39 2 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



suffixes in declension and adopts two genders, which are the "human" and the "not human," 

 instead of the usual divisions of male and female. 



The two chief Fulah states are Sokoto and Gando, to each of which there are various 

 subject states, which have an even smaller percentage of Fulah people. Thus Bide and Nupe 

 on opposite sides of the Niger above the confluence of the Benue, and Borgu on the west 

 bank farther north, are subject to Gando. And the provinces of Kano, Katsena, and Zaria to 

 the east and south-east of Sokoto, and Yakoba and Adamawa still farther to the south-east 

 were formerly tributary to Sokoto. Most of these groups are now comprised in British Nigeria, 

 the rest in the French Soudan or the German Kameriin. 



THE HAUSSA. 



The Haussa are essentially a nation of traders: they live in large populous towns, where 

 they carry on their numerous industries and handicrafts. The products are distributed over 

 most of Northern Africa. The Haussa language has become the medium of intercourse between 

 the different races of the West and Central Soudan. It is spoken throughout the greater part of 

 the Niger Basin; and in most of the principal commercial centres of Tunis, Algeria, Senegambia, 

 and the British west coast protectorates there are traders who know the language. 



The Haussa language has been studied by many workers, including Dr. Rat and Dr. 

 Schon, who compiled the first grammars and dictionaries, and Canon Robinson, who has 

 investigated Haussa literature. In the language, about a third of the words are Semitic, 

 including all but one of the pronouns and most of the terms in commonest use; but owing 

 to its structure the language is believed by Robinson to belong to the Hamitic group, whereas 

 Professor Keane considers it to be Negro altered by Hamitic influence. 



The relations of the three great languages of the West Soudan are admirably expressed 



by Cust in the remark that Arabic, Fulah, 

 and Haussa are respectively the languages 

 of religion, conquest, and commerce. 



Though industrious and enterprising, 

 the Haussa are said to be cowardly. This 

 statement may be regarded as inconsistent 

 with the reputation for valour of our West 

 African Haussa police; but the men in 

 that force are not Haussa, but only Haussa- 

 speaking Negroes. When some real Haussa 

 were once by mistake engaged for service 

 in the Congo Free State, their natural 

 timidity was only too well illustrated. 



Owing to their lack of courage, the 

 Haussa were easily conquered by the Fulah, 

 who now rule over them. The two races 

 are easily distinguished. The Haussa are 

 darker in colour, shorter in stature, have 

 boader noses, and more woolly hair than 

 the Fulah. But in culture both peoples are 

 on the same grade, which for Africa is 

 very advanced. 



The people dress in cotton, especially 

 in the blue-dyed cotton of Kano. The 

 chief garments are a long loose shirt 

 reaching to the knees and a pair of baggy 

 trousers. The men wear a straw cap, a 

 turban, or a fez. The head is generally 



fltoto by Kichard Buchta. 



A NUBIAN DANCING-WOMAN. 



