The Burun north of K. Yabus live as a rule on the scattered hills during the rains, and drink from the rainwater which collects in natural rock tanks. During the dry season, when this water is exhausted, they either descend to the plain and live on the khors, in many of which water stands in pools, or else have to carry their water for a considerable distance. Some of the hills inhabited by them are Abuldugu, Surkum, Melkan, Gum Gum, and Wadaga. K. Gemmeiza, flowing from near J. Abuldugu towards Melut, furnishes their principal water supply. They also obtain water from “Hafirs,” or ponds, which are roofed with thatch to lessen evaporation. Wells seem to be very rarely sunk. These northern Burun are now very poor, and women and children are very scarce.
The Burun, in the Garre Valley, seem more prosperous, having plenty of water and grain in their country, but both sections, especially the northern, have been most deplorably reduced by slave raids from the east. The principal raider, however, Ibrahim Wad Mahmud, as before stated, was captured by Lieutenant-Colonel Gorringe in February, 1904. The southern Burun country is still almost entirely unexplored.
Communications.The Burun seem to have little intercourse with the tribes living on the White Nile, and no regular roads to it, except perhaps from J. Gerawid to J. Ahmed Agha, seem to exist. It is intended, however, to open up roads between the western frontier of Abyssinia and the Nile, and to improve the present primitive system of water supply in this district. For report on routes, vide [Chapter V.] and [ Appendix,] Vol. II.
Keili.
Boundaries.Keili, which is part of Dar Fung, is bounded on the east and south-east by the Abyssinian frontier, which divides it from Beni Shangul, Gomasha, and Dul, and on the north-east by Fazogli. Keili claims to share with Fazogli the mountains of Agaru, Kashangaru, and Ragreig, though practically the whole of Agaru belongs to the latter, and the whole of Ragreig to the former, as also does Jebel Gainshur. Jebels Kurmuk and Maiak are within the southern limits of this district, and Jebels Surkum and Abuldugu to the west also belong to it. On the north the boundary is Jebel Tabi.
Inhabitants.The Jebelawin inhabit the eastern portions of the district, and the Burun the western. For administrative purposes, this district is in the Dar Fung District.
The acting Mek of Keili is a youth of about 15 years of age. His father, Beshir Hamdan, who was much addicted to slave dealing, was arrested and deposed by Government, February, 1903.
The valley between Ragreig and Jebel Keili forms as it were an oasis, and must have a population of several thousand. It is a very pleasant spot in the dry season, but in the rains becomes more or less swampy.
Sheikh Bilburka, of the Fung inhabitants of Dul, now lives at Keili in order to avoid the exactions of the Watawit, under Abyssinian rule, similarly Sheikh Jela Abdalla, a Jaali refugee, fled from Beshir and Shanji villages in 1897, and now lives in the Arab settlement at Keili.
Language.The Jebelawin language is used at Jebel Keili. The Burun use a dialect of the Burun language similar to that of Jebel Maiak.