Tributaries of the Atbara.—These nearly all emanate from the hilly country of Abyssinia or Eritrea. There are none of importance on the left bank in the Sudan.
(1) The Bahr El Salam and Angareb.—The Bahr El Salam is a flowing stream during most of the year. Its bed is very rocky, and in places the bends are extremely sharp as it cuts its way through high cliffs of rock. It has many deep pools with hippopotamus and crocodiles, and appears to often overflow its banks in flood time in places where it passes through these narrow gorges. It has generally a north-westerly direction. The River Angareb appears to be only another name for the upper Bahr El Salam. The Bahr El Salam joins the Atbara on the R.B. about 28 miles south of Sofi.
(2) The Setit[60] and Royan.—The lower Setit, i.e., that portion of it which flows through Sudan territory, much resembles the upper Atbara in general character. Its banks are similarly intersected by ravines and small khors which carry the drainage from the plateau along which on either bank there is a track at some distance from the river, and which only descends to it occasionally. The river is generally about 300 yards wide, and during the dry season it is fordable at frequent intervals, and here and there almost ceases to flow.[61]
The only inhabitants of the Setit, west of the junction of K. Royan are the survivors of the once famous Hamran sword-hunters, who live in a small village on the right bank about 15 miles from its junction with the Atbara. Although now very poor and with their hunting to a certain extent restricted by the Game Laws, they have nearly all acquired horses and are as bold and keen Nimrods as ever. Latterly, many of the Beni Amer Arabs from Eritrea have brought their flocks for pasturage to the banks of the Setit during the dry season.
Above Umbrega there was no track on the right bank in March 1900, as the Abyssinian Baza, living east of Maietib, were said to terrorise the country. There is now (1904) a fairly good track made by the Italians who have a small post at Um Hagar.
In Abyssinia the Setit is known as the Takazze.
The junction of the Royan and Setit is about 4 miles east of Khor Umbrega. The Royan appears to be merely a khor which is dry, except for occasional pools, a few months after the cessation of the rains. Its junction marks the boundary on the Setit between the Sudan and Eritrea on the north bank, and Abyssinia on the south bank.
[41]There are 4 Berberine dialects, viz.:—
- (1) “Kensi” from Shellal to Korosko.
- (2) “Feiadija” spoken near Korosko and South.
- (3) “Mahasi” spoken at Halfa, Sukkot, Mahas and up to Hannek Cataract and Badin Island.
- (4) “Dongolawi” from Kerma to Ambugol.
- (2) and (3) are nearly the same, and (1) and (4) are somewhat similar; but a Dongolawi cannot understand a Mahasi.
[42]The Gararish are Nomad Arabs and their northern limit may be said to be Halfa.