Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 1.djvu/325

 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 themeelves in transporting and stowing the merchandise, and supply the town with coul, food, fowls, butter, fruits, vegetables, and drinking water. In winter they are twice more numerous than in summer, 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

maintenance on the mainland suburb, and it has been found necessary to enclose the latter with fortifications, to protect it aguinst 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-Teb, 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, under 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