16 SIERRA LEONE 



Natives. The inhabitants of the Colony are chiefly the 

 descendants of liberated slaves from North America and 

 the West Indies, but a number were rescued by British 

 war-vessels from slave ships, and represent races from 

 all parts of West Africa. The language adopted by these 

 people is a " pidgin English " of a peculiar kind, and is 

 easily understood after a few of the curious idiomatic 

 phrases have been learnt. 



The most important tribes are the Mendis, Timanis, 

 Limbas and Sherbros. These are followed in number by 

 the Konnohs, Port Lokkos, Susus, Korankos, Bulloms, 

 Krims, Yalunkas, Mandingoes, Gbemas, Foulahs, Gallinas 

 or Veis and Gpakas. The Mendis are the largest tribe, 

 and are entirely pagan ; they cultivate in a wasteful 

 manner and are otherwise improvident. The Timanis 

 are more intelligent and careful, and the Veis, occupying 

 the sea coast to the south, who have recently adopted 

 cocoa planting, are not only considered the most intelli- 

 gent, but, alone among West African natives, have a 

 written language. 



Land Tenure. The land in the Colony is held by the 

 Crown, and is granted on the authority of the Governor. 

 All grants made contain reservations with regard to roads 

 and other public requirements. The tenure of Crown 

 lands is fee simple, but occupation is also sanctioned 

 under squatters' licence at a nominal rent, and the tenure 

 is then in the nature of a tenancy at will. Under Ordi- 

 nance No. 14 of 1886, real and personal property may 

 be taken, acquired, held or disposed of by any alien in 

 a manner similar to that allowed to a British-born subject. 



Fields or waste lands outside town or village limits in 

 the Sierra Leone Peninsula and Sherbro Island must be 

 taken up in lots of not less than 20, or more than 200, 

 acres. Such lots are disposed of at auction, at an upset 

 price of 4s. 2d. per acre in the former, and 8s. in the latter 

 locality. Up to 1902 the question of land grants in the 

 Protectorate was unsettled, but arrangements may now 

 be come to with the chiefs for the lease of tracts of land 

 for long periods on an annual rental, agreed to between 

 the applicant and the tribal council ; the title requiring 

 the confirmation of the Government. According to 

 native law, it is generally recognised that the lands of 

 a chiefdom are not the property of the chief, but are 



