APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

I. — Quarters of the Town of Kátsena.

Ambutéy, or Mbutéy, the oldest quarter; Tódo-málle[145], Bar-hemáwa, Suafáwa, Rími-n-Sámbari, Darma, Túdduwa-Anábara, Tokáwa, Chidefáwa, Rími-n-Gúlladu, Uché-albába, Mógoba alhándu, Tawátínke[146], Sófo-káswa, Mesállachi-n-Káura, Dúrrima-n-tákelme (the shoemakers’ quarter), Ungwa Debbósa, Kameyáwa, Shibdáwa, Dábera, Tafí da ráwa (“clapping hands and dancing”—a very merry quarter, as it seems), Ungwa-n-baráye, Ungwa Dóka, Sábbera, Mehédi, Ungwa Kúka, Chefenáwa, Lóloki-n-da-n-al barka, Ungwa Saká, Ungwa da-n-alló (probably the schoolmasters’[147] quarter), Ya-áura, Yansabóni, Dambo, Súnkurá, Ungwa Beréberé (the quarter of the Bórnu people), Gamberáwa, Lóloki-n-ákochi, Barasáki, Rími-n-áferga, Týdde Líffeda, Ungwa Sherifáwa, Limáwa, Chédia[148] Akánzem, Kófa Túluwí, Gogári, Réri-n-wuári, Jagabánchi, Addemunáwa, Dodáwa, Kachúmbe, Yankéwuré, Masanáwa, Muskáni, Cheferáwa, Lóloki-n-Kabáwa, Gafay, Ungwa Chédia, Kokoyáwa, Jangwáki, Jangozáwa, Mesállachi-n-Góberáwa (the mosque of the Góber people), Fáskari, Zázagau, Dúrrimi-n-sháuru[149], Kontaráwa, Sakáwa, Kófa-n-Yándaka, Ungwa Köani, or Kwáni (probably the quarter of the Köana or Kwána people), Dorówa, Sabberáwa, Jambíra, Mákera-n-owó, Mákera-chínki, Daugaumu, Yagabánchi, Yarángway, Mʿallemi-n-dáwa, Bokudáwa, Kantamáwa, Békuráwa, Bindáwa, Mareá, Ungwa Turáwa (the quarter of the Arabs), Ungwa Sirdi (the saddlers’ quarter), Ungwa Yatáwa, Jambaráwa, Yangozáwa, Jembiráwa (different from Jamberáwa), Machíka, Samrí, Arbabejéri; then the quarters lying close to the different gates of the town, and called after them the Kófa-n-Gúga, K. Samrí, K. Dyrbi, K. Marúsa, K. Káura, K. Gazúbi, K. Kóya, K. Yéndaka. Further, the quarters Lóloki-n-karí, Jembísa, Kátukam, Yanguzáli, Kógo, Gulbí, Jínu, Kéyiba, Kuserúwa fodú (the four corners), Ínchide yáki, Duggul, Amorébbi, Danróri, Dandínki, Turkáwa, Haski-n-káura, Sába-n-báuri, Ungóllo or Ngóllo, Adyrjáwa, Ombuwamáy, Ansága, Jínu, Mbánau, Aúra, Dansagí, Dánkashí, Bágada, Bowáy, Shénteli káramá, Shénteli babá, Grássemí, Mágaji-Edíris, Gági, Mejébbamá, Máriná-dan-Gámmu, Jírayí-baba-n-Háusa, Kammasáwa, Dansakáwu, Sakayáwa, Máriná dan máriná, Tokkumáwa, Dambókulum, Marrakáda, Kokóchikó, Propporokáya, Barazakaña, Tebki-n-chémi, Fari-n-yáro, Kádam baki-n-gulbí, Yawal-khawári, Baskoráye, Kautáwa, Rúkum, Góngom, Daggabáwa, Kasáwa, Bagauzamáwa, Ilsáwa, Chiserakáwa, Komming, Hannuzeráwa, Gulbáwa, Hanníni-básará, Moichi, Rímaye-algári, Zambadáwa, Baskoráwa, Mariyadáwa. These are the names of the larger quarters of the town; but there are still a good many smaller ones.

II.—Chief Places in the Province of Kátsena.

The names of the principal places belonging to the province of Kátsena are as follows:—On the west side of the capital: Jengéfi, Yangéro, Búggaji, Baráwa, Kangwa, Kangwáji, Záuri, Kurfi or Kúrrefi, Sháfo, Ráwani, Kúsa, Kómi, Atagaráwa, Kabakáwa, Sóri, Tsáni, Úruma, Úmmadáwu, Kógo, Fáskari, Tsaskia, Sakka, Gunki, Runka, Takabáwa, Dyrrú, Guzoráwa, Automáki, Motázu, Sayáya, Karófi, Géza, Raweó, Ganwa, Farí-n-rúa, Kadándaní, Dóka, Máji, Sabóngarí, Yatáwa, Kadakáwa, Shibdáwa, Bindáwa, Kamrí, Táma, Kusáda, Káfardá, Yakofáwa, Ingáwa or Ngáwa, Dorú, Jáni, Dawané, Yáme, Duwáng, Kógadó, Ajiyáwa, Danyeám, Rinúnguzá, Kúragó, Kaita, Sábi, Kurfúndu, Yandáki, Shinkáfi, Kotyi, Berda, Mókordá, Tunáni, Bai, Kófi, Kúrtufá, Tsúntsuwa, Túrajó, Másabó, Lagéru, Kóddu, Kotta, Mámmarú, Máni, Túwarú, Jéndodó, Dúchi-n-rága, Tamalláwa, Sandáwa, Tábaní, Baréruwa, Goranzám. On the east side there are: Káya, Yáme (different from that above mentioned), Dagésamú, Debbáwa, Máshi, Ílel-ágalú, Ílel-labúkará, Mále-yabáni, Yoyo, Gárwa, Búkurú, Chille, Dankar, Túna, Yéndaká, Rúma, Merédabáy; Musáwa, Dangáli, Tafáshia, Kurkojángo, Dáyay, Sabó-n-bírni, Gángara, Seéya, Mahúta, Dándamay, Kúrremi, Dantýtturu, Danjá, Húriyá, Maska, Gózeki, Dúya, Dárwa, Túdu, Shenéli, Yangéme, Babélkazá, Daháukadá, Kuchéri, Kórumáwa, Machíka, Kiyéra, Báskari, Zágami, Sakafárda, Keffi-n-deñi, Keffi Pokkwa, Keffi Sille; Tsá, Kúndurú, Yashé; Garú-n-Señína, Karadúwa, Táku, Luggul, Kánkara dan Jémmaka, Tótali, Farú, Zágani, Ónaka, Rúwafí, Ájejá, Sábberé, Gúnki, Birki, Múnir, Táura, Dabáwa, Shéni, Ádemú. Towards Dáura there are: Dantótoní, Dandáre, Beñe, Karófi, Mákera, Yentomáki, Dákkaruwé, Sheléri, Samrí, Lámbisa, Tuddu, another Shéni, Dánkada, Fáskali, Koyéllo, bírni-n-Gwári, Madódo, Kurríga.

III.—Chief Places in the Province of Kanó, and Routes diverging from Kanó in various Directions, principally towards the South.

As for the province of Kanó, it comprises a very fertile district of considerable extent, with the following walled towns: Yeríma, Gérki, Zánkara, Yáfen, Ríngim, Dúshi, Géa, Gérko, Dell, Udíl, Táura, Kúra (a place particularly famous for the beauty of its dyed cloth), Sákwa, Bebéji, Rímangadó, Dawáki, Gódia, Bíshi, Gezáwa, Zákeré, Killi, Méjia, Méga, Merké, Tákay, Sangáya (the place touched at by Clapperton), and the governor’s two pleasure towns Gógem and Fánisó.

Besides these walled towns, the most considerable places of the province are as follows: Ungógo, Dáwano, Zabenáwa, Gezé, Wóttarí, Góra, Mádobí, Salánta, Ammágwa, Dádi-n-dúnia, Gabezáwa, Dóko, Kwínke-alla, Dangayáme, Gurjáwa, Zongonkilli, Abegáni, Sákwa-n-Kumbóto, Zango, Gezí, Ráfi mʿallem, Rími-n-Asbenáwa, Dawáki, Gunó, Ranó (the town mentioned in p. 72., as having formerly been the seat of a kingdom or principality by itself), Ténneger, Kiyáwa, Kadwáwa, Takaláfia, Katákatá, Gazóbi (a village consisting of scattered groups), Danzóshia, Gulú, Ganí, Tamberáwa, Dáhasa, Gorzo, Karáye, Káfi-n-Agúr, Rukadáwa, Bóda, Taríva, Fáki, Kokí, Dawáki-n-Dambámbara (properly Da-n-Bámbara), Katángeráwe, Katánga-babá, Katánga-káramá, Katkázubá, Mʿallem, Kwíwa, Bunkóri (a considerable market-place, with much cultivation of rice), Ya-n-kásari, Tuddum Bíllané, Bacheráwa, Yamáta, Demé, Demé-n-da-n-karfi, Tunfáfi, Kuddadefáwa, Zango-n-da-n-Áudu, Pagínkayi, Jájira, Fofá, Dangúgwa, Zango Mala Áudu, Jelli, Mádachí, Mákodé, Konshi-n-gwárta, Yákasé, Yóla, and others.

I will here add some of the chief routes connecting Kanó with the principal places around, and which will best show its central situation. As for the routes to Kúkawa, of which I forwarded an account to Europe in 1851, I shall omit them, as I had myself repeatedly sufficient occasion to become acquainted with this tract from my own observations. The route by Khadéja has been united with my own route.

I first give the route from Kanó to Zínder, the north-westernmost place of the empire of Bórnu, by way of Kazáure:—

1st day. Makóda, a large open place, consisting of cottages with clay walls and thatched roofs. The country level and densely inhabited. Arrive about the ʿaser.

2nd. Kazáure, residence of the governor Dámbo, formerly in direct dependence upon Sókoto, but at present in a certain degree of subordination to Kanó. The town is surrounded with a clay wall, and but thinly inhabited. A market is held every Monday. The neighbourhood of the town is rocky, and the country intervening between Kazáure and Makóda thickly covered with wood, without cultivation or an inhabited spot.

3rd. Mazánnia, a large place surrounded with a “kéffi” or stockade, said to be larger than Tasáwa; but the government of the town is generally divided, half of it belonging to Dáura, and the other half to Bórnu.

4th. Magáriyá, a large place with a kéffi, only about fifteen miles from the former. The surrounding country all covered with forest.

5th. Zínder, about ʿaser. There are no villages on the road except near Zínder.

I now add the road from Kazáure to Dáura, and from Dáura to Zínder. Keeping in a north-westerly direction from Kazáure, you reach on the first day, about ʿaser, Sándamu, an ancient town of considerable size, but with few inhabitants, and enter, on the following day, the town of Dáura, about two o’clock in the afternoon. The town of Dáura, which, as I have observed (p. 72.), is one of the oldest, if not the very oldest[150] settlement of the Háusa people; and here too the Islám seems to have been introduced at an earlier date, certainly not later than its introduction into Kátsena by the grandson of Maghíli, the missionary, as is stated, having been a man from Baghdád, of the name of Mohammed ʿAlí, who killed the dodó, or the old fetish lion. I have already mentioned the magic well; and there are many other interesting traditions current with regard to the older history of the place. Dáura is a large town, surrounded with a strong clay wall in good repair, but is only thinly inhabited, and the Thursday market is of no importance. It is the capital of a province, and the residence of a governor dependent only on the Emír el Múmenín, and would certainly have been visited by me in one of my wanderings, if the governor, whose name is the same as that of the governor of Kátsena (Mohammed Béllo), and whose character is much worse, had not been notorious as an energetic and warlike, but unjust and rapacious fellow, with whom it would be more difficult to deal than with the highway robbers in the wilderness of Dánkama. But I recommend this place strongly to the notice of future travellers, as a great many native stories relate to it. It was once conquered by a prince of Múniyó named Sóriyó. All the country around is at present a wilderness; and there is very little cultivation.

Going from Dáura to Zínder in a N.N.E. direction, you sleep the first night in Kúrni, or Kúrreni, a small village surrounded with a stockade, being the frontier-place of the province of Dáura in this direction. It is situated in the midst of the forest, and is distant from the capital about six hours.

2nd day. Arrive at an early hour in the forenoon at Máshi, a small place surrounded with a stockade, and belonging to Zínder. Every Wednesday a market is held here.

3rd. About ʿaser arrive at Bakí, a large place surrounded with a “kéffi.”

4th. Before noon arrive in Zínder. There are no villages on this road.

I now proceed to give the routes from Kanó towards the Bénuwé, which has been called Tshádda or Chádda in its lower course, merely from mistake, I think, while it has several other names. Záriya, or Zózó, the capital of the province of Zegzeg, was visited by Clapperton on his second journey; and its latitude can be laid down with certainty, its longitude with approximate correctness.[151] From this place some important routes, very frequently taken by native traders, and even sometimes by enterprising Arabs, branch off towards the places in the vicinity of the above-mentioned river. On the other hand, we have now, by Mr. Vogel’s observations, the exact position of Yákoba, the capital of the province Bolóboló, or Báuchi, and therefore generally called “Garú-n-Báuchi;” so that the most important places between Kanó and the river can be laid down with tolerable exactness. I will here only remark, that the general features of my hydrographical sketch of this district in 1852 have been entirely confirmed by Mr. Vogel’s observations, from which, although they are as yet very insufficiently known, it is clear that the central part of Báuchi, in which Yákoba is situated, is a high rocky plateau, the central ridge of which evidently forms the water-parting of the various rivers in opposite directions—the head-waters of the komádugu of Bórnu (generally called Yéou) towards the east, the Kadúna and Gurára (the Rari of Richard Lander), which unite near Bírni-n-Gwári, towards the west, and a branch of the Bénuwé, running first to the east and then turning southwards. The two most important points with regard to the connection of Kanó, Záriya, and Yákoba with the lower course of the Bénuwé, are the towns of Kéffi-n-Abdezénga and Láfiya Beréberé, while the latter of these places is also one of the chief centres whence spreads the dominion of the Fúlbe, with misery and devastation, over the neighbouring tribes.

I will here give the route from Kanó by way of Záriya to Kéffi-n-Abdezénga, which goes from Záriya almost directly southward. The stations are very short.

1st day. Mádobí, a place with a market. Pass in the morning the “kogí,” or kogí-n-Kanó.

2nd. Reach Bebéji about ten o’clock A.M.[152]

3rd. About one o’clock P.M. arrive at Rími-n-Káura, a group of villages with a rivulet running east.

4th. About nine o’clock A.M. reach Báki-n-Kamínda, a cluster of scattered villages, called by this name from a rivulet Kamínda or Kamánda, which skirts it.

5th. About eleven o’clock A.M. reach a walled town called Da-n-Sóshia, rich in date-trees. Here is the frontier of the province of Kanó towards that of Záriya, marked by a large “kúrremi” dry in summer.

6th. A little after noon reach a small river called Kubútutu, running east, but afterwards turning south and joining the Kadúna, which drains all this part of the country. On the bank of the rivulet is a village called Anshó.

7th. About 11 o’clock A.M., after a journey through a woody country, reach Rúma, a large place but thinly inhabited, and surrounded with walls in decay.

8th. About the same hour you reach a walled place called Likóro, where a market is held every other day. All the country is thickly wooded and uncultivated.

9th. Between nine and ten o’clock in the morning, after having crossed a rivulet which sometimes presents difficulty in the rainy season, you arrive at Záriya.

10th. About noon arrive at a village called Ungwa Árendé. Small waterpools on the road.

11th. About eleven o’clock A.M. reach Kaséllu, a walled place with the wall in a state of decay, and with a market held every other day.

12th. About the same hour arrive at Gímba, a large walled place, but thinly inhabited.

13th. Reach Mátarí, a large place. Between Gímba and Mátarí, nearer the latter, is a kúrremi, which during the rainy season can be crossed only in boats.

14th. Kábi, a considerable walled market-place.

15th. Reach a small village called Kásabó, situated on a mountain-range running eastward. The whole country is mountainous; and a little before you reach Kásabó you pass a high mountain with a village on its top.

16th. Encamp in the forest called “Dáwa-n-serkí-n-Fáwa,” where there is a kúrremi, dry during the hot season.

17th. A small village of the district Kadára, ravaged by the Fúlbe.

18th. During the dry season you reach a place called Jére (not Tére), while in the rainy season you encamp on the shore of the Gurára, the chief branch of the Kadúna, which cannot be crossed but in boats. The country mountainous.

19th. Reach a small village called Kámané; country mountainous.

20th. A small place called Káterí, situated on a kogí, with water at all seasons of the year, and well wooded. It joins the Gurára.

21st. A straggling village called Góla-mínda, inhabited entirely by Fúlbe or Féllani. The country level, with mountains in the distance.

22nd. Kogáro, a considerable market place; country mountainous, irrigated by many streamlets.

23rd. Fajári, a small place with a wall in decay; country level, with plenty of water.

24th. Bagáji, a considerable walled market-place.

25th. Kéffi-n-Abdezénga, a large place, where a market is held every day. The country in general is flat, with a high mountain to the west. Plenty of watercourses.

Láfiya Beréberé, originally a colony of the Bórnu people, called Beréberé by the Háusáwa, is five days E.S.E. from Kéffi-n-Abdezénga, and two days and a half from a place called Toní, between Darróro and Kéffi. Darróro was visited by Richard Lander, who calls it Danroro; but this place, as well as the important place Katab (called by him Kuttup), has been laid down very erroneously from his indications. I therefore give here the

Route from Záriya by Katab to Darróro; first part S.E., then S.S.E.

1st day. Egébbi (called Ejibi by Lander), a place surrounded with a wall, but not of large size.

2nd. Dawáki, a middle-sized place, lying west from Káuru, a town which we shall soon connect with Kanó. About one day south from Dawáki lies a mountainous district, with the village Libélle, inhabited by pagans.

3rd. Sháffero, a place surrounded with a wall, and dependent on Káuru. The inhabitants are said to eat dogs.

4th. Encamp on the bank of the river Kadúna (báki-n-Kadúna), with a village N.E. from the river.

7th. Katab, a district consisting of a great number of hamlets, very rich in honey, and with a good cultivation of sorghum, millet, cotton, and sesamum. A small rivulet or torrent intersects the district, running towards the north. Pass the two preceding nights in two small villages, the names of which my informant had forgotten; most probably they are identical with Gídan Bakáya (not G. Banaya) and Kála. One long day’s march N.E. from Katab, is the pagan district Sháwe, wherein the Kadúna is said to take its rise.

8th. Kajé, a village situated on the top of a hill, other villages being scattered about in the plain.

9th. Dangóma, a small slave-village belonging to Darróro, situated on the top of a mountain. About the middle of your day’s march you cross the river Gurára, running through a deep valley, and forming a cascade at some distance N.E. from Darróro. It runs westward, though in a very winding course, and joins the Kadúna near the town of Gwári. This is evidently the river which Lander calls Rári, and which, its course not being accurately observed by him, as he had to cross it repeatedly, has given rise to that unfortunate theory of Capt. William Allen, with regard to the connection of the Chadda with Lake Chád, or rather Tsád.

10th. Darróro, a town in a strong position, surrounded with an artificial wall only on the north side; still belonging to the province of Zegzeg. At some distance from it, in the plain, there is a new Féllani settlement called Jemáʿa-n-Darróro; the word jemmáʿa, or, as it is generally pronounced, jemmára, “the congregation,” being the characteristic word for the religious and political reformation of the Fúlbe. There is a direct road from Katab to Jemmáʿa, passing by the small open place called “Madáwaki-n-mútuwa,” where the mountainous district commences. It was in Darróro that Richard Lander thought that he was but a few miles distant from Yákoba, the capital of Báuchi, while in reality he seems to have been, in a direct line, about one hundred miles distant from it; and as this line, owing to the mountainous nature of the country and the wild and unsubdued spirit of its pagan inhabitants, is not passable, he was about a hundred and sixty miles from it by the ordinary track.

The Route from Jemmáʿa-n-Darróro to Kéffi-n-Abdezénga, with the Branch Road to Láfiya Beréberé.

1st day. Kogóm, a small place on the slope of the mountain, and inhabited by slaves. The neighbourhood is thickly covered with forest, through which, on the west side of the village, the Gurára winds along, being here navigable for boats, at least in the rainy season. Arrive at noon.

2nd. Gwári-n-kúrremi, a large open place in the wilderness; no hills. A small torrent runs N.W. in the direction of Káteri. About noon.

3rd. Toní, a large walled place with much cultivation and many hamlets dotting the neighbourhood; about noon. From hence a road leads to Láfiya Beréberé in three days, S.E.

4th. Likóro, a large town with a clay wall; the houses built half of clay, half of shíbki; a good day’s march. There is another more circuitous way from Toní to Likóro, passing by Tonúng-mádaki, a place situated in a valley with much forest, and not far north from two places surrounded with clay walls, one of which is called Tonúng-wámbay—and by “Gulbí-n-túnka,” a small open place with much cultivation, which has received this name from the Háusa travellers, on account of its being situated on a small stream (gulbí) running northwards.

5th. Kéffi-n-Abdezénga, a large town surrounded with a clay wall, and situated at the eastern foot of the mountains; the town partly yumbú, partly shíbki. Arrive about dhohor.

Routes uniting Kéffi-n-Abdezénga with Tóto and Fánda.

From Kéffi-n-Abdezénga to Tóto there are several roads, the stations of which are at the following places:—

1st day. Gongóndara, a large place with a wall in decay. Plenty of water; the mountains are at some distance.

2nd. Gwágwa, a middle-sized town surrounded with a clay wall; to the east a considerable mountain-group.

3rd. Támma, a large walled place in a plain with much water.

4th. Dógeri, a place of middle size, the frontier-place (in 1851) of the extensive province of Zegzeg, and of the independent kingdom of Fánda.[153]

5th. Ógobe, a large walled market-place belonging to Tóto.[154] The neighbourhood is a plain abounding in water.

6th. Ganó, a considerable open place; country flat; plenty of trees, particularly of those called mája.

7th. Enter Tóto in the morning.

Another road, sometimes uniting with the former, at others diverging from it, passes by the following places:

1st day. Yánkardé; short march.

2nd. Gwágwa; short march.

3rd. Bókoko.

4th. A large village of the Bása; about noon.

5th. A large town situated in a plain, and surrounded with a clay wall; the inhabitants speak the Bása language, but pay tribute to Záriya. My informant called this town Gorgóndara; but I think he must be mistaken.

6th. Wári, a large open place with much cultivation of corn; the whole country is flat. Arrive about noon.

7th. Kargo, a village. The country level, and covered with forest.

8th. Gwári-n-Kargo, a village, the frontier-place of the territory of Zegzeg (that is to say, in 1851; but since the end of the year 1853, it appears, both from what Dr. Baikie and his companions learnt on their interesting and successful expedition up the river Bénuwé, and from what I myself heard on my return to Kanó from my journey to Timbúktu, that the Fúlbe, partly by treachery, partly by warfare, have made great progress in this direction, extending their depredations to the very bank of the river). A small stream or torrent skirts the side of the village, running towards the Kadúna; here is more cultivation. Arrive in the forenoon.

9th. Another open village of the Bása, with a good deal of cultivation; arrive about noon.

10th. Ungwa Limáng, a small village inhabited by the people of the prince of Tóto; rocky ground, and a small rivulet or brook.

11th. About two o’clock in the afternoon arrive in Tóto, a large town protected on the west side by a woody fáddama or valley, and on the other sides surrounded with a clay wall. The town is said to be of about the same enormous dimensions as Kanó (that is to say, about fifteen miles in circuit), but more densely inhabited, and divided into two distinct quarters, the western and the eastern, the former being inhabited by the natives, or the Katáwa[155], as they are called by the Háusa people, who have a distinct language (probably related to the Bása and Núpe languages), and are pagans; while the eastern quarter is the dwelling-place of the Moslemín, viz. people from Kátsena, Kanó, and Bórnu, who have a chief for themselves, called el Imám, a name corrupted by the Háusa people into that of Limáng. This Limáng is regarded in general by the travellers as the prince; but, according to more accurate information, the town and province of Tóto seems to be under the direct government of the sultan of Tánda (not Fánda), whose name is Shémmage, and who receives a great quantity of European goods, chiefly muskets, which form his strength, from the inhabitants of Tágara or Kotú-n-karfi, as the district is generally called by the Háusa people, near the junction of the Bénuwé with the Kwára. This prince, by his energy and watchfulness, had kept the conquering Fúlbe in awe; and he prohibited, with the utmost diligence, suspicious people from being admitted into his town. He may therefore, even after the fall of Fánda or Pánda, which was in a wretched condition, and was taken by treachery in the beginning of 1853, have preserved his independence; but I am not quite sure about it. Be this as it may, surrounded on all sides by enemies, he will scarcely be able to hold out long. Tóto, as far as I was able to make out (although there does not appear to have ever been much intercourse between the two towns), is distant from Fánda from thirty to thirty-five miles E.N.E. It is, besides, three days from Kotú-n-karfi, a place the position of which is well established, and four days from Sansan Ederísu, a place likewise well known from the Niger expeditions, so that we can place Tóto with tolerable exactness.

I here subjoin the itinerary from Tóto to Sansan Ederísu:—

1st day. Zángó-n-kará, a village inhabited by Núpe people, and situated in a valley tolerably wooded.

2nd. Agáya, a large town surrounded with a clay wall, dependent on the governor of Záriya, but inhabited by Núpe people. Soon after you leave Zángó-n-kará in the morning, you cross a river called Gúrma by my informant, who crossed it in a boat; it runs northward. The country is well cultivated, and many villages are scattered about.

3rd. Kúrremi, a town surrounded with a stockade and a clay wall, but of smaller size than Agáya. A small rivulet, not navigable, skirts the town, running northwards; it is called Kúdduba.

4th. Sansan Ederísu, a large open village not far from the shore of the Kwára, opposite Égga. The country well cultivated.

I will now join Katab with Kanó.

Route from Kanó to Katab.

1st day. Bebéji, the town mentioned above; in the morning you cross a small watercourse, with a village on its south border, called Báki-n-kogí, then pass Góra, and in the afternoon Mádobí, with a brook running towards Bebéji; arrive here at sunset.

2nd. Báuda, a large town surrounded with a clay wall, and lying around a rocky eminence. In the morning cross the rivulet Kamánda. A short march. Báuda is the furthest town of Kanó in this direction.

3rd. Páke, an open place on a deep rivulet, which (often) is not fordable; it runs westward, and seems to be identical with the kogí-n-Kubútutu, which is crossed on the road from Bebéji to Záriya, near the village Ánsho. There are several small hamlets on the roadside; but cultivation is not very extensive. Arrive a little after noon.

4th. Kó-zintú, a walled place, the huts consisting of reeds; arrive at noon. No village on the road, but a good deal of cultivation.

5th. Zintú, a large walled place with clay houses, on a considerable rivulet passing by Záriya, and running westward. It is said not to be fordable (probably only in the rainy season), two boats being constantly employed for carrying over travellers. It has no fish. I think it is the same river with the kogí-n-Gédia, which is crossed on the road from Kanó to Sabóngarí. A short march.

6th. Káuru, a large town surrounded with a clay wall and lying on a considerable and navigable rivulet running eastward (not westward); arrive in the afternoon. The country is covered with dense forest.

7th. Sháffero, the village mentioned in p. 564.

8th. Gída-n-bakáya, an open village inhabited by pagans, but under the dominion of the Fúlbe; arrive at noon, having crossed in the morning the Kadúna running westward. The country very woody.

9th. Katab; pass in the morning the village Kalá.

Route from Kanó to Yákoba.

1st day. You arrive early in the forenoon at Sákwa, a place situated on a running stream called “kogí-n-Sákwa.” In the morning you pass the village of Dawáki. Sákwa was visited by Clapperton.

2nd. About two o’clock P.M. arrive at Dell, a considerable town said to be larger than Tasáwa, after having passed another populous place, not much less than Dell, called Gérko. The whole country is well cultivated; and there is but little jéji, or uncultivated land, on the road. In Róro, S.W. about one day from Dell, there are mines.

3rd. A little after noon arrive at Párna, a place not so large as Dell, and situated at the foot of a mountain, by the side of a small rivulet. During the morning you pass a village named Gédia, between which and Párna there is a little wilderness.

4th. At noon you arrive at a place called Tébki (probably so called from a pond), situated at the foot of the mountains, and the frontier-place between the province of Kanó and that of Báuchi. The whole march leads through a wild mountainous country, covered with wood.

5th. Arrive in the morning at Sabó-n-garí, a place situated in the plain, and important on account of the road from Záriya (the details of which I shall directly subjoin) joining in this place the track which leads from Kanó. The country is well cultivated; and the people during the rainy season dwell in huts, scattered through the fields, while during the dry season they retire to the tops of the mountains. Soon after leaving Tébki in the morning, you cross a small brook, and then pass a place called Shébshi.

6th. A place whose name I cannot make out at present.

7th. Zaránda, a considerable village situated in the plain, while towards the east rises a very lofty mountain mass, said to be the highest mountain in Bolóboló or Báuchi. The whole country is under cultivation; and hamlets or small villages are met in every direction. Close to Zaránda is a rivulet, said by my informant to run eastward.[156] Arrive in the afternoon.

8th. Yákoba (thus the name is generally pronounced, although more correctly the accent ought to be given to the second syllable, thus, Yakóba, or rather Yakúba) the capital of the province of Bolóboló or Báuchi, founded by Yakúb the father of the present governor Ibrahíma. Selmán (properly ʿOthmán), the name given by this informant to the governor, is, I think, the name of his brother, who during his long absence has the government of the town. The town is large, and has twelve gates; there is no running water near the town, and the inhabitants supply themselves from ráfona, or hollows. All the country is under cultivation, and the neighbourhood is rich in hamlets. The road keeps along the plain, all laid out in fields, shaded with trees.

The character of this town, which I have thus laid down from information, has, in opposition to the prevalent opinion that Yákoba is situated on a river, been entirely confirmed by Mr. Vogel’s very important journey. Coming from the east, he found Yákoba situated on a stony elevated level, without any running stream, but well supplied with water, which collects round the walls of the town. He has found its position to be 10° 47′ 30″ N. lat., and 9° 28′ 0″ E. of Gr. In consequence of the long absence of the governor Ibrahíma (who, having sworn not to return to his capital until he shall have subdued a warlike pagan tribe, has been living now seven years in his “sansánne,” or encampment, about 65 miles N.N.W. from the capital), Mr. Vogel found Yákoba rather thinly inhabited. He has not yet forwarded an account of the elevation of this place; but I believe that it will not be much less than two thousand feet.[157]

Route from Katab to Yákoba.

1st day. About ʿaser reach Alhájji, a considerable village belonging to the province of Zegzeg, and situated at the west foot of a mountain. The whole road leads through forest.

2nd. About noon arrive at Sabó-n-bírni, a small village consisting of shíbki. The road is partly covered with forest, and partly cultivated; but there are no villages, the people, during the rainy season, coming from a great distance to cultivate the country.

3rd. About noon reach Ríruwe, a considerable place surrounded by an earthen wall, and having a well-attended market every Tuesday. Ríruwe is at a short distance south from Sabó-n-garí; and many persons going from Kanó to Yákoba, prefer joining this road and leaving the other at Sabó-n-garí.

4th. About one o’clock P.M. reach Úmbutú, or Mbutú, a village situated at the foot of a mountain, on the top of which there is another place of the same name. The inhabitants, who are very fierce, wear a bone stuck through the chin. They do not pay any tribute to the Féllani of Záriya nor to those of Yákoba, and constantly intercept the communication—as happened, indeed, in 1851, during my stay in Kanó. Near the first village is a rivulet which joins the Gurára, one of the tributary streams of the Kwára. The whole march leads through forest.

5th. About one o’clock P.M. reach Wárji, a village situated at the foot of a large mountain extending far to the west, on the top of which there are other villages of the same name, whose inhabitants wage war against the Féllani. Informant states that the inhabitants of the valley pay tribute to the governor of Kanó; but I think he means that of Báuchi. Cattle of a particular kind called múturú are frequent here, much smaller than the ox, with shorter legs, without the hump, and of a grey colour. I saw a specimen of this kind afterwards in Kúkawa.

6th. About ʿaser reach Mélanláwel, a considerable place with a clay wall, situated in the plain at the S.E. foot of the large mountain mass already mentioned. The whole country is laid out in cultivated fields.

7th. After ʿaser arrive at Zaránda; the country partly wild and partly cultivated.

8th. At noon reach Yákoba.

I now proceed to give the routes from different points, obtained by the construction of the former itineraries, and corrected also by the recent observations of European travellers, to Wukári, the capital of that very interesting country Korórofa, which, unfortunately, was not reached by the late expedition on the river Bénuwé.

Close to Láfiya Beréberé, begins the territory of the Dóma, the capital of which, called likewise Dóma (at least by my informants), is only one day from Láfiya, and five days from Kéffi-n-Abdezénga, the road from this latter place to Dóma passing by Haríri, a large town still dependent upon Záriya, and distant three days from the former, and two from the latter town. This Dóma is a large walled town; but already in the year 1851 its governor was obliged to pay a small tribute to the governor of Záriya. A great number of Nyffáwa, or people from Núpe, are said to live here.

From Dóma there seem to be two roads to Wukári, although I frankly confess that the information which I obtained with regard to them, as well as to other parts of Korórofa, was not so clear as I might have wished. One of these routes crosses the river at a spot called Chínkay; the other does not name the ferry. Chínkay is not among the places laid down hereabouts in the survey of the Bénuwé expedition; but it is evidently either identical with, or near to Anyíshi.

From Dóma my informant goes to Kúberé; thence to Kadérku (the Bridge), a town belonging to Dóma; thence to Kiyána, or Keána, a considerable market-place, which he calls “bírni-n-Korórofa, kása-n-Báuchi,” the inhabitants paying tribute as well to the Púllo governor of Báuchi as to the native king of Korórofa. From this place, which is often mentioned in the proceedings of the Bénuwé expedition, my informant goes to Túnga, which he calls “Garí-n-gisherí,” stating the memorable fact, not mentioned in those proceedings, that salt is obtained there. Close to Túnga is a kogí or rivulet joining the Bénuwé, or rather, I think, a creek of the river. My informant then crosses the river and reaches Chínkay, which lies at a little distance—as he states, in a southerly direction—from a large place called Owí. From Chínkay he proceeds to Ákkona, which is evidently identical with the Akkwana of Crowther, who, however, does not mention the interesting fact that “kohol” or antimony is obtained there; from Ákkona to Jíddu (a place not mentioned by Crowther), in a locality with small rocky mounts starting up from the plain; thence to Árfu, and thence again to Wukári.

The other shorter route (if, indeed, it be complete) goes from Dóma to Mínchi, which is called “Bírni kása-n-Kiyána,” a walled town of the territory of the Kiyána; thence to Agáya (evidently different from the place of the same name between Tóto and Égga, and therefore by one of my informants called “Mínchi-n-Agáya); from this directly to Árfu, crossing the Bénuwé somewhere below Anyíshi; thence by Fíya to Wukári.

I now give an itinerary from Darróro to Wukári, unfortunately of the same abridged and incomplete character. Proceeding at a slow rate with short stations, my informant goes first to a large place called Zúngur; thence crossing a small rivulet, which he calls by the very unscientific name of “kogí-n-Mamúdu” (the river of Makhmúd), to Dull, a large but dilapidated place dependent on Yákoba; thence to Gar, a small place in a mountainous district: thence to Búrrum, the country continuing mountainous; thence to Gémbat; thence to Wáze, a very large town, said (probably with some exaggeration) to be as large as Kanó, and the residence of a governor or chief named Hamma ben ʿAbdu. It stands upon a mountain or hill; and a river or creek is said to skirt the town.

This important place can be reached in three good days’ marches from Yákoba, sleeping the first night, after a very long and fatiguing day’s journey through a mountainous country (granite, as it seems), in Gásge, a town as large as Ngórnu, inhabited by Fúlbe and native pagans, and the second in Yúnguru. Yúnguru is a town inhabited by the conquering tribe, while the native pagans live in straggling villages along the valleys. This is another long day’s march, and the country mountainous. The third day’s journey is shorter; and Wáze is reached after about eight hours’ march. In the dry season at least, when the river may be easily crossed either by swimming or even occasionally by fording it, a good tourist will reach Wukári from Wáze in one day. My informant, proceeding at a slow rate, and perhaps not in a direct line, went from this to Dámpar, a place near the Bénuwé, where it has come under the notice of the Bénuwé expedition; then, crossing several creeks which he calls “ráfi-n-dórina,” and “kogí-n-Deñi,” and the river itself, passed the places Mákera, Usé (a small village in the plain), then Aíkiri (with a kogí) and a place which he calls Zangó Ladán (probably the station, “zangó,” where a toll or tax, “ladán,” is paid, and thus at length reached the capital Wukári.

I have also a soi-disant itinerary from Láfiya Beréberé to Wukári; but I will only name the places situated on this route without stating the order in which they succeed each other. These are Oví, which seems to be a large town distant one day from Ázzara, which is said to be west from Aíkiri, the place mentioned above; then Kíbi, Dóya, Áboné, Aíro, Kanjé, Agwatáshi, Dédderé.

I will now say a few words about Wukári, the capital of Korórofa, which it is much to be regretted that the last expedition on the river was unable to reach; but the next will, I hope, be more successful in this respect[158], if they have the good fortune of finding the country still in a flourishing state. Even the name of this important place was scarcely known[159] before my researches in 1851, while the name of the country, Korórofa, though well known to former geographers, had been erased from recent maps. Wukári was placed in my map close to the river, a few miles only too far north and east; but had I been able to correct it according to my latest information, from which I learnt that it lay not on the main river itself, but on a small branch[160], I should have laid it down exactly in the right position.

Wukári lies on the west side of a small rivulet, called, by my Háusa informants, “kogí-n-Kalám,” which is said to join the Bénuwé, or, as the great river is called in at least one of the dialects of Korórofa, which seems not to have come under the notice of the expedition, “Zánfir.” In a straight line, Wukári is only a good morning’s walk (“tafíyan hantsi”)—that is, about ten miles—from the shores of the Bénuwé. The town is said to be very large, even larger than Kanó; not however, like the latter, embracing a wide extent of fields, but densely inhabited to the very walls. The people do not drink the water of the rivulet which skirts their town, but supply their wants from ponds in its interior, probably like those in Kanó. They are distinguished by their dark complexion, and features not disfigured by shasháwa or tattooing, by their long hair and their neat shirts, or rather plaids, “zénne,” which they wrap round the body. Indeed the inhabitants of Korórofa are celebrated all over this part of Africa for their cotton cloth, which is said to be of very fine texture, but also very narrow, being only the breadth of two fingers. They are said to have a peculiar kind of cotton called “worzi” by the Arabs, and mentioned already by that accurate and princely geographer Abú ʿObéd Allah el Bekri, in 1068, though without naming the district of Negroland where the plant grew[161], and not without some exaggeration. There seems to be a kind of coffee indigenous to the country. A great deal of dóya, or yam, is cultivated; and áyaba (Musa paradisiaca) seems to be the most common tree in the southern provinces. The only essential defect under which this nation suffers, besides their division into many separate tribes, seems to be the despotism of the government, which evidently checks also the energy of the people in defending their independence against the restless Fúlbe, who are constantly gaining ground, and, if Her Britannic Majesty’s government do not hasten to interfere, will in a very short time take possession of this kingdom.

All the handicrafts, as those of blacksmiths, saddlers, &c., are under the immediate control of the king, and can be exercised only by his own people. He monopolizes the foreign trade, none of his subjects having a right to buy. The name of the present king is said to be Ánju Zénki. His authority, nevertheless, does not now seem to extend, in reality, far beyond the walls of Wukári; and the Háusa traders, while they give him the title of “serkí-n-gulbí” (lord of the river), call the governor of Chónkoy, or Gónkoy, “serkí-n-géro” (lord of the corn, or rather millet), intimating that the country-towns are rather in the hands of this latter prince. The inhabitants of Wukári, as well as of the towns in the interior, are expressly stated to be armed only with spears, none but the people near the banks of the Bénuwé using bows. Small articles are bought and sold for iron hoes, called “akíka,” of which forty will buy a slave; more valuable objects are bartered for salt or clothes.[162]

East, about one day’s journey from Wukári, are said to be Júggum and Gónkoy: Júggum is the name of a considerable place; but as for Gónkoy, I was unable to ascertain whether it was the name of a district or a town. Gónkoy is said to be three days and a half from Bú-mánda, the stations on the road being at the villages or towns of Úriyó, Úrbo, then, near the máyo, Mantáje (?), Bú-mánda being reached on the fourth day; and I have another itinerary leading from Bú-mánda to Júggum in five days, through a country desolated by those predatory wars by which the Fúlbe are so distinguished. Only one day before reaching Júggum there is a place inhabited by pagans, called Gánte. I will further mention here some places around Wukári: though, from the imperfect character of my information, I am not able to lay them down on the map, nevertheless I hope a list of them will prove useful to the next expedition up the river. Along the south side of the river are said to lie east from Gónkoy the places Balli, Júbu, Tinto; one day south from Wukári the town Kónte; then westward, and towards the north-west, the following places, some of them on the north side of the Bénuwé: Kúrgoy (a walled town), Úngosálla, Toríña, Ákata (near a rivulet, the residence of a chief called Jímmi), Kondé, Bémbem, Mínchi-n-Agáya (on the north side of the Bénuwé), Kátsena Alla (a name most probably corrupted by the Háusa traders), a large town situated on the east side of a river or rivulet. Between Kátsena Alla and Fánda there are said to be the following places: Zangó kogí-n-Alla (a whimsical fatáki name—that is to say, used by the native traders), with Mínchi or Múnchi (Mitsi) inhabitants, Dúchi-n-Díkku (a place situated between two mountains), the town Gedímmir, and the town Áyirkú-n-girké.

Korórofa does not appear to be the native name either of the country or of the tribe; but I cannot exactly say whether it only originates with the Háusa traders, and whether the name Djúku, or Júku, applies to the whole nation or only to a portion of it. Bábai, or Báibai, I think is not the original native name of the people, but only an appellation given them by the Háusa traders. There are certainly several different dialects prevailing in the country, since that of which I wrote down some hundred words from the mouth of the Koána or Kwána Ábbade, a native of the village Búmánda, appears to have very little, if any, relation to the Tiwi of Koelle, or the Mitsi of Crowther, or to any other mentioned by them; but it must be borne in mind that the gentlemen composing the expedition seem not to have collected any specimens whatever of the Djúku, which they themselves state to be the language of Korórofa, and I feel satisfied that the dialect spoken by the Kwána differs but little from that of the people of Wukári. The Kwána (called Konáwa by the Háusa people), at least those of Júggum, have the curious and disgusting custom of forming an artificial ulcer behind the ear, which in Wadáy is the distinguishing mark of valour. They wear white and black shirts, and have horses and cattle. They cultivate various species of Negro corn, and have many large trees. This same informant of mine, Ábbade, named to me the following divisions of the Korórofa, which I give here as an imperfect notice, hoping that it may lead succeeding travellers to further inquiries and to clearer information: the Agáwi, Jímmolo, Churíbolo (the second syllable is not clear in my manuscript journal), Bashikkári, Jemsáli, Bakawelíno, Kéwe, Ndau, Bínderi, Jáufeni.

Having given what little information I have been able to gather with regard to that interesting region on the river Bénuwé, I now proceed to subjoin a few details illustrating the geography of the provinces between Yákoba and Katágum; for the country between the former place and the Bénuwé will, I hope, soon be amply illustrated by Mr. Vogel’s observations, who seems to have traversed the triangular tract of country inclosed between Gómbe, Yákoba, and Hamárruwa in several directions, and to have come into intimate, though at times hostile, contact with the natives. The position of Gómbe, which he has fixed by astronomical observations in lat. 10° 49′ N., and long. 10° 16′ E., is an important check upon the construction of the materials obtained by me with regard to this tract of country; and I openly confess that, with regard to Gómbe, which I had no means of connecting with a southern point, I have erred in laying it down much too far south, while with respect to the latitude assigned by me to Hamárruwa, which I was able to connect with Yóla, I have scarcely erred a single mile—a result which I hope will inspire some confidence in my numerous geographical deductions from native information.

I start from Katágum, a place twice visited by Captain Clapperton, and laid down by him correctly, no doubt, with regard to latitude, while with regard to longitude it has to be shifted, as I shall elsewhere show, about forty geographical miles further west.

Route from Katágum to Gómbe, the Capital of Bobéru.

1st day. Early in the morning, between nine and ten o’clock, you reach Sókkuwa, a large place surrounded by an earth wall on the western bank of the “kogí-n-Katágum,” the water of which is used by the inhabitants for drinking. In the dry season there is no stream of running water, but merely stagnant pools. The houses of Sókkuwa are built partly of yumbú (clay), partly of shíbki (reed). A market is held here every Saturday. On the road many small villages are passed.

2nd. About eleven o’clock arrive at Kéffi, a large village surrounded by a stockade, and belonging to the province of Katágum. Many small villages on the road.

3rd. An hour after noon reach Hardáwa, a large place surrounded with a clay wall, also under Katágum. On the road are many villages. The soil consists of sand, and trees are scarce.

4th. Arrive at Mésau, a large place surrounded with a clay wall, capital of the province of the same name, and residence of a governor whose name, or rather title, at present is Yeríma. The houses consist of clay walls with thatched conical roofs, the palace of the governor alone being built entirely of earth. A considerable market is held here every Friday. It seems very remarkable that the inhabitants of this town are said to be all Fúlbe or Féllani. The soil all around consists of sand.

5th. About noon Dárasó, a large walled place belonging to the province of Báuchi, to the capital of which leads a frequented route from hence, which I shall subjoin immediately. In the morning you cross a rivulet in the midst of the forest.

6th. About two or half-past two o’clock P.M. reach Tawíya, a large place with an earthen wall now in decay; most of the inhabitants pagans; the whole country covered with dense forest. N.B. The road from Dárasó turns a little east from south.

7th. Early in the morning, about nine o’clock, arrive at Gómbe, a large walled place and the capital of the province Bobéru, which is said to have received its name from the late governor: the name of the present one is Koriyénga; his house is the only good building in the town.

Route from Dárasó to Yákoba.

1st day. About the ʿaser reach Sóro, a small open place situated at the western foot of a rock. The road lies through a mountainous country, the first half of it being thickly wooded.

2nd. About one o’clock P.M. arrive at Kírfi, a large open place at the foot of the rocks, inhabited entirely by pagans. The whole road is intersected by high mountains with perennial springs.

3rd. About eleven o’clock A.M. reach Týrrem, a large open place surrounded by mountains towards the east and south. On the road you pass several small villages situated on the tops of the mountains, and inhabited by pagans.

4th. Early in the morning, about nine o’clock, arrive at Yákoba; all the road mountainous, the tops of the mountains being inhabited.

N.B. The route from Gómbe to Yákoba I shall not give, as my imperfect itinerary will, I hope, soon be superseded by the rich materials of Mr. Vogel and his companion Corporal Macguire. I have, however, many materials for the district hereabout, which may be laid down with great approximative certainty as soon as an accurate basis is obtained by Mr. Vogel’s route. For the same reason I will not give the itinerary from Gómbe to Gújeba, but only connect one important point of this route—Dúkku, which I hope will have been touched at by my friend, with Yóla.

This route from Yóla to Dúkku is very dangerous, and is not now taken by the Fúlbe; but such was the case in the times of their greatest youthful vigour. I will only observe that Dúkku lies one day and a half E. by N. from Gómbe. My informant, Mʿallem Katúri, starts from Yóla.

1st day. After crossing the Bénuwé, pass through the mountainous district of the Zéna.

2nd. District of the Úrgeni, another pagan tribe living on the mountains.

3rd. District of the Tángalé, a tribe with whom Mr. Vogel has, on his more western route from Hamárruwa to Gómbe, come in contact.

4th. Fánda, another pagan tribe.

5th. Dembé.

6th. Chongóm. All these are independent pagan tribes, the country being mountainous. Road very unsafe.

7th. Téra, a settlement of the Fúlbe of Bobéru; here security commences.

8th. Ína, a large town of pagans in a state of subjection. At the foot of the mountains is a torrent running west, sometimes not fordable; it probably joins the northern branch of the Bénuwé.

9th. Kámbo, a pagan village.

10th. Kom, a pagan village.

11th. Dúkku.

Dúkku is two days from Gómbe:—

1st. Wángelé.

2nd. Gómbe, the present residence of Kóriyénga, the son of Bobéru the Púllo conqueror from whom the province has received its name, and the brother of Suléy. It is situated on the south side of a large watercourse called Náfada. This place was visited by Mr. Vogel in 1855, and found from observation to be in lat. 10° 49′ N., long. 10° 16′ E. from Gr.

Route from Katágum to Shéra, S.S.W.

1st day. About ʿaser reach Gubú, a large open place belonging to the province of Katágum. The country open, partly cultivated and inhabited, and partly covered with forest.

2nd. About eleven o’clock reach Úzum, a small open village belonging to the province of Katágum. The whole country well cultivated, with numerous villages.

3rd. About noon arrive at Shéra, a considerable place, the capital of a province of the Fulfúlde empire of Sókoto, and residence of a governor. The place is fortified by nature, its position among the rocks, which surround it on all sides, leaving only a narrow approach from N.W. and S.; otherwise, there is no wall. Most of the houses are built partly of clay, partly of reeds, while the house of the governor consists entirely of clay. Most if not all of the inhabitants seem to belong to the race of the conquerors; the consequence is, that there is neither industry nor commerce, and the market is of no importance.

I here subjoin a list of the more important places of the province of Shéra, or Shíra, from which it will appear that this territory, although heretofore scarcely known by name, is not inconsiderable, though greatly reduced from its ancient extent, when the whole district round Fágam belonged to it. This comprises the following places:—Fágam, bírni-n-Máshi, Hósobo-bérajá, Géllamáng, Rábadí, Gerétti, Dándang, Tóba, Matsángo, Yélku, Zúmborúm-daffatúwo. At the present day there still belong to the province of Shéra, besides the capital (likewise called Shéra), Kúrba, Géade, Dóggo, Dógwa, Kádgo, Kárgo, Rími Táshirá, Ándobám, Dógo-gawán, Dógo-kawé, Dógo-dekáwen, Dógo-dúchi, Dógo-bángaré, Dógo-damwé, Dezína, Túngom, Gowála, Zábi, Sabáwa, Byllum, Béchimé (on a rock), Danguzózo, Yellwá garí-n-da-n-Háwa, Gumár, Zákkuwa, Jerégo, Chínnadé, Hardáwa (I cannot say whether identical with the place of the same name mentioned above), Goráng (east from the latter), Ázeré (with iron mines), Chínnadé madáshi, Daláren, Kúrke, Túmperé, Dúnkowy, Póngi, Zagédebá, Mógonshí, Gadáber, Cherácherá, Gadáwu, Degá, Goré, Itésh, Jóga, Wóliyá, Gósamé (“garí-n-dáffa kárfi,” place for smelting iron), Tsáuni, Kolá (“úri-n-saráuta,” “the seat of [the old] government,” where all the rulers of the country are buried), Sófo-n-garí, Gámbaná, Lájewá, Zíbbek, Máshemá, Bangaráti, Sírko, Gámbakí, Káwada, Máchi-n-káya, Dingáya, garí-n-Mallinzáki, Hírfi, Úngobá or Ngobá, Gádaráima, Kóndokó, Rasáwu, Kórko, Bárring, Mánakó, Wódufá, Tsogú, Kúrnokay, Láfiya garí-n-Berdagúngome (da-n-ghaladíma Shéra), Lanzedóguwa, Ajángara, Zámmaga, Fógo, Sáwi shéli-n-jíka-n-Mallinzáki (the residence of the grandson of Mallinzáki), Yáyu, Dagáro, Kúkokí, Bilkáchuwa, Farí-n-rúwa, Kósomé, Árzamú, Yákasé, Áffotu, Uzum Zándan, Jegás, Chókkoti, Chafágo, Degágitó, Galinámarí, Kádiya, Jándogo, Zagáña, Gorán, Nasaráwa, Kílla.

I now subjoin the short itinerary from Shéra to Yákoba, west a little south.

1st day. Between one and two o’clock P.M. arrive at Fágam, a place larger than Shéra, surrounded with a clay wall, being the frontier-town of the province of Kanó towards the S.E. The country is flat.

2nd. About eleven o’clock A.M. arrive at Gánjuwa, a large open place belonging to the province of Báuchi. All the houses, or rather huts, are built of reed, only that of the governor consisting of clay. The country mountainous, with many springs and pools of water; large numbers of palm-trees.

3rd. About ʿaser arrive at Yákoba; the country mountainous.

IV.—Collection of Itineraries passing through the various Districts of Ádamáwa.

In endeavouring to describe the country by means of this net of routes, traversing it in every direction and thus controlling each other, it will be the best course first to connect Yóla, the furthest point which I have been able to lay down from my own observation, with Hamárruwa, the furthest point reached by Her Majesty’s steamer “Pleiad”[163] in September, 1854.

1. Routes from Hamárruwa to Yóla.

(a.) Direct route; very unsafe.

1st day. Having crossed the Bénuwé, encamp on the border of the máyo Badóre.

2nd. A pagan village of the Zená; about four o’clock P.M.

3rd. A village of Hámidu (not the son of Ádama); a long day’s journey; the whole country is mountainous.

4th. Líma, a settlement of the Fúlbe; about noon.

5th. Yóla; in the morning.

(b.) Another direct route, a little more northerly.

1st day. The máyo Badóre.

2nd. Dútsi-n-máifulá (the Capped Mountain), obviously a travelling name given by the Háusa people to a mountain with a peculiar cone; compare the expression “shúsh el ʿabíd” (the Slave’s Cap). Before noon.

3rd. Bang, a settlement of pagans, on a mountain; turn round its southern side. A long day’s journey.

4th. Passam; in the forenoon.

5th. About two o’clock P.M. encamp; leave Líma at some distance south.

6th. Yóla; in the morning.

(c.) Route from Hamárruwa to Yóla, by way of Kóncha.

This route makes a sharp angle. Direction, as far as Kóncha, S.S.E., then N.E.

1st day. Reach the river Bénuwé about noon, and cross it in the boats of the Kwána or Kwóna; sleep in Kwánárí, a village on the south bank of the river.

2nd. Reach a pagan village under the protection of the Fúlbe, and therefore called by travellers Amána Bárka, in a valley bordered by mountains; it belongs to the dominion of Ámba Sámbo, the governor of Chámba.

3rd. About sunset encamp in the wilderness.

4th. Zangó-n-gharáma (a name given to the locality by the Háusa traders, meaning “the toll-station”), a village, the master of which, called by the traders mai Chebchóma[164]; levies a considerable tax on the caravans. “Masr,” or the Egyptian durra, forms the principal food of the natives.

5th. Reach the residence of the chief Nyagáng. Formerly travellers used to make a stage in the village of Ardo Kési, situated more to the north; but this custom has lately ceased.

6th. Mount Chébchi, stretching out to a great length, and crossing the path; encamp either on its summit or at its base, in the afternoon.

7th. Rúmde ʿOmáru, a slave-village in the plain; about noon.

8th. Kóncha (probably so called because it belonged originally to the Kwóna or Kwána), the residence of the governor Mohammed Jóbdi (not Gábdu), a Púllo, who is in a certain degree dependent on the sultan of Ádamáwa. The place is large, being divided into three distinct quarters—that of the Fúlbe, that of the Kanúri, and a third inhabited by pagans; but the dwellings consist entirely of round conical huts, with the exception of that of the governor himself, which is built of clay. The eastern side of the town is skirted by the máyo Béli, which in the dry season is fordable, but during the rains can be crossed only in a boat. It is tributary to the Fáro, and runs from Kóncha to Láro, from this to the town of Yáji about twelve miles west from Chámba, and having been joined by the máyo Íli, which is said to come from Ímber five days south from Kóncha, in the territory of the Tekʿa[165], joins the river Fáro at Rúmde Bárka, a slave-village of Ardo Yáji. This river is confounded by several informants with the Déve, which joins the Fáro at Búbadáddi. The governor Mohammed Jóbdi is said to possess no less than 10,000 slaves. East of the river, between it and the town, a conspicuous mount meets the view. Kóncha is a remarkable place, on account of the wild sugar-cane (not the sweet sort of Indian corn called sébbade in Kanúri), which is said to grow here in great abundance.

9th. Láro, or more properly “Tírgade Lároma,” a large settlement of the conquerors, governed by an officer of the seignior of Chámba, and situated on the west side of the máyo Béli. When you leave Kóncha you cross the river, and then keep along its south-eastern bank; but before entering Láro you cross it again.

10th. Dírdiyú, a village inhabited conjointly by pagan natives and by Mohammedan Fúlbe; the country level. About noon.

11th. Zángi, a place formerly belonging to the pagans Faráng, but at present inhabited and ruled by the Fúlbe. Numerous elephants and mouflons; at least so says my informant, who nevertheless may have mistaken buffaloes or other animals for those peculiar to the desert.

12th. Reach Yóla, having traversed a well-inhabited country, and crossed a small tributary of the Fáro.

2. Route from Morá, the Capital of Mándará, to Yóla.

Morá was found by Mr. Vogel, by observation, to be in lat. 10° 58′ 38″ N.[166], and in long. 12° 22′ E. Gr.

1st day. Mógashe, a village of Mándará, of middling size, lying on the eastern side of a range of mountains. Route, S.E.; arrive about noon.

2nd. Fétte[167], a large Púllo settlement, and residence of a powerful chief called Khúrsu.

3rd. Malám, a large Púllo place, governed by a cousin of Khúrsu’s, from whence a shallow watercourse runs eastward to join the ngáljam of Démmo (see Vol. III.). The country is level; arrive before noon. From Fétte you turn S.W. Malám is a short day’s journey N.W. from Bógo, another large Púllo settlement.

4th. Kóngala, a Púllo settlement, situated on the upper part of the same watercourse.

5th. Márruwa (pronounced by many people as if it were Marba), a large place, the residence of Mʿallem Dámraka, situated on the north side of a watercourse which joins the river of Lógone. On the north side a mountain strikes the eye. Arrive before the heat of the day.

6th. Mískin, a large place, residence of Ardo Búba, situated on the same watercourse. An isolated mountain (Mount Míndif?) rises towards the east, the country in general being level.

7th. Gázaba, a large place, and residence of Ardo Gazáwa, an old man. It is a market-place of some importance. Direction, west. Arrive before the heat of the day. Both places, Gázaba and Mískin, seem to lie in a line west from Mount Míndif.

8th. Mbóla, a Púllo settlement, and residence of a son of Ardo Jídda, situated on the same watercourse. The country level; direction, west. Arrive about noon.

I here subjoin a short itinerary from Múbi (see p. 420.) to Mbóla, in order to connect this route with the track of my own journey to Ádamáwa. This road is mountainous and dangerous.

1st day. Úmshi, a pagan village. Arrive about two o’clock P.M., having passed Bá, in the mountain-group which I noticed on my journey to Ádamáwa, and left Jímmi to the south. After having cleared the mountains of Fíngting, you turn E.N.E.

2nd. Sínna, a village inhabited by Fúlbe and native pagans; about noon.

3rd. Mbóla, a Púllo settlement; about noon.

9th. Lúlu, a pagan village, the inhabitants of which do not disfigure their features by tattooing, and wear no barbarous sort of ornament, except a small reed in the left ear, like the Marghí. Country mountainous; no watercourses. Direction, south. Arrive between ten and eleven o’clock.

10th. Mátabá, a place situated in a mountainous district, inhabited by pagans and Fúlbe conjointly. The deléb-palm or dúgbi, a species of Hyphæna, grows here in great quantity, but only few dúm-palms. The inhabitants drink only from wells. Direction, south a little west. Arrival, about four o’clock P.M. Mátabá lies on the road between Dába and Lam, a little nearer the former.

11th. Gidér, a place situated on the great pilgrim-road from Yóla eastward, and inhabited by Fúlbe and pagans conjointly. The whole country is mountainous, and only partly subjected. A watercourse runs along the east side of the village towards the máyo Kébbi. Arrive about noon.

12th. Héri, a village inhabited by pagans of the tribe of the Falí. At some distance east, a watercourse. The country mountainous. Direction, south. Arrive in the morning.

13th. Báila, a Púllo settlement, residence of Ardo Badéshi, with a small watercourse. Country mountainous. Short march south, very little west. A few miles west from Báila is Badéshi, situated in a mountainous region, and on the east side of the máyo Saréndi, which is said to come from the south. In the distance, south, a place called Kacháwu is seen lying on a high mountain with a watercourse at its northern foot, which joins, or rather is identical with, the máyo Kébbi; this place possessing very rich pasture-grounds, the cattle of Báila are driven there in time of peace. Between Báila and Soráyi lies Bizér, about fifteen miles from the former. Direction, E.N.E.

14th. Nyáwu, a village inhabited by the slaves of Janfúra. Towards the west, a mountain-range; towards the east, country open. Short march S.W.

15th. Bátema, or Bázuma, the principal and central place of the tribe of the Falí, at least in former times; at present, residence of Janfúra, who has about 200 horse under his command. The place is skirted by the waters of the máyo Dundé, which joins the máyo Kébbi. Towards the east is a mountain. Short march a little south from west.

16th. Géwe, a large settlement of the Fúlbe, situated on the N.E. bank of the Bénuwé, a few miles below its junction with the máyo Kébbi. It is the residence of the chief Sámbo-Géwe, who commands about 100 horse. A large mountain called Banáwa, inhabited by pagans of the tribe of Falí, overtowers the Bénuwé. At a short distance from Géwe, a little east from south, lies Ribágo—not to be confounded with the more important place of the same name to be mentioned further down, this Ribágo being the estate of Mʿallem Músa, the governor of Chébowa. In the angle formed by the junction of the two rivers lies the village Dúli, and east from it another village called Lángi, the three places lying so near each other, that one may be seen from the other. A short day’s march west.

17th. Géweke, a small Púllo settlement, under the same chief as Géwe. On starting from Géwe, cross the river Bénuwé, and traverse a mountainous country. Short journey, west.

18th. Bilónde, a place principally, but not exclusively, inhabited by Fúlbe, and situated on the southern bank of the river Bénuwé. Short march, west.

19th. Gáruwa, a place inhabited by pagans of the Bátta tribe. Arrive at noon, having passed in the morning the village Badóde, situated likewise on the south side of the Bénuwé. North, or perhaps a little west from north, of Gáruwa lies Bángeli, at the foot of a mountain which is skirted by the river, from which Gáruwa itself lies about five miles distant. There is another road from Géwe to Gáruwa, which, though making a circuit, is sometimes taken. Keeping first south, and leaving, after about four hours’ march, Dúli on your left on the bank of the river, then turning S.W., you reach Dúkka in the evening, situated on the west bank of a small rivulet and at the east foot of a large mountain; from hence, a day along the mountain N.W. brings you to Gáruwa.

20th. Kókomi, a considerable place, inhabited by pagans of the Bátta. At a short distance west rises a large mount, the western foot of which is skirted by a watercourse running north towards the Bénuwé. A short march, west. Kókomi, before the conquest of the Fúlbe, was the chief and central place of the Bátta, as Bázuma was that of the Falí. A Bórnu prince is said to have once found refuge here, and to have governed Gáruwa also. About ten miles south from Kókomi lies Chébowa, a considerable Púllo settlement, inhabited chiefly by ʿulama of the tribe of Ulérba, and the residence of Mʿallem Músa. Some people, in going from Gáruwa to Búndang, take this road by Chébowa, which seems not to be longer. One day’s march W.S.W. from Chébowa, about twenty miles, is Mount Kárin, which is rich in iron, and supplies the independent pagan inhabitants of Mount Alantíka with this necessary article.

21st. Búndam, or rather Búndang[168], a considerable place, the inhabitants of which are Fúlbe and Kanúri, not far from the eastern bank of the Fáro, on a shallow branch, backwater, or “chókel” of the river, while the Bénuwé is a good day’s journey northward. The country is flat, with sandy soil, and with small eminences of rock projecting here and there. Arrive at noon; direction west. In going from Búndang to Lamórde, a good day’s journey S.S.W., keeping along the “chókel” on which the place lies, you pass first by Úro Búggel, the former residence of Sámbo Jíkera, then by Turáwa (“the white people”), the residence of Mohammed Jóbdi, then by Báyaga, and then by Yáske, a Bátta village, where the road from Gúrin to Lamórde joins our road, and where the Fáro, from a sweep westward, once more approaches the track.

22nd. Gúrin, formerly the capital of Ádamáwa, but which was not regularly walled. It lies on the western bank of the Fáro, which here, from a more southerly direction, turns eastward, running towards Búndang, from whence again it makes a sweep towards the north: in the dry season Gúrin does not lie directly on the river, but on a backwater called “Gúddi.” People crossing from Búndang to Gúrin therefore, a distance in a straight line of perhaps only five or six miles, as they drift a great deal with the current, report the river to be of an immense breadth, and more important than the Bénuwé. A little lower down from Gúrin, the Fáro is joined by the máyo Béti.

23rd. If you take the northern road from Gúrin to Yóla, you pass by Fárda; if the southern one, you stay a night in Béti (Binti?), a Púllo settlement lying on the eastern side of a rivulet (called after it the máyo Binti?). Arrive in Béti about three o’clock P.M.

24th. By the north road Yebbólewó, on the west bank of Máyo Binti; by the southern road Gáwo-Nyíbbi, a Púllo settlement, with a considerable market every Wednesday. The village has received its name from the circumstance that the Fúlbe, on their coming to this place, found in it a large troop of elephants, “nyíbbi.” A short day’s journey; and, if you choose, you can easily go on to Yóla the same day.

25th. Yóla; early in the morning.

3. Route from Saráwu, by Gidér, to Fátawel and Bínder.

1st day. Bútu, a Púllo settlement in a mountainous district, and a small watercourse towards N.W. at the foot of a mountain; the inhabitants, however, provide themselves only from wells. A short march, east.

2nd. Doérnom or rather Doérnomi, a Púllo settlement in an open, well-cultivated district; a short march, east.

3rd. Búllemi, a place inhabited by pagans in its inner circle, and by Fúlbe all around, skirted by a watercourse on the east side, and bordered by a mountain at some distance towards the north. Pass another watercourse on the road, which runs towards Hína. About eight or ten miles N.W. from Búllemi, and about sixteen or eighteen miles E. or E.N.E. from Saráwu, is Ngómna, a large pagan village of the Falí.

4th. Méso, a considerable Púllo settlement, which is said to possess as many as 200 horses; it is situated in an entirely open country, and is near a watercourse, which is said to run N. (?) and to join that of Doérnum. On the road the village of Hámma Gári is passed, which was formerly the residence of Ísubu (Yusuf) Derbé, the father of Ardo Badéshi. If a man walk well, he can reach Méso in one day from Saráwu.

5th. Péske, a Púllo settlement and residence of ʿAbdú, a brother of the governor of Méso and Badéshi, in an open valley plain, and with a small watercourse on the west side.

6th. Gidér, the place above mentioned, inhabited by pagans and Fúlbe, and skirted by a watercourse, which is said to be joined by three others near a place called Kólla, and to run towards Máyo Kébbi. Gidér is properly a district comprising four villages situated on the tops of mountains. There are two roads from Péske to Gidér, one more direct, leading straight through the mountainous wilderness in an easterly direction, while another, passing by a place called Yáji, forms an angle. Gidér is about eight miles north from Báinga or Báila; you may easily reach Gidér in one day from Méso.

7th. Soráyi, a place inhabited chiefly by pagans, and having but a few Fúlbe, with a small watercourse on its south side; arrive about noon, direction east.

8th. Bínder, a large town, inhabited by Fúlbe, arrive in the morning.

From Bínder to Káfta-Báudi, the place mentioned above, is one day and a half N.N.E., spending the night in Gajám, where you arrive late in the afternoon, having passed on your road the village of Torók, then Goy, Kosére, and, further on, Búsu; arrive the next day, before the heat, in Káfta-Báudi.

From Gidér to Fátawel.

1st day. Encamp in the wilderness between two and three o’clock, P.M.; country mountainous.

2nd. Gázabá, the place mentioned above; arrive early in the morning. The road, as far as this place E.N.E., now turns a little south from east.

3rd. Mískin, a Púllo settlement in the plain; arrive in the morning.

4th. Míndif, a considerable Púllo place at the east and N.E. foot of Mount Míndif, or Méndefi. There is another road from Gázabá to Míndif, turning round the south side of the mountain, and passing first by Kadé, the residence of Ardo Béle, then by Salág.

5th. Máudi, a large place, residence of the Lawán Sʿaíd, who is said to have a good many horsemen under his command; the country intersected by several small watercourses. Direction a little north of east.

6th. Fátawel, an important place, residence of the chief Mʿallem Hámma Yegúdu, and the principal ivory-market in this part of Africa. Indeed it is so celebrated that people in Bórnu generally suppose its name to be that of a large region. About ten miles east of Fátawel is Darám or rather Darám-sulú, a large place inhabited by many Kanúri, as well as by Fúlbe, and the residence of the chief Ardo Kalíbi, and south from it another place called Gájia. I here subjoin the road from Bága, on my Músgu route, to Fátawel.

1st day. Kadé, not the village before mentioned, nor the place where the Músgu chief Ádishén at present resides, but originally a part of the same district, which at present forms a Púllo settlement and residence of the chief Ardo Júlde (“chief of the Moslemín”).

2nd. Káya, a Púllo settlement, residence of Ardo Ísa (or ʿAísa, that is, Jesus), a short march. East from Káya, at no great distance, are the Púllo settlements Bágané and Gúmbulé, and south of the former the sister towns Káfta-Báudi, Káfta lying on the north, and Báudi on the south side of a shallow watercourse, “fáddama,” or ngáljam, and being ruled by one chief, Ardo Béllo.

3rd. Fátawel, early in the morning.

4. Road from Méso to Íssege, by way of Hína. Direction north.

1st day. Dabá, a pagan village, with but a small number of Fúlbe, in a very mountainous district; about noon.

2nd. Hína, a pagan village of the Mózogoy, a tribe nearly related to the Marghí, and probably, therefore, another branch of the Bátta. Their chief has a house at the foot, and another on the top, of the rocky mount round which the place is situated.

3rd. Udábunú, a village situated at the foot of a rocky mount, and inhabited by pagans. Arrive about two o’clock P.M.

4th. Madágalí, a pagan village; a long march ascending and descending in a mountainous country with many small watercourses.

5th. Íssege, the Marghí place on my own route; a long day’s march. Before reaching the place, cross a river running northwards.

From Múbi to Hína, E.S.E., is one day.

Keep along the rivulet of Múbi as far as Bá, where you leave it; reach Jímmi at noon, and Hína between three and four o’clock P.M., marching at an expeditious rate.

5. Route from Géwe to Kárnak Lógone.

Not a direct road, but, such as it is, often taken by pilgrims. Corrected from the statements of several informants.

1st day. Bázuma, the Púllo settlement mentioned above, residence of Yamhúra, in a plain without watercourses, but having generally stagnant pools; a short march, east.

2nd. Badéshi, the Púllo settlement mentioned above, situated at the northern foot of a mountain; a long march; arrive between three and four o’clock P.M.; direction N.E.

3rd. Báinga or Báila, a Púllo settlement in a mountainous district, residence of ʿOmáro Mbílla; a very short march, of about six miles.

4th. Bínder, the Púllo place mentioned above, in a plain; in the dry season stagnant pools, in the rainy season running water. A very long march, from early in the morning till sunset; direction N.E. Road unsafe, the country not being entirely subjected by the conquering Fúlbe. A little after noon pass close by Bizér, one of the strongholds of the Mbána.

5th. Lára, a Púllo settlement, with a mountain towards the west; arrive in the forenoon; direction north.

6th. Míndif, the Púllo settlement mentioned above, at the foot of the high mountain of the same name. Among the Fúlbe live a few pagans of the tribe of the Zummáya. A short march a little north from west. There is another more western and more frequented road between Bínder and Míndif, leading by Bobóyo, which is about half-way; between Bobóyo and Lára are the places Ghadás and Kílgim, and between Bobóyo and Gidér the villages of Múmmur, Tóde, and Lam, at about equal distances in succession, Múmmur lying a few miles south from Bobóyo, and Lam about ten miles north or N.N.W. from Gidér. This whole district seems to be very mountainous; and it is therefore difficult to lay down the roads with any certainty.

7th. Máudi, a Púllo settlement in a mountainous district without rivulets; a short march N.E. There is another place of the same name at no great distance, but inhabited by pagans of the tribe of the Zummáya.

8th. Yúlguf, a Púllo village near a small mountain; the country in general level; short journey; direction, N.-E.S.E., at a short distance from Yúlguf, is a small place called Yólde, or Yúlde.

9th. Bálazá, a Púllo settlement in a level country; a short march east.

10th. Bógo, the considerable Púllo place, mentioned above, residence of Lawán Gári; arrive about noon; direction east.

11th. Bálda, a pagan village on the top of a small mount. Short march, east.

12th. Malám, the border settlement of the Fúlbe, towards the Músgu country, and formerly the residence of Khúrsu, who now resides in Bógo. At a short distance south from Malám is another smaller place of the same name, with the surname Jébjeb. The informant from whom I first wrote this itinerary, Abú Bakr ben Nʿam, before continuing his direct road eastward, entirely retraced his steps westward from this place, after he had already changed his direction in Bógo, which is S.E. from Malám, visiting Márruwa, which is about thirty miles west from Malám, and thence returning S.E. towards Fátawel, which is about the same distance, or a little more, from Márruwa. Malám is about thirty miles S.S.W. from Wolóje, on my Músgu route.

15th. Wáza, a small village, consisting of two hamlets, and belonging to Lógone; a few Fúlbe families are settled here. The country level, with the exception of a few detached rocky hills. This is the place where we encamped on our return from the Músgu expedition. Abú Bakr passed two nights in the wilderness between Malám and Wáza, which is full of elephants and wild oxen (“mbánna”); but an expeditious traveller will make this journey in one day, from early morning till about five o’clock in the afternoon. Direction, N.E.

16th. Jínna, a considerable walled town of the territory of Lógone, in a plain richly clothed with trees, an important market for ivory, and distinguished by its fine matting and lattice-work. A man who wishes to travel direct in going from Malám to Jínna does not touch at Wáza, but leaves it at some distance north.

18th. Logón Bírni, or Kárnak Lógone, the capital of the small kingdom of the latter name. On this march a bare wilderness, called by Abú Bakr, “Fíli Obája,” stretches out towards the south. On the road are three villages.

6. Routes to and in the Province of Búbanjídda and Mbána.

i. From Gúrin to Ray-Búba, the capital of the province of Búbanjídda. Rate expeditious. Direction east.

1st day. Chébowa, the Púllo settlement mentioned above.

2nd. Kauyen, called by other informants Wóyene, a small Púllo settlement.

3rd. Bóngi, another Púllo place, situated on the Bénuwé.

4th. Bidéng, another large place, inhabited by Fúlbe and Dáma, residence of a son of Búba, and occasionally also of many wealthy inhabitants of the walled town Ray Búba, situated on the máyo Dóro, which, near the place Bóngi just mentioned, joins the Bénuwé, the place Dóro, from which it takes its name, lying between Bidéng and Bóngi. Another more southerly and more direct road leads in one day from Wóyene to Bidéng, passing in the morning by Agúrma, a large Púllo settlement upon which Wóyene is dependent, and crossing at noon the Bénuwé.

5th. Ray Búba, the capital of the country of the Dáma, a family of the Falí, called at present Búbanjídda, from the Púllo conqueror Búba, a man of the tribe of the Hillegáwa, and his mother Jídda. The town, being strongly fortified and surrounded by a wall, with four gates, lies on the máyo Chubí, which joins the Bénuwé.

ii. Three different roads from Ray-Búba to Ribágo. Direction north.

(a.) The westernmost.

1st day. Bidéng or Bidáng, the place just before mentioned.

2nd. Bóngi, residence of the Púllo chief ʿOmár Gári; cross the Bénuwé.

3rd. Sáini, a Púllo settlement, residence of a chief called by my Kanúri informant, Mʿallem Fébe, probably from his rich possessions of cattle, “fé.” Before entering the place, cross the river Bénuwé, which skirts its southern side. On the north side of the place is a high mountain. In this place the road from Ray to Ribágo is joined by the general road from Géwe to Ribágo, from Géwe to Dýllemi, about ten miles south along the eastern bank of the Bénuwé, from Dýllemi to Bóngi, passing by Dóka, about eighteen miles, and from here Sáini, at a short distance.

4th. Gámfargó, a Púllo settlement; short march.

5th. Ribágo, or perhaps more correctly, Ribádo (“the prince’s residence”)[169], a large and important Púllo settlement, the residence of the powerful chief Bágeri (Bú Bakr), and situated on a watercourse of some size, called by the Fúlbe “Máyo Gelangéro,” which joins the river Bénuwé at a hamlet called “Rúmde Hámma Salátu,” distant from Ribádo two days’ journey, sleeping the first night in a village of the Dáma, called Úro Kanáwachi[170], which is reached about two o’clock P.M., and arriving in Rúmde the next morning.

(b.) The middle road.

1st day. Lifóro, or Livóro, a cluster of two villages, one inhabited by pagans of the Dáma tribe, and the other by Fúlbe; arrive at noon. Wilderness the whole way.

2nd. Bárgirám[171], a Púllo settlement, and residence of a chief of the name of ʿOmáro; about noon. Dense forest the whole way.

3rd. Ribágo; a long day; arrive between four and five o’clock P.M.

(c.) The eastern road.

1st day. Bágalá, a Púllo settlement. About twelve miles S.E. from this place lies Bére, which will be mentioned further on.

2nd. “Bári hosére” (Bári the rocky hill), called so to distinguish it from another Bári, a Púllo settlement; before noon. Bári hosére is ten or twelve miles east from Bárgirám, and about fifteen miles N.E. from Bére.

3rd. Nákiri, a Púllo settlement; before noon.

4th. Ribágo. Expeditious travellers often make the journey from Ray to Ribágo in two days, passing the night in the farming-village Úro Íbbe.

iii. From Ribágo to Saráwu.

1st day. Lapáre-, or Lafáre-Fulfúlde, in order to distinguish it from the pagan village of the same name, Lafáre Héferbe (plural of “keféro,” “the infidel”); arrive before noon. N.N.W.

2nd. Wógoló, Fúlbe; forenoon.

3rd. Láyade, Fúlbe; arrive about noon, having passed on the road a place called Bay.

4th. Saurogúmji, Fúlbe; arrive about noon, having some time before left on the right the place Méso.

5th. Saráwu; arrive about four o’clock P.M. Soon after starting in the morning, the road is joined by the path coming from Méso; and then you pass the villages Dýllemi and Doernum.

From Ribágo to Báila is one day’s journey from early morning till about three o’clock P.M.; direction north. Pass in the morning a village called ʿOmáruwá, or more correctly Manjáula ʿOmáruwá (“the village of ʿOmár”), and about noon Búsa, both of them situated on the north side of the máyo Kébbi. In time of peace between the Mohammedan intruders and the pagan natives, the cattle of Báila are driven into the rich pasture-grounds of this valley. This valley, as forming almost a natural communication between the Bénuwé and the Shári, and in this way between the Gulf of Benín and the Tsád, is of the highest importance, and will receive more illustration further on.

iv. From Géwe to Lére. Rate very expeditious.

1st day. Óblo, a Púllo settlement in a mountainous country. A long day’s journey, direction N.E. Óblo is about ten miles north, or a little west from north, from Ribágo, passing by Lafáre.

2nd. Bifára, an independent pagan place, in a large green valley or fáddama, “chókel,” with a perennial rivulet, the máyo Kébbi, an eastern branch of the Bénuwé. The place itself lies on the north side of the valley, while on its south side there is a mountain.

3rd. Lére, a large pagan place of the Mbána, and residence of the powerful chief Gónshomé, who is greatly feared, as well by the Fúlbe as by the Kanúri. In the beginning of 1851, shortly before my journey to Yóla, in consequence of an expedition on a large scale being undertaken against him, he had been obliged to acknowledge, in a certain degree, the supremacy of the Fúlbe; but soon after, he again shook off all sort of allegiance. The situation of the place seems very strong, by reason of its position in the swampy wooded valley, which, according to all information, must have an immense extent. The larger valley, which comes from the east, is here joined by a small watercourse, which is said to descend from Bínder, and is identical, I think, with the máyo Saréndi. The Mbána form a numerous tribe, extending as far as Gidér, in which direction Bizér, Jabéri, and Lam are three of their chief frontier-places.

In going from Géwe to Lére, a person can also make stages in the following places: first night in Lafáre, the village mentioned before, situated on the N.W. side of the máyo Kébbi, where he arrives between two and three o’clock P.M.; second night Búsa, a Púllo village on the north side of the máyo Kébbi, where he arrives about noon, having left in the morning the village of Óblo towards the north; on the third, between two and three o’clock P.M., he arrives at Lére.

v. Ray to Lére.

1st day. Livóro, the pagan settlement of this name, in subjection to Búbanjídda; the country level. Arrive about noon.

2nd. Bére, a large Púllo place, with Mʿallem Ádama Agúrmama, who is said to be able to bring about a thousand horse into the field. Agúrma, his native place, from which he has received his surname, lies one day and a half from this place beyond the Bénuwé. A person going thither from Bére, passes the night in Gúmbolí, lying on the east bank of the river, and in the morning reaches Agúrma. About twelve miles north from this Bére lies another smaller Púllo place of the same name, surnamed Gárgabe, from a relation of Ádama’s; and east of Bére Gárgabe lies Bére Malómaró; and further eastward Jóro Súki, while to the north of this latter is situated the place of Mʿallem Hámma Duwé.

3rd. Duwé, the Púllo settlement just mentioned; a long march through a plain country, there being only an isolated mountain on the east side of the road.

4th. Lére. The watercourse of the máyo Kébbi, or Íbbi as it is also called, has so little inclination that the informant from whom I wrote this itinerary thought it joined the Shári.

vi. The valley of the máyo Kébbi, from Óblo to Démmo, my furthest point on the Músgu expedition, which will be described in the following volume.

Going from Óblo to Lére, along the wide and luxuriant fáddama of the máyo Kébbi (direction east), you first pass Búsa (see above), then turning southward along the sweep of the valley leave Manjáula, the village of ʿOmár, also on the north side of the valley, about eight miles S.E. from Óblo; then you leave Kacháwu, situated at the foot of a mountain which is visible even from Báila, on the south side of the valley; then Bifára, a considerable place, on the north side of the valley, and distant from Bínder three short days, arriving on the first day, before the heat, in Zábeli, the second about the same time in Míndang, a place of the Mbána which has been ransacked by Mohammed Lowel, and on the third day reaching Bínder about noon. Having passed the night in Bifára, the following day you leave Gégo on the south side of the valley, and further on Góngudúk, the birth-place of the father of the famous pagan chief Gónshomé, on a small island in a lake or large pond formed by a stemming of the shallow waters of the river; about noon you reach Lére. S.W. from Lére, and S.E. from Góngudúk, is another place called Filléngtenáne. Going from Lére to Démmo, you pass the first night in Máyo Lédde, a Púllo settlement governed by Ardo Chídda, and situated on a watercourse of the same name, which a little further north joins the máyo Kébbi; arrive here between two and three o’clock P.M. On the second day arrive before noon in Dóre, a Púllo settlement, still proceeding along the fáddama of the máyo Kébbi; and about ten miles further on you come to the Túburi or Túfuri, from whence Démmo is half a day N.E. But between Démmo and Túburi the fáddama is apparently interrupted, this rising ground of very little elevation forming the water-parting between the Niger and the Tsád.[172]

vii. From Chébowa to Láme.

1st day. Ngóng, a district consisting of two large villages inhabited by Fúlbe and pagans, and the residence of a chief called Njébbo. The country level; arrive between two and three o’clock P.M., having crossed the máyo Dúkka, which further on joins the Bénuwé.

2nd. Báme, a place inhabited conjointly by Fúlbe and Kanúri, the former, however, predominating. The population of Dýllemi, which is at some distance to the north, on a creek or inlet (ngáljam) of the river, also unites these two different elements. A short march, direction east.

3rd. Dóga, on the west bank of the Bénuwé, which is crossed here; the country flat.

4th. Gámsargú (identical, I think, with Gámforgó, p. 604.), a place inhabited by Kanúri and Fúlbe. Short march.

6th. Nákeri (see above). An expeditious traveller, starting from Báme in the dry season, may reach Nákeri early in the afternoon, crossing the Bénuwé at a place called Lágeri, and leaving Dóka to the south, then passing Gámsargú, and leaving Séni to the north.

7th. Bári hosére, a large place inhabited by Fúlbe, and the residence of the chief Hámed, who is dependent on Bágeri, the governor of Ribágo. The place is skirted on the east side by the máyo Hílle, being joined by another stream, called Máyo Dóro (not the same as that mentioned above), and which is said to join the máyo Kébbi.

8th. Bére Gárgabe, the place mentioned above, which may also be easily reached in one day from Nákeri, leaving Bári hosére a little southward. This place is also skirted by a stream called máyo Súk.

9th. Láme, a large village inhabited by pagans of the tribe of the Mbána and by a few Fúlbe, in a flat country with a river which is stated (although the fact seems improbable), by all informants unanimously, to join the Shári, or rather Serbéwel (the river “Arre” or “Éré” of the Músgu), and which seems to be the same with the máyo Súk near Bére Gárgabe, called so after a place named Súk, which you pass early in the morning. From Láme to Lére is a very long day’s march of about thirty-five miles, direction N.N.W.

viii. From Ray to Láme and Lága.

(a.) Northern Road.

1st day. Lifóro héferbe, the pagan village of that name lying about eight miles east from the Púllo village of the same name (Lifóro Fulfúlde); arrive at noon. North.

2nd. Bére, early in the forenoon. N.N.E.

3rd. Láme; east.

(b.) Southern Road.

1st day. Dámtogó, a Púllo settlement; the country level, broken only by detached hills.

2nd. Dáli, a pagan village.

3rd. Láme.

4th. Duwé, a pagan village; the country well cultivated. Short march, east.

5th. Máfalá, a pagan village. None of these pagans are tattooed. About noon; direction E.S.E.

6th. Lága, or Láka, a large place inhabited exclusively by pagans (of the tribe of Mbána) who tattoo the left cheek and cheekbone; or rather, according to more accurate information, the men make a scar on the forehead and above the nose, while the women tattoo the right arm and shoulder.

ix. From Démmo, my furthest point in the Músgu country (see Vol. III.), to Lága, at a most expeditious rate.

1st day. Dáwa, a district with two rocky mountains inhabited by the Túfuri or Túburi, a tribe of the Falí, and with a large shallow stream, which forms the beginning of the máyo Kébbi, and which, according to this informant (Mʿallem Jýmma, a very intelligent Shúwa chief, of whom I shall speak in the following volume), receives the waters of the ngáljam of Démmo.

2nd. Kéra, a village inhabited by pagans, who perforate their lips; a long day’s journey.

3rd. Láka, a large pagan place, in some degree dependent on the lord of Búbanjídda, who extends his ghazzias, or rather “kónno,” as far as this place. The country is level, with the exception of a small rocky eminence. A rivulet which skirts Láka has, according to Mʿallem Jýmma, its inclination towards the river Serbéuwel, a statement which wants confirmation. The inhabitants, according to this informant, tattoo the breast.

Having traced, along the thread of these itineraries, the conquests of the Fúlbe towards the east and north-east over the regions inclosed between the Bénuwé and the Shári—a country which is sometimes pre-eminently called Jemmára, or rather Jemmáʿa, because the revolutionary and reformatory principle of the Fúlbe has here developed itself with eminent success,—I now return in the opposite direction, in order to follow the progress of these enterprising and restless people in their advance towards the Bight of Benín. The first effect of their advance is assuredly most calamitous, their road being marked by the ashes of burnt villages and the blood of thousands of unfortunate creatures; but, on the other hand, they have laid open these regions to inquiries which may be followed up by more efficacious proceedings; and it may be reasonably questioned whether these countries would ever have been opened to extensive commerce if they had remained in the hands of a motley multitude of petty pagan chiefs.

1. Routes to Báya.

i. Route from Ray Búba to Báya, a little west from south.

1st day. Hosére Chólle (the “Bird Rock”), a village lying round an isolated rocky hill where many of the wealthy inhabitants of Ray have second establishments; about noon.

2nd. Bumgórgo (Mbúm Górgo), a village inhabited by the slaves of the conquerors, and named after an influential overseer of that name, in a mountainous district; arrive between four and five o’clock P.M.