BORGU, or Barba, a large district in the interior of Africa, bounded on the E. by the Niger, on the S. by Yoruba, on the W. by Dahomey, and on the N. by Gurma. It is about thirty days’ journey in length and eleven in breadth. It has generally a level surface, though crossed by a considerable range of mountains. The soil is mostly fertile, and tolerably cultivated, producing in abundance corn, yams, plantains, and limes. The cattle are numerous and of excellent breed, and there is a copious supply of all the species of game that prevail in Africa. A considerable inland trade between Haussa and the coast passes through this territory. When Clapperton entered it from Eyeo, he was warned to be on his guard, as the people were the greatest robbers and plunderers in all Africa, but he found this bad report altogether unjust. The people were honest, cheerful, obliging, good-humoured, and communicative. The district of Borgu is divided into a number of states, of which the smaller, such as Boussa, Wawa, Kiama, and Lugu, are dependent on the Fellatah kingdom of Gondo, while Kiti is ruled by a powerful and independent chief, who is frequently spoken of as sultan of Borgu. Wawa and Kiama are important commercial cities. Eoussa was the scene of the disastrous fate of Mungo Park in 1805.