Supplies.Milk, goats, cattle, &c., are found, as elsewhere in the Sudan, throughout the route.
There are occasional small canteens at intervals, and fair stores at Keren, and some good shops at Asmara and Massaua, where most ordinary requirements are obtainable.
Water.If desired to move a force larger than a company along this route, enquiries as to state of water supply should be made, as it varies considerably according to the time of year.
Inhabitants.Speaking generally, the inhabitants between Kassala-Keren are Beni-Amer; after that a bastard type of Abyssinian, &c.
Climate.The climate along this route is on the whole good. Between Kassala-Keren and Ginda-Massaua it is decidedly hot in March, April, and May—probably in other months also. These are also the more feverish portions of the route, though probably no part of it is so unhealthy as Kassala. Between the sea and Agordat there occur in April what the Italians call the “little rains,” which mean very heavy thunder-storms; these cease before the end of the month, and the rainy season proper begins towards the end of May.
The climate on the Asmara plateau is said to be delightful, though perhaps the rains are excessive.
Game.There is little or no game along this route, except between Kassala and Keren, where ariel, gazelle, dig-dig, and guinea fowl may be met with.
Route (January to March).
| Place. | Miles. | Description. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inter-mediate. | Total. | ||
| Kassala | — | — | Head Quarters of theKassala Province (fully described in Vol. I). From here the roadfollows the telegraph line and runs nearly due E. between JebelsMokrani and Kassala, over a level more or less open plain toSabderat, the village of which name is situated on the northernside of the gorge, through which flows Khor Tamarat, and is about1½ miles on the Italian side of the frontier, which is plainlymarked by pillars. Here there is a telegraph office and well with anever-failing and plentiful supply of good water. |
| Sabderat | 17 | 17 | |
| Metaui (Algeden) | 10 | 27 | From this point a road has been clearedby the Italians which runs nearly perfectly straight to thevicinity of Daura Obel, where it bends to the S., and thencefollows the old track. This latter leads from Sabderat to Metaui,where a good well was found (in 1898). The Arabs using the well,however, apparently live at a distance, and were not seen. |
| Aradeb | 12½ | 39½ | From here the roadascends a col, and high ground continues on the right for about 5miles, after which the road leads over a level bush-covered plain,and after passing two unimportant detached jebels, a well, namedAradeb, close to the northern end of the second jebel, is reached.Plenty of shade, but very little water (April, 1898). The pathcontinues good over a level plain with scattered bush until Eladalis reached. Here there is a telegraph office, but only one wellwith extremely little water (April, 1898). Continuing, the track,after crossing a low saddle, traverses a defile with high rockyjebels on either side for about 5 miles, and then, after crossing awooded basin, ascends a high saddleback, from the summit of which afine view is obtainable. From here the track descends by a rathersteep and rocky pass to the wells of Daura Obel, which lie in thebed of a khor which finds an exit to the S., being shut in on threesides by high ground. After 2 miles this high ground is leftbehind, and a similar distance further on another khor is crossed,apparently flowing N. It must be somewhere near this point that thenew-cleared road previously referred to joins in. |
| Eladal | 12½ | 52 | |
| Daura Obel | 14 | 66 | |
| Bisha | 14 | 80 | A level plain, covered with open bush, isnow traversed, and after passing between two detached hills, Bishais reached. Here there is a telegraph office and small village,situated on the side of the hill, about 1½ miles N.E. of the well,where there appeared to be plenty of water (April, 1898). Two milesfrom the well the road crosses the top of a saddle from which agood view E. and W. is obtainable. The road then descends a stonyravine, about 1 mile in length, and a sign board was passed,pointing S., “To Well”; thence across the usual bush-covered plainto Shaglet, where there are rest tukls and many dom palms. In thekhor close by, a tributary of the Baraka, there are several goodwells. |
| Shaglet | 12 | 92 | |
| Agordat | 14 | 106 | From near Shaglet the hills of Agordatare visible, and after traversing a plain (the scene of the firstbattle of Agordat) covered with scattered bush and intersected byseveral khors, the dom palms fringing the Khor Baraka are reachedat the foot of the hills (100 feet high?), on which are built thetwin fortresses of Agordat. These, however, are both commandedwithin artillery range from the S. There are one or more wells withany amount of good water to which there is a covered way from themain fort. Population 8,000. But few stores can be purchased here.The climate is hot and considered unhealthy, though it is the onlystation in the colony, except perhaps Massawa, that can be comparedwith Kassala in that respect. |
| Adarte | 17 | 123 | The road now crossesthe sandy bed of the Khor Baraka and traverses an undulating,tolerably open plain (the scene of the second fight with theDervishes), and recrossing the Baraka about 7 miles further oncontinues up its valley to Adarte, where there are wells withrather a meagre water supply. From here the path continues up thescattered bush-covered valley of a tributary of the Baraka, untilAgat is reached; here there are several wells, and water seemsplentiful. After leaving Agat, the valley narrows considerably,though the plain which bears slight indications of cultivation (thefirst seen since leaving Kassala) continues level until reachingthe foot of the somewhat steep ascent to the plateau (4,470 feetapprox.) on which the fortress and town of Keren are situated. Thisof course belonged to Egypt in the old days, and was then known asSenhit, from the name of a small village still existing. The fort,which is built on a detached hill about 150 feet high, contains awell, but is itself commanded by the hills to the S. and S.W.within comparatively easy artillery range. |
| Agat | 10 | 133 | |
| Keren | 11 | 144 | |
| The water supply is good, but fuel isscarce in the immediate neighbourhood. There is a rather largemarket, some good stores, canteens, Post and Telegraph Office,&c. The climate here is comparatively cool and healthy. | |||
| After quitting Keren, the generalcharacter of the country changes almost at once, and a series ofprecipitous hills and mountains, with perennial streams, areencountered. | |||
| Khor Anseba | 6½ | 150½ | The best route to Massaua is that by thenew metalled coach road viâ Asmara. This road, aftertraversing undulating country for about 8½ miles crosses the bed ofthe Khor Anseba, in which are pools during most of the dryseason. |
| From here there is an almost continuousascent till reaching Azteklesan. | |||
| Halibaret | 6½ | 157 | Six and a half miles further on thenarrow stream of Halibaret is met; good running water. |
| From here there is a direct caravan routeto Massaua, but water along it is rather scarce, especially in thedry season. | |||
| [The following is an account:— | |||
| [Halibaret | — | 157 | Leaving Halibaret bythe direct track at the bottom of the valley the path is open,level, and easy. There is a little water to be found in the valleyof the Maldi, but it is scarce in the Beloa valley, which is quitedry from January to June. The descent to the Beloa is bad. FromMagasas there is a slight descent to the valley of the Maldi, andthence the road is good to Ambelako, near where running water isfound at Galushima. |
| Ambelako | 25 | 182 | |
| Fil Fil | 8 | 190 | Good running water. Between Fil Fil andGergeret there are some very steep and stony ascents and descents,which are difficult for camel caravans. Same applies to the Ailetdefile later on, which however is not so steep, being merely the stony bed ofa stream. The track crosses three ranges of thickly wooded hills,and water is found in the Solomoni valley, about half way toGergeret. The forest becomes less dense and the trees smaller asone approaches Gergeret. |
| Gergeret | 10 | 202 | Good water is found in abundance here,except in the months of July and October, when the supplydiminishes considerably. |
| Ailet | 8 | 210 | From Gergeret to Ailet the heat is oftenintense, and there is a complete absence of water. Road mostly verystony, especially in the Ailet Gorge. Water bad and scarce. |
| [Saati | 11 | 221 | |
| N.B.—This route report fromHalibaret to Saati is not very reliable.] | |||
| Halibaret (stream) | — | 157 | Soon after crossingthis the ascent to the Asmara plateau begins in earnest, and theroad zig-zags up rugged mountain sides until the summit is reached,at Azteklesan, a tukl village, which had a couple of small canteens(April, 1898), rest-houses, and a plentiful supply of water. |
| Azteklesan | 13½ | 170½ | |
| Siuma Negus | 8 | 178½ | From here the direct road winds alongover at first rather a hilly bit of country covered with scatteredbush and trees, and occasional khors, generally with water in them,until reaching Siuma Negus, where there is a stream of good water,and a fair-sized village. The metalled coach road, after leavingAzteklesan, makes a considerable detour to the N., and is 3 or 4miles longer. From here to Asmara, an open and slightly undulatingfertile plain extends, dotted here and there with villages andseveral running streamlets. |
| Asmara | 11½ | 190 | This is the capital of Eritrea, andresidence of the Governor and Military Commandant. It is a militarystation of great importance to the Colony, and consequently has aconsiderable garrison. There is also a practically impregnable andheavily armed fort, as well as others of lesser importance. In thetown, which has made great strides of late, are some excellentshops kept by Europeans, though, beyond the actual officials,Italians have not yet colonized to any extent. There is a R.C.Church, club, and some fair cafés. |
| The Government of Eritrea is carried onby a Civilian Governor-General and a Military Commandant. | |||
| The Army consists (1901) of 600 Italiansoldiers and about 7,000 natives. The artillery corps is recruitedfrom blacks. | |||
| Asmara being roughly 7,000 feet above thesea has a temperate climate, and frost is not uncommon. There is aconsiderable rainfall in the summer months. | |||
| From Asmara to Ginda the most direct roadis the mule track which follows the telegraph line down anexceedingly rocky and precipitous descent which begins about 2½miles from the edge of the plateau, which again is about the samedistance from the town. After about 2 miles the descent to Ginda,which is through fine scenery, a deep valley, enclosed on eitherside by precipitous mountains, becomes more gradual. | |||
| Ginda | 15 | 205 | At Ginda there is an excellent canteen(on a small scale) and good water supply (wells and stream). |
| The distance by the coach road must be atleast 25 miles. | |||
| Sabarguma | 5 | 210 | Between Ginda and Sabarguma, where thereis also a canteen and good water, the mule track again isconsiderably shorter than the carriage road, and traversescomparatively easy hills which are covered with thick forest. |
| Soon after leaving Sabarguma, a plain ofthe same name is crossed. This is noted for the intensity of itsheat, and is said to have accounted for many of the flower of theItalian Army. | |||
| Saati | 11 | 221 | After crossing the plain, undulating opencountry extends to Saati, which was railhead (1898), though now therailway is said to have reached about half way to Sabarguma(1901). |
| At Saati, which is about 400 feet abovethe sea, there is a canteen, but water has to be brought fromMassaua by the single line of railway. | |||
| Massaua | 17 | 240 | Two trains arrive and depart daily.Massaua contains a good harbour, barracks, very fair shops, and atleast one quite respectable café, but it is a very hot, damp,unhealthy, and generally unpleasant place. Beninfeld’s agent wouldprobably be the best man from whom to obtain transport, &c. Thetwo lines of steamers which call at Massaua are the “FlorioRubattino” and “Khedivial.” |