so great, that I did not enter into closer conversation with the governor, the darkness of the place not allowing me to distinguish his features. I had, however, a better opportunity of observing his almost European cast of countenance when I paid him another visit, in order to satisfy his curiosity by firing my six-barrelled revolver before his eyes. On this occasion he did me the honour of putting on the white heláli bernús which had constituted the chief attraction of my present, and which he esteemed very highly, as most noble people do in this country, while the common chief values more highly a dress of showy colours. The white half-silk bernús looked very well, especially as he wore underneath it a red cloth kaftan.

The real name of the governor is Kóso, Múniyóma being, as I have stated on a former occasion*, nothing but a general title, meaning the governor of Múniyó, which, in the old division of the vast empire of Bórnu, formed part of the Yerí. In the present reduced state of the kingdom of Bórnu, he was the most powerful and respectable of the governors, and, by his personal dignity had more the appearance of a prince than almost any other chief whom I saw in Negroland. Besides making himself respected by his intelligence and just conduct, he has succeeded in spreading a sort of mystery round his daily life, which enhanced his authority. The people assured me that nobody ever saw him eating. But, as far as I had an opportunity of observing, even his family

CHAP. LIV.

CHARACTER OF MU'NIYO'MA.

55

harboured that jealousy and want of confidence which undermines the wellbeing of so many princely households based on polygamy.

Kóso at that time was a man of about sixty years of age, and, unfortunately, died shortly afterwards, in the year 1854. He had displayed a great deal of energy on several occasions. It was he who had transferred the seat of government of this province from Búne to Gúre, having conquered (or probably only reconquered) this territory from the Diggera, the Tawárek tribe formerly scattered over a great part of Háusa. But notwithstanding his own energetic character, he had manifested his faithfulness to his sovereign lord in Kúkawa at the time of the inroad of the Wádáy, when Serkí Ibrám, the governor of Zinder, not only declared himself independent, but even demanded homage from the neighbouring vassals of the Bórnu empire, and, when such was denied him, marched against Múniyóma, but was beaten near the town of Wúshek. Such faithful adherence to the new dynasty of the Kánemíyín in Kúkawa is the more remarkable in this man, as the ruling family of Múniyóma seems to have been of ancient standing, and it was an ancestor of Kóso, of the name of Sérriyó, who once conquered the strong town of Dáura, the most ancient of the Háusa states.

But notwithstanding the more noble disposition which certainly distinguished this man from most of his colleagues, here also the misery connected with the horrors of slave-hunting and the slave-trade was very

palpable. For, in order to be enabled to pay his debts, he was just then about to undertake a foray against one of the towns of the Diggera, the inhabitants of which had behaved in a friendly manner towards the Tawárek during their recent inroad; and he begged me, very urgently, to stay until his return from the foray. But as I did not want anything from him, and as the road before me was a long one, I preferred pursuing my journey, taking care, however, to obtain information from him, and from the principal men in his company, respecting those localities of the province which most deserved my attention.

Kóso departed, with his troop in several small detachments, about noon on the 18th, the signal for starting not being made with a drum, as is usual in Bórnu, but with an iron instrument which dates from the old pagan times, and not unlike that of the Músgu. It was also very characteristic, that during his absence the lieutenant-governorship was exercised by the mágirá, or the mother of the governor, who was said to have ruled on former occasions in a very energetic manner, punishing all the inhabitants, capable of bearing arms, who had remained behind. Before setting out, however, on his foray, the governor sent me a camel as a present, which, although it was not a first-rate one, and was knocked up before I reached Kátsena, nevertheless proved of some use for a few days. I presume that it had been his intention to have given me a better animal, and that his design had only been frus

1

CHAP. LIV.

SLAVE-HUNTING.-SITE OF GU're.

57

trated by some selfish people. He had expressed a wish to purchase from me a pair of Arab pistols; but although I possessed three beautifully-ornamented pairs, I wanted them myself as presents for other chiefs on my further march, and therefore could not gratify his wish. During my stay here he treated me very hospitably, sending me, besides numerous dishes of prepared food, two fat sheep as a present.

Gúre, the present residence of Múniyóma, lies on the southern slope of a rocky eminence, and is separated, by irregular ground, into several detached portions containing, altogether, a population of about 8000 inhabitants. In former years it was more spacious; and its circumference had only been lessened a short time before my arrival, in order to insure greater security. But it is only surrounded with a single, and in some places a double, fence or stockade, the south-western corner, which is most exposed to an attack, being protected in a curious way, by a labyrinth of fences, including a number of cottongrounds and kitchen-gardens.* But although in this

* I here give a list of the towns and more important villages belonging to the province of Múniyó:- Gúre, the present capital, conquered from the Díggera by Kóso the present governor; Búne, the old capital; New Búne; Sulléri, the chief market-place; Wúshek; Gábana; Sangáya; Méza; Gertégené; Mázamní; Mástatá; Keléno; Kizámmana; Dellakóri; Bóbit, W. of Old Búne; Bírnin-Gámmachak or Chéchega, the oldest possession of the Múniyómas; Gábu, inhabited besides by Manga, also by Kanúri and Fúlbe; Bratáwa; Kólorí; two places called Gediyó; Kábara; Fasú; Chágamo; Mérerí; Ngámarí; Berdéri; Wódo; Dudémerí; Yebál; Deríkwá; Kalalíwa; Chando; Wurme; Másoda; Fusám

manner the town is only very insufficiently protected against a serious attack, the inhabitants have the advantage of the rocky cone rising over their heads, where they might certainly retire in such a case.

Sunday,

I left Gúre, continuing my march towards December 19th. Zinder not along the most direct road, but with the intention of visiting those localities which were likely to present the most interesting features. I therefore kept first in a westerly direction, passing through a mountainous district, and further on through more open country, with the purpose of visiting Wúshek, a place which had been mentioned to me as peculiarly interesting. The situation of the place has something (as the plate a few pages further on, as well as the woodcut, will show) very peculiar about it—a mixture of fertility and aridity, of cultivation and desolation, of industry and neglect -being situated at some distance from the foot of a mountainrange, and separated from it by a barren tract, while on

ghaná; Bermárili; three places called Kadalébbuwa; two places Mája; Changa, with a market every Wednesday; Hogómarí ; Gínuwa; Umórarí; Maiganarí; Falám; three places Kolólluwa; Donári; Gáso; Onjol; Wonji; Aladári; Grémarí; U'duwa; Koïgdám; Bítuwa; Kúrerí; Wórirám; Shéddiga; Ngamda; Boggosúwa; Shá; Bráda; Garekkhí; Mádará; Gergériwá; Sassudári; Gásabá; Maya; Lássorí; Shút; Aúra; Ganákta; Maye; Kelle; Aidambé; Ferám; Hugadébbuwa; two places Felládarí; Yémmerí; Dúgerí; Búgu; Ngóliwá; Térmuwa; Gurógudá; U'rowa; Gárruwa; Farram; Hosomawáro; Shishuwa; Kangárruwa; Bóbot; Mallem Mádorí; Daúrduwa; Deríguwa; Gujámbo; Wárimí; Gajémmi; Inyóm; Tsérruwa; Mallemrí; Karbo; Aríwaul; Díni, and others.