418 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXVI. 
Kebbi and Say * , which I have described in the ac- 
count of my own journey, and which seems to have 
contained a Songhay population from tolerably ancient 
times, at least before the beginning of the sixteenth 
century ; but we find none of the three divisions of 
this important province specified, not even Kenga or 
Zagha. This is to be regretted, as they appear to 
have been of ancient origin, and as their history, es- 
pecially that of Zagha, which seems to have derived 
its name from the more celebrated town of the same 
name on the upper course of the river, would be 
highly interesting. 
The country from hence towards the capital we 
never find comprised by A'hmed Baba under a ge- 
neral name, nor do we meet with the names of 
Zaberma or Zerma, which I therefore conclude to be 
of more recent origin, although that country, at pre- 
sent so named, was evidently comprised in the king- 
dom of Songhay. West of Gagho, on the banks of 
the river, we next find the province of Banku or 
Benguf, which evidently comprised that part of the 
river which is studded with islands, as we find the 
inspector of the harbour of Kabara taking refuge in 
the district of Banku, with the whole of his fleet, 
after the capture of the town by the people of Mo- 
* A governor of the town of Say is perhaps indicated under 
the title of Say-weli. Ibid. p. 550. 
■f That Banku lay between Timbuktu and Ghago is evident 
from the fact, that the governor of that province fled to Gagho, 
when Mohammed Sadik, the governor of Bel, or Bal, marched 
upon the capital of the empire. 
