Note.—This was the route followed by the expedition against Ibrahim Wad Mahmud in February and March, 1904. It has not, hitherto, been the usual route to Keili, but as it is the most direct, and could be easily improved, it will probably be adopted, at any rate for Government purposes.

From the mouth of the Khor Ofat to Keili (50 miles) there are no inhabitants and in February, 1904, no track. There is little difficulty about water, which stands in pools in the Khor Ofat, or can be easily obtained by digging in its bed. The distances cannot be taken as accurate.

Place.Miles.Description.
Inter-mediate.Total.
Senga——Leaving Senga, road good, mostly overcotton soil; last part better than first, but dusty. Countrycovered with bush. There are two roads; westerly one to Um Bayagaand thence S.E. towards river, other road runs nearer the river.Wheeled transport feasible.
Um Benein66There are two Meshrashere, bad at High Nile, fair at Low Nile; wood plentiful, grassfairly so. From here two roads, the one nearest river is shortest.Going on upper road bad after leaving Dar Agil, last part betteralong telegraph line. Thick bush. Good camp about 2 miles fromtelegraph line. Good Meshra, wood and grass plentiful, duck jhil 3miles S. of camp.
Meshra Abu Hagar1824
Abu Naama1438From here two roads, one along river,other along telegraph line, latter shorter. Bad going, cotton soil, thick scrub.Bad (steep) meshra for animals. Headquarters of District.
From here two roads, better and shorterupper one along telegraph. Country thick bush, more undulating.Good going.
Gura1553Good meshra and shadycamp. From here two roads, lower one along river the shorter—latterpart along edge of Maya Ahmar, and cuts through it. River reachedby elephant track. Country dense scrub, and difficult for camels atnight. At high Nile lower road impassable. Good camp on sandy bedof river. Grass plentiful and watering easy. Road now good thoughhilly, and follows telegraph line, but branches off to riveropposite to Sherif Ahmed (right bank). Dense bush.
Galgeni1568
Taulu1987A very good, large camping ground ongrass and good meshra. Wood and grass plentiful. Camp must beswampy in rains.
Road still hilly; difficult khor about 4miles from camp, could be easily improved. Road difficult forcamels owing to thick bush, and road along telegraph toohilly.
Abu Kok17104Camp at Abu Kok in February bad, as siteis really a marsh. Bad water, but later on river is getatable.
El Disa10114From here road along telegraph, but laterbranches off to El Disa on a rise overlooking small lake. Verypretty place. Camped on sandy river bed; easy watering; wood andgrass plentiful.
After striking telegraph good road, first4 miles through thick scrub. Hilly at first, level after passingAbu Rainat, and much cultivation.
Roseires (Left Bank)14128Good meshra, fair camping ground, woodand grass plentiful.
Kharaba (Right Bank)11139Continuing S. good going to oppositeKharaba. Good camp in grove, tebeldis. Bad meshra; banks steep andbed of river soft.
Mouth of Khor Ofat16155Good road, last part through dom jungleto Khor Ofat. Found eight water holes dug in khor, and cavalrycamped 1 mile further down at pool in bed of khor. Good campingground in bed of khor; grass and water plentiful.
Camp (Khor Ofat)16171The route taken nowlay nearly due S. of Khor Ofat; for first 4 miles followed khor,then found excellent road, except for occasional deep elephanttracks along bank. Mostly cotton soil and thick jungle. Descendedinto bed of khor after 10 miles, and marched up it to where wefound running water. Good camping ground close by. Grass, wood, andwater all plentiful. Continuing S. outside khor, cotton soil, goodgoing, thick bush, grass higher and thicker as we descended intokhor, 9 miles from last camp. Left khor again still heading S.,road bad, cotton soil, trees bigger. Last 4 miles country more openand going better. Extended formations possible. Camped at poolwhere large herd of roan drinking. Khor 400 yards wide. Good camp,grass, shade, wood, and water plentiful.
Camp, Pool (Khor Ofat)20191
Camp (Khor Ofat)15206From here marched up khor; mostly veryheavy going, parts of it hard. Uninteresting road. Khor narrows to120 yards. Halted at two big water holes. More water obtained bydigging under W. bank.
Continuing marching up khor which becomesnarrower and stonier, passed through several “shellal” (cataracts)and khors running into Khor Ofat. In places bed of khor good hardgoing.
Camp (Khor Ofat)15221Banks become lower, bamboo jungle chieflywith large trees. Good camp and water from holes in bed ofkhor.
Camp (Khor Ofat)13234Leave Khor Ofat tothe W. At first bad going, pass large patch of cultivation withtukls and leave J. Ragreig on the E., and strike khor at pool; goodroad. Khor 15 yards wide and runs E. and W. here. From here goodroad to Keili. Good camping ground, but water in wells dirty. Goodwater obtainable from Khor Ofat, 4 miles N.N.E. Garrison, 50Sudanese regulars. Path from here excellent, passing through gooddeal of cultivation and leaving J. Kamya from which good view of asurrounding country obtainable close to E.
Keili5239
Khor Timsa11250After J. Kamya track intersected by khorsand is over bad cotton soil. Good camp, grass poor, waterplentiful.
From here to Jerok trying march, as pathcontinually ascends and descends. J. Kurmuk is left to the W.
J. Jerok20270Formerly the home of Ibrahim Wad Mahmud.Garrison of 50 Sudanese regulars on small hill, about 1½ miles S.Water supply scanty, but plenty for animals, 2½ miles S. in KhorAgaheni.

37.—ROSEIRES to KEILI, viâ GULE.

By Major G. de H. Smith, February, 1902.

Place.Miles.Description.
Inter-mediate.Total.
Roseires——
Abramat33Village on W. bank Blue Nile, road goesthrough bush and grass.
J. Agadi[22]2225Crossing Khor El Dunia, water here inthree places, not good. Road now goes S. until Seraf Jogo; usualcotton soil and bush.
Seraf Jogo2550Rest house and good water here in khorfrom a spring; tobacco cultivated by the Ingasana. Bad going, overrocks; pass spring at Pingulo; road going W. to Buk.
J. Buk1262Water here under villages on S. side ofhill, not good. Road goes off N.W. towards Gule; grass and bush andcotton soil.
Gule27½89½Water here good intwo places on S. side of hill. One deep well, good water, also bighole with Sagia; track S.W. to Khor Deleib; a flat depression withsmall khor in it; sometimes water holes where Arabs water sheep.Well 20 feet deep, good supply of water; track turns to S. to J.Silak.
Khor Deleib16½106
J. Silak22128Water south side of hill, full of filth,natives even say it is bad, except just after rain. Rest househere.
Road goes off due E. through pass in J.Sirefat to J. Mogaja.
J. Majaju19¼147¼Village on top of high rock; water has tobe brought down by natives—very good; go due South now to Abuldugu,road over hard ground. Well can be easily sunk at bottom of hill 6feet deep. Rest house.
J. Abuldugu16½163¾Water here in pond in pass in the hills,getting bad at this time of year (Feb.). Water obtainable fromwells in K. Ganna, not very plentiful, ½ hour E. There is a Resthouse here.
Track due S. to J. Surkum.
A track also goes to Keili (9 hoursmarch), water plentiful, Kukeli two-thirds of way.
J. Surkum14177¾Water in four places on S. side—verydirty.
Water also obtainable in khor about 1½miles N.E.
J. Keili20197¾Track goes off to W., and is over cottonsoil, and crosses khors. Water here plentiful. Best water S. end ofbig hill some way up. Rest house.

38.—FAZOGLI to GEZAN.

By Lieutenant L. C. Jackson, R.E.

The Road.Is in good condition throughout. It is very level, except where it crosses a khor or skirts a hill closely, there are no long ascents or descents. The large khors are all very shallow and broad, with sandy beds, so that at the present time of year, when they are all empty, they do not cause the slightest delay. When passing near a hill the road is generally rough and uneven, and covered with loose stones, and in addition numerous small khors have to be crossed.

The Country.Is as a rule dead flat, with the exception of the Jebels, which are like so many islands. Except where there is cultivation, there is nothing but bush, varying in thickness, and grass, which is now being burnt. Cultivation as a rule consists of dura and semsem, but except where mentioned there is nothing but bush. Where the grass has been burnt, progress on foot through the bush is fairly easy as a rule.