The wind blows from the north almost continuously from November to April, after which it varies considerably, and finally settles down in May or June to blow pretty consistently from the south until the end of October or beginning of November.
Posts and telegraphs.There is a bi-weekly mail to and from the north, weekly to and from El Obeid, Wad Medani, Goz Abu Guma, and intermediate stations on the White Nile, fortnightly to Kodok, and monthly to stations on the Upper Nile and Bahr El Ghazal.
Telegraphic communication with the following and intermediate stations: Cairo, Dongola, Merowe, Suakin, Massaua viâ Kassala, Gedaref, Gallabat, Roseires, Renk, Kodok, Taufikia and El Obeid. Telegrams to Addis Abbaba can be sent viâ Kassala and Asmara. Vide also [p. 219.]
Ferries, etc.A Government ferry keeps up communication with Omdurman, and a steamer runs twice daily to and from Omdurman and Khartoum North, calling at Khartoum. There is also, as before mentioned, a steam ferry from Khartoum to Khartoum North and several of the native boat ferries.
The suburbs of these three towns include an additional population of 11,000 souls.
Recapitulatory table of distances by river in section:—
Merowe to Khartoum.
| Intermediate. | From Merowe. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles. | Kilometres. | Miles. | Kilometres. | |
| Merowe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Foot of 4th Cataract | 9 | 14 | 9 | 14 |
| Head „ „ | 77 | 124 | 86 | 138 |
| Abu Hamed | 62 | 100 | 148 | 238 |
| El Bagara Rapid | 55 | 88 | 203 | 327 |
| Foot of 5th Cataract | 24 | 38 | 227 | 364 |
| Head „ „ | 2 | 3 | 229 | 367 |
| Berber | 30 | 48 | 259 | 416 |
| Mouth of Atbara | 20 | 32 | 279 | 447 |
| Shendi | 86 | 138 | 365 | 585 |
| Metemma | 4 | 6 | 369 | 592 |
| Foot of 6th Cataract | 54 | 87 | 423 | 678 |
| Head „ „ | 12 | 19 | 435 | 697 |
| Omdurman | 41 | 66 | 476 | 764 |
| Khartoum junction of Niles | 3 | 5 | 479 | 771 |
INSIDE OF OLD PALACE, KHARTOUM.