SOCIETY OF TrtE UNIVERSITY OF* ABERDEEN. 109 



believed to be from a tainted source. The Sultan Bello, the Fulaui 

 commander, compiled a history of Hausa from a previous study of the 

 documents, the destruction of which he encouraged. This history is 

 naturally a very much distorted narrative, reading very much like an 

 English history of France or a French history of England. There are 

 also oral traditions and references in the writings of contemporary 

 Arabs. Very little trustworthy detail is preserved with reference to 

 the Hausa's customs, laws, administration, literature or religion. 



7. ADMINISTRATION, LAWS, INDUSTRIES. 



That their administrative system was as nearly perfect as could 

 be is borne out by the fact that the Fulani simply adopted it, and on 

 the British occupation the States were considered well governed. 

 Each State was under a supreme ruler, sultan, emir or king, who 

 had a sort of chancellor (magi) and an advisory council. The ruler 

 generally commanded the troops himself in war, though sometimes 

 this duty was relegated to a military commander. 



After the adoption of Islam the law was Koranic and generally 

 administered by magistrates known as " kaids ". They were learned 

 in the Koran and conversant with the works of the leading Arabian 

 writers on law, as well as with recorded decisions. They were often 

 " mallams," or professors and priests. 



The people were rather heavily taxed, as would appear from the 

 following list of taxes, based apparently on the Koranic model, but 

 much diversified in different States. Independent pagan States were 

 raided for slaves, and conquered ones heavily taxed. In the Muslim 

 States the principal taxes were : 



1. Zakka, a tithe on corn, limited to the two staple crops of the 



country. It was exigible only from Muslims and devoted to 

 charity and religion, and perhaps to State purposes. 



2. Kurdin Kasa, a land tax, the tribute of the conquered pagans. 



3. A plantation tax, levied on all crops save those taxed with 



Zakka. 



4. Jangali, a cattle tax, levied only on cattle, not on flocks. 



