THE FRENCH SOUDAN. 
119 
exploration of the Kaladian and the Upper Cavally. The surrender 
of Fourou to a French officer is an illustration of how a number of 
the petty States of the Soudan prefer to place themselves under the pro¬ 
tection of France rather than become subjects to the great native chiefs. 
Meantime Captain Peroz, a Soudanese diplomate, who had treated 
with Samory, was sent on a mission to Tieba by Colonel Humbert, 
and this emissary arrived at Sikasso at the end of the year 1891, and 
lie also failed to obtain material assistance against Samory. Tieba 
preferred to remain neutral. This was certainly showing ingratitude 
to an ally who had aided him to take Kinian, “ but it is not necessary to 
go as far as Africa to seek similar ingratitude among men or monarchs.” 
(Witness the recent attitude of Italy towards France ! is what the 
chronicler evidently iutends to point toward). 
After the death of Tieba, the power passed into the hands of his 
brother Bemba. But Tieba has left a son, named Phou, who possesses 
considerable influence in the country, and he and Bemba are conse¬ 
quently rivals. In consequence it does not do for the French to count 
too surely on a continued alliance with the people of Sikasso; it is 
considered, however, that interior difficulties will prevent the chiefs of 
Kenedongou becoming actively hostile towards their French neigh¬ 
bours, and, therefore, all things considered, affairs in this direction are 
tolerably satisfactory. 
Insurrectionary Movements in the North-East Soudan. 
So far, what with a desperate struggle on one side with Samory, and 
with serious difficulties on another with Tieba, it is evident that, in 1892, 
the situation throughout the Soudan to the south and south-east was not 
of the most promising nature. But there was more besides. The popu¬ 
lations of the north-east of the French Soudan became aroused, at the 
instigation of that old enemy to the French, Ahmadou, now taking refuge 
in Macina, where he was carrying on intrigues against his brother 
Mo uni rou. The fama of Sansanding, Mademba, had not been very 
successful in his new kingdom, and all around him a coalition had been 
formed. El Hadj Bougouni was chief of the province of Mampala, the 
friend of Ahmadou, whom he had helped to pass on to Macina after 
the abandonment of the Kaarta. El Hadj Bougouni had grouped 
around him some Toucouleur contingents, commanded by Oumarel- 
Samba-Doule, and some Barbara contingents from the Monimpe and 
the Sokolo districts. All these forces had marched against Sansanding, 
which was soon closely invested. Mademba called on his colleague of 
Segou, and Bodian sent all his disposable troops on the left bank of 
the Niger to assist in the defence of Sansanding. 
At the same time some important uprisings took place in the south 
of the kingdom of Segou. The Peuhls, as before remarked, have 
colonies in these regions, and the Peuhls are pastoral tribes. Now 
a violent cattle plague, originating in the central Soudan, had, in 
the course of the two previous years, destroyed a very large proportion 
of the flocks of cattle in the valley of the Niger. Monteil, in his 
journey, has described the dire effects of this terrible epidemic. The 
populations naturally who most suffered were the Peuhls, and such was 
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