The walls are of
solid mud and sun-baked bricks, carefully loopholed for musketry,
while a deep fosse, by which it is surrounded, is a safeguard
against a sudden surprise.
These engineering precautions were rendered necessary by the
ferocity of the Arabs, who fought the Egyptians with great
determination for some years before they were finally subdued.
Although the weapons of all the Arab tribes are the simple sword
and lance, they defended their country against the regular troops
of Egypt until they were completely defeated by a scarcity of
water, against which there could be no resistance. The Egyptians
turned the course of the river Gash, and entirely shut off the
supply from one portion of the country, while they inundated
another. This was effected by an immense dam, formed of the stems
of the dome palms, as a double row of piles, while the interior
was rendered water-tight by a lining of matting filled up with
sand.
Cassala was built about twenty years before I visited the
country, after Taka had been conquered and annexed to Egypt. The
general annexation of the Soudan and the submission of the
numerous Arab tribes to the Viceroy have been the first steps
necessary to the improvement of the country.
Pages:
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117