iu Steamers, etc., Service.

Begular Non-GSoTenuueiit steamers. Native boats.

" DoNGOLA Reach " (222 Miles between 3rd and 4th Cataracts). On the Dongola reach there are two stern- wheel steamers, two troop barges, and 15 sailing gayassas belonging to the Government ; some small nuggars are also being built for the use of districts.

One steamer is for the use of the Mudir, and the other runs a fortnightly service between Dongola and Merowe during low Nile, and from Kerma to Merowe when the river permits.

The river between Kerma and Dongola is always navigable for lightly-loaded steamers, but when the river is low there are one or two dangerous rocky places, and it is not considered advisable to run a regular service. This portion is therefore principally navigated by sailing boats during this period.

Steamers and sailing boats are available for the carriage of private passengers and goods. The river is only navigable a short distance upstream of Merowe at certain times of the year.

Khartoum and South.

There are three screw and seven stern-wheel armed gun-boats ; the latter being frequently used for transport work.

The screw boats are kept as station " guard ships " at the southernmost Blue and White Nile posts and at Khartoum. In addition to the gunboats there are five stern-wheel steamers and one new paddle steamer of about 100 to 120 feet long for post, passenger and freight service. For local work or special duty there are four very old paddle steamers of Gordon's time, two screw tugs, and four launches, as well as 20 barges capable of carrying troops, animals, and freight.

A monthly service, 13 days, runs to Gondokoro, the most northerly Nile post of Uganda, leaving Khartoum on the 15th, and returning from Gondokoro for the north about the 29th of each month, arriving at Khartoum about the 10th.

This steamer calls at all intermediate stations south of Goz Abu Guma. A monthly service (9 days) runs up the Bahr El Ghazal to Wau and Meshra El Rek, or as near as the state of the river will allow, leaving Khartoum on the 1st of each month ; starting on the return journey on the 12th, and arriving at Khartoum about the 19th. These steamers also call at all intermediate stations south of Goz Abu Guma.

The weekly service from Khartoum every Tuesday to Goz Abu Guma and intermediate stations, returning on Sundays, is now carried out by the private company below-mentioned. A steamer runs occasionally up the Sobat, as required, between the middle of May and end of December. A steamer runs twice a day between Omdurman, Khartoum, and Khartoum North. A chain-steam-ferry also connects Khartoum and Khartoum North. The Blue Nile is open for navigation by steamer only for about six months of the year (beginning of June to beginning of December), and a fortnightly service leaving Khartoum every alternate Wednesday then runs to Wad Medani and back. From there to Roseires a monthly service is maintained.

The stern-wheel post steamers have each 8 to 10 cabins, and are capable of towing two double-decked troop barges each. They can then take 300 or 400 troops each, or about 80 tons of freight.

A large proportion of the transport of supplies, stores, building materials, etc., is carried in sailing boats (nuggars and gayassas), of which the Government owns 125. They arc generally of from 10 to 50 tons carrying capacity each.

Private passengers and freight are carried by the steamers ; boats and occasionally steamers can be hired when avaUablc.

Two steamers (stern-wheel) and seven steel barges have been put on the river at and south of Khartoum by a private company (The Sudan Development and Exploration Company), and carry passengers and freight.

The native sailing boat, called nuggar, is found all along the Nile in considerable numbers. It varies in size, from a capacity of a few ardebs to that of about 200 ardebs (25 tons). These boats are very strongly built of thick hard timber, occasionally half- decked, and fitted with one mast and lateen sails, and very long oars, mostly crooked. They are not so high in the bows nor as graceful as the Lower Nile boats (gayassas). They are mostly employed in carrying grain or gum. The chief native boat-building yards are at Omdurman, Dueim, and Goz Abu Guma, and on the lue Nile at Senga.

Small and cumbrous rafts, rowed by one or two men, are sometimes seen ; these are mostly used for carrying timber.

The ambach canoe, composed of a thick bundle of that pith-like cane tied together, turned up at the bows, and propelled by a paddle, is seen up the White Nile, and in the higher reaches, dug-out canoes, holding from one to six men, are used, both for transport and for hunting purposes.

A still more primitive method of water transport is that of inflated skins, or empty jars with the mouth closed by a skin. * Liable to alteration.