Population, riverain, and desert.From Halfa to Debba the inhabitants are Berabra.[41] The Mahasi dialect is spoken from Halfa to Kerma. Here the Gararish[42] and then the Danagla (Berabra), commence and continue to Debba; from there on to Berti are the Shaigia. From Berti to Khulla the Monasir are found, and then come the Robatab, who extend as far as Kerraba. From here on to the Atbara junction are the Angariab, Hagab, Merifab, and Fadlab. The few inhabitants of the desert are mostly wandering Bisharin.
The total riverain population of Dongola Province numbered (December, 1902) 105,026, and is rapidly increasing.
This is exclusive of nomad Arabs, whose numbers may be put down at 2,000 Gararish (along the river), besides Bisharin, and other Nomads (vide [Appendix F.]) on the left bank.
The occupation of the people is that of cultivating the ground, which they do very imperfectly except in Dar Shaigia; it could be made to produce double the amount.
The natives of Mahas and Sukkot lag behind, the fault being entirely their own; they are of an extremely indolent nature, perpetually quarrelling amongst themselves over questions as to ownership of land and date trees, and do little or nothing towards bettering themselves.
There is naturally a certain proportion of poor in the province, but agricultural labour being in demand, employment is always to be obtained by persons not too lazy to work.
Cultivation.The cereals mostly cultivated on the river bank are dura, barley and wheat. Cotton has hitherto been grown to a limited extent for local use only. On the completion of the Nile-Red Sea Railway a great increase in cotton culture is expected. A large amount of land, admirably suited to the cultivation of this valuable commodity, is available, and very large issues of Egyptian cotton seed have this year (1904) been made by the Government.
In the Berber Province the wheat and barley grown are of good quality, but both are expensive to cultivate.
| Average yield per feddan (Berber), | barley | 5 | ardebs, | average price per ardeb, | PT.45 to PT.55. |
| „ „ | wheat, | 3 | „ | „ „ | PT.75. |
| „ „ | dura, | 5 | „ | „ „ | PT.35 to PT.80. |
In the Dongola Province the crops are as follows: