72 Darfur.

there is a deep trench outside the wall. The for tin* cation forms a square, each side of which is a quarter of a mile long. Inside are the Government magazines and barracks. The townspeople live in straggling lanes of huts, irregularly built, to the south and east of the citadel. In 1880, the houses were being gradually rebuilt in a more substantial manner of brick. There is a daily market, where meat, milk, merissa, vegetables, beads, and odds and ends are sold, and which is attended by all the tribes in the district."

Dara is situated about a mile from the left bank of the Wadi Amur, which drains south-east into the Bahr el Arab. Sandy surroundings, town of takls with Government buildings. The old Mudirieh on a sandy hill.

N". lat. 12° 10' 35"; E. long. 25° 21' 6" (Mason Bey). Height above sea-level 1,622 feet.

Towaisha. Toiuaisha is a collection of large villages, and lies at the mouth of a valley running north.

Shakka. Shakka. Gordon describes Shakka as quite a town, and a much larger place than El Obeid. It was at one time the headquarters of slave dealing, and was an important Dervish post up to 1896. The water supply is poor. OmShanga. Qm Slianga was in 1880 a considerable town, with houses and stores well built of bricks ; some really fine buildings. The wells are half a mile from the town and are 120 feet deep—excellent wrater. Large market, startingpoint for caravans for long distances, many camels. A sort of bread (abri or lasreh) for long journeys is prepared here, made of sun-dried dokhn dough flavoured with herbs.

Boute II.—El Obeid to El Fasher.

There are two routes from El Obeid to El Fasher. The main caravan route leads by a northerly bend via Jebel Katul, Magenis, and Guradi to Foga, and thence to El Fasher ; this is fairly supplied with water. The more direct route leads straight to Foga and joins the caravan route at this point ; but from El Obeid to Foga there is no water at all, except what has been placed in the baobab trees along the track ; there is not sufficient for camels. The old telegraph line followed this latter route, which was only used for quite small parties and post-couriers.