Smoke, Joe Williams, and Tom Whistle-
-Kru-men, called Kru-boys. This is not upon the principle, as
some suppose, of the grey-headed post-boy and drummer-boy: all
the Kraoh tribes end their names in bo, e.g. Worebo, from "wore,"
to capsize a canoe; Grebo, from the monkey "gre" or "gle;" and
many others. Bo became "boy," even as Sipahi (Sepoy) became Sea-
pie, and Sukhani (steersman) Sea-Coney.
Gaboon is French, with a purely English trade. Gambia is English,
with a purely French trade; the latter is the result of many
causes, but especially of the large neighbouring establishments
at Goree, Saint Louis de Senegal, and Saint Joseph de Galam.
Exchanging the two was long held the soundest of policy. The
French hoped by it to secure their darling object,--exclusive
possession of the maritime regions, as well as the interior,
leading to the gold mines of the Mandengas (Mandingas), and
allowing overland connection with their Algerine colony. The
English also seemed willing enough to "swop" an effete and
dilapidated settlement, surrounded by more powerful rivals--a
hot-bed of dysentery and yellow fever, a blot upon the fair face
of earth, even African earth--for a new and fresh country, with a
comparatively good climate, in which the thermometer ranges
between 65deg.
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