Chap. XXIV. DECLINE OF THE TOWN. 
81 
the struggle did not cease here ; for the "Habe" suc- 
ceeded once more in expelling the conquerors from the 
town, without, however, being able to maintain their 
position, when Mallem Ghomaro returned with a fresh 
army. Five princes of Katsena, one after the other, 
fell in this struggle for religious and national inde- 
pendence ; and the Pullo general was not quite secure 
of his conquest till after the total destruction of the 
town of Dankama, when Magajin Haddedu was slain 
only four months after his predecessor Mahamudu had 
succumbed in Sabongari. Even then the new Hdusa 
prince Benoni, who still bore the title of " serki-n- 
K&tsena," did not lay down his arms, but maintained 
the contest till he likewise was conquered and slain in 
Tiintuma. 
From this time the town declined rapidly, and all 
the principal foreign merchants migrated to Kano, 
where they were beyond the reach of this constant 
struggle; and even the Asbenawa transferred their 
salt-market to the latter place, which now became 
the emporium of this part of Negroland, while Ka- 
tsena retained but secondary importance as the seat of 
a governor. This is indeed to be lamented, as the 
situation of the town is excellent, and, both on ac- 
count of its position to the various routes and of its 
greater salubrity, is far preferable to Kano. How- 
ever, as matters stand, unless either the Fiilbe succeed 
in crushing entirely the independent provinces to the 
north and north-west (which, in the present weak state 
of the empire of Sokoto, is far from probable), or till 
VOL. II. G 
