THE LATER ASKIAS 215 son. The massacre of Masina happened, however, in the spring of 1582, and before Askia Daouad had time to take any action in the matter, he died on his favourite estate near Kagho, on the 21st of August of that year. With him died the last of the great Askias. He was succeeded by his son, who, in consequence of having made the pilgrimage to Mecca, was known, like his illustrious grandfather, by the name of *' El Hadj." He was an estimable prince, but an invalid, and he reigned only four years. He was succeeded in his turn by his brother, Mohammed Bano, a mere nullity, who occupied the throne for two years; and in 1588 that second Ishak, also a son of Askia Daouad, who lives in the tradition of the Soudan as ''the worst of the Askias," closed the line of the independent sovereigns of Songhay.

In bringing to an end this notice of the most remarkable dynasty of which we have any record in the Soudan, it is perhaps worth while to draw attention to the length of the reigns not only of the two most distinguished monarchs of this line, but generally of the more remarkable native sovereigns of the Soudan. The reign of Askia Daouad lasted for thirty-four years, that of Askia the Great for thirty-six years. Sonni Ali, whose life and whose reign were brought to an end only by an accident, reigned for thirty years. The great Mansa Musa reigned for twentyfour years. His brother, who after a short interval succeeded him, reigned for twenty-six years. In the Desert Empire the son of the famous Teloutan, who had himself a very long reign, reigned from St,'/ till 910, that is, upwards of seventy years, and was then killed in battle.

Nor was this longevity confined to the rulers of the country. It has already been mentioned that the common age to which men lived in the Desert Empire was eighty years, and the great age of the teachers and writers of Timbuctoo has been noticed. Public men not only lived to a great age, but kept their offices for long periods of time. The great Askia, after having been a successful general, was Prime Minister for thirty years before he