617 



SOODAN. 



SOODAtf. 



618 



The country on both sides of the Joliba is sultry and oppressive 

 before the setting in of the rains. About the middle of June the 

 heated atmosphere is agitated by violent gusts of wind, accompanied 

 with thunder and rain. These usher in the rainy season, which 

 continues to the month of November. The prevailing winds are 

 from the south-west. The termination of the rainy season is likewise 

 attended with violent tornadoes, after which the wind shifts to the 

 north-east, and continues to blow from that quarter for the rest of 

 the year. When the north-east wind sets in the grass becomes dry 

 and withered, the rivers subside very rapidly, and the trees shed their 

 leaves. At this period the ' hamattan ' ia commonly felt, a dry and 

 parching wind blowing from the north-east, and accompanied by a 

 thick smoky haze, through which the eun appears of a dull red colour. 

 As this wind pauses over the Great Desert, it becomes exceedingly hot 

 and dry as it approaches Sudan, and parches up everything which is 

 exposed to it. 



Central Sudan comprehends that portion which extends from the 

 river Quorra, where it flows southward, as far east as Lake Tchad and 

 the river Shary, which falls into the lake, or from 5 to 16 E. long. 

 It may be divided into two regions, a hilly, and an alluvial plain. The 

 first occupies the country west of 11 . long., and the plain occupies 

 the remainder. 



The billy region teems to extend to the very border of the Sahara, 

 which in these parts occurs between 14 and 15 N. lat. The surface 

 is extremely diversified in character and in productiveness. The 

 highest Mill which hare been teen are not much more than 700 feet 

 above their base, and the general level of the country seems to be 

 about 1000 or 1200 feet above the sea. A great part of this region 

 extends in level plains, which are chiefly converted into large swamps 

 or temporary lakes during the rainy season, but this circumstance is 

 favourable to fertility. A large tract in which the swamps exist all the 

 year round, situated north of 13 N. lat. and between 6 and 8 E. long., 

 is known by the name of the Oondami Swamps. Hills of granite, of 

 moderate elevation, inclose this tract on all sides, and prevent the 

 water which collects on its surface from running off in any direction. 

 These hills are covered with stunted trees, whilst the country between 

 them and the swamps is overgrown with forests. Nearly all the 

 rivers and watercourses of this region are very rapid and deep during 

 the rainy season, but in the dry season only pools, sometimes single, 

 sometimes in rows, occupy the lowest port of their bed. The soil 

 retains moisture all the year round. Clay constitutes the predominant 

 soil; in several places it is intermixed with gravel, and in others 

 covered with a thin layer of sand. Its quality of retaining moisture 

 for a long time, even under a burning sun, renders this region the 

 most fertile tract of Africa north of the equator, and is populous in 

 spite of the continual wars between its sovereigns, and its being 

 situated in the centre of Africa and being nearly secluded from com- 

 mercial intercourse with other parts of the world. The grains which 

 are generally cultivated are rice, Indian corn, Ouinea corn, and millet. 

 Cotton, tobacco, and indigo .ire grown to a great extent. Tarns, 

 sweet potatoes, beans, and other vegetables are cultivated. In the 

 district* south of 10 N. lat. palm-oil and cocoa-nut trees abound. In 

 the same places plantains and bananas are grown in abundance. In 

 the eastern districts date-trees are common. The fruit-trees which 

 are most common are figs, pomegranates, limes, papaws, and tamarinds ; 

 the butter-tree also abounds in several places ; the mango tree is cul- 

 tivated, and occurs also in a wild state. The fields are often watered 

 from deep wells. 



The domestic animals are goats, sheep, asses, horses, and cattle. 

 The horses are small, but along the northern border they are large and 

 of a good breed, which is derived from that of the Tuaricks of the 

 Sahara, but it is not equal to the Arab breed. In these districts 

 many camels are also raised. Poultry abounds. In some woody parts, 

 especially in the neighbourhood of the swamps of Oondami, there are 

 numerous wild animals. Iron is the only mineral : it occurs in many 

 places, and a small quantity is exported to the countries farther east. 

 In this region the rainy season seta in at the end of May or beginning 

 of Jane, and continues to the middle of September. The fall of rain 

 is less, and is not so continuous, as in some other districts. Even in 

 the height of the season, in August, there are several days without 

 rain, and a continuation of rain for 24 hours is a rare occurrence. 

 The prevailing wind changes regularly to all quarters of the compass. 

 The diurnal change of the temperature is very great, the difference 

 often amounting to 20 degrees, and sometimes to 25 and even 30 

 degrees, especially during the north-eastern winds. The natives keep 

 fires all the year round in their huts. 



The Plain of Central Sudan extends from 10 E. long, to Lake 

 Tchad and the river Shary, and from 14 to 10 30' N. lat., where it lies 

 contignous to a hilly country. This plain is probably the largest 

 alluvial tract on the globe which occurs far inland, if the plain sur- 

 rounding the Caspian Sea is exempted, which is of a different character. 

 The alluvial plain of Sudan is nearly a dead level It is very fertile, 

 but not easily cultivated, owing to the rank vegetation caused by the 

 rains. The southern districts however are in general rather populous, 

 and a considerable portion of them is cleared and cultivated, but the 

 coumlry on both sides of the river Yeou is not much cultivated, and 

 it is exposed to the predatory incursions of the Tuaricks, who inhabit 

 that part of the Sahara which extends north of the plain. In many 



parts there are extensive forests. The soil is a dark clay, which cracks 

 during the dry season. The climate of this region differs consider- 

 ably from that of the hilly region. It is in general much hotter, but 

 the daily range of the thermometer is much loss. The country there- 

 fore, notwithstanding the moisture of the air during and after the 

 rainy season, is more healthy than in the hilly region. The mean 

 annual temperature is 83-6, that of the winter (December-February) 

 76-2, of the spring (March-May) 90'S, of the summer 84'6, and of 

 the autumn 827. From the beginning of March to the end of July 

 the heat is excessive, but not uniform. The nights are oppressively 

 hot, but towards sun-rise the thermometer usually falls to 86 or 85. 

 Towards the middle of May the rains set in with violent tempests of 

 thunder and lightning. The rain pours down in torrents, and con- 

 tinues sometimes for two or three days. Up to the end of June the 

 ground, having been parched during the dry season, absorbs all tho 

 rain, but towards the end of July the lakes and rivers begin to over- 

 flow, and tracts of many square miles in extent are quickly converted 

 into large lakes. The weather is without interruption cloudy, damp, 

 and sultry; the wind hot and violent, and generally from the east and 

 south. In October the rains are less frequent, the air mild and more 

 fresh, and the weather serene ; the wind blows from the north-west. 

 December and January are rather cold. In February the heat increases 

 rapidly. The principal objects of cultivation are gussup, which is a 

 kind of millet, maize, cotton, and indigo. Kasheia and meloheia are 

 two kinds of grass growing wild, the seeds of which are used as 

 grain. 



The domestic animals constitute the wealth of this country. Sheep, 

 goats, cows, and oxen are numerous. In the lowlands, along the 

 banks of Lake Tchad and the river Shary, many thousand head of 

 cattle are pastured, and all over the country black cattle are very 

 numerous. There is also a good breed of horses. Domestic fowls 

 are very common ; they are small, but well flavoured. Bees are very 

 numerous, and honey constitutes an important article of food. There 

 are lions, panthers, tiger-cats, leopards, hyxnas, elephants, gazelles, 

 antelopes, and other wild animals. The must common wild birds are 

 pelicans, spoonbills, and Balearic cranes of largo size. Ostrichrs are 

 found along the northern boundary-line. Fish are numerous in the 

 lake and the lower course of the river. 



Jliren. The largest river is the Quorra, which in the upper part 

 of its course is called Joliba. This river ia navigated in its whole 

 extent, nearly from its source. Its course and its affluents nro 

 mentioned in the article NIGER, in which is also a notice of Lake 

 Tchad, and of the rivers which flow into it. 



Inhabitant*. The population is composed of aborigines who belong 

 to the negro race, and foreigners. The negroes are almost exclusively 

 the inhabitants of the mountain region of Kong, but in the plain 

 north of that range they live intermixed with Mandingoes and 

 Foolahs. In the hilly region of Central Sudan the negroes con- 

 stitute the bulk of the population, but they are governed by Felld- 

 tahs, and in the easteru plain they are intermixed with Arabian 

 tribes, which have here the ascendancy. These negroes live in small 

 well-built huts, and generally wear a slight but decent dress, which is 

 adapted to the climate. They apply themselves to agriculture, and 

 in some parts the ground is cultivated with a considerable degree of 

 skill. They manufacture great quantities of cotton-cloth, only from 

 5 to 6 inches wide, but of good texture. They are also expert in 

 forging iron. They make arms, agricultural implements, and even 

 needles. They also make earthenware of a grayish colour. The 

 foreigners settled in Sudan are Mandingoes, Felliitahs, and Arabian 

 tribes. The Mandingoes are only met with in the plain north of the 

 Kong Mountains, where they have settled as merchants. They have 

 attained a superiority by their higher degree of civilisation, and by 

 being Mohammedans. Their language ia generally spoken in all that 

 part of the country in which they have settled. The Felliitahs are 

 the same nation which in Senegambia is known by the name of 

 Foulahs [SEXEOA.MBIA], and they speak the same language. It appears 

 that the Fell.itahs first settled in considerable numbers in the negro 

 towns, like the Mandingoes, but towards the end of the last century 

 they entered the country as conquerors, under the conduct of Dan- 

 fodio, with a large army, and subjected in a few years the whole of 

 Central Sudan to their sway. After the death of Danfodio however 

 the sheik of Bornou succeeded in expelling them from the alluvial 

 plain, but in the mountain region south of Mandara they have main- 

 tained their footing. The Arabs settled in Sudan are only found in 

 the neighbourhood of Lake Tchad, where they lead a wandering life, 

 living on the produce of their cattle, and are known by the name of 

 Shouaas. 



Political Geography and Tovmt. Sudan contains many large and 

 small states, and there occur also extensive tracts, in which the 

 inhabitants live in a peaceful state of society, without having entered 

 into a political union. We shall notice these political divisions in the 

 order of the natural regions : 



I. The Mountain Region of Western Sudan, or that of the Kong 

 Mountains, is only partially known, between 3 and 7 E. long., nnd 

 comprehends two extensive countries, Yarriba and Borgoo. The 

 small river Mouasa, which falls into the Quorra near 9 20' N. lat., 

 divides Yarriba from Borgoo. Borgoo seems to extend westward to 

 a great distance. This region is very populous, and contains many 



