Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/372

 century, is now divided into two kingdoms — that of in the east, comprising portions of the Tsad and Benue basins, and in the west, which stretches beyond the Niger as far as the Mossi territory. About the middle of the century the Fulah power seemed already on the wane, and Barth anticipated a speedy restoration of the former political stutus. The empire, however, still holds together, although many feudatories, such as the Sultan of Nupe, are far more powerful than the suzerain himself. Since the return of peaceful times, the central provinces, both in Gando and Sokoto, have even made surprising progress in material prosperity. Joseph Thomson speaks with admiration of the commercial

activity of the inhabitants, and compares the incessant traffic on the highway between the cities of Gando and Sokoto to the stir and bustle about an anthill. The horizon is bounded by large villages, each as populous as towns elsewhere.

The towns themselves appear at a distance like groves or thickets, every house possessing its wide-branching tree, while the old forests have disappeared from the well-cultivated plains. The frequent national or dynastic wars have compelled the people to surround their towns with walls and ditches, with gates flanked by strong towers. Kurrefi, some 30 miles south of Ivatsena, may serve as a model in this respect. Built in the middle of the century as a refuge for eight or nine