Setit and Atlara Hirers, etc. 101 North of Sofi, which is on the left bank near the junction of the Setit, roads run parallel with the river on both banks, that most generally used being from Sofi to Asubri by the left bank, thence to the Nile by the right bank. The country from the Setit to Fasher (right bank) belonged formerly to the Hamrans ; it is now practically uninhabited except by Nomads during the dry season. Fasher to Mitateb (right bank) belongs to the Hadendoas, who go there in large numbers for grazing during the dry season. Their country practically extends from the Atbara to Suakin. From Mitateb (right bank) and Goz Regeb (left bank) to the Nile the country belongs to the Bisharin. From a point about 50 miles south of Adarama northwards to the Nile the banks are fringed with dom palms. Few people live along the river during the rains, and though the alluvial soil brought down by this river is one of the chief fertilizing agents of Egypt, there is at no season any system of irrigation in use along it. Here and there where nature causes the river to overflow its banks a certain amount of cultivation may be met.

Tributaries of the Atbara. — These nearly all emanate from the hilly country of Abyssinia or Eritrea. There are none of importance on the left bank in the Sudan.

(1) The Bahr El Salam and Angareb. — The Bahr El Salam is a flowing stream during most of the year. Its bed is very rocky, and in places the bends are extremely sharp as it cuts its way through high cliffs of rock. It has many deep pools with hippopotamus and crocodiles, and appears to often overflow its banks in flood time in places where it passes through these narrow gorges. It has generally a north-westerly direction. The River Angareb appears to be only another name for the upper Bahr El Salam. The Bahr El Salam joins the Atbara on the R.B. about 28 miles south of Sofi.

(2) The Setit* and Royan. — The lower Setit, i.e., that portion of it which flows through Sudan territory, much resembles the upper Atbara in general character. Its banks are similarly intersected by ravines and small khors which carry the drainage from the plateau along which on either bank there is a track at some distance from the river, and which only descends to it occasionally. The river is generally about 309 yards wide, and during the dry season it is fordable at frequent intervals, and here and there almost ceases to flow.f The only inhabitants of the Setit, west of the junction of K. Royan are the survivors of the once famous Hamran sword-hunters, who live in a small village on the right bank about 15 miles from its junction with the Atbara. Although now very poor and with their hunting to a certain extent restricted by the Game Laws, they have nearly all acquired horses and are as bold and keen Nimrods as ever. Latterly, many of the Beni Amer Arabs from Eritrea have brought their flocks for pasturage to the banks of the Setit during the dry season.

Above Umbrega there was no track on the right bank in March 1900, as the Abyssinian Baza, living east of Maietib, were said to terrorise the country. There is now (1904) a fairly good track made by the Italians who have a small post at Um Hagar.

In Abyssinia the Setit is known as the Takazze.

The junction of the Royan and Setit is about 4 miles east of Khor Umbrega. The Royan appears to be merely a khor which is dry, except for occasional pools, a few months after the cessation of the rains. Its junction marks the boundary on the Setit between the Sudan and Eritrea on the north bank, and Abyssinia on the south bank.

* Vid<; " Nile Tributaries of Aby.ssinia" (Baker), and " Wild Tribes of the Sudan " (James). + Mr. P. ( '. Waite (Scottish Geographical Magazine) gives the length of the Setit as 800 miles, and ils flood discharge (at onth ?) as more tlian 4,.500 metres cube per second. Sir W. Garstin estimates the maximum discliarge of the Atbara at its mouth • be about 3,000-4,000 metres cube per second. The discharge of the Setit is, therefore, evidently considerably over-estimated. P 2