Game.In this district, or rather in the southern portion of it, the following species are found:—Elephant (Abyssinian variety, with small tusks), buffalo, rhinoceros, giraffe, roan, kudu, waterbuck, tora hartebeeste, tiang, reedbuck, ariel, gazelle, oribi, bushbuck, warthog, bush pig, lion, leopard, hippopotamus, crocodile, etc.
ON THE BLUE NILE.
The Blue Nile.[68]
General description.The Blue Nile rises in the Abyssinian mountains about 60 miles south of Lake Tsana (altitude of Lake Tsana, 4,800 feet). Its source was discovered by Bruce in the year 1760. After flowing northwards into the lake at its south-west corner, it finds an exit[69] again to the south-east, and, after making a big bend to the east, it curls round to the south and flows in a north-westerly direction towards the Sudan, which it enters near Famaka, after a course of some 500 miles. Altitude at Famaka, 1,700 feet (approx.).
Throughout the whole of this upper portion of its course, which has never been explored, it is believed to flow in a series of rapids over a rocky bed and often between high cliffs, and for the most part through the most precipitous and rugged country. Here it is known as the Abai, whereas, as soon as it reaches the plains of the Sudan, its name at once becomes “Bahr Azrak” or Blue Nile.
Until comparatively recently the Blue Nile was considered by the Abyssinians to be the main stream of the Nile, and they, several centuries ago, fully realised the value of attempting, or threatening, to deprive Egypt of her water supply by the construction of a dam at the outlet of lake Tsana or possibly elsewhere. A mission to study the possibilities of this lake was recently sent from Egypt, and the investigation showed that it is by far the most suitable site on the Blue Nile for the construction of a storage reservoir which, though its benefit to Egypt would be slight, would be of the greatest value to the Sudan.[70]
Length, width, &c.The length of the Blue Nile, from the point near Famaka, where it enters the Sudan, to its junction with the White Nile at Khartoum, is estimated at approximately 460 miles, which makes its total length about 1,000 miles.
The average width of channel throughout its course in the Sudan is 550 yards.
Although in the northern reaches the width increases, it is rarely more than 800 yards wide at any point.