610 
APPENDIX IX. 
Songhay. 
A.D. 
A.H. 
Neighbouring Kingdoms. 
Fereng Mohammed Bankore pre- 
paring to oppose him ; but fortu- 
nately the latter was induced by 
the Faki Mohammed, the Kadhi 
of Timbuktu, to give up his pre- 
tensions, in order to apply himself 
to study. He was then arrested 
and lodged in the state prison in 
Kantu. 
Then El Hadi, son of A'skia Daud, 
and brother of El Haj, whom, as 
the most faithful, the king had en- 
trusted with the government of 
Kurmina, revolted, left Tindfrma, 
and marched against the capital, 
Gagho. He even succeeded in en- 
tering the town in the night before 
the 4th Rebi-el-awel, clad in a coat 
of mail, and preceded by a trumpet, 
drum, and other insignia of royal 
power, while the A'skia, who at the 
time was very weak and sick, was 
seized with fear of losing his throne; 
but through the aid of Hiki, the go- 
vernor of the powerful province of 
Dendi, the revolt was overcome. 
El Hadi was thrown into the state 
prison at Kantu, and all his ad- 
herents were severely punished. 
While the empire was thus under- 
mined by intestine civil wars, the 
great enemy who was to crush it 
from without approached from the 
north ; but this time the danger 
passed by. Mulay Hamed, or 
A'hmed, in order to learn the real 
state of affairs in Tekrur, and 
especially in Songhay, whose 
power could not fail to attract his 
attention, sent an embassy with 
costly presents ; but the A'skia re- 
ceived the messengers kindly, and 
sent a more valuable present in 
return, among other articles 80 
eunuchs. But shortly after the 
departure of this embassy, the 
rumour spread of Mulay Hamed 
having sent a large army; and 
1584 
Safer. 
992 
Together with Moshi, the ruler 
of Busa, on the Niger, is men- 
tioned by A'hmed Baba under 
this reign as a powerful king. 
The power of Kebbi, there- 
fore, probably had begun to 
decline. 
