120 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. LVI. 
the inhabitants, who likewise belonged to a tribe of 
the A'sbenawa, or rather to a mixed race of people. 
Having then crossed dense underwood, where the 
Mimosa Nilotica, here called " elku," was standing in 
full blossom, while the ground consisted of sand, we 
reached, after a march of about a mile, the south- 
eastern corner of the wall of the considerable town of 
Zyrmi. The watercourse of Bunka had been close 
on our left, providing the inhabitants with a never- 
failing supply of excellent water, which is found close 
under the surface of the fine gravel which composes 
its bed. 
Zyrmi is an important town even at present, but, 
being under the dominion of the Fiilbe, is only 
capable of preserving its existence by a constant 
struggle with Gober and Maradi. However, the go* 
vera or of this town is not now master of the whole of 
Zanfara, as he was in the time of Captain Clapperton, 
who visited it on his journey to Sokoto*, the 
Fiilbe, or Fellani, having found it more conducive to 
their policy to place each governor of a walled town, 
in this province, under the direct allegiance of S6koto, 
in order to prevent the loss of the whole country by the 
rebellion of a single man. Some ninety or one hundred 
years ago, before the destruction of the capital, this 
province was almost the most flourishing country of 
Negroland ; but it is at present divided into a number 
of petty states, each of which follows a different policy; 
* Clapperton, Second Expedition, p. 150. 
