CONQUEST OF SOKOTO AND KANO 441 office on British conditions. In the Empire of Bornu the position was even more strongly emphasised. There, in fulfilling the obligations of an international agreement, British arms had restored the ancient dynasty of the country, and the Sultan had accepted his throne as a gift from the sovereign of Great Britain. The emirs of the southern emirates were, in spite of their doubts as to the future, working loyally with the British Government. British Residents were established at their courts, a British garrison in the capital of every emirate acted as an efficient body of police, not to overawe the local ruler, but to give effect to edicts issued by him in the interests of civilisation. Slave-raiding, forbidden in the territories of every ruler placed on the throne under British protection, was becoming a practice of the past ; taxes were being peaceably and regularly collected. Trade routes, as has been seen, were daily opening. But the whole foundation of this progress was the belief of the native in British strength. The position remained uncertain till this was placed beyond a doubt.

So fully was this situation appreciated that symptoms of unrest and expectancy were making themselves generally felt when the incident occurred in the middle of 1902 of the murder of the British Resident at Keffi, and the escape of his murderer to the court of Kano. Kano represented the principal military power of the northern states, and it was well understood that Kano was the power with which the British strength would be first seriously measured. The comment of the Emir of Kano upon the murder of the British Resident represented a very general feeling. "If the little town of Keffi could do so much," he is reported to have said, ** what could not Kano do ? " Towards the end of November 1902, the Emir of Kano went so far as to march, without any declaration of war, against the British garrison of Zaria. His armies turned back on the news reaching them of the death of