It was, doubtless, the earliest European settlement, and is to-day one of the largest towns. It has a population of about ten thousand.
Just behind the Gold Coast lies the country of the Ashantees, a warlike negro people. The greater part of the country consists of forest and jungle.
The river Volta forms the western boundary of the Ashantee country. Next to the Niger it is the most important river of this portion of the coast line of Africa. Both of its banks, in the vicinity of the mouth, are included in the Gold Coast colony. The Volta seems to be navigable for about two hundred miles. No doubt, in the near future it will become an important highway of trade.
East of the Volta is a small German territory named Togo. Farther up we find Popo, a French settlement, and Whydah. The latter is the port of the negro kingdom of Dahomey. This kingdom is noted for its cruel rites and barbarous customs.
Farther on is the British town Lagos. This is the largest seaport of the Yoruba country and of all this portion of West Africa. It is in direct communication with Liverpool by steamers. These carry out cargoes of palm oil and cotton, in an unfailing supply, to England.
The kingdoms of Ashantee, Dahomey, Yoruba, and others, occupy the interior of the Guinea Coast country.
Ashantee is about two hundred and eighty miles long and about as many broad. Although a mountainous region, it has no abrupt or precipitous elevations. It is well watered, notwithstanding that it does not lie in any of the basins of the great African rivers. Along the coast there are the mouths of several large streams, and the various affluents of these streams form a network over the country.
The Asinee River is a stream of some size. It is considered the boundary line between the Gold and the Ivory coasts. For a considerable distance from its mouth it forms the western boundary of Ashantee. The Volta, which is the largest river, is estimated to be four hundred miles in length. There are also several lakes in the country. These frequently overflow during the rainy season.
The heat and unhealthiness of the Guinea Coast are well known. This is partly due to the hot days succeeded by the chilly nights. The main cause, however, is the sulphurous mist which rises from the valleys and river sections in the mornings. This mist is particularly heavy during the rainy season. The kingdom of Ashantee has one dry season and two wet seasons.
The first rains occur near the end of May or the first of June. They are heralded by violent tornadoes. The rains are followed by fogs and haze. These are disagreeable enough at all times, but are particularly so in July and August. The second rains occur in October. These are followed by the hot, dry season, which lasts till April.