This inland territory varies considerably in its extent from the shores; and, in fact, is quite undefined as to its limits within the interior of the continent.
Senegambia is the country drained, you will remember, by the Senegal and Gambia, hence its name. It is generally understood to include the tract of country from the Senegal southward to the promontory of Sierra Leone.
The French, Portuguese, and British have settlements. France has the largest possessions. They extend all along the left bank of the lower Senegal River, and along the coast past Cape Verd to near the Gambia.
The seat of government of the French is St. Louis. It is situated at the mouth of the Senegal. The chief commercial town is Dâkir. It is situated on the peninsula of Cape Verd. The islet fortress of Goric stands guard over it.
Farther to the south there are a number of smaller, isolated possessions. These, too, belong to the French. There are also several stations on the banks of the various smaller rivers.
Since 1880 these scattered possessions of the French have become consolidated. Several native states have placed themselves under a French protectorate. Thus no little progress has been made in consolidating the French possessions in Senegambia with those on the coast of Guinea.
Quite a large extent of seacoast is nominally claimed by the Portuguese; but their actual possessions are exceedingly small.
The Gambia River is navigable for three hundred miles up from the sea. The greater part of the river is held by the British. They have an important little colony at the mouth of the river, and several smaller stations higher up the stream.
Sherboro Island lies fifty miles south of the British colony, Sierra Leone. This island and the coast line as far as Liberia form a part of the British possessions.
The inhabitants of Senegambia, if we except the Europeans and the traders living in the towns and trading stations, are mainly native negroes. All are black in color and have good figures.