268 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. XXIX. 
years ; I may therefore be allowed to assert that 
the chronological table, which I shall give in the 
Appendix, is something more than a mere fairy tale. 
But in this place, I think it well to offer a few general 
remarks on the characteristic features of the history 
of Bornu. 
I have first to speak of the origin of the Sefuwa or 
Diiguwa. We have already seen that the chronology 
of the Bornu people, if palpable absurdities be left out 
of consideration, does not carry their history further 
down than the latter half of the ninth century of our 
era. Accordingly there can be no further question as 
to whether Sef was really the son of the celebrated 
Dhu Yazan, and identical with Sef Dhu Yazan, the 
last native ruler of the Himyaritic kingdom, who cele- 
brated his accession to the throne in the famous 
castle of Gumdan, and with the assistance of Khosru 
Par vis liberated Yemari from the dominion of the 
Abyssinians. I frankly confess that, while Ibrahim 
the son of Sef, as " father of the king " (as he appears 
to have been entitled occasionally), seems to me to 
have a really historical character, I entertain sincere 
doubts whether Sef be not a mere imaginary per- 
sonage, introduced into the pedigree expressly in 
order to connect it with Yeman. Indeed, in one short 
list of Bornu kings which I possess, several princes 
are mentioned before Sef, whose names, such as 
Futirmi, Halar Sukayami, Halarmi, Buniimi, Rizalmi, 
Mairimi, have quite a Kanuri character. As the 
reader will see, I do not at all doubt of some con- 
