2/6 A TROPICAL DEPENDENCY vince of Zaria, marked the furthest limit of their advance into Haussaland. But these were among the events of a century yet to come. At the beginning of the sixteenth century Kanta had but just established his independence, and the vigour of his arms was yet to prove. AH Ghajideni of Bornu lived only through the first twelve years of Askia's reign. But Bornu, like Songhay, was at this epoch of its history fortunate in the succession of two remarkable kings ; Edris, who followed his father, Ali Ghajideni, on the throne of Bornu, was scarcely less enlightened than his great neighbour of Songhay. He extended the power of Bornu, and carried still further the administrative reforms initiated by his father. The early part of his reign was distinguished by conquests in the East. He defeated the Bulala, who had interfered with his father's intended conquest of Wangara ; but when he in turn directed his arms against Haussaland, he was met and defeated by Kanta. Sultan Bello gives an account of the campaign, attributing it to Ali Ghajideni, but as Kanta did not establish his independence until after the death of Ali, we must take the opposing forces to have been under the command, not of Ali, but of his equally warlike successor, Edris.

Sultan Bello says that at this time Kanta, who had conquered the country, governed it with equity, and had established peace in its very extremities and remotest places. Bello makes no distinction apparently between the conquests of Kanta as a general of Songhay and as an independent prince. He speaks of him as having conquered Katsena, Kano, Zaria, Gober, and the country of Asben or Ahir, all of these being, of course, really the conquests of Songhay and not of Kebbi. It would seem to have been some act of oppression on Kanta's part towards one of these towns, which gave the King of Bornu an excuse to march against him. It is evident that the campaign on this