420 A TROPICAL DEPENDENCY was the transfer from the Royal Niger Company, the taking over of their assets, and the work of assigning to them their trading stations, to be attended to. There was the neighbouring country to survey, in the hopes of finding, within friendly territory, a more suitable and central position in which the permanent seat of government could be established, under healthier conditions than those offered by either Lokoja or Jebba, in the malarial valley of the Niger, and there were relations to establish with such chiefs as might prove friendly in the neighbourhood. While the High Commissioner and the civil staff undertook the formation of Administrative Departments, the duty of surveying the country was committed to military expeditions, which, moving in strength sufficient to protect themselves against disaster, were strictly enjoined to avoid all occasion of conflict with the natives, to endeavour as far as possible to win the confidence of the people, and to submit reports on the economic and geographical conditions of the country. Three such parties were sent out to examine the country lying to the north of the confluence of the Niger and the Benu6 between the river Kaduna and the eastern highlands of Bautchi.

Though Fulani emirs were at the time slave-raiding in these districts, it was believed from information received that the native tribes were friendly and would be willing to welcome Europeans, and here it was thought likely that a permanent administrative centre might be formed in the southern part of the province of Zaria, bordering upon the Kaduna river. In the absence of railroads, necessities of transport rendered it impossible for any position to be taken far from a navigable river. Some little opposition was met by two of the survey parties, who were obliged to reduce some intractable pagan tribes, but no serious fighting occurred ; and from the geographical and topographical reports of the surveys, it was, after some discussion, decided that the site for the new seat of government would be most favourably placed in the neiohbourhood of the native town of Wushishi, on the