Songhay.

to hold possession for ever of this distant province for his master in Morocco. This is a highly interesting fact. But a small spark of native independence nevertheless remained behind in this province, from whence the Moroccains, after the first energetic impulse was gone, were forced to fall back. While the Bashá himself was thus waging relentless war against the nucleus and the eastern part of the Songhay empire, the conquest and destruction of national independence was going on no less in the west. The great centre of national feeling and of independent spirit in that quarter was Timbuktu, a town almost enjoying the rank of a separate capital, on account of the greater amount of Mohammedan learning therein concentrated. It was on account of this feeling of independence, probably, that the inhabitants would not bear the encroachments of the Káíd el Mústapha upon their liberty, especially as he wanted to fill from his own choice, after the death of Yahia, the place of the Túmbutukoy, or Túmbutu-mangha, as he is here called, the office of the native governor. Thus a bloody tumult arose in the town, when the Tárki chief Ausamba came to the assistance of the distressed Káíd, probably from motives of plunder; and thus the whole town was consumed by flames, it being a dreadful day for the inhabitants. Nay, the enraged Káíd, who had now got the upper hand, wanted to slaughter them all; but the Káíd Mámi succeeded in reestablishing peace between the inhabitants and El Mústapha; and quiet and comfort began to return; so that even those who had emigrated again returned to their na

tive homes. Even the inspector of the harbour, who had retired to the province of Banku, or Bengu, came back with the fleet. The communication therefore with Jinni and the region on the upper course of the river was reopened. Having then made a successful expedition against the Zoghorán, who devastated the districts of Bara and Dirma, and inflicted upon them a most severe punishment, the Káíd Mámi went himself to Jinni, which had suffered a great deal from the devastating incursions of the pagan Bámbara, and took up his residence for a time in the palace of the Jinnikoy. Having then installed 'Abd-Allah ben 'Oth mán as governor of Jinni, and arranged matters in that distant place, he returned to Timbúktu. Samba Lámido ("lámido" means "governor"), evidently a Púllo, in Danka, or Denga, devastated many of the places on the Rás el má, and committed great havoc and bloodshed.

Thus the Moroccains had conquered almost the whole of this extensive empire, from Dendi as far as, and even beyond, Jinni; for they even took possession of part of Baghena, and conquered the whole province of Hombori, or, as it is called from its rocky character, Tóndi or El Hajri, to the south of the river. Nay, they even conquered part of Tombo, the strong native kingdom inclosed between Hómbori, Mósi, Jinni, and Jimballa. They had their chief garrisons in Jinni, Timbúktu, Bamba, which on this account received the name Kasbah, in Gágho, and Kalna in Dendi; and their chief strength consisted in intermarrying with the natives, and thus producing a distinct class

The Bambara appear as a conquering race.

Songhay.

Neighbouring Kingdoms.

of people, who, as Ermá, or Rumá, are distinguished to this very day; while the peculiar dialect of Songhay, which they speak, has been produced lately as a distinct language by M. Raffenel.* But

these half-castes soon found all their interest in their new abode, and cared little for Morocco; so that the advantage which the latter country drew from this conquest was only of a very transitory character. Certainly, there was some sort of order established; but there was no new organization, as it seems; the old forms being preserved, and soon becoming effete. On the whole, we cannot but admire the correctness of the following passage of Bábá A'hmed, who says: "Thus this Mahalla, at that period, found in Sudán (Songhay) one of those countries of the earth which are most favoured with comfort, plenty, peace, and prosperity everywhere; such was the working of the government of the Emir el Múmenín, A'skíá el Háj Mohammed ben A bú Bakr, in consequence of his justice and the power of his royal command, which took full and peremptory effect, not only in his capital, but in all the districts of his whole empire, from the province of Dendi to the frontiers of Morocco, and from the territory of Bennendúgu (to the south of Jinni) as far as Tegháza and Tawat. But in a moment all was changed, and peaceful repose was succeeded by a constant state of fear, comfort and security by trouble and suffering; ruin and misfortune took the place of prosperity, and people began every

Múláy A'hmed Sheikh succeeds to 1647 1057

Múláy Wálid; but is soon after

killed in a revolt.

Króm el Háji usurps the throne: is 1654-5 1065 soon after assassinated.

Múláy Mohammed, son of Múláy 1664 1075-8 'Alí, the founder of the Filáli dynasty, dethroned by his brother E' Rashid: E' Rashid takes possession of the town of Morocco.

Sídi 'Alí, governor of Sús, takes refuge in Songhay *-a proof that the garrison stationed there had made themselves quite independent of Morocco at that time, notwithstanding the energetic rule of E' Rashid, who died

The Tademékket are driven out of their former seats and deprived of their supremacy by the Awelímmid or A'welímmiden (the Lamta), who | formerly had been settled in Igídi with the Welád Delém, with whom they were allied. Karidénne, the son of Shwash and of a wife from the tribe of the Tademékket, murdered the chief of the latter tribe, and drove them out of A'derár, when they went westward and implored the protection of the Basha, who assigned them new seats round about the backwaters between Timbúktu and Gúndam.