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CHAPTER YIIL 



THE BAGIRIML 



(DECEMBER 5-12.) 



TcHEKNA is the capital of the Bagirimi, whose Sultan, 

 Gauaronga, has led a chequered life. As a child of 

 seven he was carried captive by the Wadaians to 

 Abechir. That was in 1870, when the Wadaians, 

 who claimed suzerainty over the Bagirimi, swept the 

 country to enforce their supremacy. According to 

 local tradition 30,000 Bao:irimi were killed or enslaved 

 on that occasion, and their chief city, Massenia, was 

 razed to the ground. 



The little Gauaronga was an exile for many years 

 before he was permitted to return to his kingdom. 

 When he did so it was on the understanding that he 

 was to send tribute every three years to Abechir ; and 

 to forego the ancient rite, hitherto practised by the 

 Sultan of the Bagirimi, as by the Sultan of Wadai, of 

 blinding his brothers on his accession to the throne. 

 Henceforth he was only allowed to put out one eye of 

 a prince. 



On his return, as liegeman of the Sultan of Wadai, 

 he rebuilt Massenia, but in 1893 he was attacked by 

 Rabeh, the mighty conqueror, who in his restless 



