Chap. LXXYI. THE CHIEF SADA^KTU. 
173 
culiar to all these easterly Tawarek, who seem 
to have enriched themselves with the spoil of the 
native Songhay population, the latter having in a 
great measure been reduced by them to the condition 
of serfs. Almost all of them had a very proud bear- 
ing, but nevertheless, upon nearer acquaintance, they 
proved to be of a very cheerful disposition ; and al- 
though of a wild character and of warlike propen- 
sities, they have an easy temper, and are not difficult 
to manage. 
The poor inhabitants of Bamba, from whom Sa- 
ddktu had taken seventy cows and ten slaves, joined 
us here, in the endeavour to recover their property. 
They earnestly begged me to be the mediator be- 
tween them and that hostile chief; and I was very 
glad when, after a good deal of dispute, the chief 
returned half of the spoil. It was here also that I 
learnt that the whole population of A^ir, under the 
command of Haj 'Abdiiwa, had gained a great vic- 
tory over the Dinnik, or Awelhnmiden-wen-Bodhdl, 
and the Are wan, or Kel-geres. The tribe of the 
Kel-fadaye enjoy a great name in this region ; and it 
is evident that, in former times, they occupied a much 
more conspicuous position than they do at present. 
Even El Bakay himself had taken a wife from that 
tribe ; and I was also informed here that they lay 
claim to a descent from sherifs. 
We had a storm almost every day during our stay 
in this place ; but although we ourselves had very little 
else than a disagreeable sand-wind, there seemed to 
