The Introduction 14 On the contrary, nothing is more certain than the migration of the Bidhan towards the south, as it is said "Mauritania is descending" (meaning its inhabitants are moving south); this is evident from year to year, as the restoration of security has greatly increased reproduction. Surplus populations migrate from the Atlantic coast to the Timbuktu line, i.e., towards the Black lands to earn their living, but this was less true in the past.

The religious history of the Sahel countries and the Tigre Valley bears witness to a continuous flow of Bidhan preachers and merchants. One only needs to cross the entire Sahel region from Macina to Anyuru to see new villages of Haratin bearing Arabic names, as well as undeniable traces. The Bidhan (Arab and Sanhaja) are found in a large number of villages in Ifflan, Soninke, Ka Goro, and Tekrur, especially in Kirkenke; the political dominance of the Bidhan Arabs in the Sahel and the Basin (around 1850) ended and was taken over by the Mashzouf until the arrival of the French between 1891-1892. South of Anyuru, Konth, and Kolo, and east of Timbuktu and Kondam, French influence was gradually encompassing the Bidhan tribes, whose artificial borders favored them over the lands of the Negroes whose countries had actually fallen under occupation. This influence was based on a mixture of shrewd diplomacy and a show of force, which yielded excellent results.

This political work was accomplished in particular by the tribe of Ahl al-Taleb Mukhtar Bada of [Sheikh] Sidi Al-Khair, and at the same time by his nephew [Sheikh] Al-Turad bin [Sheikh] Al-Hadrami, a work based on flattery, advice, and appeasement. As for the use of force, we have an example in the lines sent by Captain Sansaric, governor of Konth in September 1893, to Captain Muhammad Racine, governor of Konth, "As long as the Mashzouf tribe, which has not declared its obedience to Al-Mukhtar Al-Sheikh, has not submitted, try to entice them (i.e., wait for the opportune moment to inflict the punishment they deserve) by sending one or two of them to inform their chiefs of what they will suffer in terms of punishment whenever we have the opportunity. You can draw the attention of Al-Mukhtar Al-Sheikh bin Ahmad Muhammad bin Hamid) and the illiterate, who are not our enemies, that we will always be happy to see them in our lands, and that you are stating as an absolute condition the application of our orders. Then we add, 'I do not want to see any Bidhan in the land of Ifflan.'" It is possible to believe that these instructions were carried out with great precision, but this preparatory period (1897-1912) was not generally marked by any real difficulties. Between 1906 and 1907, it was clear that all the tribes were waiting for the arrival of a Moroccan "leader" at the head of forces armed with rapid-fire rifles, and the leaders of the Mashzouf and the sons received