CHAPTER XIII 



NORTHERN NIGERIA 



IN the year 1890 the Eoyal Niger Company 

 concluded a treaty with the King of Borgu, a 

 state lying on the right bank of the Niger, and 

 forming the northern hinterland of our colony 

 of Lagos. 



In the year 1894 a French mission started 

 from Dahomey to absorb Borgu, but were again 

 forestalled, Captain Lugard, as he then was, 

 acting on behalf of the Company, reaching Nikki, 

 the capital, and making treaties there and at other 

 principal towns, such as Kiama, just before the 

 mission arrived. This must have been an exciting 

 race, which the Englishman won with only five 

 days in hand. The French now withdrew, but 

 in 1896 they were back, and this time actually 

 overran Borgu, and, after some fighting, established 

 posts all over the country and on the Niger itself. 

 The Company were unable to cope with this. 

 Accordingly, at the end of the year 1897, the 

 Colonial Office took up the running, and called 



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