Chap. LVII. GROUND-PLAN.— CONDITION. 
163 
It was again market-day, and I made sun- Friday, 
dry purchases, including a small ox, for A P nl8th - 
almsgiving, as I had made it a rule, in every large 
town where I stayed any considerable time, to dis- 
tribute alms amongst the poor. I was astonished 
at the great quantity of cotton which was brought 
into the market, and which showed what these fine 
vales are capable of producing, if the inhabitants, in- 
stead of being plunged in apathy and exposed to the 
daily incursions of a relentless enemy, were protected 
by a strong government. This very day we received 
the news that the rebellious Kabawa, or natives of 
Kebbi *, had made a foray against Senina, a town 
situated on the most frequented road between Sokoto 
and Gando, the two capitals and central seats of the 
power of the Fulbe in these quarters. The neigh- 
bouring Fellani had come to the rescue of the town, 
and had prevented the enemy from taking it ; but 
six horses had been carried away. Only a few days 
later, the news arrived of another attack having 
been made by the rebels upon the town of Gandi, 
the residence of Dyang-riiwa, one day's distance to 
the south from Birni-n-Kebbi, although this time 
they were less fortunate, and were said to have 
* The national name Kabawa is taken from the ancient form of 
the name, Kabi, which was formerly in use (exactly like the form 
Mali, Malawa), but has given place to the form Kebbi, which is 
thus distinctly written, even in Arabic, by authors of the seven- 
teenth century. 
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