THE FRENCH SOUDAN. 
49. 
tarn to the Senegal Fouta. The emigration on this occasion was duly 
carried out, and, as precautions were taken, no serious incident hap¬ 
pened during the operations. 
In this manner, within the space of a year, the two capitals of 
Ahmadou, Segou and Nioro, had fallen into the hands of the French; 
and the populations, delivered from their oppressors, gladly accepted 
the authority of the victorious Europeans. For two years and a half 
the Kaarta has remained in tranquility. The Kaartankas, whom the 
Toucouleurs had carried off into slavery in the valley of the Niger, have 
returned to take the place of their ancient masters, and no breach of 
the peace has occurred. 
It was not, however, so peaceful in the province of Segou and the 
adjoining regions. It happened there that the accession to power of 
Bodian had placed in antagonism two Bambarra families, which had 
reigned at Segou before the conquest of El Hadj Omar, that of the 
Massanis to which Bodian belonged, and that of the Diaras. Some 
few of this last-named family formed a conspiracy to massacre the 
French garrison at Segou, and then to overthrow Bodian. The move¬ 
ment, however, did not succeed. Those of the Diaras who were com¬ 
promised fled, and betook themselves to the south, in the Baninko, 
where a second rising occurred which, nevertheless, was soon repressed 
by one of the native agents of the French Government, Mademba, em¬ 
ployed in the civil service of Senegal, who had numerous relatives in 
this country. But this submission was of brief duration, and whilst 
Colonel Achinard was carrying on operations against Ahmadou in the 
Kaarta (as above related) all the Baninko again arose together with a 
part of Segou proper. Bodian, old, and without great authority, was 
then assisting his ally Tieba, the Almamy of Sikasso, to attack the 
fortress of Kinian; and his troops, irritated at being led so far away, 
deserted and joined the rebels of the Baninko. Lieut. Hourst, com¬ 
manding the gun-boat flotilla in the valley of the Bani (Mayel Balevel), 
whither it had proceeded to try and restore order, was forced to defend 
itself in Diena, which the insurgents soon began to besiege. Under 
these conditions Colonel Achinard hastened to direct his column— 
leaving garrisons in the Kaarta—towards the Niger, which march was 
accomplished as far as N} 7 amina by the 18th February. Six days 
afterwards the blockade of Diena was raised after a sharp fight. The 
losses of the insurgents were enormous, and the Baninko for the second 
time submitted to the French authority. 
After this affair at Diena the column returned to Nyamina. There 
the senior commandant gave the sceptre to Mademba, to whom was 
accorded the kingdom of Sansanding, formed of the territories which 
were possessed by Segou on the left bank of the Niger, and which the 
fama Bodian, old and sick, was incapable of governing, together with 
his possessions on the right bank. 
Renewal of Hostilities against Samory. 
It was now the beginning of March, that is to say scarcely two 
months before the return of the rainy season. Yet in spite of this 
short interval of time at his disposal Colonel Achinard resolved to push 
7 
