36 (No. 98 HISTORY province ; on the east Kordofan ; on the south the Bahr el-Ghazal province ; on the west Wadai. The original Fur inhabitants are mostly found in the west round the Marra mountains ; the Arab element pre dominates elsewhere. It is a turbulent land of many feuds, with wild, lawless tribes , the Bedaiat and Gura'an, on the frontiers, who throughout this period have unceasingly harried theirKordofan neighbours ( particularly the Kababish and Hawawir ) . Others of its tribes have from time to time attempted to migrate en masse into Sudanese territory to secure better treat ment, as did the Maalia and Žeiadia in 1904 . The Arbain ” ( Forty Days) road through the desert by Bir Natrun to Upper Egypt at Assiut has been the constant scene of depredation by raiders from Darfur ; and the Sudan Government's efforts from 1905 to 1908 to keep this trade route open ( from 1884 to 1905 it was always unsafe ) were not very successful .

The land was until 1916 ruled by Ali Dinar, a youth ful grandson of Sultan Mohammed Fadl ( who reigned 1801-1839 ) , who was recognised as Sultan at the end of 1899. He paid regularly since 1901 a small annual tribute of £ E .500 to Khartum , and received occasional advice and instructions : For the most part he was left to go his own way , and during his reign his will was sole law in thecountry . He gradually accumu lated a large store of arms, including 6,000 rifles, and gathered half the entire wealth of the country into his own possession. His religious zeal was fervent; his harem large. From time to time tribes and sheikhs defied him ; but he suppressed them with more or less success .

Musa Madibbo, however, sheikh of the Rizeigat Arabs in the south of Darfur , always maintained his independence, and harboured refugees who fled to escape Ali Dinar's extortions. Ultimately ( 1915-16 ) this sheikh proved useful to the Sudan Government. The French , soon after their occupation of Wadai , became involved in disputes with the Sultan concern ing the border districtsof Dar Tama and Dar Masalit,