44 HISTORY ( No. 98 number of these fanatics, petty as many of their risings seem , justifies the unsleeping vigilance of the Government and the prompt action taken in every case bythe local authorities.

Throughout these years ( 1899-1917 ) the Government and officials have been untiring in their efforts to destroy the remnants of the slave trade on the Abyssinian and western frontiers, to intercept slave caravans , to detect and punish the kidnapping of women and children , and to promote the gradual dis appearance of domestic slavery. As a result, though sporadic kidnapping continues, the slave trade other wise is stamped out, and domestic slavery is dying.

( 4) Provincial History The Sudan on its reoccupation was divided into ten provinces and districts, viz., Halfa, Dongola, Khar tum , Berber, Kassala , Suakin ( called Red Sea pro vince from 1906 ), Kordofan, Fashoda (called Upper Nile province from 1903 ) , Sennar, and Bahr el-Ghazal. Later readjustments added four, viz . , Blue Nile ( formed out of Khartum province in June 1902, and named Gezira province till January 1 , 1905 ) ; White Nile ( formed January 1, 1905, of districts taken from Blue Nile and Kordofan ); Mongalla ( created in 1906 , consisting of the southern portion of Upper Nile ); Nuba Mountains ( the southern portion of Kordofan, separated froin this for administrative purposes as from January 1, 1913, and for financial purposes from 1 January 1 , 1914) . , Darfur was annexed in 1916 . The military district of Sobat-Pibor was separated as such from Mongalla in 1912. The total number of provinces is now fifteen, besides this one military district. Various readjustments of provincial bound aries and some changesin the assignation of tribes to one or other have also been made from time to time ; some tribes are distributed over two or more provinces.

1 This early distinction is immaterial. ? For details of organization , &c . , see below , p . 59 .

2