196 SIERRA 
Wartha; 29 miles east-south-east of Kalisch, and 108 
west-south-west of Warsaw. It is said to have been at one 
time a considerable place, but its population is now only 
1600. 
SIERAKOW, or Czirke, a small town of Prussian Po¬ 
land, on the Wartha, with 1300 inhabitants; 40 miles 
north-west of Posen. 
SIEREK, a small town in the north-east of France, de¬ 
partment of the Moselle, and situated on that river. Popu¬ 
lation 1000; 25 miles north-by-east of Metz. 
SIERPZ, a small town in the north-west of Poland; 
22 miles north of Plock, with 1300 inhabitants. 
SIERRA, the eastern part of New Castile, so called from 
its mountains. The word Sierra is a general name for 
mountain in Spain, and the distinctive appellations are 
often given from the neighbouring towns. 
SIERRA DE CANATAGUA, a chain of mountains in 
America, which runs across the extremities of the two pro. 
vinces of Veragua and Panama, in about long. 80. 50. W., 
and which divides the northern from the southern continent of 
America. 
SIERRA DE LAS GRULLAS, a chain of the Andes, 
which commences at the northern extremity of Mexico. 
SIERRA DE GUADALUPE. See Guadalupe. 
SIERRA LEONE, a country of Western Africa, situated 
on the Atlantic, and distinguished for the colony formed 
thereby the British nation, rather from motives of genero¬ 
sity and philanthropy, than from those of political and com¬ 
mercial advantage. This -country is traversed by a consi¬ 
derable river, derived from an unknown source in the 
interior, called the Mitomba or Sierra Leone. The extent 
to which this last name may be applied, either to the north 
or south of the river, or in the interior, is very indefinite; 
indeed there seems in the country itself to be scarcely any 
principle of unity, being occupied by a number of small 
independent tribes. The name is derived from a long ridge 
of mountains, which rises at no great distance from the 
southern bank of the river, that on the northern bank being 
low and flat. From these mountains descend many streams 
or torrents, a number of which unite in a place called the 
bay of France, into a large basin, which affords the best 
watering place in all Guinea, and where a ship may fill a 
thousand casks in the day. This is described as a most de¬ 
lightful spot, being shadowed by tall trees, mingled with 
rocks, which make a most picturesque appearance. 
This country fully equals, in point of fertility and popu¬ 
lousness, any other in this part of Africa. Cultivation, 
however, has made a very slender progress, unless so far as 
it has been introduced by Europeans. It consists generally 
of one vast, almost impenetrable forest, only particular spots 
of which have been cleared and cultivated. Even at a few steps 
from the shores and villages, the ground becomes so encum¬ 
bered with trees and shrubs, as to be impassable, unless by 
narrow paths formed by the natives to their lugars or cleared 
fields. The houses are low, little huts, built with wooden 
posts fastened in the ground, of a round or square form, and 
thatched with straw. The villages consist of thirty or forty 
of such huts, and are moved without the least difficulty 
from place to place, as convenience or fancy direct. Rice 
is raised wherever the ground is sufficiently watered for its 
production, and forms the constant food of the rich; but 
the poor content themselves with millet, yams, and plan¬ 
tains. There is great abundance of the most delicate fruits. 
The pine-apple is pre-eminent; to which are added oranges, 
lemons, limes, and a fruit' resembling a melon. The palm 
tree yields a liquor which is eagerly drank, and possesses 
intoxicating qualities. The elephant’s teeth brought to the 
coast here are valued above any other on the same coast, 
being remarkably clean, white, and free from specks, though 
they occur elsewhere of larger size. A considerable quan¬ 
tity of civet is brought to market, the produce of a pecu¬ 
liar species of cat. The woods and mountains are 
much infested with wild animals, particularly lions, from 
the multitude of which the country appears to have derived 
its name. Apes move about in vast bodies, and would de- 
LEONE. 
stroy the plantations, were they not carefully guarded. Thq. 
exuberance of life in a tropical climate, gives rise also to 
numerous and troublesome swarms of insects, flies, mos¬ 
quitoes, and particularly ants, the white species of which 
commit extraordinary devastation. The same cause multi¬ 
plies the serpent species to a remarkable degree. The rivers, 
besides yielding an ample supply of fish for food, contain 
large alligators, and a species called the manatea or sea 
cow. 
The natives of this country are not of so deep black a 
complexion as those of Cape Verd, nor have they the flat 
nose of the negro race to such a degree. The character of 
the different tribes varies greatly. Some of them are consi¬ 
dered superior in point of intelligence and regular conduct 
to most of those on the coast; while others have the reputa¬ 
tion of extreme ferocity, and are even charged with canni¬ 
balism, though this is probably a false and exaggerated 
charge. The office of the king consists chiefly in adminis¬ 
tering justice, which he does with the advice of the Solates- 
quis or great men, being placed on an elevated seat, in a 
sort of gallery in front of his palace, which consists merely 
of a collection of round huts. Polygamy is admitted to „ 
any extent that great men may find convenient, though the 
first wife has many honours that are denied to the others. 
As usual among savage tribes, the women are obliged to 
perform all the laborious tasks; tilling the ground, making 
palm oil and spinning cotton : nay, if they have any leisure 
from these, the husband will employ them in braiding his 
hair, or otherwise in embellishing his person. Gross idolatry 
prevails, but without any fixed regulations or priesthood. ' 
Every one, according to his fancy, chooses his idol or fe¬ 
tiche; a crab’s claw, a nail, a flint, a snail’s shell, a bird’s 
or a root. To these they look for prosperity in all their ' 
undertakings, and make daily offerings to propitiate their 
favour. They are very difficult to convert to Christianity, 
though not quite so much so as the Moors or Mahome¬ 
tans. 
The Portuguese were the first who discovered and formed 
settlements in the river of Sierra Leone; but afterwards all 
the nations of Europe found their way thither. The English 
established their factory upon Bance island, situated in the 
middle of the river, being merely a rock ascended by steps, 
and possessing no advantage except that of security. The 
fort was substantially built of stone and lime, defended by 
10 or 12 guns, and garrisoned by about 20 whites, and 30 
Grumettas or free negroes.' The main object of this, as of every 
other establishment on the same coast, was that which it has 
since been made so active an instrument in overthrowing, 
the slave trade; and the supply here afforded, of these un¬ 
fortunate victims of European cupidity, was very conside¬ 
rable. 
It was not till towards the close of the 18th century, that 
the British nation began to turn their views towards Sierra 
Leone, with a view to colonization. The idea was suggested 
by Dr. Smeathman in 1783, and supported in the following 
year by the Reverend Mr. Ramsay, but vehemently opposed ■ 
by the West India planters, who saw in such a measure the 
probable depreciation of their staple commodities. In 1785, 
the essays of Mr. Clarkson, called forth by the question 
proposed by the university of Cambridge, began to excite 
a strong interest throughout the nation, on the subject of the 
slave trade. Then it was that Wilberforce began that series 
of persevering efforts, which were at last crowned with 
merited success. An important instrument for this purpose 
appeared to be the already suggested plau of an African 
colony, the execution of which was hastened by accidental 
circumstances. The streets of London happened, to be in¬ 
fested by a number of negroes recently dismissed from the 
army and navy, into which, by different means, they had 
found their way during the American war. A committee 
was formed for the relief of the black poor, the affairs of 
which were chiefly conducted by those excellent men, Jonas 
Hanway, Granville Sharp, and Dr. Smeathman. The latter 
drew up and published the plan of a settlement, in conse¬ 
quence of which were collected above 400 blacks, with about " 
60 whites. 
