290 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. V., No. 114. 



THE ROUTE FROM SUAKIN TO BERBER. 



This route, estimated by General Gordon dur- 

 ing his rapid passage over it in 1874 as about 

 288 miles in length, and found by Major Prout 

 in his careful reconnoissance in 1875 to be about 

 255 to 260 miles, is one presenting great and 

 peculiar difficulties to the march over it of a 

 large bod}' of troops ; especially between the 

 months of March and November, when the 

 heat is excessive, and when those troops may 

 be required to deal, during the march, with 

 hostile forces. 



Starting at sea-level at Suakin, it ends at 

 an altitude of about 1,240 feet on the Nile, 

 at Berber, after having attained at one point 

 an altitude of nearly 3,000 feet. 



In its entire length it is practically, for a 

 large force, a barren, treeless, waterless desert, 

 but quite different for a small detachment of a 

 few hundred men with their necessary animals. 

 For a large force (say, 5,000 to 10,000 men) 

 the water used b}~ men and horses must in 

 some manner be transported with them or in 

 advance of them. 



The wells and water-holes on the whole line 

 may be quickly named and described, as fol- 

 lows : at about 2 miles from Suakin are the 

 wells which furnish water to the town ; and 

 here a good suppty for a large force may be 

 had. The next water is at El Hundouk, 

 about 9 miles out. These wells furnish partly 

 sweet and partly brackish water, sufficient for 

 about 250 men and 500 animals. At about 

 17 miles out are the wells of O-Taon, with 

 capacity for, sa}', 250 men and their horses. 

 In the valley of Sinkat, at about 23 miles, 200 

 men with 500 animals can usually be supplied 

 b3 T shallow water-holes, which are called the 

 wells of Hambouk ; and it is probable, that, 

 by using care, this result might be doubled. 

 Sinkat, nearly 1,000 feet above sea-level, was, 

 in former times of peace and good govern- 

 ment, used as a summer residence b} T the richer 

 merchants of Suakin. 



At about 40 miles from Suakin, the wells 

 of Kissibil can furnish good water for a small 

 party, say, a general officer with his staff and 

 escort ; and thence on, no water is found 

 until Wady Haratree is reached, at about 64 

 miles out. Here 600 men and as manj ani- 

 mals can drink. Eleven miles farther on, an 

 equally good supply is found at the wells of 

 Salalaat. 



The next supply worth mentioning is the 

 well of Abd-el-Hab, where perhaps two bat- 

 talions might be supplied. This excellent well 

 is 97^ miles from Suakin. At El Ariab, about 



118 miles from Suakin, there are three large 

 wells, well constructed, and furnishing good 

 water, in quantity large enough for two or 

 three battalions, with a fair proportion of 

 animals, — a strategic point which should be 

 held by a permanent garrison if the road is to 

 be used. 



From El Ariab to O-Baek, a distance of 

 nearly 60 miles, no water is found ; and even 

 at O-Baek the supply is ve^ disappointing 

 to thirsty marchers, since it is hardly suf- 

 ficient for a battalion with its animals, and is 

 often brackish. Thence on, the route is in 

 blank desert until within six miles of Berber. 



Thus it is seen that on the eastern half of 

 the route there is scant supply of water for the 

 advanced guard of a strong division, while on 

 the western half there is practically no water 

 until within six miles of Berber. Throughout 

 the line, cannon and wagons can be drawn with 

 little difficulty ; but the eastern half passes fre- 

 quently through narrow and tortuous defiles, 

 which an active and intelligent enemy would 

 render extremely dangerous to a marching 

 force. C. P. Stone. 



THE ISLAND OF COZUMEL. 



During the night of Jan. 22 last, the U.S. 

 fish-commission steamer Albatross was an- 

 chored off the northern end of the island of 

 Cozumel, on the east coast of Yucatan, and 

 on the 23d steamed along the western side 

 of the island to an anchorage off the village of 



San Miguel, four miles from its north-west end. 

 The naturalists went ashore next day in two 

 divisions, — a shore party and a seining party, 

 the latter aided by men from the ship. Both 

 were remarkably successful, the birds collected 



