| | |covered with coarse vegetation. | | | Suakin | 10 | 244 |Suakin. --------------+-------------+------+---------------------------------- 3.—BERBER TO KASSALA. COMPILED IN INTELLIGENCE OFFICE, KHARTOUM, FROM VARIOUS SKETCHES AND REPORTS, JUNE, 1902. This route is very difficult to map or describe so as to be of use to the traveller, as there are hardly half a dozen unmistakable objects along it by which he could identify his position. As the Atbara dries up, it leaves a series of pools along its bed. Where the banks allow of these pools being approached by animals, the Arabs’ flocks are taken to water, and paths are beaten or cut through the bush leading to these meshras. [Sidenote: Guides.] The ordinary Arab guide, even if he has been in the habit of travelling by this road for years, knows only a small number of these meshras, _i.e._, those most conveniently situated for the class of journey he has been in the habit of performing, and only one or two of the countless tracks. The only people who know all the small meshras off the road, and they perhaps over a limited portion of the river, are the Arabs (Hadendoas) who are grazing their flocks there. If the traveller, therefore, because he is marching with troops or for any other reason, wishes to use the less well-known meshras, he must depend on local inquiries and should, therefore, have with him men who speak Hadendoa. Another great difficulty is the comparatively small number of men who know the names of any except the chief meshras. Consequently the average guide makes the names he knows extend over the whole length of the river. Where one ends, another begins. The Arabs grazing their flocks by the Atbara, on the other hand, will give you names for each little bit of the river, but these names are of little value, as no one else knows them. [Sidenote: Rest houses.] There are rest houses at intervals of about 20 miles between Berber and Kassala. [Sidenote: Grazing.] There is good grazing for camels practically the whole way. [Sidenote: Travellers.] Persons travelling by themselves in the hot weather may find it best to march very early in the morning, halt at water, and march again near sunset, carrying enough water for the night-halt away from the river. [Sidenote: Supplies.] No supplies of any sort are to be got along road, except perhaps milk and sheep. [Sidenote: Game.] There is good fishing in the Atbara. Gazelle, bustard and ariel are seen along the route in localities, varying with the season. Wild asses are numerous north of Goz Regeb. [Sidenote: Inhabitants.] Some Bisharin are met, and a good many nomad Hadendoas.