31.—KHARTOUM to WAD MEDANI, SENNAR, SENGA, and KARKOJ, up Left Bank of BLUE NILE.
Compiled from Reports by Major de Rougemont and Captain H. F. S. Amery.
Corrected up to 1904.
Between Khartoum and Wad Medani there are rest houses at the following places: Sabil, Masid, Kamlin, Hassa Hisa and Mesellemia; these places are on an average about 18 miles apart. The fee per night payable to the Sheikh in charge is 5 P.T., in return for which an angarib, zeer and water are provided. Eggs, milk, fowls, &c., are generally procurable, but these are of course not included in the 5 P.T.
| Place. | Miles. | Description. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inter-mediate. | Total. | ||
| Khartoum (Palace) | — | — | The road passes overan open plain after leaving the old line of fortifications (gate 1mile from palace), passing Buri District, comprising 3 villages, tothe left; then through Gereif district; 7 villages, populationabout 1,000; opposite third village the road is ½ mile from river;road runs over flat open plain; cultivation—dura, cotton, dukhn,and vegetables in small quantities round each village. A track alsoleads straight to the Sabil Rest house, by following which about 1mile is saved. |
| Um Dom Island | — | — | |
| Meshra El Hagar or Hageirat | 7½ | 7½ | Not inhabited. |
| Road passes in straight line fromKhartoum to Meshra El Hagar or Hageirat; at this point it meets theriver; excellent watering place only, no village. The village of UmDom (R.) is exactly opposite Meshra El Hagar. | |||
| Soba | 4 | 11½ | A small village of tukls on the R. bank.Fourteen miles from Khartoum there is good watering place, nograzing. |
| El Sabil | 6 | 17½ | Rest house. No village. |
| El Bageir | 1½ | 19 | On river bank, 1½ miles from road,population 200. Through Sabil Kasm El Sid District; signs of ruinedvillage on side of road, from which Eilafun can be seen, bearing55°. |
| Goz Shereig | — | — | On R. bank. |
| Gedid | 7 | 26 | Population 1,000; cultivation roundvillages (3). Track passes over barren treeless plain to |
| Masudia | 5½ | 31½ | Village on River, population 500;cultivation between village and river. |
| Nuba | 2¼ | 33¾ | A large village, mud houses, population1,000; good cultivation. Encamped ½ mile south of Nuba. |
| El Masid | 5 | 38¾ | Rest house. Road still through openplain. No cultivation between Nuba and Masid, nor at latter.Inhabitants cultivate opposite bank. Large village withmosque. |
| Alti | 1 | 39¾ | A straggling village ¾ mile long,population 1,500; bank of river cultivated. |
| Um Magad | 3 | 42¾ | Village ½ mile long, population 300. |
| El Tikeina | 1¾ | 44½ | Population 200. Encamped in open plain ½mile south of village; good watering place; no grazing. |
| Bishagra El Gharbi | 2 | 46½ | Large village, 3 mosques. Bishagra ElSharki on opposite bank. |
| Fadl El Fogur | 1 | 47½ | A small village on river bank, population150. |
| El Takela | 2¼ | 49¾ | Straggling village, population 800, ½mile from road on bank of river. Traces of rain cultivation.Another village on right of road, 1 mile further south, also calledEl Takela. |
| Wad El Turabi | 2¾ | 52½ | A large village, with large mosque, ½mile from river. There is a small village on river bank under trees(mimosa). Rain-cultivated dura commences on right of road. Plentyof cultivation on river bank. |
| Kasembar | 2½ | 55 | A small village of Kamlin district, ¼mile from road, population 200. The road now enters the Kamlindistrict, which stretches as far as Abu El Ashr. |
| El Heleila | 1 | 56 | A small village of Kamlin district 1¼mile left of road, population 200. |
| Kalkol | — | — | Same as El Heleila. A thick grove of Dompalms close to village. |
| Kamlin | 2½ | 58½ | A large village, population 1,500, withthin grove of date palms on north side with rest house. Marketplace, dura obtainable. There are government farms and old ruinedindigo factory. A good camping ground on south side of village. Theroad to Kamlin is quite suitable for wheel traffic. The inhabitantsof Kamlin seem prosperous. The Gezira seems well supplied withgrass. The road now passes through more cultivation;rain-cultivation dura on both sides of road. Head Quarters of BlueNile Province (P.T.O.). |
| Um Degersi | 6½ | 65 | Two small villages, population 700, 1mile east of road; nearly all straw tukls. Near here another smallvillage on bank Abd El Magdi, population 200; river cultivation.One mile south on right bank of river is the large village ofHelalia. |
| Abu El Ashr | 3 | 68½ | A large village on river bank. Herecommences Halawin district (includes Abu El Ashr), population 600;mud houses. Road passes through open woody country. |
| El Talbab | 3¼ | 71¾ | Two miles from river, population 1,000.Mud houses. The road continues through the Halawin district,comprising some 64 villages inland. Cultivation by rain. |
| Um Haboba | 3¼ | 75 | Commonly called by the natives theGeneinat El Halawin; excellent camping ground, garden, excellentgrazing, date palms, lemon trees in garden. The road now passesthrough somewhat thick mimosa jungle to plain covered with thornscrub. |
| Wad Abu Ferugha (Furur?) | 3 | 78 | Rest house. A large village, ¼ mile fromroad on left, population 800. A few dom palms and grazing(indifferent) along bank. Opposite bank well wooded, inhabitantsdepend on rain cultivation. |
| Debeba | 2 | 80 | A long straggling village, 1 mosque, afew sunt trees. An island called Debeba in front of village.Bearing from north end of village to Rufaa 110°, about 3 miles offon right bank. |
| Wad El Ramil | ½ | 80½ | A small village east of road. Bearing toRufaa 90°. Road passes through open plain. |
| Hassa Hisa orHassai | 2 | 82½ | Two large sunt trees, one at north end,one at south end. Fair size village at the apex of the bend of theriver, mostly tukls. One and a quarter miles further on are twovery large acacia trees; road open. The river here makes a sharpsouth bend, Rufaa being about 3 miles north-east from here on R.B.There is a telegraph office at Rufaa. |
| In the bend opposite Rufaa are severalvillages, chief being El Amara, which is the Head Quarters of theMamur of Mesellemia District. | |||
| Wad El Fadui | 5 | 87½ | Road leaves El Amara to the left andstrikes the river again near Wad El Fadui. |
| El Akura | 4 | 911 | Conspicuous palms near river’s edge. Raincultivation all along road and inland. |
| Grigrib | 3 | 94½ | Small Halawin village. Old Mesellemia nowmostly in ruins, lies about 4 miles south-west inland fromhere. |
| Fadasi | 1¾ | 96¼ | Large village. Inhabitants chieflyRekabia Halimab. Omda is Sheikh El Nazir Yusef. Rest house. Fromhere track passes through dura cultivation whole way to WadMedani. |
| Fadasi El Amara | 1¾ | 98 | Palms and good deal of bush along riverbank. |
| Wad Medani[20] | 10 | 108 | Head Quarters of Sennar Province and 1battalion of infantry. Second largest town in the Sudan. |
| Habiballa | 3 | 111 | Village on Blue Nile on left of road.Much cultivation hereabouts. |
| Um Bellal | 3 | 114 | Village on right of road. Much junglealong river bank. |
| Bagadi | 9 | 123 | Several villages arepassed and a good deal of cultivation to Bagadi, a large villagewith good watering place. From here the telegraph runs to Meshra ElBeriab (10 miles), and thence to Meshra El Shukaba (6½ miles);however, the most direct road cuts off the bend and strikes theriver at Meshra Shukaba. Several villages in this neighbourhood andbush both inland and along river bank. A road from Segadi joins inhere. |
| Meshra El Shukaba | 14 | 137 | |
| El Denegila | 4 | 141 | Good watering place; several villages.Cultivation. |
| Meshra El Dai | 9¾ | 150¾ | Several villages andmuch cultivation is passed on the river bank about half way toMeshra El Hegerat. Much bush about here, but main road isgood. |
| Meshra El Hegerat | 7 | 157¾ | |
| Sennar | 9 | 166¾ | In ruins, but being re-built. HeadQuarters of District and garrisoned by a detachment from WadMedani. |
| 2½ | 169¼ | River bends eastwardsand road leaves it about 2 miles to the east and passes throughthick bush to Meshra Eridiba, 1¾ miles before reaching which SheikhTalha is passed on the right bank. Good camping ground andgrazing. | |
| Meshra Eridiba | 11 | 180¼ | |
| Leaving Meshra Eridiba the country ismore open, and cultivated with dura and semsem. | |||
| Abdin is a moderate-sized village onriver bank 1½ miles from main road. Good watering place. No grazingnear camp, but it is obtainable some 2 miles north. | |||
| Abu Shoka is passed 2 miles to theeast. | |||
| Enediba | 13 | 193¼ | On river bank. Fromhere there is a road following the river which makes a big bend tothe east to Senga. The direct road is viâ Enediba, andpasses through much cultivation and crosses many tracks to Senga,an important village on the river bank. This is now the HeadQuarters of the old Karkoj District. It is garrisoned by adetachment from Wad Medani. Many Kenana and Baggara Arabs livehere, but the population is much mixed. From Senga roads lead toLueisa and Abu Kashim on the Dinder. |
| Senga or Seneij | 11¾ | 205 | |
| There is a P.T.O. here. | |||
| A road runs east from here viâTeigo (wells 16 miles) to J. Dali, and another to J. Moya. From J.Dali there are tracks to the White Nile at Jebelein and Goz AbuGuma. | |||
| Senga Um Benein | 6½ | 211½ | From here the track runs due south toSenga Um Benein on river bank. Kenana village. |
| Meshra Dar Agil | 7½ | 219 | Thence to Meshra DarAgil, whence by river bank to Karkoj, a town of not much importancenow owing to the transfer of Government offices, &c., toSenga. |
| Karkoj | 5 | 224 | |
32.—KHARTOUM to GOZ ABU GUMA and JEBELEIN, up Right Bank of WHITE NILE.
Compiled from Reports by Captains T. Conolly and W. A. Boulnois (1899).
N.B.—The river can be approached practically anywhere as far as Shawal.
| Place. | Miles. | Description. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inter-mediate. | Total. | ||
| Leaving the most westerly group of palmsat Khartoum, the road runs due south for a mile, leaving thevillage of Goz on the left, and that of Rumeila on the right.Cotton soil. River visible. | |||
| Assara | — | — | In next 7 miles roadruns (185 Mag.), passing a string of villages on the right (W.)about 1 mile away. The name of all these seems to be Assara, tillone gets to the village of Kalakla, about 6 miles from Khartoum,situated in a large clump of trees. Road runs on open desertsand—very good going; river invisible, about 2 miles off. |
| Kalakla | 5 | 6 | |
| Sheikh Um Meriom | 3 | 9 | At 9 miles from Khartoum road passes avillage with a high tomb in it, called Sheikh Wad Um Meriom. Thislies on the river about 1½ miles from the main road. |
| El Kalakeil | 1 | 10 | At 10 miles road passes El Kalakeil onthe E. side of it. There are some signs in this last mile of thecountry having been cultivated. From here the river is about 3miles off, invisible on account of the bank of sand which forms thedesert edge, and some trees on it. |
| After this the road enters some low sandhills, with large clumps of big trees on the river side about ½mile off. | |||
| 3 | 13 | Three miles off this brings one into thefirst open scrub, which gets closer as it approaches the river—butis not thick, except in a few places on the river bank. | |
| Geziret Haraz | 4 | 17 | At 17 miles the headof two islands at high Nile (now no longer islands), called GeziretHaraz and Geziret Um Arda. These islands are, I believe, some 5miles apart at high Nile, but are now practically one, owing to bigalluvial flat from which they rise, being dry at this time of theyear (10.3.99). |
| Geziret Um Arda | — | — | |
| At this point, and for the next 3 mileson the road, there are a good number of shallow, 15 to 20 feet,wells, giving good water, slightly bitter. I only saw 3, but 7 werereported by natives. There are a good number of camels to be seenin this piece of country. | |||
| J. Auli | 8 | 25 | Eight miles further takes one to J. Auli,a steep rock about 100 feet high, with a small under-feature on theN.W., about 50 feet. There is a good meshra, or watering place.Under this mountain there is a good camping ground for abrigade. |
| Gar El Nabi | 3 | 28 | Passing E. of J. Auli, after 3 miles GarEl Nabi is reached, which lies close to it. These 3 miles arethrough open bush, with river visible about ½ to 1 mile off. |
| 4 | 32 | For the next 4 miles the bush getsthicker and the road is crossed by small khors, and in places bycultivation zeribas. River invisible. | |
| Next 6 miles the bush gets more openagain, and a line of small sand hills is seen along the river edgehiding it. Horses can be watered anywhere in this 6 miles. In thelast half of this distance the trees cease on the east side of theroad and 2 large khors cross it. | |||
| Opposite J. Barima or Breima | 6 | 38 | At 38 miles J. Barima is opposite on theother bank of the river. For about 2 miles before reaching thispoint, and for 2½ miles after it, the road runs through sand hills,the river being visible about ½ mile off. |
| At this point (2½ miles south of J.Barima) the river is quite close to the road, which changes itsdirection to 200° magnetic. | |||
| 7 | 45 | The road rises slightly in the next mileand 3½ miles further on goes through bush which, though open on theE. side, is fairly thick on the W., making the riverinvisible. | |
| Wad Belal | 3 | 48 | After 3 miles through open bush and sandhills, Wad Belal, a wood station for steamers and a good wateringplace is reached. |
| 2 | 50 | For the first 2 miles from Wad Belal theroad runs through scattered trees which become fairly close bush onthe river side for another 2 miles. | |
| El Geteina | 4½ | 54½ | The road enters a large plain of cottonsoil, with three tracks across it to Arab dwellings, towards thecentre of the Gezira about 4 miles in, and reaches the largevillage of El Geteina. On the river side there is a large alluvialflat about 2 miles across, and 3 to 4 miles long, which runs northof El Geteina towards Wad Belal. There is a curious round sand hillin the middle of this flat which must be an island at highNile. |
| El Geteina consists of two villages about1 mile apart, the larger of the two being to the north. It isfairly clean and has a very good market. There was a certain amountof cultivation going on with Shadufs (not an amount proportionateto the size of the village), and a large tract of country isobviously sown with dura during the rains. This was the mostprosperous village I saw on the Gezira (March, 1899). It is nowHead Quarters of Geteina District. | |||
| One mile over cotton soil beyond thevillage of El Geteina, a small one of the same name isreached. | |||
| Immediately on leaving this, the roadruns into sand dunes with bush for 1 mile; river close (200yards). | |||
| After that, 6½ miles of very good goingthrough scattered trees. The road here is crossed by a large numberof Arab tracks to meshras; and many herds of sheep and goats wereseen. River invisible from road. | |||
| The next 3 miles runs through fairlythick bush with open spaces. This bush gets thinner as it recedesfrom the river. During the next 2½ miles the road passes to west ofa fine strip of open cotton soil about 2½ miles wide, separatedfrom the river by a thick strip of bushes and a large alluvialplain, so that now (12.3.99) it is about 2 to 3 miles from theriver. Much dura seems to have been grown here, but only a smallportion of this large plain was under cultivation last year. | |||
| Garrasa | 12 | 66½ | At the end of thisplain to the S.E. there are a line of sand hills running N.E. toS.W., and getting gradually smaller towards the S.W. These runalongside the road, beyond the open plain, and end in some smalldunes near the village of Garrasa. Garrasa is a smallvillage—without a market—the people of which seem poor. There is agood meshra here. Leaving Garrasa the road runs through about 3miles of dura land, a large part of which has been recentlycultivated. River ¼ to ½ mile away. |
| 3 | 69½ | ||
| Wad Shalai | 2½ | 72 | After 2½ miles more, alongside sand hillsnear the river, the road reaches the small village of WadShalai—the inhabitants of which were all away on the river bankcultivating. |
| Wad El Saki | 7 | 79 | Seven miles further, Wad El Saki, a largevillage on the top of some sand hills, is reached. |
| The population was about 400 to 500(March, 1899). The road runs the first half of this distancethrough sand dunes on both sides, with the river close and visible.The last half leaves the river gradually, and passing through somedura ground, is about 1½ miles from it at Wad El Saki. | |||
| Sayef | 3 | 82 | From here 3 miles take one to a fewhouses about 2 miles from the river on some sand hills calledSayef, being one of three villages of that name. |
| 4 | 86 | After 4 miles overcotton soil the road crosses a sand-hill ridge running at rightangles to the river, and about 1 mile from it, and descends intothe plain close to the river at a point where another village, alsocalled Sayef, is seen about 2 miles inland. At this point there isa good meshra, and a ferry to the other bank. | |
| 1 | 87 | ||
| 6 | 93 | After several miles of low scrub on theriver side, and cotton soil which has all been cultivated, on theeast Debasi Meshra is reached. | |
| Debasi | 2 | 95 | Here the Khalifa had a big grain depôt,the ruins of which can still be seen. There is a regular ferry fromhere to the other bank. Two miles from this meshra is the villageof Debasi; population about 400. The road for this distance isthrough sand hills, ½ mile from the river. |
| The village is on the north bank of deepkhor. No water in khor (13.3.99 or 1.10.99), but might entail 2 or3 miles circuit at high Nile. From Debasi to Shabasha (3½ miles)road close to bank. Thence to 14th mile 1 to 1½ miles distant. | |||
| Stony hills from 6th to 12th mile east ofroad. Sandy bank to river, good watering; slight scrub close toriver to 6th mile. Thence scrub and sunt trees along road (thicknear river), cotton soil, muddy bank. Road closes to river atGhobeisha. | |||
| Ghobeisha | 13 | 108 | Ghobeisha meshra and village, good placefor camp and watering. Road crosses open plain with high grasscotton soil, probably under water at high Nile. |
| Ghayafa | 4½ | 112½ | Ghayafa meshra, good camping ground andwatering place; sand hill near meshra. Scrub fairly thick, cottonsoil. |
| Denegila | 8½ | 121 | Denegila village, W.of road, opposite island of same name; 1½ miles further, villageAbu Karun, N. of road, where it crosses track to Um Seneita, thenceto Um Gar village, W. of road, opposite island same name. Duracrops in this district; thick bush close to river to Meshra ElHella. Road runs close to river to Kawa. |
| Um Gar | 4 | 125 | |
| Meshra El Hella | 3 | 128 | |
| Kawa | 4 | 132 | Kawa, large village with suk, HeadQuarters of District, Post and Telegraph station. Road runs ½ mileto 1 mile from river through dura cultivation, and then over grassyplain past village Abu Hindi. |
| Meshra Shaggara | 6 | 138 | Meshra and village close to river. |
| Hassan Alob | 7 | 145 | Thence past Kanuzvillage, with island opposite, the road runs ¼ mile to ½ mile fromriver to Hassan Alob, on the banks of the river with an islandcalled Dabus opposite. Still through bush country to NurEl Daim (largevillage and police station). Road leaves river ½ mile to 1 miledistant up to Sheikh’s tomb (Sheikh Nur El Taib), which is on theriver bank. Three large trees, a ruined mud and brick building, andsome flags mark it. |
| Nur Ed Daim | 3 | 148 | |
| Sheikh’s tomb | 3 | 151 | |
| Shawal | 2 | 153 | Road bends due S. to Shawal. Largevillage. Country: open bush, slightly undulating; good sandywatering places at river. J. Tueima visible S.E. Aba Island begins2 miles S. |
| Malaha | 3 | 156 | Meshra Malaha andvillage Meleliha; 3 miles further on salt works. Road enters scrub;bush country to Marabia, good camping ground on high ground, wherethere are the ruins of an old fort and brick buildings. Road leavesriver, crosses a grassy plain—probably under water at fullNile—passed village Torba, E. of road, and turns S.W. to Goz AbuGuma, Head Quarters of District, telegraph and post office. |
| Marabia | 8 | 164 | |
| Goz Abu Guma or Zeinuba | 16½ | 180½ | |
| From Goz Abu Guma road runs ½ mile to 1mile from river. Line of villages (see sketch) on highground about 4½ miles from river. Chiefly cattle grazing. | |||
| El Khema | 6 | 186½ | Road joins river atEl Khema. Police post to Mokada Abu Zeit; good camping ground andsmall village. There is a ford here at low Nile. Two miles furtheron Musran Island begins and continues to 3 miles of Jebelein. |
| Mokada Abu Zeit | 4½ | 195½ | |
| Meshra Hedib | 4½ | 200 | Meshra Hedib to Musran Island. The roadkeeps close to the river bank. The E. channel seemed very muchblocked with sudd, only a narrow passage 50 yards wide beingvisible at times. |
| Meshra Zuleit | 17½ | 217½ | There is a meshra toMusran Island, 7 miles as the road turns from Jebelein calledZuleit. Hence the road winds through thick scrub, with patches ofopen country right up to the ford at Jebelein. |
| Jebelein | 8½ | 225 | |
| Rocky hills commanding the river about300 feet high. | |||
| Grassy plain between north and southridges. | |||
| Village on E. of southern ridge. | |||