o4 REPORT OF THE HARVARD AFRICAN EXPEDITION 
women of the pure negro tribes. The Fulas, a semi-Caucasian race, apparently 
resulted from one of the first invasions of negro tribes in the western Sahara by 
the Libyans (Moors) of northern Africa, who interbred with the pure negroes. 
The Fulas, though proud of their light color, did not hesitate in turn to mate 
with the women of negro tribes as well as with those of their own stock, and so 
gave rise to a number of negro hybrids, who possessed darker complexions but 
features that showed the intermingling of Caucasian blood. The Mandingo is 
one of the most notable of these hybrids, though owing to the intermixture of 
its Fula blood with the Teware and the Arabs from the north of the Niger, and 
with the western Sudan negroes, the race is of very mixed origin. 
At some remote time the Mandingoes developed a very distinct group of 
languages with grammatical structure, represented today in a number of differ- 
ent tongues and dialects in interior West Africa, as well as by a few in Liberia. 
The Mandingoes, evidently having became Mohammedanized at an early 
period, later introduced their religion into Liberia, together with some of the 
customs of Mohammedan civilization, including the use of clothing. Also at a 
remote period the Mandingoes apparently pushed their way toward the seacoast, 
perhaps in search of salt, and reached the northwestern part of Liberia and the 
eastern part of Sierra Leone. They have left traces of their earlier incursions 
into Liberia, particularly in the existing Mendi and Vai tribes, whose languages 
bear certain resemblances to that of the Mandingoes. Johnston states that 
probably by the interbreeding with other negroes, they in their turn are the for- 
bears of the Gbandi, Susu, and Kondo tribes. Thus apparently through the 
Mandingo a small part of Caucasian blood and a trace of Caucasian civilization 
reached the unadulterated negroes of prehistoric Liberia. 
The Mandingo people, who though some are almost black, are usually of a 
light or dark shade of brown, are found in especial abundance in the most north- 
ern parts of Liberia, and are really the dominant people in the regions between 
the St. Paul River and the Sierra Leone frontier. A wandering people, they are 
gradually invading the villages of a number of other tribes, and one finds their 
separate villages sometimes built within a hundred yards of the village of the 
native tribe of the region. We found such a condition of things both at Gbanga 
in the central portion of Liberia among the Jarquellis, and at Tappi Town in the 
east-central portion of Liberia among the Gios. Being well disposed toward the 
government of the Republic and ingratiating in their manner, they are not mo- 
lested in their newsettlements. Theyare astute traders as well as great wanderers; 
they bring cheap cotton prints, particularly those of bright color, suitable for 
dresses and other clothes, across the border from French Guinea and trade them 
for kola nuts which they often send to their starting points or take back with 
them. They do considerable weaving of cloth, and in the northwestern part of 
the country where the industry is practicable, they raise a few cattle and horses. 
Being Mohammedans, they are observant of their daily religious exercises and 
may be seen kneeling and praying, both morning and evening. They are also 
strict in their avoidance of alcohol. They are superstitious and many of them 
wear amulets round their necks containing verses of the Koran sewn up in leather 
