By Major N. M. Smyth Bey, V.C., Queen’s Bays, November and December, 1901.
Most of country between Omdurman and El Safia is so barren that the grazing grounds are very limited in area, and the population is so sparse that beaten tracks are only to be found in the vicinity of the watering places.
Most of the country is scattered with low samr bush, which, not being in leaf owing to the scarcity of rain this year, affords little shade. Dead trees afford an abundant supply of fuel. Many wells get partly filled up with drift sand, or with mud brought down by the infiltration of water, which may be quickly cleaned out. The supply at all wells is dependent on the amount of rainfall.
N.B.—As there are no well-defined tracks, and the distances have been measured off the map, they are probably all too short.—H. H. S. M.
| Place. | Miles. | Description. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inter-mediate. | Total. | ||
| Omdurman | — | — | Leaving the town the route bears a littleS. of W. over hard sandy soil. A little low scattered bush. JebelDuieim Serob (?) is left to the S. Sand hills are met. Some samrbush. |
| Um Hei | 27 | 27 | Old wells. |
| Um Teital | 7 | 34 | Twenty wells in red clay, all dry. Wateris found after ordinary rainfall at 15 feet, but often fails aboutFebruary. Shobil wells, 30, all dry, are 3 miles to the N., and AbdEl Mokeit, 20 wells, where water drains in slowly at 12 feetthrough red clay, are 6 miles to the N. |
| The country here belongs to the WaladOgba section of the Kababish, who have much cultivation in theneighbourhood. Abd El Mokeit wells water 500 sheep daily. | |||
| The route bears due W. over undulatingcountry. | |||
| Melh El Maagil | 21½ | 55½ | A pool in Khor Mogaddam, 100 yards by 10yards, lasts till January. A mile W. several similar pools existafter good rainfall. There are some salt licks a mile to theS.E. |
| There is now some track in the wadibearing S.W. Sayal bush. | |||
| Bag Bag | 12 | 67½ | Pool in wadi, dry in November. The oldwells fallen in. N. of them are two groups of 15 open wells, half amile apart, in the bed of the wadi. Copious water at 15 feet. |
| The route now bears nearly N.W. overundulating country, little bush. | |||
| Habisa | 24 | 91½ | Id El Kebir, 50 wells of good water 15feet deep. The other wells here are—El Khirwa, 20 wells, 15 feetdeep, good water, and Neimura, 40 wells, depth 25 feet, all dryNovember, 1901. |
| Id El Gurud | 5 | 96½ | Due W. and higher up the khor is a groupof 3 wells, dry. One mile W. a group of 15 wells in bed of a sandywadi; at a depth of 15 feet copious water. This water is said tohave been first discovered by Arabs finding water holes scratchedin the sand after rain by the apes that exist in theneighbourhood. |
| There is now a slight track which bearsW.N.W. as far as J. Khashm El Kelb, which is left to the N., andthen bears W. and W.S.W. over broken ground. | |||
| Derota | 40½ | 137 | Thirty wells, all dry except one. Eightfeet deep on rock, bed kept open by foxes burrowing in thesand. |
| Three miles to the W. the Haraza-Dongolaroad is in the Wadi Bitit. The country is undulating and in placesstony, and several wadis are crossed; general direction W. | |||
| El Safia (Um Geiti) | 35 | 172 | Um Geiti wells. The wells are situated onthe E. side of a plain which is surrounded by hills. The wells are:(1) Um Geiti, depth 13 feet, good water, considered inexhaustible.Two hundred more have fallen in. Five hundred camels and oxen arewatered daily. In the driest season thousands of cattle are wateredhere. (2) Id El Serajab, 30 wells, not in use, but only needclearing out to afford a water supply. |
81.—DEBBA to EL OBEID, viâ WABRI, ELAI, SAFIA and KAGMAR.
By Mr. James Currie, April, 1903.
The route from Debba to El Obeid is little used, even during the kharif when water is comparatively plentiful. At that season a few merchants carry dates to El Obeid, perhaps carrying back gum in exchange. The portion of the route from Debba to Safia is subject to variations according to the whim of the guide employed, as well as the season of the year. Some prefer the route Um Belila—El Amri—Hobagi—Haraza without going to Safia, whilst others during the dry season travel viâ Wabri, Inderab, Gumr, Gambar, Habisa, Bagbag, and Kagmar.
The track described below was plainly marked throughout, but, owing to scarcity of water, would be difficult, at any rate during the driest season, for a party of over twenty-five camels. Shade and firewood are plentiful throughout.
In the following report the only places where there was any water on the road are mentioned.