148 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



pagan territories for sale in Cyrenaica. Three French 

 posts have consequently been established in his 

 kingdom, and these, at the time of our visit, were 

 under the charge of Captain Lucas. Three non-com- 

 missioned officers assist him, of whom one constantly 

 travels between the forts, in accordance with the 

 French system that no one man should be left long 

 alone. 



Before coming out to Africa officers are often con- 

 sulted at headquarters as to whether they would like 

 any particular sous-officier to accompany them to their 

 districts. This plan answers extremely well, and the 

 advantage of allowing those in command to choose 

 their subordinates is obvious. 



Captain Lucas, the first permanent Resident in 

 Tchekna, took up his duties there in 1910. He acts 

 as councillor rather than dictator, and Gauaronga in- 

 variably accepts his suggestions, though he does not 

 consult him unnecessarily often. Sometimes the people 

 appeal to Captain Lucas for redress, as in the following 

 instance. A man was convicted of adultery on the 

 accusation of an old woman, and, though protesting 

 his innocence, was fined ten thalers by the Sultan. 

 He came to the Resident, who, on looking into the 

 case, found no shadow of proof against him, and accord- 

 ingly suggested to Gauaronga that the fine should 

 be remitted. It was done, but as the Sultan does 

 not care to disburse money, he, without pretence of 

 further investigation, merely transferred the fine from 

 accused to accuser, and the old woman paid. 



The founders of the Bagirimi race came from the 

 East. It is written that a large number of men 

 travelled together from Yemen six hundred years 



