| | |El Dueim is | | | | |developing | | | | |into an | | | | |important | | | | |trade centre; | | | | |large market; | | | | |principal mart| | | | |for export | | | | |Kordofan gum. | | | | |Substantial | | | | |Government | | | | |offices. | | | | |Starting point| | | | |of Sudan | | | | |transport | | | | |service for El| | | | |Obeid. The | | | | |plain all | | | | |round is open | | | | |and the | | | | |locality is | | | | |fairly | | | | |healthy. Up- | | | | |stream from El| | | | |Dueim some | | | | |fine strips of| | | | |cultivation | | | | |occur along | | | | |the foreshore.| | | | |Behind this | | | | |belt grows a | | | | |fringe of | | | | |acacias, and | | | | |beyond lies a | |The east bank is | | |rolling | |covered with low | | |steppe. Action| |bush and a | | |here 23.8.83; | |little | | |small Egyptian| |cultivation. | | |garrison | |Track leads N.E. | | |repulsed | |(20 miles) to | | |Mahdists. | |Maatuk.