especially in those of Mohammed Bóro, my friend the fugger of Ágades, who, being a native of Ádar, and having a numerous host of full-grown sons, exercises a great influence upon commercial and even political affairs in these quarters. Having thus commenced an acquaintance with the most respectable man in the town, I made a longer promenade through its interior, when I found the chief quarter, which had been the residence of Bello, greatly dilapidated, and the royal mansion itself in a state of the utmost decay. No doubt a considerable proportion of the inhabitants of the town, especially the males, had joined the expedition of ʿAlíyu to Zánfara: but as the greater part of the population consists of Zoromáwa or Zoghorán, or, as they are called further westward, Jawámbe, a peculiar tribe which I have mentioned before and about which I shall say more in another place, mixed here with the Imóshagh of Ádar, who do not join the army, the war could not exercise so great an influence upon the desolate appearance of the place. The Zoromáwa, in fact, are the artisans of the town, and the small tradesmen and brokers, and exercise a sort of monopoly in the art of working in leather, in which they are very expert, having probably learned it from the Emgedesíye. In endeavouring to survey the town, I first paid a visit to the market, which is situated at its north-eastern corner, on the brink of the rugged slope which descends into the valley. It was empty at the present time,—only a few slight sheds being made ready for the following day, when the great market was to be held; and the prospect over the broad flat valley to the north and north-west, in the direction of Dúnday, was uninterrupted, presenting at this season a scorched-up savanna, while the deep rill of the river was scarcely to be distinguished. A number of blind women, leaning on their staves or led by young children, were seen carrying pitchers of water up the cliff, affording a sad proof of the unhealthiness of the situation of the town, where blindness is very frequent. Turning then westwards from the market, I reached the house of the late king ʿAtíku, where at present his son Hámedu resides, who formerly had his residence at Bakúra, till that place was taken by the Góberáwa. The house is in good repair, and the quarter adjacent is tolerably well inhabited—at least, better than any other part of the town; for Hámedu is the chief of the Sissílbe or Syllebáwa[57], who form the principal stock of the population of the neighbouring hamlets or rugga of Sókoto. The different nationality of these Syllebáwa, causing a diversity of interests and pursuits, is stated to be one of the reasons why ʿAlíyu, who has been made sultan chiefly through the influence of the Tórobe, does not like to reside at Sókoto as well as at Wurnó, although his residence at the latter place is greatly needed in the present reduced state of his power, in consequence of the continual