A little shade is to be got in winter, but practically none in summer.
The distances were measured by wheel and adjusted to the astronomical positions. The hours are those actually marched by light hamla.
| Place. | Miles. | Description. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inter-mediate. | Total. | ||
| Korti village, west end | — | — | For the first 4 milesone of the tracks leading to Um Tub is followed, the route thenbends slightly to left, keeping up the right edge of the Wadi AbuGia, which has plenty of “selem” and other trees, till it crossesit at 13 miles. |
| 13 | 13 | ||
| J. Shankawi | 3½ | 16½ | It now keeps along the left side of thewadi, which has shrunk almost to nothing above the junction of theAbu Gia, passing J. Shankawi at 3½ miles, and returning to thewadi, where “selem” bushes reappear. |
| 8½ | 25 | The route keeps on straight near thesouthern of the two Sawileil hills, past J. El Zein, which is left1½ miles on the right, crosses the Wadi El Zein, and a very low andeasy saddle. | |
| 14 | 39 | It descends just to the right of a verysmall hill called Nasb Um Handal, passes between J. Um Serre and J.Barkol, and crosses the fairly well wooded W. Rahaba, just N. ofthe little hill called Nasb El Rahaba. | |
| 8 | 47 | After 5 miles it meets the well markedtrack from Merowe, and at 6 miles it crosses a low ridge, anddescends into the valley of the wadi, here called Wadi Bayuda. | |
| At 6½ miles it crosses the actual bed, some40 yards wide and 6 feet deep, and at 7 miles the wells arereached. | |||
| Bayuda wells | 7 | 54 | The wells are situated in the bed of thekhor and are filled up, whenever there is a spate. At the time ofthe visit, the Arabs were drawing water from a hole about a mileup; but they had begun to clean out the real wells. |
| There are said to be two other wells, ElNasaib and Um Sideiri, about 2½ hours up on the way toHanboti. | |||
| Just at the wells it is fairly open,though surrounded by low hills. Half a mile further up the khor isclosely shut in by hills covered with boulders. | |||
121.—BAYUDA WELLS to TANGASI MARKET.
By Colonel Hon. M. G. Talbot, December, 1903.
General Remarks.From Bayuda wells to Wadi Abu Gia there is an extremely well marked track, profusely beaconed in the Arab manner. Further N. the stream of traffic divides according to the part of the Merowe district for which the traveller is bound or from which he starts.
The going is excellent throughout; no difficulties whatever.
The route appears to be of recent origin.
Formerly the produce of the Province used to make its way to Berber via Sani, and this new trade route, sometimes called the Hawashawi route, from a hill of that name, seems to have been established to meet the new conditions in the Sudan.
From Bayuda the route keeps straight on, crossing the Goz Abu Delua just before reaching Hanboti, and strikes the Nile near the Shabluka. Between Bayuda and Merowe there are considerable stretches without any camel grazing, and there is no shade of any value in hot weather. The distances were measured by wheel and adjusted to the astronomical positions.