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 | | |Zalan. Road rocky in few places, | | |but on whole good. Good camp at Khor Afaferi| 13 | 32 |Khor Afaferi, 13 miles. | | | | | |Good road crosses a marsh near | | |Abdel Rahman Wad Khojali’s | | |village, which is passed after 2½ | | |hours’ march. Asosa comes in view | | |across a wide valley which takes | | |over 1 hour to get round; a water | | |course passed. Convenient to water | | |here before going into Asosa, as | | |water some distance off village. | | | Asosa | 15 | 47 |Asosa is a collection of villages | | |on a large spur which is part of | | |the plateau and juts out over a | | |valley. | | | | | |There are three rocky hills, all | | |with houses on them. People | | |prosperous and well to do. A | | |certain amount of cultivation | | |near, but chief cultivation near a | | |small hill E. of Asosa. Sheikh | | |Hamed apparently a very determined | | |ruler and looks after his people. | | |There is an Abyssinian post here | | |of about 15 to 20 men. | | | | | | | | |(NOTE.—A troop of Sudanese regular | | |cavalry and a party of mounted | | |irregulars marched by this route | | |at the rate of 3 miles per hour, | | |forced marching.) --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

137.—ASOSA TO KHOR BOSUK, viâ KHOR SURGALLA AND KHOR ZALAN.

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

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Asosa | — | — |Leaving Asosa by road to Goha and | | |march for an hour along it. Then | | |branch off W. and drop off plateau | | |on to a succession of small hills, | | |with villages, going along crest | | |of their spurs. A few steep and K. Dadeferi | 10 | 10 |rocky places in crossing khors—to | | |Khor Dadeferi—running stream with | | |village above it, not much room | | |for camp. | | | | | |Ascent out of khor steep to | | |village; steep ascents and | | |descents, passing cultivated | | |clearings and villages (all | | |Hamed’s). | | | _Khor | 8 | 18 |Reach Khor Sirekoli (Surgalla), Sirekoli_ | | |good running stream, pretty open (Surgalla) | | |ground here, good camp, grass | | |plentiful. Road now rises | | |abruptly. | | | | | |Road, after rising abruptly out of | | |valley over hill, goes W., very | | |steep and rocky track. Apparently | | |not been much used lately; passes Khor Akori | 6 | 24 |over low rocky hills, a constant | | |up and down, S. of J. Fanoje and | | |then turns N. along foot of Fanoje | | |hills, crosses Khor Akori, water | | |here by digging, good grass. | | | Khor Zalan | 6 | 30 |After a mile strike Kirin road, | | |along this to Khor Zalan; water | | |plentiful, also grass. | | | Camp Bosuk | 6 | 36 |Go along track for 3 miles, then | | |strike off to W., cross khor with | | |water into camp. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

138.—GORE TO ABWONG (ON SOBAT).

BY CAPTAIN H. H. WILSON, FEBRUARY TO MARCH, 1904.

NOTE.—The route described in this report, after crossing the Baro at 52½ miles from Gore, follows the left bank of that river as far as Itang, thence the right bank to Nasser, thence the left bank of the Sobat to Abwong. From Gambela, 64½ miles from Gore, the best track westwards lies along the right bank. There is no difficulty in travelling by this route during the driest season, i.e., February to May. Practically no supplies can be relied on.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Gore | | |Gore is described elsewhere. It is | | |surrounded by hills, some of which | | |appear to be of nearly equal | | |height. Country thickly wooded, | | |but being cleared for cultivation. | | | | 2½ | 2½ |Track from here gets bad, going | | |through forest and over a khor, | | |east bank of which is very steep | | |and difficult. | | | | 3½ | 6 |Forest gets very thick and | | |tangled, roots and fallen trees | | |lying across track. Hills very | | |steep. | | | | 3 | 9 |Forest gets thinner, and glimpses | | |of Gore can be had. Villages also | | |appear in the open clearings. Some | | |of the rivers hereabouts are | | |bridged, but the bridges are very | | |bad and dangerous for animals, | | |which can in dry season cross by | | |fording. | | | Rest house | 3¼ | 12¼ |House where travellers generally | | |stop first march out from Gore, or | | |last march in. | | | | 1⅛ | 13⅜ |Rocky river bed to cross. Route | | |for next 6 miles is hilly and | | |thickly wooded; several rivers to | | |cross, mostly with rocky bottoms. | | | | 5⅝ | 19 |Beginning of Bure district; | | |country much more open and thickly | | |populated and cultivated; track | | |much less hilly and wider. | | | | 5⅞ | 24⅞ |Market place on top of a hill; | | |market twice a week. | | | Ato Melka’s | 4⅝ | 29½ |Track much better here and hills house | | |not difficult, country cleared of | | |trees to great extent and much | | |cultivated. | | | | 1 | 30½ |Market place. | | | Ato Takallé’s | 5⅞ | 36⅜ |Situated on a hill. River to cross house | | |just before reaching it. Takallé | | |is governor of all Bure, and is | | |charged with guarding the pass at | | |Goma, which leads up from the Baro | | |country. | | | Guard | 4 | 40⅜ |Guard house on hill (tukls and a | | |“hosh”). Officer stationed here | | |with about 30 men to guard the | | |pass and report all arrivals and | | |departures to the Ras. | | | Goma | 6 | 46⅜ |Rest houses on the top of pass. | | |Descent for first two miles very | | |difficult, track winding amongst | | |boulders and large rocky slabs. It | | |is necessary to use one’s hands | | |and knees in getting up some of | | |the places. | | | | 2⅛ | 48½ |Enter forest and cross mountain | | |torrent, which would probably be | | |impassable after heavy rains. From | | |here down to the Baro ford is not | | |difficult, though tiring, and, | | |except for one or two bad ravines, | | |loaded animals can get along | | |without much difficulty. | | | River Baro | 4 | 52½ |Baro Ford spanned by a very (ford) | | |ricketty wooden bridge, which is | | |no longer safe. Animals and men | | |cross river-bed in dry season: 3-4 | | |feet of water. Crossing very | | |difficult owing to rocky uneven | | |bottom and strong current, river | | |here being succession of rapids. | | |After crossing Baro, track leaves | | |river and runs round hill, joining | | |river again about 4 miles further | | |on, from whence track follows | | |river more or less closely as far | | |as | | | Gambela | 12 | 64½ |Long scattered district, villages | | |mostly on R. bank; a few small | | |villages hidden in the forest on | | |L. bank, inhabitants of which fled | | |on appearance of Abyssinians. | | |Recognised ferry here, two dug- | | |outs. River, however, fordable for | | |animals (January 14). Thick forest | | |both banks. River full of hippos | | |and crocodiles. Track leaves river | | |here and runs about a mile inland | | |as far as | | | R. Bonga | 1½ | 66 |10 yards wide, 10 feet banks, and | | |1 to 2 feet water. Sandy bottom | | |and passage easy. The regular | | |track westwards from Gambela is on | | |R. bank. I, however, followed L. | | |bank to investigate. Gambela is | | |called by the Anuaks Egelo. Track | | |from here very bad, almost | | |nonexisting, it being necessary to | | |hew a way through the jungle in | | |places. Ground very rocky at foot | | |of small hills. | | | River Ichok | 11 | 77 | | | | River Wonkai | 1½ | 78½ | | | | River Wangd | 1 | 79½ | Wong | | | | | | River Wanten | ¾ | 80¼ |All above dry (February, 1904). | | |Width from 20 to 50 yards. Sandy | | |bottoms and steep banks. Must be | | |quite impassable after heavy | | |rains, but Anuaks say that they | | |quickly drain off. | | | Ile de | ½ | 80¾ |Series of rapids and small islands Faidherbe | | |in dry season. Site where steamer | | |was stranded marked by huge stone | | |like a tomb-stone, 10 feet high, | | |on a grass-covered island, which | | |is submerged at high Nile. Anuaks | | |and Abyssinians say the Faidherbe | | |was carried away about three | | |months after being left there, in | | |three pieces, by Joti’s and | | |Tesemma’s men, 200 to 300 men | | |carrying a section on a tree | | |trunk. Traces of broad track | | |cleared for this purpose on river | | |bank noticeable now. Small village | | |right, track on left very bad, | | |runs through long grass and forest | | |to beginning of | | | Finkio | 7¾ | 88½ |Finkio; natives pronounce it (Penkio) (site| | |Finkio, not Penkio. Villages, of Trading | | |i.e., clusters of huts or Station) | | |homesteads all along river here | | |onwards. Names of villages marked | | |on map are misleading, as the name | | |applies to a district perhaps 10 | | |miles long. A shorter track exists | | |from near Ogara to Itang, but I | | |could not take it, as it was past | | |mid-day, and I had to halt on Nyokwar | 14½ | 103 |water. Track on to Itang from | | |Nyokwar very bad, as it follows | | |all bends of river except in one | | |place, and ground is a succession | | |of small deep gullies that are | | |impassable for transport unless | | |ramped, or marched round. | | | Ideni | 14½ | 117½ |Beginning of district of Ideni R. | | |and Itang L. | | | Itang | 3 | 120½ |Eastern boundary of Itang Enclave. | | |Sheikh Gelo, brother-in-law of | | |Sheikh Nagor, of Ideni. Gelo is | | |much feared by Anuaks, who | | |approach his presence on all | | |fours. Baro fordable here | | |(February), 2 to 3 feet deep. Fine | | |Gemmeiza trees at Itang, and good | | |forest of fuel trees in vicinity. | | | | | |Most of these distances will not | | |compare with the map, as there is | | |no regular track on left bank. | | |Owing to swampy nature of country | | |in rains, track continually | | |changes as fresh ground becomes | | |passable and country dries up and | | |gets burnt. Track in places | | |dangerous, as it runs through | | |dense long grass, within a foot of | | |a 10 to 15 feet drop into river. | | |Cows and transport animals fell | | |over this on several occasions. | | | | | |Track between Itang and Gambela | | |must be followed on right bank, | | |that on left is too bad. Cross | | |river at Itang. One mile on is | | |village, part of district of | | |Pangmala, village being under Ajuoto | 1 | 121½ |Sheikha Ajuoto. This village is | | |situated in a dense rubber forest, | | |and the rubber vines are found all | | |along the river in the Anuak | | |country. Nobody collects the | | |rubber. All approaches to this | | |village were closed with thorn | | |“abattis,” owing to the presence | | |of Abyssinians. | | | | 1 | 122½ |Cross a small khor, which is sandy | | |and fordable for animals at this | | |point only at this time of year. | | |There is a shorter track, which | | |leaves the Sheikha’s village on | | |the right, but leads to a wide | | |part of the khor, impassable to | | |animals owing to deep mud. Track | | |now runs along edge of dense | | |forest right and broad khor left, | | |with forest beyond. | | | | 3 | 125½ |Forest left ceases and khor runs | | |into open plain. Track crosses | | |khor several times; liable to be | | |muddy and difficult. | | | | 2 | 127½ |Big khor runs down from forest on | | |right to river, passable only | | |close up to forest. | | | | 1 | 128½ |Another big khor to cross, similar | | |to above; mouth of this khor very | | |deep and steep, impassable for | | |animals, which must cross up by | | |forest. Track now inland, 1 to 2 | | |miles from river. | | | | 11½ | 140 |Big khor to cross with lake | | |inland, about 1 mile from river. | | | Kaich | 1 | 141 |Large Nuer village marked as | | |Kaich, but name not recognised. | | |Track from here uniformly good, | | |passing over a broad grass plain | | |which lies beyond the belt of | | |trees that fringe the Baro and the | | |forest further inland. The plain | | |is burnt in January and becomes | | |passable; it is under water during | | |the rains. Several Nuer dry season | | |villages along the plain, but | | |these people all go off in the | | |rains inland; probably a few small | | |villages remain, that are built on | | |small mounds. Game abounds in the | | |forest inland here. | | | | 3 | 144 |Track strikes a big khor and runs | | |along N. bank of it for 1½ miles, | | |and then crosses it. Villages | | |dotted all along khor. | | | | 2 | 146 |Cross khor again near its junction | | |with river near big round island. | | |River round this island (S. | | |channel) is very rapid and | | |difficult. Villages all along | | |here, track runs inland and passes Kaig | 5 | 151 |big village shown on map as Kaig, | | |which name is not recognised. | | |Nuers have mostly left this | | |village since traders arrived. | | | R. Adura | 1 | 152 |Balamkun, or Kwemnum, eastern | | |junction of Adura with Baro. Adura | | |mouth dry (2nd January), but water | | |in large reach further along. Good | | |gemmeiza trees all along Baro up | | |to here for last few miles, but no | | |trees met with after this until | | |Ajungmir (mile 216). | | | K. Chaich | 4½ | 156½ |Khor Chaich, not shown on map. | | | R. Baitiok | 3⅞ | 160⅜ |Khor Baitiok dry (February), 10 | | |yards wide, shallow; track has | | |followed this khor for last three | | |miles. | | | K. Jokau | ½ | 160⅞ |Khor Jokau, 2 to 2½ feet of water, | | |very strong current, waterway 20 | | |feet wide. Natives all say that | | |this is the only mouth of Garre | | |and that Khor Machar does not | | |communicate with Garre. Villages | | |of Baitiok, or Chanchai opposite | | |on left bank. Cultivation—both | | |banks and huts. These Nuers come | | |from Garjak where their wet-season | | |villages are. | | | | 3 | 163⅞ |Big shallow khor, full of weeds | | |but nearly dry. Track all along | | |here is excellent, several miles | | |inland from river; burnt grass | | |plain. | | | Kwe | 6¾ | 170⅝ |Large winter village of Nuers, | | |Kwe; very friendly; track now | | |descends to the river at | | | K. Machar | 3 | 173⅝ |Only a winter (dry season) | | |residence; groups of these | | |temporary villages are dotted | | |about. Khor Machar dried up. | | |Natives say it does not discharge | | |water, but only fills up from the | | |Baro. The mouth of Khor Machar is | | |much bigger than that of Jokau. | | | | 5⅝ | 179¼ |Big khor runs E. and W. with water | | |in it. There is no track here at | | |all (February, 1904), and way had | | |to be forced through jungle of | | |rank unburnt grass. | | | Kamkiri (E.) | 6⅞ | 186⅛ |E. end of island of Kamkiri. | | |Village ¾ mile inland. River | | |called Mainyal; only temporary. | | |Distances from Machar are probably | | |all too long, owing to winding | | |about through the grass; under | | |similar circumstances however they | | |will not be found to be much less. | | | Kamkiri (W.) | 3½ | 189⅝ |W. end of island of Kamkiri. Not a | | |tree visible anywhere, and no | | |shade available. Grass unburnt | | |(21st February), and going very | | |difficult. | | | | 10½ | 200⅛ |Khor with half a foot of water in | | |it. | | | K. Loinkildom | 4¼ | 204⅜ |Khor muddy, steep banks, probably | | |that shown on map as Loinkildom, | | |which name was not recognised. | | | | ¼ | 204⅝ |Another khor similar to above. | | | K. Makeir | ⅝ | 205¼ |Khor Makeir and village right, | | |very big khor, 15 feet deep, 40 to | | |50 yards. Wide sandy bottom, dry | | |and passable in places (February). | | |Water in deep pools. | | | | 6 | 211¼ |Going as bad as before. Thin bush | | |starts right. | | | | 1¾ | 213 |Khor with water in it; muddy | | |bottom, 3 feet wide, 3 feet deep. | | | K. Nyakol | 2 | 215 |Ten yards wide, 6 feet deep, 3 | | |feet of water with mud; very | | |perpendicular banks; this was a | | |very bad obstacle, even the | | |saddles having to be taken off | | |mules’ backs (February 22). | | | Ajungmir | 1½ | 216½ |Village on right bank, trees near. | | | | 3¼ | 219¾ |Track cuts across corner and | | |strikes river again at | | | Nyariau | 1¾ | 221½ |Village of Nyariau, in 3 parts; 1 | | |small part on bank of river, and 1 | | |large and 1 small about 10 yards | | |inland. Track runs inland through | | |bush and forest, and strikes river | | |at mile | | | | 2 | 223½ |Very thick gemmeiza trees left | | |bank, bush right. River fordable | | |here (February, 1904). | | | | 3⅛ | 226⅝ |Beginning of Anuak, part of | | |Taufot, right bank. Track cuts | | |across here to | | | Taufot | 1¼ | 227⅞ |Taufot (Nuer), very big compact | | |village; stands back. Latest map | | |shows big island near Taufot, but | | |it is non-existent. | | | Khor Wakau | 2¼ | 230⅛ |Thirty yards wide at mouth, but | | |opens out to nearer 150 yards | | |higher up. Muddy bottom; 20 feet | | |deep in rains, 3 to 5 feet in dry | | |season. Big village of Kadbeg | | |short way up Wakau. | | | Nasser | 3 | 233⅛ |Nasser left, Kwoinlualtong, right | | |bank, for the last 2 miles | | |upstream from Nasser. River not | | |fordable here (February), but | | |animals swam over at lower end of | | |island, opposite Nasser, without | | |difficulty. | | | | 1 | 234⅛ |Track enters forest (heglig and | | |talh), track bad; cracked cotton | | |soil. | | | Tolor | 5 | 239⅛ |Khor and fishing village of Tolor; | | |khor 60 yards wide, and 3 to 5 | | |feet deep, muddy. Track follows | | |khor down right bank, and crosses | | |it at junction with river at mile | | | | 2¼ | 241⅜ |Crossing 3 feet deep, artificial | | |channel for catching fish. Track | | |now follows river for 1½ miles, | | |then cuts across corner for | | |Manajok. | | | | 3⅝ | 245 |Khor with 2 feet of water in it; | | |good crossing. | | | Manajok | 2⅞ | 247⅞ |Manajok, Nuer part of village; | | |swamp between village and river, | | |few trees. | | | | ¼ | 248⅛ |Anuak part of village on bank, | | |good Meshra, thin bush behind. | | | Nyakoik | 1⅝ | 249¾ | | | | | ⅜ | 250⅛ |Thin heglig forest. Huts all along | | |from Nyakoik. | | | Tuargai | ⅝ | 250¾ | | | | Shillup | 6½ | 257¼ |Good heglig forest left most of | | |the way, and plenty of shade | | |trees, though none shown on map. A | | |khor 3 feet deep, just before | | |reaching Shillup. Track follows | | |river till | | | Nyanglang | 2⅝ | 259⅞ |And then cuts across corner | | |through forest to Fauwel. | | | Fauwel | 2¼ | 262⅛ |Large scattered village, running | | |back into the woods; good shade | | |trees and meshra and camping | | |ground. Track all along bank. | | | K. Nyandieng | 2⅞ | 265 |Very broad mouth, 1½ miles wide; | | |main discharge about 1 mile | | |further on, deep and artificially | | |deepened for fishing; crossed by | | |two rough bridges. This khor is | | |said to connect with Nerol (Khor | | |Filus). Some Nuers say it does, | | |and some not. | | | Manchom | 3⅝ | 268⅝ |Shown on map as Sholwaga. | | | Shwol | 3 | 271⅝ |Shown on map as Fugah. Track from | | |here on edge of forest, swamp | | |between it and river. | | | Gaiyat | 2⅛ | 273¾ |Shown on map as Abong. Nuers would | | |not accept three names above as | | |per map. A lot of these Nuer and | | |Anuak villages have two or more | | |names, and people who use one name | | |pretend not to know other. | | | Patiyam | 2 | 275¾ |Thick forest behind swamp; few | | |good shade trees on bank. Track | | |runs along edge of forest some | | |distance from river. | | | Gohinya | 3¼ | 279 |Scattered village hidden in | | |forest. | | | Fanyang | 3 | 282 |Scattered village in heglig | | |forest. Track from here runs over | | |dry swamp. A track exists at | | |certain seasons of the year, | | |generally when grass is burnt, | | |from Nyangdeng to near Fanyang, | | |saving a big round by the river. A | | |track also exists from Fanyang to | | |Wigin in a direct line, but was | | |reported to be still choked with | | |grass (3rd March, 1904). | | | Malwal | 3¾ | 285¾ |Track leaves river within sight of | | |Malwal, then runs through long | | |grass to near Fedwil, then along | | |edge of khor and through bush to | | | Wigin | 4⅛ | 289⅞ |Small village 20 yards back from | | |river, with deep swamp between | | |village and bank (dry marsh), 2 | | |poor shade trees in village. Track | | |gets on to river bank at 291st | | |mile. | | | | 1⅛ | 291 |Good shade trees and thick bush; | | |thick forest right bank ½ mile | | |inland; end of Nuer country, | | |though all along from Nasser the | | |country is populated with Nuers | | |and Anuaks mixed, Nuers | | |predominating and letting Anuaks | | |live on suffrance. From here | | |onwards path is through bush to | | | Shwai | 1 | 292 |Long scattered Anuak village. | | | Fatiwanyang | 4 | 296 |In thick bush. From here to | | |Yakwoik broad swamp between bush | | |and river. Track in dry season | | |runs over swamp. | | | | 2⅝ | 298⅝ |Khor with 2 feet water; several | | |other khors to cross, marching | | |along this swamp. | | | Yakwoik | 3 | 301⅝ |Anuak village on river bank. No | | |bush, only grass plain round | | |village. | | | | 1½ | 303⅛ |Junction of road that cuts across | | |to Gnok with river track. Good | | |meshra at junction; thick bush | | |left. Bush and few trees right. | | |One mile inland. From here track | | |cuts across country to a debba on Debba Dishin | 13 | 316⅛ |the river (Debba Dishin), where | | |Yuzb. Abdel Rahim Eff. Nur El | | |Gawab was buried in 1902, having | | |died on the way to Nasser. From | | |here track follows river, crossing | | |two khors. | | | Abwong[45] | 6⅝ | 322¾ |A very big and important khor | | |flows into the Sobat at Abwong, | | |called Wangnait; this runs inland | | |past Fanathiang, and is said to | | |join khor Filus at Nerol. Two feet | | |of water in Wangnait (March, | | |1904), and running water. Abwong | | |on sandy ground, good meshra; | | |upstream limit of Dinka country. | | |Serut flies were very bad, all | | |through the thick bush country | | |from Fauwel to Yakwoik. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

139.—GONDOKORO TO UGANDA (AND MOMBASA).

(Compiled by the Editor.)

* * * * *

Gondokoro and neighbourhood. (Vide also end of Chapter II in Vol. I.)

BY CAPTAIN DUGMORE, 1901.

[Sidenote: Country.]

Near Gondokoro the country is perfectly flat and 30 feet above the river, covered with borassus palm near the station, sidr, sunt, and a few tamarinds and sycamore. Due E. lie the hills of Belinian (about 11 hours’ march). The surface soil is sandy and the sub-soil clay. There are many very fertile islands in the Nile covered with cane-like reed, very like papyrus. Natives prefer to live on and cultivate these islands, as they are not subject to white ants, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and blight, with all of which cultivation has to contend on the mainland. Flocks of small birds do great damage to grain crops. At high Nile these islands are subject to inundation; the natives then go over to the mainland.

The station now occupied at Gondokoro occupies the site of the old Egyptian post—a good many of the old trenches and parapets still exist. The old buildings, &c., have long ago fallen into the river, which is said to be twice (?) as wide now as it was in Baker’s time. Baker’s old camp (“Ismailia”) is in a swampy, low-lying piece of ground, about 2 miles N. of the old Egyptian station. Two date palms, 11 lemon trees, and two custard apple trees, still remain at Gondokoro.

Rain percolating and the river washing away cause continual falls of the bank.

[Sidenote: Garrison.]

One company of Uganda Rifles (Sudanese), under a British Captain, Lieutenant, and Sergeant-Instructor. A small number of Police or Constabulary have been added, and are under the control of the Civil Authority, viz.: a Collector.

[Sidenote: Supplies.]

At present nearly all stores, ammunition, and clothing, come from Mombasa, India, and England, viâ Kampala. Food is obtained by purchase from the natives.[46]

Natives grow red dura and maize chiefly, also a small amount of semsem, telabun, ful (ground nut), and lubia (small pea or bean). The ground nut does particularly well in the sandy soil. The sweet potato requires irrigation, and the natives do not take kindly to such laborious work.

[Sidenote: Climate.]

The climate is fairly good, the rainy season at its commencement being the worst time of the year. Temperature:—

Average maximum during the hot months is 99° in the shade.

„ minimum „ „ 85° „

„ maximum during the rest of the year is 88° in the shade.

„ minimum „ „ 74° „

[Sidenote: Seasons.]

Hot weather commences middle of November and lasts till end of March. Rains commence (or should do so) last week in March and last till middle of June, they commence again middle of July and last till middle of October.

The rains are erratic, there being sometimes a drought and sometimes too much rain.

[Sidenote: Products.]

Dura, maize, semsem, ground nuts, beans, and fish. A small quantity of ivory. Salt from the left bank. Ostrich feathers from the Latuka. (N.B.—According to recent game regulations, it is forbidden to buy feathers unless it can be shown that they were pulled from a tame bird.)

[Sidenote: Cattle.]

In the Nile province generally, the goats and sheep are small (much smaller than those of the Sudan), and have little to recommend them. The cattle (the few that are left) are also small, but are good milkers on the whole.

[Sidenote: Game.]

Elephant, hippopotami and rhinoceros plentiful, especially the two former, a few zebras and giraffe, hartebeeste (? Jackson’s), waterbuck, bush buck, cobus Thomasi (Uganda cob), and dig-dig abound. Buffalo and warthog may be met with. Lion, leopard, and wild cat are fairly plentiful. (N.B.—During the dry weather months the game is found near the river in quantities; when the grass is high and there is water inland, it is not so easy to see much). Guinea fowl, greater and lesser bustard, quail snipe, ducks, geese, and other waterfowl and partridges are nearly always to be shot.

(a.)—GONDOKORO TO WADELAI.

BY CAPTAIN DUGMORE, 1901.

--------------+--------------------+---------------------------------- | Miles. | Place. +-------------+------+ Description. |Intermediate.|Total.| --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- Gondokoro | — | — |A good road, though apt to be | | |swampy in the rains. | | | River Kit | 12 | 12 |Cross River Kit; a sandy river | | |about 180 yards wide, which is | | |easily crossed except after very | | |heavy rain (it subsides quickly). | | |On the E. Lokoya’s chain of hills, | | |about 11 hours march; greatest | | |height about 1,500 feet. Road | | |through dense thorn scrub, sidr | | |very plentiful. Soil changes after | | |passing Kit to a clayey formation | | |in places, and stones and rocky | | |kopjes become abundant. A rose | | |quartz, very similar to the | | |Rhodesian gold-bearing quartz in | | |appearance, is plentiful. Most of | | |the kopjes appear to be of | | |volcanic origin. Ground rises in | | |undulating folds from the Kit to | | |opposite Dufile. | | | Fort Berkeley | 10 | 22 |From Fort Berkeley (= | | |Bedden—abandoned), two roads lead | | |S., one inland on the high ground | | |for use during the wet season. | | | Adam Madi | 8 | 30 |The river road follows the river | | |as far as Adam Madi’s,[47] and is | | |used when no water is obtainable | | |on upper road. Fine scenery, very | | |rocky ground, sandy; plentiful | | |remains of old Bari villages. Near | | |Adam Madi’s-beautiful park-like | | |country, with very large timbers, | | |both tamarind and (?) sycamore. | | |Country now becomes more hilly and | | |is more thickly populated. | | | | | |The Khor Um or Uma is the real | | |southern boundary of the Bari | | |tribe, but the district is | | |supposed to extend to the | | | Khor Assua | 69 | 99 |Khor Assua (mouth 94 miles from | | |Gondokoro measured along the | | |river) and, consequently, includes | | |a few villages of Madi and Shuli | | |tribes. | | | | | |The road used to go some little | | |way from the river to Affuddu (a | | |few miles S. of Nimule, now | | |abandoned), but since the | | |occupation of Nimule, the road | | |from Adam Madi’s almost follows | | |the course of the river, which | | |flows through high, almost | | |precipitous banks. | | | Nimule | 17 | 116 |Garrison at Nimule, two companies | | |of Sudanese (124 strong each), and | | |the same number of British | | |officers each as at Gondokoro. Is | | |headquarters of Nile military | | |district, situated on N. bank of | | |Unyama river at its junction with | | |the Nile. Between Nimule and | | |Wadelai the road is good. | | | | | |Lamogi, in the Shuli country, 16 | | |miles W. of Fatiko, and 50 miles | | |S.S.E. of Nimule, is now | | |abandoned; rains about 9 months in | | |the year. | | | Wadelai | 77 | 193 |Wadelai, on the right bank, is the | | |head-quarters of the Nile Province | | |Civil Administration, some police | | |or constabulary are posted here. | | |River only 200 yards wide here. | | |There is a road from here to Fajao | | |(Murchison Falls), 46 miles, not | | |used now. | | | | | |As one goes S., the climate | | |generally becomes cooler than at | | |Gondokoro. It should also be | | |healthier, but there has been a | | |lot of sickness among the British | | |officers in the past, perhaps due | | |to bad quarters. Country S. of | | |Khor Assua is more fertile and | | |much more thickly populated than | | |the Bari district. --------------+-------------+------+----------------------------------

NOTE.—See also report by Mr. F. Pordage, Public Works Department, Uganda, in Uganda Intelligence Report, No. 15; and Handbook of Uganda, pp. 52-57.

(b.)—GONDOKORO TO WADELAI.[48]

---------+----------------------------+-------------------------------- | Miles and Hours.[49] | +----------------------------+ Place. |Intermediate. | Total. | Description. +------+-------+------+------+ |Miles.| Hours.|Miles.|Hours.| ---------+------+-------+------+------+-------------------------------- Gondokoro| — | — | — | — |Path good. | | | | | Laung | 11 | 3½ | 11 | 3½ |Path good, river Gomoro (Kit) is | | | | |at times bad to cross. | | | | | Camp | 13 | 4½ | 24 | 8 |Path good. | | | | | Camp | 15 | 5 | 39 | 13 |Path good. | | | | | Fagiri | 12 | 4 | 51 | 17 |Path good; rocky in places. | | | | |Large village; considerable | | | | |supplies of food. | | | | | Keri | 13 | 5 | 64 | 22 |Path bad for 2 miles, remainder | | | | |good. | | | | | Arabu | 16 | 5½ | 80 | 27½ |Path very bad. | | | | | Junction | 13 | 4½ | 93 | 32 |Path bad. River Assua difficult Camp | | | | |to cross. When in flood about 80 | | | | |yards wide and 14 feet deep, | | | | |with a swift current; when not | | | | |in flood the river is fordable. | | | | |Crossing is at all times | | | | |dangerous on account of the | | | | |numerous crocodiles. | | | | | Nimule | 14 | 4½ | 107 | 36½ |Path good. River Unyama at times | | | | |bad to cross. | | | | | Zaipi | 18 | 4 | 125 | 40½ |Path good. | | | | | Boreli | 10 | 4 | 135 | 44½ |Path good. | | | | | Acho | 16 | 5½ | 151 | 50 |Path good. River Zoka at times | | | | |bad to cross. | | | | | Pranga | 16 | 6 | 167 | 56 |Path good. | | | | | Avoi | 13 | 4 | 180 | 60 |Path good. River Chorr is at | | | | |times bad to cross. | | | | | Wadelai | 19 | 6 | 199 | 66 | ---------+------+-------+------+------+--------------------------------

NOTE.—A small supply of food can usually be supplied at each of the above camps, with the exception of the Junction Camp. Water is obtainable at all camps. At many places fish can be bought. Trade goods are brass, wire, small white beads, candles, matches, bottles, and some cloth. Tarbushes are much appreciated by the chiefs. Hippo. abound in the Nile, and elephants between Nimule and Gondokoro. Lions are seen occasionally.

See also reports by Col. Coles, D.S.O., “Nimule to Gondokoro, and Gondokoro to Nimule,” in Uganda Intelligence Report, No. 19.

The following short account of the country between Nimule and Gondokoro is given by Sir C. Eliot (July, 1902), from Geographical Journal, December, 1902:—

“Immediately after Nimule begin the rapids, which render the river unnavigable up to Bedden, about 30 miles above Gondokoro. This latter station and Nimule are connected by two roads, neither of them good. One keeps close to the Nile, and was impracticable when I made the journey, as it was under water owing to recent rains;[50] the other runs further inland. It cannot be said to offer adequate means for communicating between two Government stations, or for the transport of any sort of goods. For a great part of its course is obstructed by marshes, thorn bushes, or grass 6 feet high; but here and there it passes through pleasant open meadows, studded with large trees. Part of it consists of precipitous paths cut in the rock, and it is crossed by many rivers, at least three of which, the Assua, the Karpata (?), and the Kit (or Kiti), present serious obstacles to foot passengers when in flood, as I found them. The first is crossed on rafts made of ambach, a very light wood. The natives show considerable skill in guiding these rafts across the torrent, but the passenger or load is generally half submerged. The two other rivers have to be crossed by wading, and are about 4 feet deep. The Kit was about 150 yards wide. The whole journey took me 7 days, that is to say, 6 night camps. The distance is between 110 and 120 miles.”

THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS WITH MOMBASA.

(COMPILED FROM OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS, &c.)

Plenty of notice must be given by the intending traveller, in order to secure the use of porters, boats, mules, and carts.

[Sidenote: Nimule to Butiaba.]

From Nimule onwards the traveller can generally make use of Government boats. Between Nimule and Wadelai ([51]93 miles) the usual craft is a small steel rowing boat, and from Wadelai to Butiaba ([51]72 miles), (the Uganda Government Depôt on the E. shore of Lake Albert), a large steel boat which goes best under sail. The usual time occupied between Nimule and Butiaba is 10 to 12 days up stream, and 5 to 8 days down stream. A steam launch will shortly be placed on the river between these points.

[Sidenote: Butiaba to Kampala.]

At Butiaba is a pier and landing stage. From Butiaba viâ Hoima to Kampala, 157 miles (telegraph), the road is fairly suitable for driving. The distance has been done in 4½ days, but the usual time taken is 8 days (driving) to 12 days (marching, with porters). The Stages are:—

MILES.

1. Wachi 6

2. Kajura 9

3. Hoima[52] 13

4. Kigonna 10

5. Kikonda 8½

6. Yilo 17

7. Kigoma[53] 9

8. Kiboga 5½

9. Kisingo 9½

10. Kative 15½

11. Kabula Mnbiro 9

12. Nkvanuna 11

13. Kikandwa 13½

14. Kisimbiri 11

15. Kampala 9½

Most of the main roads pass through Kampala.

[Sidenote: Kampala to Entebbe.]

From Kampala to Entebbe, the capital, situated on the Victoria Nyanza, is 23 miles along a good cart road.

[Sidenote: Entebbe to Port Florence.]

From Entebbe there is a fortnightly steamer across the lake to Kisumu, or Port Florence, the terminus of the railway to Mombasa. The crossing takes 2 to 3 days per steamer, and up to 10 or 15 days by sailing dhow.

[Sidenote: Port Florence to Mombasa.]

From Port Florence to Mombasa there is a weekly train (or more)—fare, 109½ rupees; the distance, 584 miles, is traversed in about 2¼ days.

There is a monthly service from Mombasa, both by British India and by German steamers.

RECAPITULATION.

-------------------------+---------+------------------------ Journey. | Days. | Transport. -------------------------+---------+------------------------ Gondokoro to Nimule | 7 to 8 |March on foot. Carriers. | | Nimule to Wadelai | 6 | „ „ | | „ „ | 6 to 8 |Row-boat. | | Wadelai to Butiaba | 4 to 6 |Sailing boat. | | „ „ | 3 |Steam launch. | | Butiaba to Kampala | 4 to 8 |Mule cart. | | „ „ |10 to 12 |March. Carriers. | | Kampala to Entebbe | 1 |Mule cart. | | „ „ | 2 |March. Carriers. | | Entebbe to Port Florence | 2 to 3 |Steamer. | | „ „ „ | 8 to 15 |Sailing boat. | | Port Florence to Mombasa | 2½ |Train. -------------------------+---------+------------------------

Record possible, Gondokoro to Mombasa: 25½ days.

140.—ROADS IN THE LADO ENCLAVE.

[Sidenote: Roads.]

A road runs from Kiro to Rejaf direct, at some distance from the river bank, with a branch road to Lado.

The road from Rejaf as far as Faraji—170 miles to the S.W.—is about the same width as a good English high road. It has many bridges over streams, small khors, &c. They are made of wood and are not at all strong. There is a project to run automobiles[54] over this road, but the bridges are not at present (June, 1903) strong enough. One automobile will probably run between Rejaf and Yei station (94 miles), and another from Yei to Dongu (62 miles), as there is no bridge over the Yei. The Yei and Dongu are 40 to 60 yards broad and very deep during the rains.

There are some parts of the road which are worse than others, and it is proposed to have small stations at which bullocks will be kept in order to pull the automobiles over them.

There are rest-house stations every two or three hours the whole way from Rejaf to Dongu and Ibembo (v. below). At each of these stations there are houses for Europeans, and at a great number of them bananas, pawpaws, fowls, eggs, &c., are now obtainable.

Vegetables, bananas, &c., are being planted at all the stations.

Each station is in charge of one or more soldiers.

[Sidenote: Loka or Loki.]

Loka (called also Gumbiri).—Four days (62 miles) from Rejaf. A white officer in charge, and one or two N.C.O.’s. Surrounded by a wooden stockade. About six good brick buildings with grass roofs.

[Sidenote: Yei.]

Yei.—Close to the Nile-Congo watershed. Two days (37 miles) from Gumbiri. Large fortified station, but not yet completed, situated on high ground, from which good view of the surrounding country is obtained. A far larger station than Lado. About ten white officers and a doctor. None of the Belgian Nile stations in any way compare with this one. All white men’s houses are outside the fortifications. About 12 good brick buildings with grass roofs; very healthy.

[Sidenote: Aba.]

Aba.—Three days (32 miles) from Yei. Wooden stockade. Four brick houses and a large one being built for the Commandant. The latter outside stockade. One white officer and one N.C.O.

[Sidenote: Faraji.]

Faraji.—Four days (38 miles) from Aba, on left bank of River Dongu. Brick wall about 6 feet high. Ditch outside; earth from ditch thrown up against the wall. Good brick buildings. Three white officers.

[Sidenote: Dongu, &c.]

Dongu.—Five or six days from Faraji; at junction of Rivers Dongu and Kibali. Brick buildings.

Stations beyond Dongu, towards the Congo, on the automobile road, are:—

Niangara.

Surunga.

Amadi.

Bomokandi.

Mbima.

Buta.

Ibembo.

A road also leads from Mbima to Jabbir and Gembele.

[Sidenote: Bofaki.]

Bofaki, or Wando.—Important post, and garrison. Healthy. Large rubber and coffee plantations.

[Sidenote: Rejaf.]

Rejaf: on the Nile.—Small post. Bullock carts take 20 days along the sandy road from Yei; usual time 7 days by march route.

[Sidenote: Dufile.]

Dufile.—Small post. There is a railway-track ready made from here to Stanleyville on the Congo; not ready for traffic yet.

At all the posts mentioned there are cattle, fowls, bananas, vegetables, &c.

Mails leave Lado for Ibembo on the 1st and 15th of every month.

From Rejaf a road is being made to New Dufile, thence to Mahaji. This road is joined at Kaji Kaji, about 60 miles S. of Rejaf, by a road from Loka.

From Yei a road runs down the Yei River to Amadi.

* * * * * LONDON: PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE, BY HARRISON AND SONS, ST. MARTIN’S LANE.

[Footnote 36: The position of this, described by Lieut.-Col. Colvile, is doubtful. Some Arabs state that Shebba is 8 hours’ march E. of Terfawi (?).]

[Footnote 37: Lieutenant Stuart-Wortley makes Selima to Lagia 140 miles; Captain Hodgson makes it 148, but left the regular track.]

[Footnote 38: Captain Hodgson did it (February, 1903) in under 5 days, including 42½ hours actual riding—nearly 4 miles per hour.]

[Footnote 39: Though Bir Sultan to J. Meidob appears to be the shortest route, the route to J. Anka is stated to be the one generally used.]

[Footnote 40: Conditions may have changed for the better since the delimitation of the Sudan-Eritrea frontier.]

[Footnote 41: For continuation of this route to Sofi on Atbara, vide Route 13.]

[Footnote 42: For more recent report Lake Tsana to Gallabat vide Routes 126 and 127.]

[Footnote 43: About 7 miles S. of J. Jerok.]

[Footnote 44: About 7 miles S. of J. Jerok.]

[Footnote 45: About 64 miles from Kodok, vide routes 47 and 48.]

[Footnote 46: Cows, £5 to £7; oxen and bulls, £2 to £4; sheep and goats, 5s. to 10s. each; eggs, 8 for 1s.; fowls, 6d.; labourer, 10s. a month. (Mr. F. Spire, Collector, Gondokoro, August, 1903.)]

[Footnote 47: Another account places Adam Madi’s at 42 miles from Gondokoro, and some distance inland.]

[Footnote 48: Taken from “Précis of Information concerning the Uganda Protectorate.”—I.D.W.O.]

[Footnote 49: Distances by time for men travelling light; 25% to be added for Caravans.]

[Footnote 50: I am told by Mr. Pordage that the halting places on this road are as follows:—“(1) Assua river, 11¼ miles; (2) Rake village, 11 miles; (3) Mruli, 12 miles; (4) Lokoya, 12½ miles; (5) Tambur, 12¼ miles; (6) Kogi, 9¾ miles; (7) Nagua, 10 miles; (8) Fort Berkeley, 12 miles; (9) Ibrahim’s village, 12 miles; (10) Gondokoro, 10 miles.” (Total, 112¾ miles.)]

[Footnote 51: By water.]

[Footnote 52: Government Station.]

[Footnote 53: Rest house.]

[Footnote 54: They now (1904) run over a section of the road between Rejaf and Yei.]

Transcriber's note:

pg 6 Changed "Rock grouse aud doves" to: "and"

pg 11 Changed "Hormaneb Well" and "Bir Hormaneb" to: "Hormareb"

pg 20 Changed "and than a N.N.E. direction" to: "then"

pg 36 Changed "and Wada Sangareh" to: "Wadi"

pg 42 Changed "kittr, laot, talh and saut" to: "sant"

pg 44 Changed "Debaina village and residence" to: "Debania"

pg 61 Changed "popula-lation about 1,000" to: "population"

pg 69 Changed "Selim and Dar Agil Haggaras" to: "Baggaras"

pg 72 Changed "Water suppy scanty" to: "supply"

pg 72 Changed "J. Kumuk is left to the W." to: "Kurmuk"

pg 76 Changed "few Baggara “rakukas.”" to: "rakubas"

pg 83 Changed "khor is of greater dinensions" to: "dimensions"

pg 97 Changed "right bank of tae river Ba" to: "the"

pg 102 Changed "runs close under this hilll" to: "hill"

pg 119 Changed "Um Sedeika (Rest house)" to: "Sedeira"

pg 120 Changed "This is a Kurtan villlage" to: "village"

pg 126 Changed "passing Village Eilatun" to: "Eilafun"

pg 126 Changed "mosquitoes and sand fles" to: "flies"

pg 141 Changed "cross an open pleateau" to: "plateau"

pg 142 Changed "buidings on J. Sukunja" to: "buildings"

pg 145 Changed "25 to 30 feet drip" to: "deep"

pg 146 Changed "Beni Fadi village named Shallo" to: "Fadl"

pg 152 Changed "the hills crowne with many Nuba" to: "crowned"

pg 162 Changed "and poor water upply" to: "supply"

pg 167 Changed "probaby 100 years old" to: "probably"

pg 172 Changed "low hills on on right" to: "low hills on right"

pg 186 Changed "I flows out near Ambukol" to: "It flows out"

pg 187 Changed "Bayuda Weels" [Above J. Hawashawi] to: "Bayuda Wells"

pg 196 Changed "no detailed imformation" to: "information"

pg 198 Changed "reaching Azleklesan" to: "Azteklesan"

pg 216 Changed "Kkor Damu, 20 yards wide" to: "Khor"

pg 219 Changed "Bad here full of rocks" to: "Bed"

pg 220 "Khor Gulbis" and its corresponding Miles moved up one row from "At 2 miles from [. . .]" to "Ten yards wide [. . .]".

pg 220 Changed "¼ mile before crosing khor" to: "crossing"

pg 221 Changed "good obtained in hkor" to: "khor"

pg 222 Changed "in tukls on the hilll" to: "hill"

pg 229-231 Several instances of ²⁄₈, ⁴⁄₈ and ⁶⁄₈ were changed to ¼, ½ and ¾ respectively.

pg 229 Changed "Bato fordable here" to: "Baro"

pg 229 Changed "R. Baitick" to: "Baitiok"

pg 230 Changed "however they they will not be" to: "however they will not be"

Minor changes in punctuation have been done silently.

Other spelling inconsistencies have been left unchanged.

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