Section 4.—Country between Blue Nile, Dinder, and Rahad, with Description of these Rivers.
General description.The country between the Blue Nile and the Rahad and Dinder Rivers is at present (1904) practically uninhabited south of the village of Durraba on the Dinder, which is about the same latitude as Karkoj on the Blue Nile.
Before the Mahdia, villages extended along both the Rahad and Dinder to nearly as far south as the Abyssinian frontier. Now, however, though inhabitants are slowly returning, there are but few villages even north of the Karkoj-Durraba line.
Tribes.The country lying south of the latitude of Sennar being infested with the serut fly during the rainy season, the inhabitants, who are principally Kenana, Kawahla, Rufaa El Sharg, and Agaliin, are semi-nomadic; that is to say shortly before the commencement of the rains many of them trek with their camels, cattle, horses, etc., northwards across the Rahad to the well-known El Butana grazing district (see [p. 103]), in order to escape the fly, whilst only a few remain behind to cultivate their dura, simsim, and cotton.
The whole of this country as far south as the Abyssinian frontier, in the vicinity of which the hills commence, is perfectly flat and covered with bush or forest of varying density, with here and there open spaces, often many miles in extent. The bush is thickest in the vicinity of the river banks and thickest of all along the Rahad.
The trees and bush most usually seen are talh, hashab, kittr, sayal, kurmut, heglig, laot, sunt, sidr, etc.
El Agab Abu Gin.El Agab Abu Gin, Nazir of the Rufaa El Sharg Arabs, is in charge of all the country bordering the Dinder and Rahad (left bank) from the latitude of Sennar southwards. His residence is at Abu Hashim on the Dinder (left bank). Of the other villages occupied by his people the principal are Durraba, Bandana, Gileidat, and Lueisa.
Communications.From the villages of Wad El Abbas and Sheikh Talha, both on the Blue Nile, roads lead to Gileidat and thence southwards along the Dinder to Durraba, beyond which point there is no regular road. From Senga and Karkoj, roads lead, viâ Abu Hashim and Deberki on the Dinder, to Hawata on the Rahad. South of this, as far as the Roseires-Abu Ramla track, the country may be said to be roadless and, owing to the cotton soil and bush, travelling across country is a trying operation for man or beast. There is a good road up the right bank of the Blue Nile from Wad Medani to Famaka.
Khor Um Degul, or Agaliin, or Mehara, which lies between the Blue Nile and Dinder, and joins the latter near Deberki, was formerly thickly populated and cultivated by the Agaliin; it was, however, until 1902, quite deserted. A few villages are now said to be springing up along it, and wells are being opened. There are many talh and hashab gum trees in its vicinity.
North of Sennar-Gileidat villages are more numerous along the Rahad, Dinder and Blue Nile, though there is no great extent of cultivation.