New-York tribune., 1905-02-04

THE WHITE MAN IN NIGERIA. BY George
Illustrations from Photographs. Svo.. pp. xvi.
ZS Longmans Green d Co.
Tucked away just north of the coast colonies
in the furthest corner of the Gulf of Guinea, and
lying south of the Desert of Sahara is territory
about 100000 square miles in area and con-
tanning estimated population of 30,0O0.0OO.
which has lately under British influence.
Ill adapted as it is yet and doubtless will be
for a long time to come, place of residence
for Europeans. few adventurous Englishmen
have been found to go there civil servants to
undertake the establishment OF law and order
among the people and to promote the economic
development of the land. To one of these Of
f1cals. Mr.. George Douglas Hazzledine. are
indebted for one of the most picturesque and
fascinating accounts of ancient yet almost
forgotten race that II has been our privilege to
read.
Centuries ago the Hausa States, which COM
prise the present protectorate of Northern
Nigeria, were as far ahead Of Europe in civiliza-
ton as Europe is now ahead of Hausaland. It
was the factory of the Mediterranean just as
Morocco was its granary pouring its produce
and manufactures across the desert into Europe
as it pours them through the same channels
STILL though to different market The morocco
leather OF commerce to-day comes from Kano
one of the principal cities.
It's arts and crafts have heen lef, bah,na nv
birmingham; but then it had machinery. 1t
Ee6 of6o and survived through periods in which the
cdent 1t was mighty civilization and those who
mighty people. ~
Thus writes the author after a close associa-
ton with the Hausas under conditions of the
most trying nature. He writes TO call the at
tention OF his countrymen to the enormous pos
sibilities OF the region from commercial point
OF view and to the necessity OF an adequate
expenditure now IN order to secure the benefits
that must accrue in the future by divertng the
trade of Northern Nigeria from the long and ex-
pensive caravan routes across the desert, and
directing it to the coast by way of the Niger
Incidentally, he gives a vivid picture of sub
tropical life and customs and opens UP a new
chapter in the history of African exploration
Exploration is perhaps not the exact term to
use. since the country has been often visited,
but so little has really been known about It,
and Mr. Hazzledne reveals much of its past
history and present conditions, that no other
word seems adequately to serve.
Two races dwell in Hausaland the Hausas
and the Fulani. Totally distinct in appearance
character and language, they occupy the same
territory, mingle freely in the natural inter-
course of daily life-though rarely intermarry-
ing-and regard each other with mutual dis
dain. No one knows how long the Hausas have
lived there, when the Fulani came, but the
Hausa Is the older race. 1t has a written Ian
guage antedating the Arabic, and devotes itself
to industry-to farming. spinning, weaving dye
ing, manufacturing and hunting; while n
trader the Hausa is known all over northern
Africa He is black, fiat nosed negro. but
everything about him indicates past of splen-
dor, wealth and power The Fulani, on the
other hand, is lighter colored, with a hook nose
betokening possibly Moorish or Berber origin.
llIra ha IN
with his flocks and herds and stayed there. His
cattle throve and increased and so did he He
became rich Then, through the rise of 9th
man. the gypsy became the aristocrat
Even when Buonaparte was conquering Europe,
Gilman his ante-type was founding another en-
wane until the Germans were on the boulevards.
provided the petty kings With sinews Of war con-
ceived the advantages of lighting for himself and
Commission Of the agent We have only gen
with wealth. and it certainly ended in power.
The Moor. conquering half of Spain, and almost
people, than did the sultan of sokoto. Hav-
Ing conquered. this dark Napoleon, like the white
he found his material sveryWhere he appointed
governors and petty governors of his own people
AS climax to this romantic history. the
thor tells Of a prophecy said to have been
spoken by Othman his deathbed. 1t was
that his dynasty to last for a hundred
for day. Then would come the day of for
eign power for four years. and then the Mahdi
and the millennium" The hundred years end
ed in 1903 BY that time the British occupa-
ton was we'll under way. The fifteenth Sultan
died. and the sixteenth, marking the encroach-
ments of the foreigner and hearing in mind the
words of the founder OF his line, incontinently
fed. 1t is har d to get away from the convic-
tion that the earnestness of Mr. Hazzedines
appeal for prompt strengthening of the hands
of the present administrators of the country
is not in part, at least, due to tho impression
made his mind by the remarkable working
OF this hundred year old prophecy. Not
that he puts any real faith in it himself. He
thinks. indeed that 1t is quite possible that the
prophecy is a comparatively modern invention,
made to At the seemingly inevitable trend of
events. But it is firmly believed in by the ma
tivcs and the timely advent OF a self-appointed
Mahdi in 1907 might well uprising that
the small force available iii Northern Nigeria
would be poweress to cope with. If the country
is not wholly under British control by that
time
So far this control has been extended in a
manner that reflects credit on those in RESPONSE
BILE charge both Mt home and the spot. There
has been no sanguinary warfare, no holocaust,
no Omdurman no devastating of districts no
departing OF thousands" writes Mr. Hazzledine,
nothing but few well planned coups, few
marvels of personal dash and valor few forced
marches. few minutes with the Maxim a few
dogged chases a few quick decisions little
greatest OF all have been the shells from the
L