Burckhardt, John Lewis, 1784-1817; Nile River Valley -- Description and travel; Nubia -- Description and travel
South of Tongol, or Dóngola, proceeding along the banks of
the Nile, the following places are met with; near Tongol, Afar
(افار), then Daffar (دَفّار); Hattany (حَتّاني);
Kennat (كنّات); and Ambougo (امبوكو), which last is
three days journies from Tongol, and seven or eight from Argo.[40]
Here the territory of Dóngola terminates, being divided from
that of the Arabs Sheygya by a mountainous rocky tract, two hours
journey in breadth, reaching close to the river, and forming the
recommencement of the chain which terminates at Hannek. On the
south side of this tract, or rather the east side, for the river
here flows in the direction from east to west, the country of
the Sheygya commences; the first city or village (Beled or Wady)
is Gos (قوس), inhabited by the tribe Onye; then follows Hannek
el Zebeyr (حَنق الزبير), inhabited by another tribe so
called; farther on is Dar Essorab (دار الصُوراب); Koreyr
(كُرير); Koray (قُرَي); Abramnar (ابرمنار); Wosta
(وَسطه); Tongazy (تُنكاسي); Koro (قُرو); Kadjeba
(قَجبه), Merawe (مروه), a singular coincidence in sound
with the ancient Meroë; Bargal (بركل); Noury (نوري);
Kasandjar (كَسنجر); Hamdab (حمداب); Oly (اولي);
Zoara (زواره); and Dollago (دلاكو); where terminates the
territory of the Sheygya, the whole length of which may be estimated
at from thirty-five to forty hours march. The principal of the above
enumerated places are, Koray, Kadjeba, and Merawe, the two latter
being situated, on the banks of the river, nearly opposite each
other. Merawe may be considered as the capital, or chief residence,
of the Sheygya; it has a castle built of brick. Between the city
of Dóngola and Merawe is the Wady of the Arabs called Bedeyr
(بدير), whose chiefs have, till lately, been tributary to
the Sheygya. There is a short road from Dóngola to Merawe, over
the desert, of two days and a half. From Mahass to Merawe, over
the mountains, is seven or eight days easy journeys; but there
is no water on the road.[41] The valley of the Nile throughout
the country of the Sheygya is no where more than three miles in
breadth; in several parts of the river are small cataracts, where
the mountains on each side nearly join. There are few crocodiles in
this part of the river, and the hippopotamus is not met with. The
tree most frequently seen on the banks of the stream is the Sant,
or acacia; date trees are scarce. Dhourra, and the grain called
Dhoken, are the most common productions of the fields, which are
irrigated in the summer by means of water-wheels. The country is
as well inhabited as the most populous parts of Egypt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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