs a
| | |little west of south across the
| | |plains, leaving the Khor Baraka
| | |channel to the west.
| | |
| 10 | 10 |Traversing a broken tract, covered
| | |with eminences strewn with sand,
| | |enter the Khor Baraka. Vegetation
| | |on much larger scale; tall
| | |tamarisk trees. Channel 50 yards
| | |broad; hard sand; excellent going;
| | |banks 10 to 12 feet high, and
| | |thickly wooded.
| | |
| | |There are more routes than one;
| | |sometimes along the channel, or on
| | |either bank, according to season
| | |or circumstances. Broadly, the
| | |Beni Amer inhabit the eastern
| | |bank, and the Hadendoa the
| | |western.
| | |
_Temeren_ | 2 | 12 |(Tamenrê = 10 wells.) The wells
| | |here, two in number, are situated
| | |in the bed of the Khor Baraka,
| | |depth about 20 feet, and produce
| | |plenty of water of a brackish
| | |nature. Another account (1897)
| | |says two wells, close to fort; one
| | |well only used, good water 50 feet
| | |down. The khor here is about 80
| | |paces wide, with low banks, and is
| | |comparatively bare of trees.
| | |During the floods of the Baraka,
| | |these wells are flushed, the water
| | |being thick and impregnated with
| | |alluvial mud. The country on the
| | |left bank is open and stony, and
| | |remains so until the line of the
| | |Jebel Shaba hills is reached. To
| | |the right bank of the khor a
| | |certain amount of cultivation
| | |exists, which increases in amount
| | |as the Tokar delta is reached.
| | |Heina range visible to south.
| | |
| | |Jebel Shaba lies 26 miles W.S.W.
| | |of Temeren; track to it clearly
| | |marked over stony plain by
| | |occasional stone heaps. Contains
| | |grass, ravines, shrubs, and
| | |_numerous pools of water_ (July);
| | |one large deep pool at foot of
| | |hill containing water all year
| | |round. Good look-out post in all
| | |directions.
| | |
| | |The route, after leaving Temeren,
| | |bears for a mile or so south-east
| | |to avoid the numerous sand dunes
| | |and drifts lying close to the
| | |right bank of the khor, and then
| | |changes southwards.
| | |
| 2 | 14 |A belt of considerable bush is now
| | |passed through, after which the
| | |country becomes open, rough, and
| | |sandy; the khor about ½ a-mile to
| | |the right-hand side.
| | |
_Well_ | 1 | 15 |One well; good water.
| | |
| | |The route continues in a generally
| | |southerly direction, passing
| | |through sand dunes, covered with a
| | |considerable growth of tamarisk
| | |bushes sufficiently high to
| | |conceal a mounted man.
| | |
| 1 | 16 |Khor Toshikh joins the Baraka on
| | |the west bank; route enters the
| | |Baraka.
| | |
| | |Here large khor also runs in from
| | |the east, main channel now from 30
| | |to 40 yards wide, banks varying to
| | |30 feet high. Natives say the
| | |whole of this bit of country for a
| | |mile west, and to Jebel Haina
| | |east, is under water in the rainy
| | |season. Tamarisk bushes line each
| | |side, nothing can be seen from the
| | |channel.
| | |
| | |Seven miles on, track leaves the
| | |khor, runs west on a sandy plain
| | |for a mile. Eleven miles on a
| | |black hill 150 feet high runs from
| | |west bank half across the khor.
| | |
| | |The hill of Haina runs down to top
| | |of channel on east side; a narrow
| | |gorge is thus made, through which
| | |the rush of water at flood is very
| | |great. When it is a very high
| | |flood, a channel is also formed
| | |round the west side of the hill.
| | |Just beyond this there are some
| | |old disused wells in the channel
Lower | 7 | 23 |that were known as Lower
Debetawateb | | |Debetawateb. After this, the khor
| | |opens out to about 800 yards wide,
| | |sand dunes and scrub everywhere,
| | |track winds round almost due west,
_Upper | 3½ | 26½ |and reaches Upper Debetawateb,
Debetawateb_ | | |where there are two wells, plenty
| | |of good water, close to surface.
| | |Track leaves channel here and runs
| | |½ mile through thick jungle on to
| | |east bank, and then winds round
| | |south over sandy plain. Five miles
| | |on, guide pointed due west to
| | |
_Odwan_ | 5 | 31½ |Odwan, lying in the khor, one
| | |well. Eight miles on, hills of
| | |Shaba and Heina run down to banks
| | |of channel, track leads east of
| | |some low hills, and khor is seen
| | |winding west a good deal.
| | |
Tefadi | 5 | 36½ |Some large sand hills in khor,
| | |guide said this was Tefadi. No
| | |well, but water easily got by
| | |digging. Track now leads over bad
| | |ground broken up by watercourses,
| | |sand dunes, &c., and re-enters
| | |channel 4 miles on, then leaves it
| | |and runs on to west bank, winding
| | |gradually south-west into Khor
Laiameib | 6½ | 43 |Farag Salem. (Laiameib.)
| | |
_Farag Saleib_| 3 | 46 |Here there are 12 or more pools of
| | |water, rather salt. This khor runs
| | |south-east into Khor Baraka, and
| | |where it meets it, there is a
| | |small stone enclosure on a hill
| | |held by Arabs under Sheikh Abu
| | |Fatma, called Langeb. There is one
| | |well in valley at foot of hill.
| | |
| | |From Khor Farag Salem is seen
| | |Jebel Ada Abab, about 10 miles to
| | |the south-west. The track runs
| | |from this khor south-east, then
| | |south-west over rocky ground,
| | |skirting the Khor Baraka, of which
| | |the east bank is lined with hills.
| | |
Khor Langeb[8]| 5 | 51 |Five miles on track enters
| | |channel, and 100 yards further
| | |Khor Langeb[8] runs in from the
| | |west, about 25 yards wide, and
| | |described as similar to Khor
| | |Baraka. Directly afterwards the
| | |track leaves khor and proceeds for
| | |8 miles over stony ground on west
| | |bank, and then for 11 miles over
| | |alternate rocky and sandy plains,
| | |direction south, then re-enters
| | |khor and passes pool of dirty
| | |water, and after heavy going in
| | |the channel reaches two pools with
| | |any quantity of clear sweet water,
_Tebhateit_ | 23 | 74 |called Tebhateit.
| | |
| | |[Other accounts of the road from
| | |Khor Toshikh to Tebhateit are as
| | |follows:—
| | |
| 10 | 22 |At 10 miles from Temeren a large
| | |number of sandhills are reached,
| | |covered with a good deal of scrub
| | |and tamarisk trees. These
| | |sandhills proceed from the
| | |neighbourhood of the khor towards
| | |the Jebel Heina; they are not of
| | |any height, but would form
| | |admirable concealment for horse
| | |and foot men. After passing
| | |through the sandhills, the route
| | |re-enters the khor, being the
| | |first point the khor is touched
| | |since Temeren. The khor here is
| | |about 50 paces wide, with a firm
| | |sandy bottom, fringed by scrub,
| | |though not of a dense character.
| | |
| | |There is also a track along the
| | |west bank of the Khor Baraka from
| | |Temeren to Langeb (Junker’s road),
| | |but it is bad, leading through
| | |thick bush and wood, and much
| | |broken by numerous small khors.
| | |
_Debetawateb_ | 3 | 25 |Wells. About 35 water holes 5 feet
| | |deep, situated close to west bank
| | |of khor. Wells mostly together,
| | |water brackish (April). The wells
| | |are placed in what practically is
| | |a gorge. The left bank rises in a
| | |rocky hill from 150 to 200 feet
| | |high, and gradually falls away
| | |into a wide open stony plain,
| | |which, with occasional rocky
| | |isolated hills, extends to the
| | |high mountain of Jebel Shaba. On
| | |the right bank the hills are
| | |higher, formed into numerous
| | |peaks, the hills gradually losing
| | |themselves in the Jebel Haina. The
| | |rush of water down this gorge is
| | |very considerable when the Baraka
| | |is in flood; it is said to be of
| | |such force as to sweep a camel
| | |with ease before it. The hills of
| | |this gorge would form a fair
| | |position; though, perhaps, capable
| | |of being turned by the west. Such
| | |dense scrub approaches to within a
| | |few yards of the south side of the
| | |hill on the left bank that it
| | |would enable an enemy on the hill
| | |to defend himself from this bush
| | |with reasonable prospects of
| | |success, and make it a difficult
| | |operation to touch the top of the
| | |ridge of the hills without
| | |carrying the bush. This gorge
| | |would seem to be the best place to
| | |put a barrage, should such a work
| | |ever be contemplated. After
| | |leaving the wells the route
| | |follows the khor, which now opens
| | |out very considerably. The west
| | |bank is covered with dense bush,
| | |mostly tamarisk trees; the east
| | |bank has a considerable amount of
| | |bush, but the belt is not so broad
| | |or so high as that on the opposite
| | |bank.
| | |
| 2 | 27 |After about ¾ hour is reached a
| | |large patch of dura crop planted
| | |in the bed of the khor, dense bush
| | |continuing on the left bank; after
| | |½ hour, reach a few water holes on
| | |the right side of the khor,
| | |evidently used for the cultivation
| | |of the above-mentioned dura. After
| | |passing the cultivation the khor
| | |maintains the same general
| | |appearance.
| | |
| | |From here a short cut may be made
| | |to Tamatu by leaving the khor, and
| | |marching over a scrubby plain,
| | |going rough, and cut up by small
| | |khors and hills.
| | |
| | |The path now leads by the right
| | |bank of the khor, and clear of it;
| | |the ground here is much cut up by
| | |ravines and watercourses, covered
| | |with dense bush, in fact might be
| | |described as a regular jungle.
| | |After passing this rough ground
| | |the khor is again struck at
| | |
_Odwan_ | 4 | 31 |The khor here is in a channel 16
(meaning great| | |to 18 feet deep; the channel
waterpot). | | |bifurcates, the old bed passing in
| | |a westerly direction, the new
| | |cutting for itself a passage in a
| | |more northerly direction. Pools
| | |here before the Baraka floods,
| | |running water in winter. No
| | |definite wells. On 16th July,
| | |1894, the khor here was a rapid
| | |stream, 40 to 50 yards broad, and
| | |4 feet deep.
| | |
| | |Khor takes sharp bend to the west.
| | |Bush on either bank very dense;
| | |tamarisks and bushes bound
| | |together with bright green
| | |creepers.
| | |
_Tamatu_ (or | 6 | 37 |Fifty wells near west (?) bank of
Tefadi?) | | |khor, 5 feet deep; water brackish.
| | |
| | |Route now goes along bed of khor,
| | |good going, muddy soil with
| | |patches of sand. Banks 4 feet high
| | |and densely wooded. Four miles (?)
| | |on, the khor is left, and an open
| | |plain to the west crossed, covered
| | |with scattered scrub, ground
| | |generally stony. Spurs of Shaba
| | |range extend to within half mile
| | |of khor.
| | |
_Laiameib_ | 8 | 45 |Lies a mile to the west of the
| | |Khor Baraka, and is reached by
| | |proceeding up a stony tributary
| | |khor with occasional trees, a few
| | |dom palms marking the entrance to
| | |the khor. This point is called
| | |Khashm Lwi (?); sides of khor 50
| | |to 100 feet high. The wells lie at
| | |the foot of a mass of irregular
| | |rocks, which stop further advance.
| | |
| | |The reservoir of rain water is
| | |situated under the rocks, and is
| | |reached by a narrow downward
| | |passage which finally opens into a
| | |subterranean cave. The entrance to
| | |the cave is sufficiently high and
| | |wide to admit the passage of two
| | |horses at the same time. The
| | |water, perhaps 6 feet deep, is of
| | |excellent quality and most
| | |delicious to drink, covering about
| | |15 feet square, and taking up the
| | |greater part of the cave.
| | |
Khor Farag | 3 | 48 |Three miles south of the Khor
Saleib | | |Laiameib, the Khor Farag Saleib is
| | |crossed. Here the Baraka forms a
| | |lake in flood time.
| | |
Langeb | 3 | 51 |The entrance to the khor of that
| | |name, which trends south-west from
| | |here.
| | |
_Tebhateit_ | 12 | 63 |Good wells; ground hilly. Jebel
| | |Haggr, 6,000 feet.
| | |
| | |(From this point Captain McKerrell
| | |is the authority.)
| | |
| | |After Tebhateit (74 miles) the
| | |track now runs on to east bank,
| | |and winds gradually south over
| | |broken rocky ground; 5 miles on
| | |re-enters khor, and runs through
| | |dense mass of tamarisk and scrub
| | |into channel 100 yards wide here,
| | |and khor ½ to ¾ mile wide.
| | |
_Ambakta_ | 8 | 82 |Shortly afterwards reach Khor
| | |Ambakta, with one well. This is
| | |where Sudan-Eritrea boundary meets
| | |the Baraka on the east bank. Jebel
| | |Senad, to the west, is a good
| | |landmark here, and Jebel Ayob, on
| | |east. Channel now twists about a
| | |good deal, then runs south-west;
| | |both banks lined with hills.
| | |
_Hakhal_ | 8 | 90 |Eight miles on is Hakal; one well,
| | |6 feet down, good water.
| | |
_Adardeb_ | 9 | 99 |Track continues south-west and
| | |enters Eritrean territory, and 9
| | |miles on reaches Adardeb, with
| | |three wells, 4 feet down; good
| | |water. Three miles on channel
| | |splits up and runs east and west;
| | |track leads over ground between.
| | |Very bad going over ground broken
| | |up by watercourses and sand dunes
| | |for next 6 miles; channel is then
| | |re-entered and Khor Salha is
| | |reached.
| | |
_Khor Salha_ | 10 | 109 |Five wells, 4 feet down, good
| | |water. This is a large khor
Khor Anseba | — | — |running in from the east, and is
| | |itself joined by Khor Anseba,
| | |about 10 miles east, which latter
| | |khor comes from south-east. From
| | |here Jebel Adarkalab, a very high
| | |hill, is seen due south, and Jebel
| | |Skena due west, a cone-shaped
| | |hill. Track leaves channel here
| | |and runs along east bank, passing,
| | |3 miles on, two stone pepper pots,
| | |built by Dervishes. Bad going over
| | |very broken ground, intersected by
| | |watercourses, for next 8 miles;
| | |then re-enters channel and reaches
| | |four wells, water 4 feet down, and
| | |some small rain pools, from one of
| | |which two fish were caught. One
Jebel Sotai | 9 | 118 |hundred yards on is Jebel Sotai on
| | |west, and Jebel Adarkalab on east,
| | |bank; latter swarming with grey
| | |monkeys. These hills are about 60
| | |yards apart, and the rush of water
| | |between them at flood must be very
| | |great.
| | |
_Akiduli | 4 | 122 |Four miles on is a black rock,
(Koliteb?)_ | | |called “Akiduli,” on east bank,
| | |with figures of camels, men, and
| | |ostriches scratched over it. Water
| | |here also in pools and old wells,
| | |in places only 2 feet down.
| | |Further on is Khor Attai, with
| | |wells; water good, and 4 feet
_Khor Attai_ | 2 | 124 |down.
| | |
| | |Track now runs south, and hills
| | |recede on either side; khor
| | |widening to about a mile east and
| | |west; channel 100 yards, and
| | |shallow, lined with thick tamarisk
| | |and bush. Thirteen miles on passed
| | |several wells, old and new, and
| | |later khor contracts and hills run
_Kolik_ | 18 | 142 |down on either flank; reach Kolik.
| | |
| | |Jebel Koreb is seen here, a
| | |landmark to the west. There is
| | |water. Then track leaves khor and
| | |crosses west on to a wide, fairly
| | |open, sandy plain. Long range of
| | |black hills on east, running with
| | |khor, country west much more open
| | |and hills far away. Six miles on,
_Khor | 6 | 148 |cross Khor Tamaguanti, running
Tamaguanti_ | | |south-west, which is lined with
| | |dom palms, has an old well with
| | |good water, and a few inhabitants.
| | |Track continues over plain passing
| | |“Mala” of Sheikh Abu Tahir, who
| | |was head of the Hadendoa tribe in
| | |Mohammed Ali’s time. Here there
| | |are between 200 and 300 graves;
| | |plain is covered with coarse grass
| | |and acacia.
| | |
_Khor Lokweb_ | 11 | 159 |Track now leaves Khor Baraka and
| | |enters Khor Lokweb, a large khor
| | |running into the Baraka from the
| | |south-west; channel, lined with
| | |any number of dom palms, 100 yards
| | |wide; banks 15 to 20 feet high.
| | |Two good wells here, water 5 feet
| | |down; track continues in khor,
| | |direction south-west, for 2 miles
| | |and comes to two new wells, water
| | |6 feet down. Then leaves khor to
| | |avoid heavy sand, and runs
| | |parallel to it on west bank, but
| | |here also going is bad, over very
| | |broken ground covered with bush.
| | |Eight miles on track runs over
| | |rocky ground, two hills appear on
| | |both flanks. Sixteen miles on
| | |passes old stone house on hill to
| | |left and shortly after re-enters
_Khashm El | 19 | 178 |Khor Lokweb at spot called Khashm
Kawab_ | | |El Kawab, where there were two
| | |wells, water 3 feet down, slightly
| | |salt. Track now runs south-west
| | |and then for 8 miles west. Channel
| | |blocked by large stone boulders
| | |after first mile, bad going
| | |through deep sand, dom palms on
| | |both banks, also saw two withered
| | |Tebeldis with edible fruit like an
| | |elongated pear. Six miles on
_Khashm | 6 | 184 |reached three wells called Khashm
Hodelt_ | | |Hodelt. Eight miles on, left khor
| | |and marched west over plain,
| | |covered with acacia, &c. Then re-
_Khashm | 6 | 190 |entered khor and reached three at
Ribdab_ | | |Khashm Ribdab, good water.
| | |
| | |No water for the next 28 miles.
| | |
| | |Track leaves Khor Lokweb now,
| | |which runs west, and enters Khor
| | |Ribdab. Channel 50 to 100 yards
| | |wide, with low banks covered with
| | |bush, hard sandy bottom, excellent
| | |going, direction due south.
| | |Sighted here, due south, curious
| | |grey hill, with top sticking up
Jebel | 8 | 198 |like a chimney, called Jebel Irkit
Irkit-Anob | | |Anob, a good land mark. Natives
| | |said no one had ever been able to
| | |climb to its top. Three miles on
| | |reached plain, where the old
| | |Mamuria stood. Five miles on
| | |passed close to the above-
| | |mentioned hill, leaving it on our
| | |left. Track shortly afterwards
| | |leaves khor and runs west over
| | |plain of acacia, coarse grass, &c.
| | |Nine miles on reached hill called
| | |Tiniki, with a single thorn tree
| | |on its east shoulder, moved round
| | |its east flank in single file into
| | |plain beyond; direction west, bad
| | |going, and axes had to be used in
| | |places. Fifteen miles on sighted
| | |Jebel Kassala to south-west. Bush-
| | |grown plain. Shortly after track
| | |passes between low hills on the
Jebel | 16 | 214 |right, called Shushaieb, and a
Shushaieb | | |large burying ground on left,
| | |called “Balad Ali Gabret,” and
Khor Ali | 4 | 218 |enters shortly after khor of that
Gabret | | |name, running south and west, with
| | |six wells of good water, 4 feet
| | |below surface. Plenty of shade.
| | |Jebel Sabderat is seen on left
| | |front.
| | |
| | |Track now leaves khor and runs
| | |south-west over grassy park-like
| | |plain, covered with bush, &c. Bad
| | |going in places. Seven miles on
| | |sighted Jebel Mokram and, passing
Kassala | 18 | 236 |it on our left, reached Kassala, 3
| | |miles further on.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

10.—KASSALA TO MAMAN DIRECT.

BY CAPTAIN H. H. MORANT, APRIL, 1900.

[Sidenote: General Remarks.]

The most direct road to Maman is the old telegraph route which leaves Kassala in N.N.E. direction past the north end of J. Mokram, and after following the new telegraph line for about 10 miles then turns nearly due north and leaves the new telegraph to the east. Country: good going, covered with scattered bush, but thicker along khors, some of which are more or less serious obstacles in the rains. Though water is not plentiful along this route it was sufficient in April, 1900, to enable a party of 50 Camel Corps, 2 horses, 50 natives on foot, and 2,000 head of cattle and sheep to reach the wells at Tukruf, near Kassala, without any special arrangements for water.

Maman is on the direct road to Suakin: for portion of route to Suakin N. of Maman, _vide_ Route 8.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Kassala | — | — |
| | |
_Khor Girger | 19 | 19 |Bir Galgal in Khor Girger; very
(Wells)_ | | |little water in April, 1900.
| | |
| | |From here the track continues
| | |N.N.E. by N., passing about midway
| | |between Jebels Roreb and Shushaieb
| | |to the northern extremity of the
| | |latter, where there are several
| | |wells in the khor called
_Tendelai-i ( | 12 | 31 |Tendelai-i. These wells had also
Wells)_ | | |very little water. From here the
| | |track continues in the same
| | |direction, good going, country
| | |open and grassy, scattered bush
| | |except along khors, several of
_Khor Telkuk_,| 20 | 51 | which are crossed, to Khor Telkuk,
or El Ku, or | | |before reaching which Jebel
Obillit | | |Obillit is passed about 2 miles to
| | |the west. There was said to be a
| | |well in the khor somewhere near
| | |this jebel. From here to Maman,
| | |country very open; good hard going
| | |and short grass. Three more khors
| | |are crossed, chief of which is
| 9 | 60 |Togan.
| | |
_Maman_ | 5 | 65 |The wells in K. Maman. Many
| | |Gemilab Hadendoas here.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

11.—ADARAMA TO BIR OSHI (KHOR LANGEB).

BY CAPTAIN KENRICK, 11TH HUSSARS, SEPTEMBER, 1901.

N.B.—The localities of wells and water in the country described in both the following Route Reports depend largely on the season and the year, and to a great extent on local rain storms. Much reliance cannot therefore be placed on previous reports.