Chapter XVIII: Appendix: I

PRESENT CONDITION OF THE PROVINCE OF ZÁNFARA.

The province of _Zánfara_ in former times was far more extensive than at present, its ancient capital being situated half a day (hantsi) east from Sansánne ʿAísa on the road to Tóze, and this is perhaps Birni-n- Zánfara, founded by the powerful chief Babári about a century ago. At that time the province was a powerful kingdom; but at present it is in the most distracted condition, half of the places belonging to it being still under the rule of the Fúlbe, while the other half have revolted successfully, and are strictly allied with the Góberáwa.

Under the rule of the Fúlbe or Fullán, are the following places:—

Zýrmi, with three governors: one, Ábu Hámid, who has ruled (in 1853) seven, another Tarna, who has ruled fifteen years, and a third one, a younger brother of Tarna, but who has exercised power for thirty years[146]; Káuri-n-Namóda, at present governed by Mahamúdu, a younger brother of the warlike and far-famed chief Namóda, who has ruled for the last twelve years; Búnka, Bóka, Góga, Yánkaba, Dába, Banga, Birni-n- Máddera, Módiki, Moríki with Ne-ébbúsuwa, Koré with Makauru, Dunfáwa, Dúchi, Badaráwa, Katúru, Kanna, Dan Ísa, Waúnaka-n-Féllani (in order to distinguish it from another town of the same name, which is allied with the Góberáwa), Yangwoy, Kiáwa, Rúra, Waúni, Jirgába, Gabáke, Kangwa, Kadámusá, Yanbúkki, Také-adoy, Birni-n-Mágaji, Birni-n-Torówa or Márekay, with Dan Korgú, Tuddu Makángerí, Ráwiya, Bidáji, Chíbiri.

The independent places are the following:—

Ánka, residence of ʿAbdú, the rebel chief of Zánfara (Serkí-n-Zánfara); Máffara, residence of Serkí-n-Tléta; Gummi, residence of the chief Banyári; Zóma, residence of ʿAlí, and close by Gólli; Sabónbirni Dáragá, residence of Bánagá; Marádu, residence of Serkí-n-Káya; Gáumaché and Góra close by; Mátusgí, residence of Ajía; Gárbadú and Kággará, Munré, Bokúra, residence of Serkí-n-Báwa; Damrí, Sabóngarí, Dúffwa Máffará, a district, with the chief place, Rúwa-n-bóre; Dankó, Úya.

In order to arrange these places topographically, I shall first give _an itinerary from Kanó to Sókoto_, by way of Káuri-n-Namóda:—

1st day. Rími-n-Gadó.

2nd. Shá-nóno, a large walled place, having passed Yángadá.

3rd. Kúrkejám or Kúrkejángo, first place of the province of Kátsena, having passed Sábberé.

4th. Músáwa, a large walled town, with a market; short march.

5th. Yá-mántemáki, with a watercourse on its east side, running south; having passed Úngwa Sámia.

6th. Sáwi, having passed Yá-músa, Shawáre, and Jigáwa.

7th. Ajja, a walled place of middle size.

8th. Kiáwa, very large walled place, formerly the capital of Zánfara, at present rather thinly inhabited.

9th. Káuri-n-Namóda, residence of Namóda (brother of Mahamúdu), with a market held every Monday and Tuesday, and a considerable watercourse on the west side, once a very large and populous place. A short day’s march south, a little west from this place, lies Riyáwa (not Ránia), and west from it Búngundú, at present said to be the largest place in Zánfara among those which belong to the faction of the Féllani; to its district or territory belong the smaller places of Alíbawá, Bidáji, Kasaráwa, Módomáwa, Fáddamáwa, Kontambáni, and the settlements of the Féllani-n- Dáwaki, and the Féllani-n-Také-adoy.

10th. Birni-n-Góga, on the east side of the same watercourse.

11th. Kúsará, a small place inhabited by Fúlbe.

12th. Gwára, large walled place, having crossed a watercourse.

13th. Bakúra, large walled place, formerly residence of ʿAtíku, the son of Hámedu, till the town was taken by the Góberáwa. To the territory of this town belong the places: Sabóngarí, Dámmerí, Sála, Dogóje.

Bakúra from Ánka one long day south, farther than Gándi from Wurnó; Bakúra from Gándi one good day south, passing by Gáumaché. The river forms a large bend west of Bakúra, and at the angle lies Týmba.

14th. Týmba, walled place on the west side of the Gúlbi-n-Bakúra, at present in the hands of the Ázena. Between Týmba and Bakúra lie the towns Birni-n-Dámbo and Birni-n-Riyáde, and hereabouts are the places Alíbawá, Bidáji, Kasaráwa, Féllani-n-Dáwaki, Féllani-n-Také-adoy, Módomáwa, Fáddamáwa, Kontambáni.

15th. Galádi or Danfa, large place, with a pond of stagnant water.

16th. A place of elephant hunters.

17th. Sókoto.

I shall now connect Bánagá, or rather Sabónbirni Dáragá, as it is more properly called, with a few other places, and shall then conclude this Appendix, reserving for Appendix III. an enumeration of the towns and villages situated along the course of the Gúlbi-n-Zóma to where it joins the Gúlbi-n-Sókoto.

From Bánagá to Ánka is one long day north, just as from Gándi to Wurnó; from Bánagá to Gúmmi three days W.N.W.

1st day. Adébka, Garí-n-serkí-Kiyáwa.

2nd. Birni-n-Týddu, on the south side of the Gúlbi-n-Zóma.

3rd. Gúmmi, passing by the town of Kaiwa.

From Bánagá to Kotórkoshé six moderate days’ march.

1st. Bíni or Béna.

2nd. Mutúmji.

3rd. Mágami.

4th. Samrí.

5th. Cháfe.

6th. Kotórkoshé.

N.B. Besides Bíni and Mutúmji, there are in the same quarter, the district enclosed between Bánagá, Kotú-n-kúra—Kotú-n-kúra being from Bánagá two days S.W.,—and Gwári, the small principalities of Machéri, Bána, Morébbu, and Kumbáshi, all residences of petty chiefs, dependent in some degree on the governor of Kátsena.

Between Bakúra and Zóma lie Damrí, Sabóngarí, Sála, Takáre; further on, entering the territory of Zóma, Dangarúnfa, Másu, Matsáfa, Gúsará, Bókuyum, Solli.

From Sókoto to Zóma, south, three days:—first day, Dan-chádi, the same as from Sókoto to Wurnó; then a long night’s march, reaching in the morning Birni-n-Mágaji, distance the same as that from Zékka to Búnka; from Mágaji to Zóma short march. From Gandó the distance is shorter.

Zóma lies about half way between Ánka and Gúmmi, on a river called after it, Gúlbi-n-Zóma; but I shall give all the particulars with regard to the towns lying along this valley further on in Appendix IV., as this river, which, lower down, is called Gúlbi-n-Gíndi, unites with the Gúlbi-n-Sókoto within the boundaries of Kebbi.

I here subjoin a list of the places situated along the watercourse, which lower down is called “Gúlbi-n-Sókoto,” between Sansánne-ʿAísa and Dímbisó, but at present almost all of them are destroyed and deserted: first, Tóze on the south side; Gawángasó, where the branch of Marádi and Chéberi joins the greater trunk valley; Alkaláwa (written Alkadháwa), the former capital of Góber, destroyed by the Fúlbe, Laijínge, both south; Páday, north; Tsámay, north; Tsíche, north; Bóre, south; Kakákia, north; Márennú, south; Maráfa, south; Kiráre, north; Shináka, south; Giyáwa, Dímbisó. The valley, which probably has a very winding course, must therefore approach Giyáwa a little nearer than it has been laid down on the map.

[Footnote 146: Formerly there was in Zýrmi a powerful governor belonging to the faction of the Góberáwa, called Dan Jéka, who ruled twenty years, when he was murdered by Mámmedu (Mohámmedu).]