RESEARCH IN SIERRA LEONE. 153 



I. Geography" of the Colony and Protectorate. 



(!•) Position and Extent. 



The colony and protectorate of Sierra Leone lies at the extreme western end of 

 the Gulf of Guinea and, with the exception of the Gambia, is the most westerly 

 British possession in West Africa. It is very irregular in shape, but roughly 

 hexagonal ; its extreme depth north and south is about 210 miles, and the 

 extreme breadth east and west is roughly 180 miles. The coast-line runs 

 irregularly in a north-westerly to south-easterly direction ; it is about 210 miles 

 in length, and has its extreme limits on the seventh and ninth parallels north of 

 the equator. The total area is approximately 32,000 square miles. 



The population of the colony is estimated at 77,000 ; that of the protectorate 

 at 1,000,000. The Peninsula of Sierra Leone, on which Freetown stands, 

 together with Sherbro' Island, Turner's Peninsula, and a number of small 

 islands, of whicli the most important are the Banana Islands near the town of 

 Kent on the Peninsula, the Turtle Islands off Sherbro' Island, and the Plantain 

 Islands near Shenge on the mainland, constitute the Colony proper. The remainder 

 is known as the Protectorate of Sierra Leone. 



The Peninsula is about 25 miles in length, and from 10 to 12 miles in breadth 

 at the widest part. It is one of the few points on the West African coast where 

 there is high land near the sea. It is formed by a range of volcanic mountains 

 running parallel to the sea ; and there are numerous high peaks, the highest of 

 which, Sugar Loaf Mountain, rises in conical form to a height of about 

 2,500 feet. The mountains are composed principally of syenite and laterite (a 

 decomposition product), and are thickly wooded. They are intersected by 

 numerous ravines and small valleys, and there are considerable tracks of level 

 ground, especially on the eastern side, where it sinks into the mainland. 



Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone and the seat of Government, is situated 

 about four miles up the Sierra Leone River at the foot of the chain of hills 

 already mentioned. It is a large and important seaport and coaling station, with 

 a magnificent harbour — the best in British West Africa ; the population being 

 estimated at 40,000 natives and over 1 ,000 Europeans. 



Freetown holds a unique position amongst the ports of West Africa from the 

 fact that a large number of Imperial Troops are permanently stationed there. 

 These include, in addition to a local native regiment, a West Indian regiment 

 and several hundred European troops. It is thus evident that the European 

 population is augmented much in excess of that of any other town in West 

 Africa. 



It has already been noted that Freetown is an important coaling station. 

 Practically every steamer which arrives there, either outward- or homeward- 

 bound, takes on coal and water, and this necessitates a considerable intercourse 

 between the steamer and the shore in the form of coolie labour. Further, it 

 must be pointed out that all outward-bound steamers take on native crews at 

 Freetown to work the cargo at the various ports on the coast and Dut them 

 ashore again there on the return journey. The question of the intercourse 

 between Freetown and the West Indies has also to be considered, when it is 



32306 A 2 



