Meanwhile the town became more and more deserted; and on the 7th of April, Alháttu and ʿOmár, or Ghomáro, the two brothers of the ghaladíma, with numbers of other people, went to join the expedition: but these fighting men, with a few exceptions, care only about their bodily comfort, and for a few “goríye” or Kóla nuts would be willing to sell the whole of their military accoutrements. It was a great matter with these warriors, that, while the old goríye were nearly finished, the new ones, which were just then brought into the market, were sold for the high price of 120 shells each. In scarcely any place of Negroland did I observe so little true military spirit as in Wurno; and almost all the leading men seem to be imbued with the melancholy conviction that their rule in these quarters is drawing to an end. [Illustration: 1. Residence of Alíyu. 2. Market-place. 3. Kófa-n-Sábuwa. 4. K. Serkí-n-Ágades. 5. K. Kásuwa. 6. K. Máleki. 7. K. Kúrremi. 8. K. Ráha. 9. K. Ríma. 10. K. Ghaladámchi. 11. Gída-n-Serkí-n-Ágades. 12. Suburb.] [Sidenote: Friday, April 8th.] It was again market-day, and I made sundry purchases, including a small ox, for almsgiving, as I had made it a rule, in every large town where I stayed any considerable time, to distribute alms amongst the poor. I was astonished at the great quantity of cotton which was brought into the market, and which showed what these fine vales are capable of producing, if the inhabitants, instead of being plunged in apathy and exposed to the daily incursions of a relentless enemy, were protected by a strong government. This very day we received the news that the rebellious Kábáwa, or natives of Kebbi[56], had made a foray against Señína, a town situated on the most frequented road between Sókoto and Gando, the two capitals and central seats of the power of the Fúlbe in these quarters. The neighbouring Féllani had come to the rescue of the town, and had prevented the enemy from taking it; but six horses had been carried away. Only a few days later, the news arrived of another attack having been made by the rebels upon the town of Gándi, the residence of Dyang- rúwa, one day’s distance to the south from Bírni-n-Kebbi, although this time they were less fortunate, and were said to have been driven back with the loss of twenty-two horses. Meanwhile the sultan himself, with his sluggish host of cavalry, instead of attacking the Góberáwa, who already, before we left Kátsena, had taken the field with a numerous army, was said to be stationed in Katúru. He had been joined by the governor of Záriya in person, while Kanó had sent only the ghaladíma with the whole of their cavalry.