There seems to have been a considerable degree of civilization in former times in this little kingdom of Kótokó, or rather in this group of distinct principalities, the independent character of which is clearly shown by the great diversity of its dialects, which vary with every large town: viz. Klésem, Gulfé and Kúsuri, Mákari and Máfaté, Áfadé, Rén, and Ngála. When we consider that this country is not mentioned among the list of the Negro countries by Ébn Sʿaíd (A.D. 1283) which is preserved by Ébn Khaldún[23], where even the Kúrí are not forgotten, while it is evidently mentioned by Makrízi[24], it appears that it rose into importance in the course of the 14th century. Although we are not able to explain fully the circumstances under which this happened, we may conclude that it was due in some degree to the struggle between the two powerful dynasties of Bórnu and Bulála. As for the dialect of Áfadé, of which I made a short vocabulary, it appears to form a link between the idiom of the Yédiná[25], the islanders of the Tsád, on the one side, and the Músgu people on the other. In the province of Áfadé a great proportion of the population consists of Shúwa, principally of the tribes E’ Nejaíme, and Welád Abú Khodhaír. The governor was absent just at the time, on a small expedition to chastise some of these people, who are very unsettled in their habits, and often refractory. Notwithstanding his absence, however, we were very hospitably treated, our supper consisting, besides a sheep, and numerous bowls of Negro corn, of a dish of well-dressed fish, very palatable, from the river Lebé; there was likewise no scarcity of milk. [Sidenote: March 11th.] It would certainly have been very interesting to have made a few days’ stay here, in order to obtain a clearer insight into the peculiar characteristics of this province; but as the more distant object of my enterprise did not allow of a longer delay, I pursued my march. All these towns are very inconvenient for travellers, their gates not being large enough for loaded camels to pass through. When we had reached the great road, where the forest is interrupted by a little cultivation of cotton, I saw two beautiful specimens of that species of antelope which is here called “tigdim,” of grey colour and very low in body; I think it is identical with, or nearly related to, the _Antilope annulipes_.