covered with creeping plants, and inhabited by colonies of
CreSome of the stores and churches are, it is true, built of stone,
but this does not look like stone at a distance, being red in
colour-unhewn blocks of the red stone of the locality.
In the crannies of these buildings trailing plants covered
with pretty mauve or yellow flowers take root and everywhere,
along the tops of the walls, and in the c ra cb
the houses are ferns and flowering plants. They must
get a good deal of their nourishment from the rich, thick air,
which seems composed of 85 per cent, of warm water, and
the -remainder of the odours of Frangipam, orange flowers
magnolias, oleanders, and roses, combined with others that
demonstrate that the inhabitants do not regard sanitary
matters with the smallest degree of interest.
There is one central street, and the others are neatly planned
out at right angles to it. None of them are m any way
paved or metafled. They are covered in much prettier
fashion, and in a way more suitable for naked feet, by green
Bahama grass, save and except those which are so nearly
perpendicular that they have got every bit of earth and grass
cleared off them down to the red bed-rock, by the heavy
rain of* the wet season.
The shops, which fringe these streets in an uneven line g |
like rooms with one side taken out, for shop-fronts, as w
cafl them are here unknown. Their floors are generally
rated on a bed of stone a little above street level, but
except when newly laid, these stones do not show, Bg M j i f e j
grows over them, making them into green banks. In^de the
Sops are lined with shelves, on which are placed bundles,
of gay-coloured Manchester cottons and shawls, Swiss
clocks and rough but vividly coloured china; or— what
t t ’ a brave, show brass, copper, i f
Here and there you come across a bakers with tray s
banana fritters of tempting odour; and there is no lack
of barbers and chemists. Within all the shops are usually
to be seen the proprietor and his family with a few friends
all ¿xceedingly plump and happy, having a socia s o
together : a chat I cannot call it.
There is usually a counter across the middle, over which
customers and casual callers alike love to loll. Some brutal
tradesmen, notably chemists, who presumably regard this as
unprofessional, affix tremendous nails, with their points outwards,
to the fronts of their counter tops, in order to keep
their visitors at a respectful distance.
In every direction natives are walking at a brisk pace, their
naked feet making no sound on the springy turf of the
streets, carrying on their heads huge burdens which are
usually crowned by the hat of the bearer, a large limpetshaped
affair made of palm leaves. While some carry these
enormous bundles, others bear logs or planks of wood, blocks
of building stone, vessels containing palm-oil, baskets of
vegetables, or tin tea-trays on which are folded shawls. As
the great majority of the native inhabitants of Sierra Leone
pay no attention whatever to where they are going, either
in this world or the next, the confusion and noise are out
of all proportion to the size of the town ; and when, as
frequently happens, a section of actively perambulating
burden-bearers charge recklessly into a sedentary section, the
members of which have dismounted their loads and squatted
themselves down beside them, right in the middle of the fair
way, to have a friendly yell with some acquaintances, the row
•becomes terrific.
In among these crowds of country people walk stately
Mohammedans, Mandingoes, Akers, and Fulahs of the
Arabised tribes of the Western Soudan. These are lithe,
well-made men, and walk with a peculiarly fine, elastic
. carriage. Their graceful garb consists of a long white loose-
| sleeved shirt, over which they wear either a long black
mohair or silk gown, or a deep bright blue affair, not
altogether unlike a University gown, only with more stuff in
it and more folds. They are undoubtedly the gentlemen of
[ the Sierra Leone native population, and they are becoming an
; increasing faction in the town, by no means to the pleasure
t of the Christians. For, although Bishop Ingram admits that
¿they are always ready to side with the missionaries against
I the drink traffic, here their co-operation ceases, and he
. complains that they exercise a great influence over the native
C