Desert W. mid S. W. of Bowjola.

203 desert of the Sudan, as not only must caravans using the Arbain route almost necessarily stop here for water, but its dates and salt are probably of considerable value from a commercial point of view.

Mr. James Currie, who visited this oasis in October, 1901, thus describes it : — " A most beautiful place. It would be most difficult to find without a guide, as it is really only a large hole in the desert. The descent to it is very steep indeed. There are three wells, a good many date trees, and good grass. One sees the remains of an old Christian convent, moderately well preserved, but the point of interest attaching to it is that it has apparently been built out of the ruins of something much older, to judge from the inscribed stones one notices. There are abundant salt deposits near, and a huge petrified forest, which extends further than I had time or inchnation to go."

Captain H. Hodgson (February, 1903) writes with reference to this oasis : — DONGOLAWI MERCHANT.

" Besides the old salt workings, which are capable of considerable development, there are some 2,000 fruit-bearmg date trees. My estimate may not be very near, but I spent two hours with two other men counting in order to get this idea, and in this time counted 685 female trees, and covered only about one third of the ground. The trees are uncleaned with very thick undergrowth, and are being ruthlessly hacked in order to enable the Arabs (Hassanab from Kosha) to get at the fruit. Dates of the following species were collected : Kulma, Agwa, Barakawi, and Gawa. The first and second are both of considerable commercial value : the Agwa trees seem the most numerous."

TuNDUBi. — For description of this oasis vide Route Report Dongola to Bir Sultan, Vol. 2. The addax is found near here.

Lagia. — Yide Route Report Dongola to Lagia, Vol. 2. BiR Sultan. — Firfe Route Report Dongola to Bir Sultan, Vol. 2. TuRA.— An oasis said to lie about 1.50 miles south-west of Lagia, which is approximately 160 miles north-west by 2 E