SUAKIN— SINKAT— TOKAR. 



255 



viaduct. The huts of El-Kef skirt the southern shore of the basin, opposite Suakin, 

 and extend on both sides of the route to Berber. The Hadendoas who live in this 

 suburb employ themselves in transporting and stowing the merchandise, and supply 

 the town with coal, food, fowls, butter, fruits, vegetables', and drinking water. In 

 winter they are twice more numerous than in simimer, when they retire to graze 

 their flocks on the high mountains in the vicinity. Suakin, although it is well 

 protected from pillaging raids by its insular position, depends entirely for its 



Fig. 85.— Suakin Ui'LAnds. 

 Scale 1 : 3,000,000. 





jlsinkat 



Î f' 



i 



57° 



to 80 Feet. 



Depths. 



80 to 160 Feet. 160 to 320 Feet. 320 to 1600 Feet. 1600 Feet and 



tipwards. 



, 60 MUes. 



maintenance on the mainland suburb, and it has been found necessary to enclose the 

 latter with fortifications, to protect it against the Bejas, who recently rose against 

 the Egyptian Government. 



The vital importance of Suakin with regard to trade and political power is fully 

 appreciated by the belligerents. The sanguinary battles which have taken place 

 in its vicinity, to the west near the fortified camp of Sinkat and the wells of 

 Tamanieh and Hashin, to the south-east before the stronghold of Tokar and in the 

 oasis of El- Teh, prove how essential it would be for the Mussulman world to 

 establish free communications between Mecca, capital of Islam, and Africa, its 

 largest province, populated with the most fanatic of the faithful. Great Britain 

 watches closely this continental port of Africa and, imder the name of Egypt, this 

 power has definitely taken possession of it so as to bring the whole of the Upper 

 Nile within its commercial and political influence. Hitherto the Beja insurgents 



