624 
APPENDIX IX. 
Songhay. 
A.D. 
A.H. 
. 
Neighbouring Kingdoms. 
of people, who, as Erma, or Ruma, 
are distinguished to this very day ; 
while the peculiar dialect of Son- 
ghay, which they speak, has been 
produced lately as a distinct lan- 
guage by M. Raffenel,* But 
these half-castes soon found all 
their interest in their new abode, 
and cared little for Morocco ; so 
that the advantage which the 
latter eountry drew from this 
conquest was only of a very tran- 
sitory character. Certainly, there 
was some sort of order esta- 
blished; but there was no new 
organization, as it seems ; the 
old forms being preserved, and 
soon becoming effete. On the 
whole, we cannot but admire the 
correctness of the following pas- 
sage of Baba A'hmed, who says : 
"Thus this Mahalla, at that 
period, found in Sudan (Songhay) 
one of those countries of the 
earth which are most favoured 
with comfort, plenty, peace, and 
prosperity everywhere ; such was 
the working of the government 
of the Emir el Mumenin, A's- 
kia el Haj Mohammed ben A bu 
Bakr, in consequence of his justice 
and the power of his royal com- 
mand, which took full and pe- 
remptory effect, not only in his 
capital, but in all the districts of 
his whole empire, from the pro- 
vince of Dendi to the frontiers 
of Morocco, and from the territory 
of Bennendugu (to the south of 
Jinni) as far as Teghaza and 
Taw at. But in a moment all was 
changed, and peaceful repose was 
succeeded by a constant state of 
fear, comfort and security by 
trouble and suffering ; ruin and 
misfortune took the place of pros- 
perity, and people began every- 
* Seep. 431. 
