Population. 51-Kagmar, Abu- Haras, Bara, and Melbeis are' depressions, where die surface of the ground is so near the impermeable stratum, that water is found in abundance all the year round, =at depths of from 3 to 20 feet,.

The area of the basin of Bara, as well as that of Melbeis, is not more than 10 to 20 square miles ; that of Kagmar and of Abu Haraz not more than 40 square miles, at a liberal estimate.

These basins are. important as water stations for passing caravans, and furnish water to the villages for many miles round.

o „ Pop alation and Tribes, The total population of Kordofan was in 1875 reckoned as high as 280',000, including nomads. In all probability it does not now exceed half that amount.

The population falls naturally under three headings :— 1. The village and town population. 2. The nomad tribes.

3. The hill tribes.

The inhabitants of the province itself principally reside in villages, while various nomad tribes roam about the outskirts. The vilages are most numerous in the central region, especially about El Obeid. They consist of groups of tukls and rabukas, the former cylindrical with a conical roof, the latter rectangular, and both made of stalks of corn (dokhn) lashed to a framework. The fact of a village being planted at any place is no proof of a constant supply of water, as many of them are only occupied during the rainy season, and in many cases the inhabitants have in summer to make journeys of two or three days for water.

The following table shows the distribution and numbers of the village people as given by the Governor in 1875. Prout considers them probably exaggerated :— (386) . k2