118 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. XXV. 
came Mohammedans, we may fairly assume it to have 
been several years later than the time when Maji, 
the prince of K&tsena, embraced Islam, or about the 
17th century, though it is evident that the larger 
portion of the population all over Hausa, especially 
that of the country towns and villages, remained 
addicted to paganism till the fanatic zeal of their 
conquerors the Fulbe forced them to profess Islam, 
at least publicly. Nevertheless even at the present 
day there is a great deal of paganism cherished, 
and rites really pagan performed, in the province 
of Kan6 as well as in that of K&tsena, — a subject on 
which I shall say something more on another oc- 
casion. 
With regard to the growth of the town, we have 
express testimony that Dala was the most ancient 
quarter. The steep rocky hill, about 120 feet high, 
naturally afforded a secure retreat to the ancient in- 
habitants in case of sudden attack ; but it is most 
probable that there was another or several separate 
villages within the wide expanse now encompassed by 
the wall, which rather exceeds than falls short of fif- 
teen English miles, and it seems inconceivable why 
the other hill, " Kogo-n-diitsi" (which is inclosed 
within the circumference of the walls) though it is 
not quite so well fortified by nature, should not have 
afforded a strong site for another hamlet. We have, 
indeed, no means of describing the way in which the 
town gradually increased to its present size ; this 
much, however, is evident, that the inhabited quarters 
