[138]Suess, in The Face of the Earth (English edition, Vol. I, p. 374), states that “the Red Sea itself is, however, a trough-subsidence, probably the greatest in the world.”

CHAPTER XII.

TRIBAL BOUNDARIES.

The Bedouin tribes[139] inhabiting South-Eastern Egypt are:—

North of the administrative boundary (Ababda tribes):—

Ashabab.

Meleikab.

South of the administrative boundary (Um Ali Bisharin tribes):—

Hamedorab
Kurbeilab
Aliab Balgab
Koatil
Sarrarab Mallak[140]
Mohammad Omerab[140]

I had hoped, in surveying the country, to be able to place the boundaries of the territories of the different tribes on the field maps, and with this object in view I ascertained the claims of each tribe as precisely as possible from representative men of the different tribes who accompanied me over the ground.[141] I found that in several places the tribal claims overlapped, and in consequence I have not inserted the boundaries on the general maps. But I was able to obtain a clear and definite idea of the various claims made at the time, and as this information was obtained on the actual ground, I propose to set it down here as being a useful basis for consideration if ever it is necessary to decide upon the question of rival claims.

On the small scale map[142] which forms Plate XXVI, I have shown the various claims as accurately as the scale will admit of, and a reference to it will enable the statements of claim to be generally followed; but as the disputed portions frequently concern somewhat small wadis, it will in some cases be better to refer to the larger scale maps on Plates XV, XVII, and XVIII, to follow the smaller details.

I would remark that there did not appear to be anything in the nature of a quarrel between the various tribes over the areas of disputed ownership, these areas being occupied indifferently by either tribe, or by men of both tribes living amicably together. It was only when I attempted to lay down on a map the precise boundary of each tribe that I found certain areas had two or more claimants. In the country south of the administrative frontier, the wells and vegetation are sufficiently abundant, in proportion to the population, for the question of ownership never to be a matter of heated controversy in ordinary years; and I am told that the present relationships of the tribes are so friendly that although each tribe would resent any statement as to ownership of its traditional grounds by the others, yet as a matter of fact no objection is raised to camels and sheep of one tribe grazing in the grounds of another, a give-and-take policy being usual. When I was at Halaib, Sheikh Batran Ali Tiut (of the Hamedorab) told me they never had disputes about grazing rights, as there was plenty of ground for all; but if a dispute should arise, he would no doubt be able to settle it amicably with his neighbours, by going to the place and hearing the evidence of the oldest Arabs in the particular district and letting custom and tradition decide the point.[143]

Boundary between the Ashabab and Meleikab.—This boundary is defined in the Ministerial Arrêté of June 25, 1902, to run along the Wadi Hodein from the sea to Gebel Abraq, and thence southward to Gebel Um el Tiur. The only difficulty in laying down this line on the map is in deciding which part of the great plateau of Gebel Abraq to take as the point, and which of the two Gebels Um el Tiur is meant.

With regard to Gebel Abraq (see the large scale map on Plate XV), the Wadi Hodein passes its south portion; but the context of the Arrêté, defines the wells of Abraq (Bir el Sunta, Bir Abu Dibesat, Bir Abraq, and Bir Gumbit) to be in the Meleikab area, and as these lie further north it is obviously necessary, in the spirit of the Arrêté, to take a point in the north portion of Gebel Abraq. From an examination of the map on Plate XV it will be seen that an easy and rational interpretation would be to regard the triangulation point, marked by a beacon on the plateau 1,700 metres north-west of Bir Abraq, as being a point on the boundary; the line from Gebel Um el Tiur to pass through this point northwards till it outs the Wadi Abraq, and thence the boundary line would lie along the course of Wadis Abraq and Naam to Wadi Hodein. This boundary fulfils the obvious intention of the Arrêté, and at the same time has the advantage of being easily traceable on the ground.

As to the two Gebels Um el Tiur, I have already mentioned this difficulty in connexion with the location of the administrative boundary (see p. 74), and have taken the higher of the two mountains of the same name as being the one intended.

Before leaving the subject of the Meleikab boundaries, it may be worth while to mention that at the time the Arrêté of 1902 was issued the country had not been surveyed; it was then thought that Bir Shalatein lay some fifty kilometres further along the coast southward than the mouth of Wadi Hodein, and the Arrêté defined the eastern boundary of the Meleikab territory to be the coast-line from Wadi Hodein to Bir Shalatein. But as Bir Shalatein is actually in the Wadi Hodein, the real result is that the Meleikab area ends in a point on the coast, and does not include any sea-board at all. The matter is not one of great moment, because the coast-plain for some distance southward of Wadi Hodein is very barren; but it illustrates the impossibility of defining boundaries without either going over the actual ground or having a reliable map.

The Hamedorab Boundary.—The Hamedorab claim their boundary to run from Bir Meneiga southward along the watershed of Gebel Gerf, along the east side of the basin of Wadi Diqdib to just south of Bir Baaneit, thence to the hill called Kilia Arib, thence to the hill of Eqrun, thence to the pass of Bani Sana; at Bani Sana the boundary turns south-westward so as to pass west of Wadis Hamida and Nubitra, then bends to the south-east passing west of Wadis Mashushenai and Dibir, thence eastward along the south side of Wadi Di-ib.

SKETCH-MAP SHOWING
TRIBAL BOUNDARIES

Ball—Geography & Geology of South-Eastern Egypt. PLATE XXVI.

Photo-Metal-Process. Survey Dept. Cairo 1911. (60-190)

The Hamedorab state that much of the country included in the Egyptian administration as belonging to the Ashabab is really Hamedorab country; they claim the north limit of their tribal territory to commence at the mouth of Wadi Khoda on the coast (in latitude 23° 42′) and to pass north of Wadis Khoda, Shenshef, and Shut, thence southward passing west of Wadi Beida to Bir Meneiga.[144] This is of course contrary to the Ministerial Arrêté of 1902, and as Bramly Bey (The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Vol. I, p. 93) mentions that on the other hand the Ababda tribe assert that their country should rightly extend south of the administrative boundary, it is probable that the administrative frontier represents a fair division of the rival claims.

The Kurbeilab Boundary.—The Kurbeilab claim their eastern boundary to run as follows: From Bir Meneiga southward along the watershed of Gebel Gerf to near the Sherefa pass, thence south-eastward along the north side of Wadi Sherefa el Sharqi on to the small hill called Tibashoi Tomokolat, thence east-north-eastward to Gebel Hamra Dom. From Gebel Hamra Dom south-eastward to the hill of Osnei, thence southward to the hills of Ti Keferiai, thence to the pass of Bani Sana. From Bani Sana southward to Gebel Warabeit, thence along the east side of Wadi Dibir, along the north side of Wadi el Qurat, across Wadi Di-ib, and then southwards along the east side of Wadi Di-ib.

The Balgab Boundary.—The Balgab boundary coincides with the main watershed from the parallel of 22° northwards to Gebel Adar Qaqa, then passes between the drainages of Wadi Hasium and Wadi Soaorib to the hill called Kulet Tinasal. From Kulet Tinasal the boundary runs east-south-eastward across Wadi Soaorib, passing north of Wadi Dishlo; thence it turns south along the mountains separating the basin of Wadi Soaorib from that of Wadi Baueiwai, thence it passes south of the heads of Wadi Miatit, eastwards across Wadi Aqwem, along the north side of Wadi el Qurat, across Wadi Di-ib, and then southwards along the eastern side of Wadi Di-ib.

The Koatil Boundary.—The Koatil claim their boundary to run from the head of Wadi Diqdib, along the mountains forming the eastern side of the basin of Wadi Diqdib to a point just south of Bir Baaneit, thence eastward to Gebel Hamra Dom. From Hamra Dom, west-south-westward to Tibashoi Tomokolat, thence along the north side of Wadi Sherefa el Sharqi and along the mountains forming the west side of the basin of Wadi Diqdib up to the head of that wadi.

The Koatil further claim as their territory the upper portion of the basin of Wadi Medarai west of longitude 35° 18′.

The Koatil also own the well called Bir Um Rasein, though all the wadis in its neighbourhood belong to the Kurbeilab.

Overlapping of Claims.—When the boundaries of the different tribes as specified above are laid down on the map (see Plate XXVI), it is found that there are three tracts claimed by more than a single tribe. These three disputed areas are:—

(1) A tract south and east of Bir Baaneit, claimed both by the Koatil and by the Hamedorab. The western part of this area is relatively well wooded. Its eastern portion includes the water source called Ti Dabai Hamra Dom.[145]

(2) A tract extending southward from Gebel Hamra Dom to the Wadi Qurat, claimed both by the Kurbeilab and by the Hamedorab. This area includes the Wadis Hamida, Nubitra, and Dibir, and four not very important water sources, viz., Galt Osnei, Megwel Hamida, Bir Nubitra, and Bir Mashushenai.[146]

(3) A narrow tract including the Wadis Qurat and Di-ib, claimed by all three tribes Balgab, Kurbeilab, and Hamedorab.

Ownership of Water Sources.—With the exception of the five water sources just mentioned as lying within the areas claimed by more than one tribe, there are no disputes about ownership of water supplies. The wells of the different tribes are partly enumerated in the Arrêté of 1902, but as the list there given is far from complete and many of the names are incorrect, I give below a list of the water sources belonging to the various tribes within the area surveyed. For particulars of the various water sources reference should be made to Chapter VII (p. 234).

Wells, etc., of the Ashabab.
Bir Muelih Bir Helie Igli Galt
Bir Ghadir Bir Abu Hashim Galt Um Tundeba
Bir Murra Bir Shenshef Zabara Galts
Bir Abu Had Bir Betan Ghuel Galts
Bir Um Gubur Bir Rahaba Galt Um Karaba (Migif)
Bir Masur Bir Abu Reye Megal Harami
Bir Ranga Bir Abu Beid Galt Um Gerifat
Bir Khashab Bir Gahlia Galt Um Gunud
Bir Abu Hamamid Bir Orga Galt Batoga
Bir Metawit Bir Um Reit Galt Um Maiat
Bir Shadli Amar Spring Galt el Aguz
Galt Seiga
Wells, etc., of the Meleikab.
Bir el Sunta Bir Gumbit
Bir Abu Dibesat Bir Abu Saafa
Bir Abraq Bir Dif
Bir Beida
Wells, etc., of the Hamedorab.
Bir Shalatein[147] Bir Meheriqa Bir Salalat O Sir
Bir Adal Deib[147] Bir Nabit Bir Sararat Serimtai
Bir Meneiga[148] Bir Abu Ramad Megwel Akau
Bir Muqur Bir Kansisrob Ti Kureitra
Bir Baaneit Bir Akwamtra Bir Frukit
Halaib Wells Bir Qabatit
Wells, etc., of the Kurbeilab.
Bir Madi Bir Shinai Meis-heit-ar
Bir Korbiai Bir Kagog[149] Megwel Adar Aqdeib
Bir Meneiga[148] Bir Guqub Megwel Um Ein
Bir Sararat Seyet Bir Himeitra Megwel Um Edwa
Bir Bint el Dreb Bir Um Bishtit[150] Megwel Didaut[151]
Bir Odis Maaleq[149] Bir Qidmib Megwel Aqwem
Bir Abu Hodeid Bir Meisah[151] Galt Hilwit Hasium
Galt Kirir
Wells of the Koatil.
Bir Diqdib
Bir Um Rasein

According to the Arrêté of 1902, Bir Egat is Mallak property.

[139]See notes by Mr. W. E. Jennings Bramly in The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, edited by Count Gleichen. London, 1905. Vol. I, pp. 91-93.

[140]Of these two sub-tribes (Mallak and Mohammad Omerab), I did not hear anything during my travels. The Mallak country is mostly south of latitude 22°, but extends into South-Eastern Egypt round about Bir Egat, a locality which I did not visit. The Mohammad Omerab are stated by Mr. Bramly (op. cit.) to own the wells of Bir Meisah and Megwel Didaut, which, as will be seen from what follows, are included in the area claimed as Kurbeilab by the Sheikh who accompanied me.

[141]The men were Sheikh Isa Ali Tiut, Sheikh of the Hamedorab; Sheik Hatab (brother of Mohammad Katul, Sheikh of the Kurbeilab); and Mohammad Katul Batkai, of the Kurbeilab-Aliab.

[142]In order to render it easier to follow the descriptions of the boundaries, I have purposely omitted from this map most of the place-names other than those mentioned in the descriptions. The map is to the same scale as the general orographical map on Plate I.

[143]Jennings Bramly Bey, the Senior Inspector of Berber Province, who has kindly favoured me with some useful criticisms of this chapter, remarks: “My experience up to date is that each principal man has a different idea of his own boundaries and that those ideas differ from day to day. My impression is that the Bisharin are as yet one big family, and that the grazing is ample for all so that the boundaries are very vague between the different tribes. Disputes of course do arise as to the possession of wadis, but I find that a week after a certain wadi has been allotted to one of two tribes, both tribes are amicably grazing in it side by side without payment. The ownership of wells is more strictly defined.”

[144]Bir Shenshef and Bir Beida are in fact classed as belonging to the Hamedorab in a MS. list of wells drawn up by Bramly Bey. But he has doubtless so classed them before their true locality was known; as they lie well to the north of the Sudan administrative boundary (Shenshef is over one hundred kilometres from the nearest point of that boundary, on the Egyptian side) the Hamedorab claim can hardly be maintained.

[145]This water source is recorded in Bramly Bey’s MS. list of wells as Hamedorab property.

[146]Mr. Bramly (Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Vol. I, p. 92), classes Bir Mashushenai as Koatil. I am, however, informed that there are two wells of this same name, and this classification probably refers to another well than the one mentioned above.

[147]The Arrêté of 1912 ascribes these two wells to the Ashab, a tribe of whom I heard nothing when in the neighbourhood; Bramly Bey informs me that they are a sub-tribe of the Hamedorab.

[148]Joint Hamedorab-Kurbeilab.

[149]Bramly Bey, in his MS. list of wells already referred to, classes Bir Odis and Bir Kadot (probably the same as my Kagog) as Hamedorab. But they were not so claimed by the Hamedorab sheikh who accompanied me, and lie well outside the Hamedorab boundary as claimed by that sheikh.

[150]Bramly Bey informs me that the ownership of Bir Um Bishtit is disputed between the Kurbeilab and Koatil, but the wadi of the same name appears to be undisputed Kurbeilab ground.

[151]I have included these two water sources (Bir Meisah and Megwel Didaut) in the Kurbeilab list, because they lie within the boundary claimed for the Kurbeilab by the sheikh who accompanied me; but according to Mr. Bramly (Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Vol. I, p. 92) they belong to the Mohammad Omerab.

CHAPTER XIII.

NOTES ON THE ROAD FROM HALAIB TO PORT SUDAN.

On the completion of the survey work at Halaib in May 1908, I returned to Cairo by marching in to Port Sudan and thence taking steamer to Suez. The journey from Halaib to Port Sudan with baggage camels occupied eleven days, travelling on an average thirty kilometres a day. This rate of travel did not permit of any surveying being done en route, but I took brief notes of the road and the wells on it, and as this road does not appear to be included in those described in the Sudan Handbook, I give here the notes I made. The distances are estimated from the times occupied in marching.

I would mention that from Mohamed Ghul onwards to Port Sudan there are two roads; a lower one near the sea, usually followed by the Police patrols, and an upper one which goes a little distance inland. The upper road was the one I followed, as my guides informed me that while it was only some eight kilometres longer than the lower one, there was much better water to be found on it.

In the sketch maps on Plates XXVII and XXVIII, I have shown the road and the wells on it as correctly as is possible from my notes, using the Admiralty Chart No. 2,336 as a basis for the coast-line and the maps 36 I and 46 A, issued by the Sudan Survey Department, for the position of Port Sudan and some topographical details. As the direction of march was roughly north-to-south and the total estimated distances between Halaib and Mohamed Ghul, and between Mohamed Ghul and Port Sudan, agree pretty well with those scaled from the maps after laying down the terminal positions correctly, it may be taken that the latitudes of the wells are fairly correct, while the longitudes are liable to greater error as being only rough estimations.

Ball—Geography & Geology of South-Eastern Egypt. PLATE XXVII.

Photo-Metal-Process. Survey Dept. Cairo 1911. (190)

Rough Sketch of the Road from HALAIB TO MOHAMED GHUL

Ball—Geography & Geology of South-Eastern Egypt. PLATE XXVIII.

Photo-Metal-Process. Survey Dept. Cairo 1911. (190)

Rough Sketch of the Upper Road from MOHAMED GHUL TO PORT SUDAN

Scale 1:750,000.

Halaib to Mohamed Ghul.

Place. Kilometres. Description.
Intermediate. Total.
Halaib — — Village of Hamedorab Arabs (reed huts). Small fort of two storeys; tanks below and native police quarters above. No accommodation for Europeans. Several wells, with plentiful water, in and near the village. Water hard and aperient, but drinkable. Fish of good quality plentiful and cheap, from native fishermen. Small quantities of sugar, dates, fat, etc., can be got in the bazaar. No post nor telegraph nor regular communication. Rocks around village are limestones and gypsum, with some calcareous conglomerates.
Wadi Shellal 4 4 Road goes over sandy and gravelly undulating ground near sea. Wadi Shellal is a broad shallow wadi (scrub) coming from high mountains to the west.
Wadi Aqilhoq 3 7 Broad shallow wadi (scrub). About 19 km. up the wadi, west of the road, Bir Frukit, where there is a constant supply of better water than can be got at Halaib.
Wadi Aqwai 4 11 ⎱
⎰		 Shallow wadis with scrub.
Kreit-reit-or 9 20
Ti Kureitra 2 22 Four wells, about 12 metres deep, lined with gypsum-slabs; about 4 km. from coast. Water bad (strongly purgative) only suitable for animals. Gypsum beds, partly covered by gravel, extend over a broad stretch round the wells. Further on, banks of calcareous grit, covered mostly with gravel.
Bir Qabatit 18 40 About 6 km. from Ti Kureitra, mass of high felsite hills called Gebel Hadarba, passed on right of road; road continues over sandy and gravelly undulating ground across shallow wadis draining from the hills. Bir Qabatit is a well in a small wadi south of the main Wadi Qabatit, about 1½ km. from the sea. Water about 5 metres down, very salt, but was being drunk by the Arab patrols, who said it did not purge them.
Bir Ma-arob 14 54 Good road over coast-plain. At Bir Ma-arob, one well of bad water, strongly aperient. Well is in wadi, forming a pool about 2 metres diameter, overhung by tamarisk-bush. Water about 4 metres down from surface. NW. of the well, group of white hills, about 50 metres high, called Tishara, of calcareous grit.
Wadi Na-akreib 8½ 62½ Road over sandy and gravelly plain, here crosses a broad shallow wadi.
Wadi Hamsiat 5 67½ Wadi draining into lagoons.
Wadi Waseb 5 72½ Wadi draining into a great inlet of the sea, looks like a good harbour.
Hibi Kwan 3 75½ Wadi draining into a large inlet. Coast about here much broken, with coral reefs and islets.
Bir Delaut 12½ 88 Good road on to Bir Delaut. Three wells in alluvium of wadi, about 500 metres from sea. Water about 4 metres down. The southernmost well is the best. Water good.
3 91 Road passes head of long inlet, then it passes east of a mass of limestone hills called Abu Hamama, about 200 metres high. A little further on, another big inlet called Halaqa, close south of which are limestone-hills about 150 metres high.
13 104 Road passes west of limestone hills. Further on it crosses the wide and bushy Wadi Shenaab.
14 118 Road turns sharply eastward through low hills (sandstones and grits underlying gypseous limestones, all dipping gently eastwards).
Megwel Shumab 1 119 Road passes close to Megwel Shumab, a shallow pit excavated in limestone with a little tunnel running eastwards. Water very bad, used only by animals.
5 124 Road hitherto over undulating ground, here becomes nearly level.
Wadi Qumat Yawab 10 134 Road crosses broad shallow wadi.
Dungunab 7 141 Small village of huts and tents on coast. Good water at well about 3 km. inland. Mr. Crossland is carrying on work here in connexion with pearl-oyster industry. Meteorological station.
Tribal boundary 9 150 From Dungunab, road detours westward to round an inlet of the sea, then goes over a sandy and gravelly undulating plain with bushes and grasses. Boundary between Hamedorab and Amarar country marked by two wooden posts.
Wadi Hukeib 3 153 Road crosses wadi. High white hills, 10 km. to west of road; as seen through field-glass, these appear to be of white granite seamed by basic dykes. There is a good well, Bir Hukeit-ar, in Wadi Hukeib about 4 km. west of road and 5 km. from sea.
Wadi Yameinai 8 161 Broad wadi, wherein an acre or two has recently been planted with durra. About 6 or 7 km. inland from this point, is a sheikh’s tomb, white and conspicuous in the morning light.
Mohamed Ghul 8 169 Small village on coast. Police fort with two decent rooms above, used by mamûr as office and quarters. No supplies worth mention.

Mohamed Ghul to Port Sudan.

Place. Kilometres. Description.
Intermediate. Total.
Mohamed Ghul — — Small village on coast; see above.
16 16 Road hitherto over gently rising plain of sand with grasses and bushes, here enters hills.
Bir Di-it 1 17 A number of very salt wells, used only by sheep and goats, sunk about 6 metres deep in the wadi bed and lined with masonry.
Bir Salalat Aseir 27 44 Good road from Bir Di-it among granite hills with intervening wadis and small plains, very grassy in places, to Bir Salalat Aseir, a masonry-lined well of good water, about 4 metres deep, sunk in the alluvium of Wadi Aseir. Small settlement of Amarar Arabs here.
2 46 Road after winding among hills, here enters on level plains of granitic sand, with grasses and bushes.
19 65 Rocks change from granite to sandstones and limestones; road now winds among low banks.
8 73 Road goes through east part of a mass of low hills.
Bir Eit 19 92 After passing the above-mentioned hills, the road continues over gently undulating ground with broad sandy wadis with grasses and bushes alternating with strips of igneous gravel. There are low flat-topped hills of limestone (beds dipping gently seawards) between the road and the sea. Bir Eit is on the road; it is a masonry-lined well about 5 metres deep sunk in the wadi-alluvium close to some scarps of white gritty limestone. Water very good. (N.B.—There is another Bir Eit in the same wadi lower down near the sea, of slightly bitter water). Small settlement of Amarar Arabs. Hills round Bir Eit rise at least 100 metres above the wadi, coral overlying marly and gypseous beds.
Low gravel hills 8 100 Road over undulating sandy and gravelly ground to two low gravel hills.
Tower 12 112 Road over sandy plain with dried-up scrub and occasional small patches of igneous gravel, passes 1 km. west of a small tower on a low gravel bank.
Wadi Ga-awit-reb 4 116 Ground broken by drainage-lines. Small trees and a few Arab huts. Megwel Ga-awit-reb, a water source in the wadi a little below where road crosses it.
Bir Ta-amai 11 127 Road over gently rising very sandy ground to Wadi Arba-at, a sandy wadi with numerous trees. Bir Ta-amai is a well in Wadi Arba-at, a little to the west of the road, where the latter passes between two masses of low igneous hills. Water good, about 7 metres down. Rude hut near well.
10 137 Chimneys of Port Sudan here become visible in distance on clear day. Road lies over sandy plain.
Port Sudan 20 157 Rail connexion with Atbara and Suakin. Post and telegraph. Regular steamers to Suez. Permit from British Consul necessary before fire-arms can be taken on board steamers.

INDEX.