| | |and west of the| | | | |fort. The Wadi | | | | |Melh, a dry | | | | |shallow valley,| | | | |debouches on to| | | | |the plain, | | | | |where its | | | | |course is lost | | | | |in the sand. By| | | | |following up | | | | |the course of | | | | |this valley, | | | | |the old and now| | | | |little used | | | | |Kordofan | | | | |caravan road is| | | | |joined, leading| | | | |to Bir Mahtul | | | | |and El Obeid. A| | | | |commercial | | | | |centre | | | | |(formerly) for | | | | |ivory and gum | | | | |from, and for | | | | |European | | | | |merchandise for| | | | |Kordofan and | | | | |Darfur. | | | | |Geological | | | | |formation, | | | | |Nubian | | | | |sandstone, | | | | |acted on by | | | | |heat, and | | | | |metamorphosed | | | | |on the surface.| | | | |Petrified wood | | | | |is found in | | | | |great | | | | |quantities | | | | | | |