444 A TROPICAL DEPENDENCY land on their side. The town made practically no defence. There was some fairly well-directed firing from behind the walls, but, a small breach having been effected, an assault was ordered, and the defenders fled as soon as the heads of the storming party appeared in the gap. A considerable loss was inflicted upon the enemy outside the walls when the British force endeavoured to cut off their retreat. As they fled they suffered severely. The town itself, which occupied only a small part of the great area enclosed by the walls, was entered unopposed. The inhabitants exhibited no concern. No disorder on the part of the soldiers was permitted. Captain Abadie immediately summoned the fourteen headmen of the principal quarters of the town, and made them responsible for the maintenance of order in their districts. A rate of exchange was fixed between the local cowries and British silver, with which the troops paid for all they purchased. The slave-market closed itself. Otherwise the life of the town pursued its usual course. Within three days the great market showed its usual activity, and fully equipped caravans started for the south and arrived from the north and east as though the country were in perfect peace.

The capture of Kano took place on February 3. The High Commissioner, travelling up from Zungeru to Kano for the purpose of dealing at once with this new development of the political situation, traversed a few days later the country over which the troops had marched, and was able to write under date of February 8 : *' It is a striking comment on the situation here that, although fighting is going on between the British and the Fulani rulers of a district close by, the road I am traversing is as safe as Piccadilly. I met to-day caravans which must have numbered scores of loaded donkeys, ponies, and oxen, and flocks of sheep for sale down south which must have numbered many hundreds These are being taken from Kano itself, and the traders I met saluted with smiles and unmistakable goodwill.