356 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XXXII. 
early period, although at present we have no direct 
historical proof of the presence of these Arabs in 
Bornu before the time of Edris Alaw6ma*, about two 
hundred and fifty years ago. 
Of the migration of these Arabs from the east, there 
cannot be the least doubt. They have advanced gra- 
dually through the eastern part of Negroland, till they 
have overspread this country, but without proceed- 
ing further towards the west. Their dialect is quite 
different from the Maghrebi, while in many respects 
it still preserves the purity and eloquence of the lan- 
guage of Hijdz, particularly as regards the final vowels 
in the conjugation. Many of their national customs, 
also, still point to their ancient settlements, as we shall 
see further on. I became very intimate with these 
people at a later period, by taking into my service a 
young Shiiwa lad, who was one of my most useful ser- 
vants on my journey to Timbuktu. These Shiiwa are 
divided into many distinct families or clans, and 
altogether may form in Bornu a population of from 
200,000 to 250,000 souls, being able to bring into the 
field about 20,000 light cavalry. Most of them have 
fixed villages, where they live during the rainy season, 
attending the labours of the field, while during the 
remaining part of the year they wander about with 
their cattle. I shall say more about them in the 
course of my proceedings, as opportunity occurs. 
The clan, whose encampment or ben we passed to- 
* See the chronological tables in the Appendix. 
