Place.Miles.Description.
Inter-mediate.Total.
Sani Pool——Going good; in some places over rough,tussocky grass, but generally over firm sand. Features of countryvery indefinite, and drainage lines hard to trace; there is,however, no doubt that they all cross the track from right toleft.
J. Sergein77From 6 to 8 miles thetrack crosses some rocky undulating ground. At 7 miles, J Sergein,or Sargit, is left to the S., and the road passes N. of J. ElHueish, an isolated rocky hill with a patch of yellow sand halfwayup.
J. El Hueish411
2132A branch of Wadi Argu or Argubi is nowcrossed. From this point J. Gormuli lay due N., and J. Ibnali (themass of hills S. of Jura Well), lay due E.
1547At 3 miles from Jura the track joins, ina branch of the Wadi Argu, the track from Kirbekan. At this pointthe direction of Sani bears 250 degrees magnetic (Tudway). For thenext 3 miles the track winds in a south-easterly direction throughlow undulating hills, between the mass of the Jura range (J.Ibnali) on the right, and some sharp-pointed hills of considerableheight on the left.
Jura350The well at Jura is situated in a smallrocky plain surrounded by hills N. of eastern end of J. Ibnali. Ithas been cut out of the solid rock and is about 2 feet in diameter.The water was about 6 feet below the surface; it is good and sweet,and tastes like rain-water. One hundred camels were watered from itwithout emptying it. It is said never to dry up. There wereformerly six other wells, equally good, close by, of which themarks are still visible. The natives say they only want cleaningout. Water can sometimes be got by scraping at the mouth of thekhor about 110 yards distant. Near the well stands the ruin of ahouse, built at the time it was proposed to take the telegraph lineto Berber by this route.
It is a bad and confined camping ground,with very little shade, though there are a few dom palms and thornbushes along the khor. Heat and dust very great.
A flood is said to come down the khoronce almost every year. The drainage appears to go to WadiArgu.
El Zuma3585On left bank Nile, opposite El Shereik.Government Rest House and ferry. There is also Rest House atShereik.

117.—JURA to KIRBEKAN (about 1 mile S.W. of Site of Battle).

By Major Tudway and Captain St. G. Henry, August, 1897.

Place.Miles.Description.
Inter-mediate.Total.
Jura——
Wadi Argu33For the first 3 miles the track windsthrough low hills between main mass (J. Ibnali) and the two pointedhills to N. At 3 miles it strikes a branch of the Wadi Argu orArgubi. Here the Sani track branches off at a bearing of 250degrees magnetic, and the general direction of Kirbekan is 305degrees magnetic. The track continues in a north-westerly directionover undulating ground, draining from right to left to the WadiArgu, passing a low hill called J. Barga, and striking into a mainbranch of the Wadi Argu, along which the road runs over anexcellent track with good grazing and plenty of trees.
3033At about 33 miles out from Jura, J.Gormuli, which is visible nearly the whole way, lay due N.
As far as the 45th mile (Henry) the routecontinues to follow the Wadi Argu, when it turns up a khor to theleft, and after some 11 miles of a narrow, rocky pathway, descendsto the river S.W. of J. Musa, the hill on which Kirbekan Battle wasfought.
Kirbekan2154The Wadi Argu joins the Nile at Kirbekanvillage. For the last 15 miles of its course the trees andvegetation increase, and from the number of dom palms it isprobable that water would be found near the surface. There isusually water in a rain pool, called El Sihani, 10 or 12 miles fromthe river.

118.—OMDURMAN to GABRA.

By Colonel Hon. M. G. Talbot, R.E., November, 1903.

General remarks.The only obstacles to taking a bee line for Gabra are the Abu Meru or Merkhait hills, which have to be skirted either on the N. or on the S., and the Goz Abu Delua which has to be crossed. The latter is a belt of undulating ground, covered lightly with sand in some places, and perhaps heavily in others, running generally in N.N.E. by S.S.W. direction and probably varying in width. The best place to cross it is at the Hanakat El Goz, where a khor cuts its way through it. This may be looked on as an obligatory point, and it is here and round the northern and southern sides of the Merkhiat hills only that one sees signs of a definite path until within a few miles of the wells. After rain, water is said to stand in a place called Shegeig or Mushgeig near the Goz, otherwise there is no water on the road. After passing the Merkhait hills firewood abounds and grass was plentiful at the time of this journey. Trees are chiefly “samr” with a few “kittr,” “heglig,” and other bushes. There is no “hashab” as stated on Khartoum Sheet. A great deal of spear grass is met with, and the guide informed me that, but for his skilful leading, I should have met much more.

Owing to the absence of any track and the tussocky nature of the “tabas” grass, the going is not good, except in the neighbourhood of the Id Ennala.

The distances given in this route report are obtained by assuming the camels to have marched at about 2½ miles an hour, checked by measuring wheel; but the route taken was far from straight.

Place.Miles.Description.
Inter-mediate.Total.
Omdurman——Left old steamerworkshops, turned N. at corner of Sur wall and, when clear ofhouses, made straight for Abu Meru hills; halted N. of them; alittle grass; no firewood. Distance from Khartoum Sheet.
Abu Meru8½8½
On clearing hills track disappeared.“Tabas” grass and “samr.”
Stony ridge1422½Crossed by stony ridge.
Crossed by another stony ridge.
Crossed Khor Um Muherib (?) said to flowinto Id Ennala; not a very apparent drainage line.
Id Ennala14¼36¾After passing one or two very minorkhors, crossed Id Ennala; much “tabas” and “spear” grass. Many“samr” and a few “heglig” and “kittr” trees. Good grazing. Groundrather broken in a very small way, but difficult for camels atnight.
Shegeig8¼45Passed a place on right called Shegeig orMushgeig, where water stands after rain, and crossed to furtherside of Goz Abu Delua which had long been visible on left, parallelto route we followed. About a mile wide. The Hanakat is about 40yards to 60 yards wide and full of “marakh” bushes. It is said theold Government tried to find water here, but failed. It is said tojoin the Shegeig, which is joined by the Id Ennala and falls intoNile at Wadi Bishara.
From up stream end of Hanak, Gabra is notvisible, but the guide pointed it out as on 300° magnetic.
The Hanakat seems to have but a smallbasin W. of Goz.
Continued over slightly undulating plainwith grass and scattered bushes.
Passed some dura cultivation on left.Seemed a poor crop.
Wadi Mogaddam1055Turned more to N.N.E.and dropped over low stony ridge into the valley of the WadiMogaddam. Well but not densely wooded. Marched on bearing 330°magnetic to wells.
Gabra wells3½58½
There are at least 15 wells of 60 to 70feet depth. They water a very large number of animals daily. Levelof water fluctuates with rain, after which the whole of the groundround the wells is said to be underwater. Remains of Dervish mudfort, circular, 12 yards diameter, loop-holed towards north, bearsabout 150° from wells, which are 400 yards distant; short sheltertrench E. of wells. No remains of zeriba.
Many Kababish with large flocks andherds.