Merowe — Abu Bamed.

43 Names of Places.

Distance in miles.

Intermediate.

Total from Merowe.

Description.

Dakhfili, south end 12J 75 El Gab, ■viA Um Duema 19 94 KhiiUa, north end direct 16 road 110 Ab Tin, by river road ... 20 1 30 Abu Hamed 10 140 Boad leaves river at once, and for Ij miles crosses stony ground strewn with boulders.

It then gets on to sandy and more open ground, and is good to 3 miles when it drops down to valley of river by a bad path. Then very good sand to 4 miles, where it strikes river bank at Kamasab, just opposite Jebel Us. From here road is bad nearly to 6 miles, when a strip of good going takes it as far as Shukoka, 9 miles, where there is a little cultivation on the bank of the river and on a backwater. Southern end of Dakhfili is reached at 12 miles, road being partly along river and never very far from it, and passing several small groups of huts. Dakhfili is a large camping ground f mile long, opposite Shirri Island. It has a few palms and some large sunt trees. No cultivation to speak of. There is another route to Dakhfili from Hosh El Geruf, which leaves the river at much the same place, and keeps straight across the desert to Dakhfili. It was much used by convoys, even at night, and is undoubtedy much better going than the Salmia route, and probably a couple of miles shorter, but there is no water along it. At the north-east end of Dakhfili, road leaves the river, and after 1 mile over heavy sand and sand-covered rock, emerges into the open Khor Haweili, 500 to 600 yards wide, and bounded by low sand-covered slope?. (From this point a track leads to the river and round by it to Um Duema, distance 14 to 15 miles, bad going.) Road continues up khor to 7 miles over sand and gravel, generally very good for camels, but a little soft for men and horses. Room to march in any formation. (From here desert road continues almost straight on to El Gab, 17 miles, mostly good going, but some heavy sand for the last 3 or 4 miles.) At 7J miles the Um Duema road strikes off to right by an easy but unfrequented path over low hills jiartly covered with sand, and descends by a baddish path between Ab Rumeila and Hebi at 11 miles. Road continues easy but narrow along the bank, ])assing Hebi, 12 miles, where there are a few houses, with some palms and a little cultivation, and Um Duema at 13 miles, which is similar to Hebi. At 14 miles, road enters sand which lasts to El Gab. It is heavy in places and bad for men and horses. El Gab is an ancient ruined post on a low rock overlooking the river. There is a small patch of cultivation and a few palms. Plenty of room to camp. Sand continues heavy to 2J miles, where direct road by desert leaves river and strikes it again at about 10 miles. (I did not follow this, but believe it is fairly good going.) It is possible to march along the river bank, a little longer, but the sand is heavier. Khulla is a strip of the bank some 4 miles long ; no houses nor cultivation, only a few shepherds' huts ; many sunt trees and dom palms. Much room to camp and plenty of shade. The sand is piled with hillocks along the bank, and the road runs on lower ground from 100 to 600 yards from river. Northern boundary of Khulla is Klior Hamadein. This was the furthest point attained by the River Column, 1885. After crossing Khor Hamadein, road keeps due east for about 4 miles and passes through Gemmeiza, a district similar to Khulla, but not so well wooded. Low gravelly hills approach on right bank, and at several points tracks branch off to the left forming short cuts over these hills towaids Ab Tin. (I did not travel by any of these, but I understand they are easy going.) The telegraph line follows one of these. At 4 miles road turns north by baddish track, heavy and stony, following river bank, and passes small village of Tibna at 6 miles. Fair but heavyish going to 10 miles, where short cuts from Khulla and telegraph line join in. Bad going to 11 miles over low, rocky ridges covered with sand ; then excellent going to Ginefab, 14 miles. Then mile of bad going, and 5 miles good going to Shellal Gurgurib over open ground with many sunt trees ; f mile moi'e of good going to Ab Tin at 20 miles. This, though quite a small place, is the largest village that has been passed. It has a small area of cultivation and some palms. Road good and open, though heavy in places, for 5 miles, till it strikes railway ; then heavy sand with small hillocks and many dom palms and other trees to 9 miles, where road and river turn south and track gets harder. The railway station is about 1 mile north of Abu Hamed village. Residence of Mamur and headquarters of the district.

Abu Hamed used to be chiefly notable as being the point of arrival and departure of the various caravan routes Abu Hamed. which traverse the Korosko Desert, and takes its name from a highly venerated sheikh, whose tomb is here situated. u