By Colonel Sparkes, C.M.G., March, 1903.
Roads.Roads everywhere fair, except between River Adda and Hofrat El Nahas, where no track at all, and in parts between Ragaa and Deim Zubeir which require clearing of undergrowth and bush. This is now being done.
Game.Game is plentiful near rivers and khors still holding water. No elephants seen, but they must be very numerous in rains, from many tracks which cut up roads in parts.
Trade goods.Cloth and clothing asked for everywhere. Hard cash taken at Kossinga and Ragaa.
Water.In dry season ample water to be found at no greater distance apart than 21 miles.
Rivers and khors.In rains the many rivers and khors would take a lot of time and trouble to cross, and a Berthon boat would be indispensable.
Camps, &c.Fair camping grounds found almost everywhere and wood always.
Fly.Fly is bad everywhere, and would be probably fatal to horses or camels. Strong healthy mules and donkeys seem to stand it, but weak, sickly and those with bad sores succumb.
By Lieutenant-Colonel Sparkes, July, 1901.
By Captain E. H. Armstrong, February, 1903.
By Captain E. H. Armstrong, 11th February, 1903.
Note.—Rivers Naam and Lau flow at about 4 miles an hour in flood, and about 3 miles an hour or less when flood is over. The Naam is about 10 feet deep in flood, the eastern bank of Lau 12 and western 10 feet. After rains both rivers fall to about 2 feet deep, and western branch of Lau is dry from March to May.
By Captain P. Wood, April, 1904.
By Colonel Sparkes, C.M.G., March, 1901.
N.B.—Distances probably slightly exaggerated, specially from Amadi, as far from there we generally marched by night on account of scarcity of water.
There is only one river worth calling so, between Amadi and the Nile, that is River Tafari, though several dry beds of khors were crossed, which may be considerable streams in rains. River Tafari is said to run into Nile S. of Shambe.
By Captain E. H. Armstrong, February, 1903.
By Col.-Sergeant Boardman, March, 1903.