Darfur.

189 The management of the internal affairs of the country is left almost entirely to the sultan, though the Sudan Government sends him instructions and advice on certain matters from time to time as occasion arises. His judgments on all administrative questions are based on a combination of the Sharia Mohammedia and common law. The sultan maintains an army, organised on Dervish lines, of some 6,000 rifles, mostly of a more or less antiquated description. In case of need he could probably mobilise upwards of 2,000 horsemen. His chief commanders are Mohammed Ali Dedingawi, Adam Rijal, and Kamar El Din. The greater part of the army is quartered at El Fasher : the principal outlying garrison (about 500 men) is at Jebel El Hella on the Fasher-Obeid road.

Though in 1874 it took Colonel Mason, with a large caravan, from 100 to 150 days to reach Fasher from Cairo, nowadays a letter from Cairo could reach Fasher in 30 days without any difficulty.

In the old days the telegraph extended to Foga, now the furthest point to which it is proposed at present to extend it is Nahud, which is on the western frontier of Kordofan, and about 10 days' camel ride from El Fasher.

There are two routes from Omdurman to El Fasher. That most generally used is vin El Obeid, Nahud, and Jebel El Hella. The other, which has hitherto been avoided bv merchants owing to the number of robbers in the neighbourhood of Kaja Katul, and Serrug, lies to the north of El Obeid, and, after passing the two above-mentioned places, joins the El Obeid-Nahud route at Jebel El Hella. Both are described in the route reports in Vol. II.

There are three routes from Fasher to Abesher, the capital of Wadai. The direct road known as Sikkat El Masalat passes rid Kebkebia (Darfur) and Bir Tawil to Abesher. This is not much used, in fact Ali Dinar has forbidden merchants or pilgrims to use either this or the northern route, as at Kebkebia there is a Fiki named Senin who has defied all the sultan's efforts to induce him to tender his submission, and this road is consequently unsafe. The northern route runs through Kutum, Dar Zaghawa, Dar Gimr, and Dar Tama ; this is known as Sikkat Zaghawa. Owing to recent disturbances in Dar Zaghawa, this road is temporarily closed.

The southern route leads rin Keibe and the Wadi Azum to Dar Sula and thence northwards to Abesher ; this is known as Sikkat Dar Sula, ani is the longest of the three, but it is comparatively safe.

Trade between Darfur and other parts of the Sudan has increased a good deal of late. The principal imports from the Nile are cotton goods (gomash), sugar, and tea ; the exports are feathers, ivory, pepper, rhinoceros horns, and tobacco. The ivory, as a rule, comes from Dar Jange and Dar Fertit in the south. Owing to the recent disturbances in Wadai, ivory that formerly was exported through that country has been finding its way rid El Fasher to Omdurman. A good many camels and cattle are imported from Wadai and are exported again via Nahud to the Nile.

A royalty of about 20 percent- is taken on all ivory and feathers leaving Fasher, where the price of ivory is from £15 to £16 per 100 lbs.

Every laden camel entering Darfur pays PT.150 to PT.180, and each laden donkey PT.30 to PT.60. The taxes are three in number, Oshur, Zika, and Fitra. Oshur tax is assessed at the rate of jVth of the harvest, whilst Zika is 2 per cent, on all property animals, goods, or money.

The sultan has ordered that the present Egyptian coinage shall be current in Darfur, but merchants, finding they lose by it, are not anxious to introduce it. At present the principal coins in use are " Girsh Kabashi," 20 of which equal one rial Mejidi, the equivalent of PTKi.

There are also a few " Girsh Garagandi " in use, these are of the same value as the " Kabashi." Camels are the best transport animals, except in the mountainous and southern regions, where mules, donkeys, or bullocks would be preferable.

The climate, of course, varies considerably. Fasher is healthy. In the south, where the rains are heavier, there must be the usual malaria at certain seasons. The climate of Jebel Marra is said to be cool and healthy.

The people of Darfur, as a whole, are followers of Islam, but the negroes in Jebel Marra, the Jebelawin, and those in the south and south-west have no religion. The late Sheikh Senussi wrote three times to Sultan Ali Dinar asking him to prepare Zawias for him, and to otherwise further his doctrine. Ali Dinar, however, considered it best to politely hold aloof from him, and there are now no Senussiites in El' Fasher.

Administration. Army.

Conim\iii! catioii.s.

(1) Witli UnKlurman.

(2) With Wadai.

Trade.

Customs.

Taxes. Cuirency.

Transport animals.

Climate.

Religion.

Produce.

The country may be divided into three sections with reference to the vegetation, i.e., the eastern zone of sandy steppes, the central mountains, and the western zone.

In the eastern zone, the cultivation of corn, in the shape of dukhn and a little dura, is the chief industry. A small Com. quantity of simsim, cucumbers, pumpkins, and water melons are also grown. In certain depressions of the ground, where the presence of clay gives a stronger soil, cotton is produced, but in no great quantity.

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