Chapter VIII: (kordofan) (2)

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Kaka Meshra | — | — |A good landing place at low Nile,
| | |but impossible at high. Track from
| | |here to opposite Jebel Ahmed Agha
| | |runs in N.E. direction, and lies
| | |some way from the river.
| | |
_Moro_ | 2½ | 2½ |Most northerly Shilluk village,
| | |part of the Kaka district. Country
| | |round here is bushy, with certain
| | |number of good trees.
| | |
_Arab village_| ¾ | 3¼ |Part of the Kenana tribe, who are
| | |to be found in considerable
| | |numbers in the vicinity of
| | |Fashoda, Fama, Atara, and Kaka.
| | |
Debba Adaraba | 1¾ | 5 |On right of track. Site of old
| | |Shilluk village.
| | |
Debba El Asal | ¾ | 5¾ |On right of track. There is a very
| | |fair track all along here,
| | |passable all the year round, but
| | |crossing a number of shallow khors
| | |which would be a serious obstacle
| | |in the rains. After passing El
| | |Asal, the bush gives place to fine
| | |park-like land, situated on high
| | |sandy ground.
| | |
_Ferik_ | 2¼ | 8 |Sheep ferik of Baggara Selim
| | |Arabs, only occupied by them
| | |during dry season. The whole of
| | |the country from Kaka to Jebelein
| | |is the Selim country, over which
| | |they roam from December to May. A
| | |number of Hemeida and other Arabs
| | |from Kordofan also come and graze
| | |their flocks here.
| | |
| 5¼ | 13¼ |Small Shilluk village on what is
| | |an island in the rains; I was
| | |unable to find out the name of it,
| | |but the name of the sheikh is
| | |Angwet.
| | |
| ¾ | 14 |Track here crosses two khors which
| | |were dry in April. Forest all
| | |along here on left. Wide river
| | |foreshore with khors on right.
| | |
| 2½ | 16½ |A big khor runs into the river
| | |from the west—dry in April. Some
| | |very fine big trees about here,
| | |some of the timber being
| | |exceptionally long and straight.
| | |
Debba Duara El| 3¾ | 20¼ |Debba on right, high sandy ground
Sogheir | | |and fine forest.
| | |
Debba Duara El| 2¼ | 22½ |Big khor running alongside of
Kebir | | |track on right. It is impossible
| | |to get to the river anywhere in
| | |this country, except at one or two
| | |recognised places, without
| | |struggling over a wide foreshore
| | |of half-burnt tangled grass. Track
| 1 | 23½ |crosses a khor.
| | |
Debba Berdan | 6 | 29½ |
| | |
_Ferik_ | 1¼ | 30¾ |Sheep ferik of Selim Baggara.
| | |
Debba | 2 | 32¾ |On left of track. Good level
| | |ground and park-like land;
| | |excellent going under foot. Owing
| | |to the track being at a
| | |considerable distance from the
| | |river, and the khors not all
| | |having water in them, it is
| | |advisable to travel about this
| | |country with a guide, as certain
| | |spots are known to the Arabs as
| | |camping grounds, where generally a
| | |large ardeb tree is to be found
| | |with water close at hand. First
| | |sight of the jebel from here.
| | |
Debba Berdan | 2¼ | 35 |Another debba of this name.
| | |Country bushy.
| | |
_Debba Aliang_| 3½ | 38½ |Track now runs generally between
| | |the forest on the left and khor on
| 6½ | 45 |right. A wide khor all along here
| | |on the right, then a thick belt of
| | |trees between it and the river.
| | |
| 2 | 47 |The khor here runs into the
| | |river—a considerable amount of
| | |water in it for the last 10 miles.
| | |
_Meshra | ⅛ | 47⅛ |An excellent meshra at low Nile,
Meteima_ | | |and not at all impossible at high.
| | |After having pushed through about
| | |80 yards of reeds, the high sandy
| | |bank is reached and access gained
| | |to the inland track, which is
| | |excellent all the year round.
| | |Jebel Ahmed Agha opposite. River
| | |about 1,000 yards wide here.
| | |Following the ordinary track this
| | |is the first time that the river
| | |water can be obtained after
| | |leaving Kaka. Selim Baggara ferik
| | |about ½ mile inland here in bush.
| | |Track from here northwards runs
| | |through a fine forest for about 6
| | |miles, when it debouches on to
| | |wide river foreshore.
| | |
_Ferik_ | 6⅜ | 53½ |Sheep ferik of Selim Arabs in
| | |bush.
| | |
Khor Nagor | 2¼ | 55¾ |A khor is crossed here which is an
| | |obstacle to any transport except
| | |carriers all the year round,
| | |having a water channel of about 8
| | |feet, and a depth of 5 feet,
| | |choked with grass. This khor bends
| | |round northwards and joins the
| | |river just S. of Meshra Alwat
| | |(right bank) (which is a name
| | |however but little known to the
| | |Arabs, who generally speak of it
| | |as the “Balad Selim Bangan”). The
| | |track follows this khor inland, as
| | |the “island,” or ground between it
| | |and the river, though dry in the
| | |dry season, is exceedingly bad
| | |going for animals and men, owing
| | |to cracks and rank grass.
| | |
_Ferik_ | 6½ | 62¼ |Track strikes the khor again. A
| | |small ferik under a well-known
| | |Selim Arab, Yasin, a little grey-
| | |headed man.
| | |
Debba Tebeldia| 1½ | 63¾ |Track crosses the khor here. This
| | |country being practically
| | |uninhabited—and full of game—is a
| | |haunt of lions. I saw three when
| | |marching along the track all
| | |within 100 yards of each other.
| | |The Jackson’s Hartebeeste is to be
| | |obtained here also. Track now runs
| | |on left side of khor; thick forest
| | |all round.
| | |
Debba Nabagaia| 4¾ | 68½ |High open debba left; this is the
| | |Nabagaia district. Country now
| | |changes generally to bush, with,
| | |as a rule, a belt of trees
| | |somewhere between the track and
| 5 | 73½ |the river.
| | |
_Minadak_ | 1½ | 75 |A fair meshra; opposite Alwat.
| | |Selim ferik about ¾ mile inland in
| | |bush. Just inland of the bush
| | |there extends a vast plain covered
| | |with thorn, scrub, and grass, and
| | |abounding with game.
| | |
Debba Megabr | 7½ | 82½ |Left, and a Selim ferik just S. of
| | |it.
| | |
_Ferik_ | 3 | 85½ |Another Selim ferik; wide khor on
| | |right of track.
| | |
| 1 | 86½ |Khor close to track; big ardeb
| | |tree, and mid-day camp.
| | |
| 1 | 87½ |A branch of the river is visible
| | |about 300 yards off on right.
| | |Track is now alternately sandy and
| | |good and cracked and very bad; the
| | |latter state owing to the number
| | |of shallow khors the track passes
| | |over. Country bushy.
| | |
_Ardeb Aliga_ | 12 | 99½ |Near river bank. Good camping
| | |ground, as there is little shade
| | |to be got, except under these (to
| | |the Arabs) well-known ardeb trees.
| | |
_Ardeb | 2¾ | 102¼ |Another big ardeb tree. Shortly
Matemenat_ | | |after this the track descends on
| | |to the foreshore and continues
| | |thus to opposite Renk, where there
| | |is a fair meshra in the dry season
_Renk_ | 3¾ | 106 |only.
| | |
_Hasoia_ | 4¾ | 110¾ |Arab encampments. Island of Hasoia
| | |here also. The track winds
| | |monotonously through interminable
| | |kittr bush, generally within reach
| | |of the river. Selim feriks thick
| | |for the next 17 miles; but as they
| | |are only temporary, and change
| | |every year, it is not worth while
| | |marking them all down.
| | |
Debba El Tor | 23¼ | 134 |On left of track.
| | |
Um Ashrin | 2½ | 136½ |Bush very thick here. Island of
| | |Waka (Bulli) stated to be opposite
| | |here. (This was the name given by
| | |the Arabs on this occasion, and
| | |probably differs from any other
| | |known name.)
| | |
_Meshra_ | 4½ | 141 |Meshra used by the Arabs during
| | |the dry season.
| | |
_El Ardeb_ | 22 | 163 |Meshra, and Selim encampments,
| | |opposite Jebelein, bearings of the
| | |two chief peaks of which 114° and
| | |70° respectively. This is the
| | |chief meshra of the Selim people,
| | |as it leads to their villages,
| | |which are about 15 miles inland
| | |opposite Jebelein.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

NOTE.—The information _re_ the track from Renk to the Jebelein is from a Report by El M. A. Said Eff. Nur El Din, Police Officer, Renk.

80.—OMDURMAN TO EL SAFIA WELLS.

BY MAJOR N. M. SMYTH BEY, V.C., QUEEN’S BAYS, NOVEMBER AND
DECEMBER, 1901.

Most of country between Omdurman and El Safia is so barren that the grazing grounds are very limited in area, and the population is so sparse that beaten tracks are only to be found in the vicinity of the watering places.

Most of the country is scattered with low samr bush, which, not being in leaf owing to the scarcity of rain this year, affords little shade. Dead trees afford an abundant supply of fuel. Many wells get partly filled up with drift sand, or with mud brought down by the infiltration of water, which may be quickly cleaned out. The supply at all wells is dependent on the amount of rainfall.

N.B.—As there are no well-defined tracks, and the distances have been measured off the map, they are probably all too short.—H. H. S. M.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Omdurman | — | — |Leaving the town the route bears a
| | |little S. of W. over hard sandy
| | |soil. A little low scattered bush.
| | |Jebel Duieim Serob (?) is left to
| | |the S. Sand hills are met. Some
| | |samr bush.
| | |
Um Hei | 27 | 27 |Old wells.
| | |
_Um Teital_ | 7 | 34 |Twenty wells in red clay, all dry.
| | |Water is found after ordinary
| | |rainfall at 15 feet, but often
| | |fails about February. Shobil
| | |wells, 30, all dry, are 3 miles to
| | |the N., and Abd El Mokeit, 20
| | |wells, where water drains in
| | |slowly at 12 feet through red
| | |clay, are 6 miles to the N.
| | |
| | |The country here belongs to the
| | |Walad Ogba section of the
| | |Kababish, who have much
| | |cultivation in the neighbourhood.
| | |Abd El Mokeit wells water 500
| | |sheep daily.
| | |
| | |The route bears due W. over
| | |undulating country.
| | |
Melh El Maagil| 21½ | 55½ |A pool in Khor Mogaddam, 100 yards
| | |by 10 yards, lasts till January. A
| | |mile W. several similar pools
| | |exist after good rainfall. There
| | |are some salt licks a mile to the
| | |S.E.
| | |
| | |There is now some track in the
| | |wadi bearing S.W. Sayal bush.
| | |
_Bag Bag_ | 12 | 67½ |Pool in wadi, dry in November. The
| | |old wells fallen in. N. of them
| | |are two groups of 15 open wells,
| | |half a mile apart, in the bed of
| | |the wadi. Copious water at 15
| | |feet.
| | |
| | |The route now bears nearly N.W.
| | |over undulating country, little
| | |bush.
| | |
_Habisa_ | 24 | 91½ |Id El Kebir, 50 wells of good
| | |water 15 feet deep. The other
| | |wells here are—El Khirwa, 20
| | |wells, 15 feet deep, good water,
| | |and Neimura, 40 wells, depth 25
| | |feet, all dry November, 1901.
| | |
_Id El Gurud_ | 5 | 96½ |Due W. and higher up the khor is a
| | |group of 3 wells, dry. One mile W.
| | |a group of 15 wells in bed of a
| | |sandy wadi; at a depth of 15 feet
| | |copious water. This water is said
| | |to have been first discovered by
| | |Arabs finding water holes
| | |scratched in the sand after rain
| | |by the apes that exist in the
| | |neighbourhood.
| | |
| | |There is now a slight track which
| | |bears W.N.W. as far as J. Khashm
| | |El Kelb, which is left to the N.,
| | |and then bears W. and W.S.W. over
| | |broken ground.
| | |
_Derota_ | 40½ | 137 |Thirty wells, all dry except one.
| | |Eight feet deep on rock, bed kept
| | |open by foxes burrowing in the
| | |sand.
| | |
| | |Three miles to the W. the Haraza-
| | |Dongola road is in the Wadi Bitit.
| | |The country is undulating and in
| | |places stony, and several wadis
| | |are crossed; general direction W.
| | |
_El Safia (Um | 35 | 172 |Um Geiti wells. The wells are
Geiti)_ | | |situated on the E. side of a plain
| | |which is surrounded by hills. The
| | |wells are: (1) Um Geiti, depth 13
| | |feet, good water, considered
| | |inexhaustible. Two hundred more
| | |have fallen in. Five hundred
| | |camels and oxen are watered daily.
| | |In the driest season thousands of
| | |cattle are watered here. (2) Id El
| | |Serajab, 30 wells, not in use, but
| | |only need clearing out to afford a
| | |water supply.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

81.—DEBBA TO EL OBEID, _viâ_ WABRI, ELAI, SAFIA AND KAGMAR.

BY MR. JAMES CURRIE, APRIL, 1903.

The route from Debba to El Obeid is little used, even during the kharif when water is comparatively plentiful. At that season a few merchants carry dates to El Obeid, perhaps carrying back gum in exchange. The portion of the route from Debba to Safia is subject to variations according to the whim of the guide employed, as well as the season of the year. Some prefer the route Um Belila—El Amri—Hobagi—Haraza without going to Safia, whilst others during the dry season travel _viâ_ Wabri, Inderab, Gumr, Gambar, Habisa, Bagbag, and Kagmar.

The track described below was plainly marked throughout, but, owing to scarcity of water, would be difficult, at any rate during the driest season, for a party of over twenty-five camels. Shade and firewood are plentiful throughout.

In the following report the only places where there was any water on the road are mentioned.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Debba | — | — |Left Debba at 6 p.m.; country
| | |desert with a good deal of mimosa;
Bir Kufra (1) | 11 | 11 |went about 11 miles and stopped at
| | |Bir Kufra, no water but guides
| | |stated it existed not far from
| | |surface.
| | |
Bir Kufra (2) | 10 | 21 |Continued due S. at 6 a.m.; mimosa
| | |ceased, softish sand and sand
| | |hills, stopped at 10 a.m., at
| | |another old well, Bir Kufra (2),
| | |but guides state water non-
| | |existent at any depth. Resumed at
| | |4 p.m. and entered big khor
| | |running N., Bir Gelud Abid. Many
| | |trees and dry grass. Off at 6 a.m.
| | |Entered Khor Magakha and went on
| | |for 4 hours; arrived at Bir Abu
| | |Sayal, three old water holes, no
| | |water (April, 1903), stopped there
| | |at 10 a.m.; resumed at 4 p.m.,
| | |passing on E. of path Bir Gelud,
| | |another old empty water hole. J.
| | |Abu Heglig here appears on E. of
| | |path. Stopped at 8.30 p.m. Off at
| | |4.30 a.m.; arrived at Wabri 9.30
_Wabri_ | 53 | 74 |a.m. Country for 4 or 5 miles
| | |before Wabri very stony and
| | |barren; three-stone-lined wells
| | |and abundance of water and
| | |grazing. A certain number of
| | |Hawawir Arabs watering their
| | |flocks, and a few camels.
| | |
_Bir Kernak_ | 13 | 87 |Off at 5.10 a.m. for Bir Kernak.
| | |This well is a bit E. of direct
| | |road to Elai. Arrived at 10.10
| | |a.m. Two stone-lined wells about
| | |12 feet deep with abundance of
| | |water.
| | |
_Hassanai_ | 10 | 97 |Off at 4.30 p.m. in a south-
| | |westerly direction; rode for 3½
| | |hours up Wadi Kernak and arrived
| | |at Hassanai, where there are a few
| | |Arab families. There is a hofra
| | |here, where a little water is to
| | |be found, but all camels are
| | |watered at Elai or Kernak.
| | |
_Elai_ | 13 | 110 |Left Hassanai 5.30 a.m. and rode
| | |up Wadi Hassanai, crossed over
| | |rocky pass and arrived at Elai at
| | |10.10 a.m. Two stone-lined wells
| | |(several disused ones) about 12
| | |feet deep, but contain little
| | |water and take 5 hours to fill,
| | |about 4 feet in diameter, and want
| | |cleaning out very badly.
| | |
| | |Stayed at Elai during morning. A
| | |long business watering my camels.
| | |Left at 2.30 p.m. for Safia, went
| | |on till 7 p.m. Three small hills
| | |to E. of track chief land-mark.
| | |Gazelle here very numerous.
| | |
Khor Hobagi | — | — |Off at 2.30 a.m., halted at 8.30
| | |a.m. W. of J. Mutmir. Went on 4
| | |hours in evening due S. Off at
| | |5.30 a.m., entered Khor Hobagi
| | |about 7 a.m. through a very rough
| | |agaba. About 9 a.m. passed a hofra
| | |which contains water during rains.
| | |This is the so-called well of
| | |Hobagi; halted 10.15 a.m.
| | |
| | |Country very much dried up and
| | |very little grazing. Went on in
| | |afternoon from 3 p.m. till 8.30
| | |p.m.
| | |
_Safia_ | 85 | 195 |Off at 2 a.m.; reached Safia at 12
| | |noon. Abundant supply of water
| | |from many wells. Numerous ril or
| | |addra gazelle, also tracks of wild
| | |sheep. Country rocky, much shut in
| | |and heat excessive. Much the
| | |hardest part of journey.
| | |
| | |Stayed at Safia all day, 30 to 40
| | |wells, but not a great deal of
| | |water in each. Water about 20 feet
| | |from surface. Many Kababish Arabs
| | |and a considerable number of
| | |camels, cattle and sheep; gazelle
| | |very numerous.
| | |
| | |Off at 5.30 p.m. for Kagmar,
| | |_viâ_, Haraza hills, where I was
| | |told there was water; went S.E.
| | |and stopped for night at 7.30 p.m.
| | |
J. Haraza | — | — |Off at 4.30 a.m. and arrived at J.
| | |Haraza at 8.30 a.m. Road very bad.
| | |To get to these hills one
| | |digresses some 15 miles from
| | |direct road to Kagmar, and strikes
| | |the range of hills about the
| | |middle. There are two wells, but
| | |one, Bir Shungul, is high up among
| | |the hills and is reached by a very
_Bir Sani_ | — | — |rough track. The second is Bir
| | |Sani, 150 feet deep. I think the
| | |digression to these wells was a
| | |mistake, and would recommend the
| | |direct road.[29]
| | |
| | |This range of hills is inhabited
| | |by Nubas, of whom there are said
| | |to be some 250. There is certain
| | |amount of cultivation.
| | |
| | |Travelled 5.7 in the evening.
| | |
| | |Travelled towards Kagmar all day,
| | |passing J. Hadid on W. of path,
| | |and towards evening catching sight
| | |of J. Atshan on the E.
| | |
_Kagmar_ | 81 | 276 |Arrived at Kagmar in the evening,
| | |having passed on E. of track J.
| | |Atshan and J. Royan.
| | |
| | |Water plentiful from here to El
| | |Obeid, _vide_ Routes 71 and 83.
| | |
_Bara_ | 48 | 324 |
| | |
_El Obeid_ | 38 | 362 |
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

82.—SHEGEIG TO EL SHOWA, _viâ_ KAGMAR.

BY CAPTAIN W. LLOYD, NOVEMBER, 1902.

This route is at present but little used, though there is a well-defined track throughout. It forms part of the old road to Darfur and is now used by merchants going to Nahud. From El Showa they go to Um Shidera, and thence, having watered their camels, to Shallota and Nahud.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
_Shegeig_ | — | — |Leaving Zerga wells (where there
| | |is a large fula in the rains), the
| | |track is at first hard to pick up
| | |owing to the numerous cattle
| | |tracks about. Going nearly due W.,
| | |Fula Naima is first seen and then
| | |Fula Bereinku, 5 miles from Zerga
| | |wells. The track then goes along a
| | |level ridge to the northern
| | |shoulder of J. Derish. Good going,
| | |plenty of shade and grazing.
| | |
Fula Um Sunta | 31 | 31 |A small pool on the N. side of the
| | |road. Crossing the ridge, the
| | |ground becomes gravelly and in
| | |places stony, for next 6 miles.
| | |Kittr bush and a few meika trees
| | |then appear and shade becomes
| | |rare. The road crosses Wadi El
| | |Kigeira and Wadi El Luggud, both
| | |of which are swampy in the rains;
| | |several salt workings are passed.
| | |
F. Shershar | 20 | 51 |A small pool. Sayal bush now
| | |commences and is thick in places
| | |to near Um Sayala, when the track
| | |becomes difficult to follow.
| | |
_Um Sayala_ | 7½ | 58½ |A small Jaalin village with one
| | |excellent well ½ mile S. Good
| | |shade near village. Leaving the
| | |village there are two tracks, one
| | |to Um Heimeira, one to Id Sabil.
| | |The latter is the shorter.
| | |
_Id Sabil_ | 8 | 66½ |An excellent well 120 feet deep,
| | |belonging to Sheikh Abd El Nebi
| | |Masud, a Baghdadi. Two hundred
| | |yards N. of the well is a clump of
| | |dom palms which form a good land
| | |mark.
| | |
| | |The whole way to Kajmar from here
| | |there is little or no shade. The
| | |soil is red sand with plenty of
| | |grass and marakh bush.
| | |
Old Um Sayala | 5 | 71½ |Now in ruins. From here there is a
| | |track going S.W. to J. Maganus.
| | |
_Fadlia_ | 6½ | 78 |A small Walad Dagoi village, one
| | |good well. From here there are
| | |roads to Abu Tabr and J. Maganus.
| | |Leaving the well, there is at
| | |first no track, but J. Atmur is
| | |seen in front.
| | |
J. Atmur | 6 | 84 |A small quartz rock with fula and
| | |good shade on the S. side. Good
| | |track.
| | |
_Um Guerfa_ | 15 | 99 |A large village with two excellent
(Hella El | | |wells, 95 feet deep, at which
Sheikh) | | |several hundred sheep and goats
| | |water daily; there are several
| | |small hellas near. Leaving the
| | |main hella, a good well is passed
| | |1 mile on, and another 2 miles
| | |beyond.
| | |
_Harais Well_ | 5½ | 104½ |A good well belonging to the
| | |Zaghawa village 1 mile N. of road.
| | |From here J. Gahania is seen due
| | |W. The direct road crosses the col
| | |between the two most northerly
| | |hills.
| | |
_Gahania_ | 8½ | 113 |A Zaghawa village on the N. side
| | |of jebel. The wells (one sweet,
| | |remainder salt) are 1 mile S. of
| | |the jebel. Thence to J. Kagmar
| | |there are many heglig trees, but
| | |all grass is eaten down soon after
| | |the rains by the large herds
| | |watered.
| | |
_Kagmar_ | 6 | 119 |A Zaghawa village. The wells are
| | |on the S. side of the jebel at the
| | |bottom of Wadi El Sigai. Plenty of
| | |good shade and grazing in the
| | |wadi. Leaving the wells, the track
| | |goes over a bare plain for 4
| | |miles. The country then becomes
| | |undulating for 5 miles. Steep soft
| | |sandy hills. Marakh on the hills,
| | |sayal in the bottoms. Bad going.
| | |The remainder of the road to
| | |Shershar is over nearly level
| | |country. Bush thick in places.
| | |
_Shershar | 16 | 135 |The wells, 40 feet deep, are
Wells_ | | |excellent, with good shade and
| | |grazing. The villages are to the
| | |W. Leaving the wells, the road
| | |passes three villages and many
| | |salt wells, and then trends S.W.
| | |through slightly undulating
| | |country, little shade, heavy
| | |going.
| | |
_Um Hashim | 10 | 145 |Two small Ferharana villages with
Bakhit_ | | |two wells 130 feet deep. Much
| | |cultivation. Passing a hella
| | |called Rubshan, much sayal bush is
| | |seen.
| | |
_Wad Medina_ | 6 | 151 |A large village, Sheikh Mohammed
| | |Wad Medina, four good wells and
| | |much cultivation.
| | |
_Um Hashim | 7 | 158 |Good track, over level country. At
Simaui_ | | |this village there is a good well.
| | |Sheikh Timsa Simaui, a Hababin
| | |Arab. The track continues in a
| | |south-westerly direction to
| | |
_El Showa_ | 10½ | 168½ |Two villages with a very good
| | |well. From there there are roads,
| | |W. to El Gleit or Um Shidera and
| | |S. to El Obeid. The bush in the
| | |vicinity consists of marakh and
| | |sayal. Plenty of grazing.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

83.—BARA TO KAGMAR.

BY CAPTAIN W. LLOYD, MARCH, 1900; WITH ADDITIONS IN DECEMBER, 1903.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Bara | — | — |Road at first through much ushur
| | |bush N. by E. Slightly undulating
| | |country; good track.
| | |
_El Hadid_ | 15 | 15 |One good well, 60 feet, and small
| | |Faharana village. Track crosses
| | |several ridges until a large well-
| | |defined one is crossed called El
| | |Khran, then along the base. Marakh
| | |and nabbag bush; little shade.
| | |
_J. Homra_ | 23 | 38 |Small jebel; on S.W. side there is
| | |a small Dar Hamid village, and two
| | |wells 10 feet deep; good water.
| | |Track passes E. of jebel. Open
| | |country; little shade.
| | |
J. Filleiha | 6 | 44 |Low rock jebel, sand much piled up
| | |on N. side. On S. side, a Dar
| | |Hamid village and well 10 feet
| | |deep. Many old wells. Dom palms
| | |and castor oil plants. Good shade.
| | |Track passes to E. of jebel in
| | |Wadi El Sigai, between low ridges.
| | |J. Kagmar seen in front; good
| | |track. Some shade and good
| | |grazing.
| | |
_Kagmar_ | 7½ | 51½ |Small Zaghawa village. Many wells
| | |10 to 20 feet deep; water
| | |practically unlimited. Many
| | |Kababish camps near, and hundreds
| | |of camels water daily. Good
| | |grazing in the wadi, none
| | |elsewhere. Onions procurable from
| | |garden near wells. Much
| | |cultivation.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

84.—EL OBEID TO FOGA, _viâ_ MASRUB.

BY CAPTAIN W. LLOYD, OCTOBER, 1900.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Obeid | — | — |The road leaves the town in a
| | |north-westerly direction over
| | |sandy ground. On reaching the high
| | |ground, J. Meitan and J. Abu Sinun
| | |are seen in line. Track good, bush
| | |not very thick. A few bad places
| | |in the rains.
| | |
| | |The road leads to the S. end of
| | |
J. Abu Sinun | 22 | 22 |J. Abu Sinun. Here there are two
| | |fulas, both about 100 yards by 50
| | |yards, but shallow and will soon
| | |be dry. There is a deep crack on
| | |the S. side of the jebel in a
| | |rock, known to the arabs, which
| | |now contains a good deal of water,
| | |buckets and ropes are required.
| | |There is now no track. Thick bush.
| | |J. Um Shidera can be seen to the
| | |N.W. from the high ground S. of
| | |the jebel.
| | |
Hella Shiheita| 15½ | 37½ |A small Baza hella; no well. There
| | |is now a good track.
| | |
Hella Ushut | 3 | 40½ |A small Nimr hella; no wells;
| | |track good.
| | |
_Um Shidera_ | 10½ | 51 |The wells are in a hollow S.W. of
| | |the jebel, eight good wells open,
| | |30 feet deep, plenty of water,
| | |many old wells. The hella is ¾
| | |mile N.W. People belong to Dar
| | |Hamid. The track now turns nearly
| | |N.N.W.
| | |
El Gleit | 13½ | 64½ |A small hella, Dar Hamid. The
| | |wells are in a hollow ¾ mile N.,
| | |at the base of the jebel. Ten
| | |wells open, 25 feet deep; good
| | |water, but not very plentiful;
| | |many old ones about. There is a
| | |road from here to El Sheg. The
| | |track now goes N. and N. by W. for
| | |11 miles, and then W. over hard
| | |red sand.
| | |
Masrub | 15 | 79½ |A small hella, Dar Hamid, just
| | |built.
| | |
_Masrub Wells_| 4½ | 84 |The track goes N. to the wells;
| | |two good wells, 5 feet in
| | |diameter, 30 feet deep; eight old
| | |ones near.
| | |
| | |There is now no track. March N.W.
| | |for 6 miles, and then W. through
| | |level country, with little bush
| | |over red sandy soil. At the 14th
| | |mile a ridge (running N. and S.)
| | |50 or 60 feet high is ascended.
| | |There is now a good track (J. Um
| | |Hashas is N.N.E.) over undulating
| | |ground. Two miles beyond the ridge
| | |the road turns S.W.
| | |
J. Idris | 35 | 119 |A hill 100 feet high; 1½ miles
| | |from N. to S., the track goes over
| | |the col between two peaks.
| | |
_Bur Islam_ | 15½ | 134½ |Eight fulas 20 to 30 yards in
| | |diameter, and 4 or 5 feet deep;
| | |water reported to last three
| | |months, then wells are dug a few
| | |feet deep, but water never lasts
| | |until the rains. Several Hamar
| | |hellas near. Bur Islam is a low
| | |lying place, swampy in the rains.
| | |“Bur” means uncultivated.
| | |
| | |There is no track, the direction
| | |is nearly W. and W.S.W., through
| | |bush for 31 miles, when a good
| | |track is struck.
| | |
_Um Sayala_ | 35 | 169½ |A small Hamar village; no well;
| | |tebeldi trees. People get water
| | |from near J. Bishara Taib. Good
| | |track N.W., past a fula now nearly
| | |dry, 100 yards by 80 yards. There
| | |are many old wells.
| | |
J. Bishara | 4 | 173½ |The track goes over a col, N. of
Taib | | |the highest peak, through some old
| | |stone walls, said to have been
| | |Fung fortifications. Good track.
| | |
Hella Ibrahim | 1½ | 175 |Small Hamar hella, water from
| | |Foga. Good track.
| | |
_Foga_ | 1½ | 176½ |Foga wells; these wells consist
| | |really of a series of fulas, 30 to
| | |40 feet in diameter; there are
| | |over 30 in a depression. When the
| | |water gives out the people dig
| | |wells in the bottom, and these
| | |supply water for the rest of the
| | |year.
| | |
| | |The only ruins of the old town I
| | |could find, were two small houses
| | |said to have been the telegraph
| | |office and magazine. The old
| | |telegraph line cannot be traced.
| | |Vide R.’s 85 and 87.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

N.B.—The whole of this road is said to be passable to camels in the rains, but there would probably be a good deal of difficulty 8 miles from El Obeid, near Abu Sinun, and near Bur Islam.

85.—EL OBEID TO FOGA _viâ_ UM SHEMMA, GLEIT, MASRUB AND GURADI.

BY CAPTAIN B. C. CARTER, LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS, MARCH, 1902.

This route is longer than Route 84, but there is more water.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
El Obeid | — | — |The track is difficult to pick up
| | |in leaving El Obeid, but fairly
| | |good afterwards. Country slightly
| | |rolling and open. Soil light sand,
| | |and good going. Grazing good.
_Um Shemma_ | 32 | 32 |Fairly grassed. At Um Shemma three
| | |wells, broken; 100 to 120 feet
| | |deep. Seem to water a good many
| | |cattle. Wells 3 miles beyond
| | |village.
| | |
_El Sheg or | 19 | 51 |No track at first over rolling
Gebir_ | | |country, fairly open. Marakh
| | |bushes and talh. Seven miles from
| | |wells, a broad track is cut
| | |running to El Sheg or Gebir. Two
| | |or three scattered villages with
| | |cultivation. Good water supply
| | |from the wells 160 feet deep. Seem
| | |to water a lot of goats and sheep.
| | |
_El Gleit_ | 17 | 68 |I believe there is a good track
| | |all the way to El Gleit[30], but
| | |my guide lost his way. Country
| | |dips down and becomes rather close
| | |thornbush to within about 6 miles
| | |of El Gleit, when it opens again.
| | |Scattered villages and
| | |cultivation. Many wells in a khor,
| | |some salt. Water supply permanent
| | |but scanty; should water twenty
| | |camels. Good view of surrounding
| | |country from the jebel which seems
| | |to be called Angag or Gleit.
| | |
_Masrub Wells_| 18 | 86 |Broad track to Masrub through open
| | |country, little grass, talh,
| | |hashab and heglig; two small
| | |villages. Wells in khor, three in
| | |number, 11 feet. Water supply
| | |scanty. It took 3 hours to water
| | |nine camels. No grazing this year.
| | |From here there is no water till
| | |Guradi.
| | |
_Guradi or Abu| 47 | 133 |No track. First point is J. Um Has
Agaga_ | | |Has. Rolling open country. A lot
| | |of heglig trees near the jebel. J.
| | |Katul and Kaja visible all the
| | |way. Passing Wadi Melowa the
| | |country rises gently. Two paths
| | |are crossed. The first comes from
| | |J. Subari where the people get
| | |salt. The second goes from Katul
| | |to Nahud. No water save in tebeldi
| | |trees from _Um Has Has_, J.
| | |Selatia. From this ridge the two
| | |small jebels of Guradi, behind
| | |which lie the wells are visible.
| | |Below the ridge is a shallow
| | |depression about 2 miles across
| | |which becomes a fula in the rains
| | |and should hold a lot of water.
| | |Country all much the same open and
| | |rolling in parts. Light sandy
| | |soil. About a dozen wells lie
| | |close together 20 feet deep. Water
| | |comes slowly. Might water a
| | |company of Camel Corps if wells
| | |were seized over night, but
| | |ordinarily not more than 15 or 20
| | |camels. Grazing poor. Tracks lead
| | |to Kaja and Hofra. Latter village
| | |has no water. Bir Soderi water
| | |plentiful.
| | |
_Foga_ | 70 | 203 |From Guradi to Foga no water.
| | |Country rolling open steppe. Very
| | |heavy going for about 8 miles
| | |before reaching track between
| | |Hofra and Foga. This line is
| | |evidently shorter and better than
| | |the old road. No track at first
| | |but steering easy as J. Nagut is
| | |always visible. Track when reached
| | |is broad and well worn. From J.
| | |Sheikh El Rifa going becomes much
| | |easier, nearly all shok is avoided
| | |by this route. At Foga many wells,
| | |but water scarce after January.
| | |_Vide_ R.’s 84 and 87.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

86.—ABU AGAGA TO BARA.

BY CAPTAIN J. R. O’CONNELL, JANUARY, 1902.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Abu Agaga | — | — |Marching due E., after 6 miles,
| | |pass J. Selatia. No track, bare
| | |plain; then march a little E. of
| | |S. on J. Um Has Has.
| | |
J. Um Has Has | 27 | 27 |After passing the jebel, turn due
| | |S. through thick bush.
| | |
_Masrub_ | 14 | 41 |A small village. Two wells, 20
| | |feet deep, good water. Ten and a
| | |half hours from Abu Agaga. Leaving
| | |Masrub and marching due E., after
| | |15 miles, one passes south of
| | |Jebel Muaiga to
| | |
Megeinis | 24 | 65 |Megeinis, a village. No water,
| | |people use melons instead. About
| | |1½ miles north of the village are
| | |two small hills. Five and a half
| | |hours from Masrub; no track.
| | |
| | |Leaving a track leads due E.
| | |through thick bush.
| | |
_Um Daioka_ | 15 | 80 |A village of Arafia Arabs. Wells 1
| | |mile N. of village called Lowai;
| | |100 feet deep, plenty of water,
| | |but not good. Three and a half
| | |hours from Megeinis. Track now
| | |goes N.E.
| | |
_Rubshan_ | 9 | 89 |Village. Water good. Track turns
| | |S.E. through thick bush.
| | |
_Marra_ | 8 | 97 |Village of Arafia Arabs. Shiekh,
| | |Ahmed Omar. Water not good. Track
| | |goes N.E.
| | |
_Khar Tauil_ | 11 | 108 |Good water in plenty near surface:
| | |gardens, old fig and lime trees; a
| | |few vines. A few Danagla live
| | |here. Six and a half hours from Um
| | |Daioka.
| | |
_Bara_ | 10 | 118 |A broad track goes due E. over
| | |high ridges of red sand to Bara.
| | |No trees. Two and a half hours
| | |from Khor Tauil.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

87.—FOGA TO KAJA (BIR SODERI).

BY COLONEL B. MAHON, C.B., D.S.O., DECEMBER, 1901.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Foga | — | — |There are no people actually
| | |living on the site of the old
| | |Mamuria, but there are several
| | |Hamar hellas close by. Foga is a
| | |good military position as there
| | |are several small sand hills which
| | |command the surrounding country,
| | |which used to be open, but is now
| | |more or less covered with bush of
| | |recent growth. There are the
| | |remains of hundreds of old wells
| | |which can be opened with a little
| | |labour, and water got at from 50
| | |feet to 90 feet. People say that
| | |in the old days water was obtained
| | |close to the surface, but that is
| | |not so now; I fancy it was rain-
| | |water. In the dry weather the
| | |people from Kaja Serrug (14 miles)
| | |get water from Foga. The old road
| | |between Foga and Kaja is quite
| | |“dead,” but there is a good road
| | |between Kaja Serrug and Kaja.
| | |
J. Abu Dugeia | 16 | 16 |From Foga you travel N.N.E. about
| | |16 miles with no track until you
| | |strike the road from Kaja Serrug,
| | |near J. Abu Dugeia. This is all
| | |through undulating sandy country
| | |covered with bush; very good
| | |grazing ground for camels.
| | |
J. Esmein | 4 | 20 |A small rocky hill on right of
| | |track, after this road dips into
| | |valley; soil clay, ground flat,
| | |thick bush.
| | |
| 8 | 28 |Small rocky range of hills on left
| | |of road runs parallel with it for
| | |2 miles; country fairly open and
| | |undulating.
| | |
Khor Neilut Um| 5 | 33 |After this, country becomes more
Kasus | | |open and intersected with small
| | |khors which are thickly wooded;
| | |ground sandy and a good lot of
| | |stones and rock.
| | |
Khor Gelti | 11 | 44 |Rather broken ground; road good,
| | |thick bush; direction changes here
| | |E.N.E.
| | |
_Um Gelti_ | 4 | 48 |This is a well, 80 feet deep, sunk
| | |in bottom of dry basin, very
| | |little water and bad.
| | |
| 2 | 50 |Here the bush country ceases and
| | |track leads E.N.E. and E. over
| | |sand dunes, very heavy for camels;
| | |very few trees or shade, but lots
| | |of grazing, until J. Bakalai is
| | |reached.
| | |
J. Bakalai | 21 | 71 |The road passes N. side of J.
| | |Bakalai and runs nearly E. to
| | |Kuku. _Um Abu Agaga_ is 6 miles
| | |S.S.W. of J. Bakalai—a very
| | |indistinct track leading to it—but
| | |it can be recognised by groups of
| | |small hills (rocks): well is near
| | |the furthest one. This is a good
| | |well and has water all the year,
| | |but would not water more than nine
| | |camels at a time.
| | |
_Kuku_ | 19 | 90 |Kuku is a village (two villages)
| | |of blacks on the northern side of
| | |J. Kuku. These people have a lot
| | |of land under cultivation, but
| | |this year all their crops failed.
| | |They have no wells but a good
| | |supply of water in tanks on the
| | |mountains. These tanks are more or
| | |less natural but have been widened
| | |and improved by manual labour, and
| | |very large rocks must have been
| | |removed at some time to make them;
| | |the people now know nothing about
| | |how they were originally made or
| | |have they any tools to do like
| | |work now. All the Kaja district is
| | |covered with the remains of old
| | |villages: it must have been at one
| | |time very thickly populated.
| | |
_Kaja Soderi_ | 7 | 97 |Is 7 miles off to the E.; road
| | |runs along N. side of mountains
| | |for 4 miles, then crosses, and the
| | |wells are on the S. side. Here
| | |there is a plentiful supply of
| | |water: wells from 18 feet to 30
| | |feet. During the kharif there is a
| | |large lake here and the wells are
| | |sunk annually in its bed.
| | |
| | |The whole country between Foga and
| | |Kaja is very suitable for camels
| | |and the Arabs graze thousands
| | |there during the rainy season and
| | |until the fulas dry up.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

88.—NAHUD TO EL FASHER.

AS FAR AS DAM JAMAD BY CAPTAIN B. C. CARTER, THENCE FROM NATIVE
SOURCES.

--------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
| Miles. |
Place. +-------------+------+ Description.
|Intermediate.|Total.|
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------
Nahud | — | — |See routes 19 and 30. Nahud is
| | |about 310 miles from El Dueim.
| | |
Wad Bokhari | 2 | 2 |Large Gowama village. Wide track,
| | |sandy soil. No thick bush.
| | |
Wad Shukab | 6 | 8 |Small Hamar village. Water from
| | |Nahud and melons.
| | |
Daglos | 10 | 18 |Small Hamar village. A few
| | |tebeldis.
| | |
Baruda | 4½ | 22½ |Ditto.
| | |
| | |Track now crosses several sandy
| | |ridges.
| | |
_Wad Banda_ | 14½ | 37 |Large Hamar village. Many tebeldi
| | |trees. People sell water to
| | |travellers. The price varies from
| | |10 burmas for 1 piastre to 10
| | |piastres for 1 burma (burma equals
| | |a large stable bucket). In some
| | |places the track now becomes heavy
| | |owing to soft sand.
| | |
Sheraya | 10 | 47 | } All small places. Here the sand
| | | } hills open out at intervals
Um Karra | 4½ | 51½ | } into circular flats which are
| | | } cultivated. The people go to Um
Daira | 2½ | 54 | } Shanga when the water supply
| | | } from the melons and tebeldis is
Hagera | 1 | 55 | } exhausted. Country fairly open
| | | } and going good.
Kajana | 2 | 57 | }
| | |
_Dam Jamad_ | 16 | 73 |Small Hamar hella on the frontier.
| | |There are 3 other hellas near.
| | |Water from tebeldis.
| | |
| | |Darfur is now entered.
| | |
_El Ogud_ | 24 | 97 |Three wells about 100 feet deep;
| | |water plentiful. Inhabitants are
| | |Fors.
| | |
_Jebel El | 10 | 107 |Two wells nearly 200 feet deep;
Hella_ | | |water plentiful. A detachment of
| | |three companies of Ali Dinar’s
| | |army is quartered here.
| | |
| | |A road from Omdurman _viâ_ Kaja
| | |joins here.
| | |
_Burush_ | 13 | 120 |Small Berti village. Four wells
| | |about 100 feet deep; plenty of
| | |water.
| | |
_Um Kadada_ | 15 | 135 |One large well about 110 feet
| | |deep, or more, but 20 feet of
| | |water at the bottom. This depth of
| | |water is said to be constant.
| | |
_Abiad_ | 25 | 160 |A Geleidat village. Four wells
| | |about 90 feet deep; water
| | |plentiful.
| | |
_Ergud_ | 30 | 190 |Many wells, water plentiful.
| | |
_Fashar_ | 30 | 220 |Two wells 150 feet deep; water
| | |plentiful in rainy season.
| | |
El Fasher | 16 | 236 |Capital of Darfur, see Vol. I, p.
| | |192.
| | |
| | |By road and river, therefore, El
| | |Fasher is about 670 miles from
| | |Khartoum. Between El Obeid and El
| | |Ogud, the first wells in Darfur,
| | |water is very scarce in the dry
| | |season.
--------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

89.—NAHUD TO BUR ISLAM.

BY CAPTAIN C. H. TOWNSEND, 18TH TO 25TH DECEMBER, 1901.