Chap. LXXXII. SAD CONDITION OF NEGROLAND. 341 
unprotected, became fully apparent. A most dis- 
graceful alFair happened at this time. A caravan 
of inoffensive traders who had encamped in Gd- 
wasii, were surprised by them, and after considerable 
havoc had been made among them, were deprived 
of almost all their property. These people had been 
reported to be hostile pagans, or A'zena, from the 
district of Saje in Gober, and dependent on the pro- 
tection of the Kel-geres and the Awelimmiden-wuen- 
Bodhdl, and were represented as having been trading 
with the inhabitants of Tleta, which was hostile to 
the Fellani ; but after this cruel act of injustice had 
been committed, it was ascertained that they were 
peaceable traders on their way to Kano, and that 
among them there were even several inhabitants of 
Wurn6. 
But it almost seemed as if the prospects of this 
part of Negroland were to darken more and more, 
for the rumours which I had heard on the Niger 
of the ancient feud between the Kel-owi and Kel- 
geres having again broken out in a sanguinary 
struggle, were entirely confirmed here. The Kel-owi 
had undertaken this year an expedition on a large 
scale, consisting of 5000 men mounted on horses and 
camels, and, according to report, with as many as 
1000 muskets, against the Kel-geres and the Awelim- 
miden, and had penetrated almost as far as Saje, 
which place they destroyed by fire. The Kel-geres 
having taken part in the expedition of the Goberawa 
against the empire of Sokoto, the relation of the 
z 3 
