Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-07-19
Geographic News
Bulletins by the
National Geographic Society

The ~advisability of daming UP the
Blue Nile not far from khartum in
the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan so that
the rich triangular region between
the two mighty forks Of the most
historic river in the world may pc
turned into a gran.ry for ali the
Sudan is being co Bidered by the
British government, newspaper as
patches say.
The Blue Nile, or the Bahr-ei-
Azrek as it is called locally. rising
in the highlands of Abyssinia, to-
gether with two other affluents from
the same source. furnishing n
world-famous Nile with much OF
the rich sediment which for cen.
turtles has enriched the plains oil
lower Egypt during the flood sea
son." saws a bulletin from the WASH
ington, D. C. headquarters OF the
National Geographic Society.
Rich Region Almost Unknown.
Down through a region little
known and almost devoid OF lnhdo-
itants or any form of ~ultlvatlon'
rushing over numerous catardcts
and rapids. the Blue Nile cuts lts
way from its course, the beautilul
broad sheet of water known as
Linn SdIlds L INV
future may become the reservoir
for the irrigation of the vast area,
lies 5000 feet above the sea lever
and about $500 feet below the nor
NAL level of the plateau in a basin
resembling somewhat the crater OF
a volcano. Near its southeastern
corner, through a great tissue IN lts
almost inaccessible rim. the river Is
sues and circling around the noun
tains strikes out in an 8oo-miie
course toward the northwest to JOIN
the chief branch of the Nile at
Khartum of Kitchner fame.
1.-The vast plains Of Seminar or FL
Gezira on it's left bank are among
the richest on the continent n IL
is these that the irrigation projects
are to develop. In Seminar. the Din
der. a Blue Nile tributary which also
rises in .Ae A~byssinian hlghlahos,
adds, dursns the rainy season. its
sediment-laden flood to that of the
already swollen river, and together
at Khartum they discharge over H.
900 cubic meters of water per sec
ond. thus outdoing the White Mic
itself during that time.
Main Nile Damned Already
"From July to October this
mighty flooding goes on, the waters
of the Blue Nile, so-called because
of their clarity and blueness at or
binary seasons, mingiing tnsir
chocolate brown with the sreenishe
grey color of the White branch OF
Father Nilus.
This great difference inv the
volume of water from Apyssinia
ia due to the heavy rain that falls
in the mountains of the country
not far from it's eastern coast. Tho
Nile system in itself nay be said to
be a simple one. it's basic source
being that steadily flowing river
from the tropics which is fed by the
great lakes in the eastern and CEN
trail portion of the continent, aug
mented at times by a great volume
of water from it's Abyssinian afllu-
entss
Since 1902 the inhabitants of
Egypt near the mouth of the Nile
have had their water supply re-
plenished during the season OF low
water by the reserve supply stored
in the Assuan Dam.
Inhabitants "Hard-BOled' NJ
Long stretches of the area north
of the Blue Nile r almost n
tlrely unlEIld Dlleu, oHe lid'cAoi -
porting that he travelled eighty
six miles in Abyssinia and had not
seen a dwelling or a sign of cuiri-
vation.' And even when one n
counters inhabitants in the country
further to the east he finds hem
'unashamed of any crime or vice.
They perpetrate their crimes with
perfect indifference and recoun
them with gaiety and laughter as
part Of the regular conversation
during meals.
up in the highlands near the
rivers source despite the burning
tropical heat of the day. n is
glad to crawl snugly beneath his
blanket when night has fallen. The
beautiful blue lake encircled with
mountains and dotted with islands
leaves much for future explorers to
do, as few data concerning it have
been gathered and few soundings
made. The sudden gusts and squalls
which rush down the valleys across
it give plenty of variety to it's m
time deceptive calm. Hippopota.
muses., which the natives hunt for
their hides, infest it's waters.
The mystery which has always
chung to the Dark Continent still
encompasses much Of this virtually
unknown region, but its promise Is
great when man learns to harnes
the power it possesses. to give water
to its thirsty and dry sections, and
wrest from it the wealth of its
pat,,roI uiffcp