Kordofan.

country formed of undulatingplains. In the west, isolated peaks rise from 150 to 600 feet above the plains, such as Jebel Abu Senun and Jebel Kordofan.

In the north-west, the groups of Kagga (Kaja) and Katul, and in the south, that of Daier r are compact mountain masses offering strongholds to brigands.

South of the 13th parallel of latitude, the countrychanges to flat, fertile, and thickly wooded plains, from which the rugged mountains of Takalla and Dar Nuba rise abruptly. The triassic formation extends over the whole province, of which the new red sandstone alternating with hypogen rocks is the most important feature.

Over the sandstone, the ground is firm and gravelly, and contains much oxide of iron. The soil is bad, except when improved by the clay and potash resulting from the detritus of hypogen rocks where they crop up. Near El Obeid, igneous rocks, quartz, gneiss, and granite abound. On the atmurs or deserts, the signs of vegetation are very scarce. The steppes of Kordofan are from about 1,350 to 1,850 feet above the level of the sea, the greatest altitude being at El Obeid, and near the mountains in the north and south. They present a dull brown appearance, with here and there thickets of small acacias, a huge adansonia or two, and villages of conical straw huts ; broad red patches mark the dokhn fields, which are green during the kherif, as are also the plains, which latter, however, by the middle of October, have agair. assumed their burnt -up appearance ; this lasts till late in the following June, and, as Major Prout says, " only a waste of sand can be more forlorn."

Jebel Daier, a compact group of mountains, which from j. Daier. a distance appear to present on every side a lofty unbroken front, are the highest mountains relative to the surrounding country in Kordofan, rising at least 1,000 feet above the plains. There is reported to be, in the interior of the group, a great basin well watered with ponds and springs. The inhabitants live on the mountain side safe from the Baggara.

Takalla.—Jebel Wadelka is a detached group of the Takalla. Takalla mountains lying to the north-west of them, and at about 20 miles distance from Jebel Daier. It consists of bare precipitous granite peaks. The mountain country subject to the King of Takalla is very vaguely defined, but extends some 30 miles south of Jebel Wadelka. The